MX5 Berkeley to MEV Exocet projec
Discussion
Well - here goes with a new project, that I wasn't really planning on, especially since I ordered myself a new golf R estate a fortnight ago - so I really need to focus on getting my Vectra VXR advertised soon to make space for that!
Today though I have made a new addition to the fleet - a 1998 mk1 Berkeley edition no. 58/400. I have bought this from a colleague whose mum has owned and cherished it from new. Being a Berkeley, it is one of the final UK mk1's - this one being made around Ocober 97 in the final stages of mk1 production, with this being registered Feb 98, having been made into a Berkeley by addition of some bits on arrival in the UK (chrome cabin brace, wood trim on tombstone and a numbered plaque - mechanically it is a straightforward uk 1.8i).
Looks like a decent start point - but what to do? Well, I have bought the car as an MOT failure, which needs a brake pipe, and rust to the inner area of the rear sills and also one area to the front. So my first thought was that this would be a perfect basis to use to throw away the bodyshell to build either an Exocet or roadrunner sr2 as a bit of a project.
However... That was before I had seen the overall condition of the car, and driven it around (on trade plates to stay legal) I am wondering if it might be too good to suffer that fate! I think the key will be to get it in the air and see how bad it looks (and how taken I am with the kits when I go to the kit car show at Stoneleigh on Monday!).
Having had an initial feel around underneath there are holes on both sides below the lip on the bottom of each rear sill - I had my outer sills done on my old mk1 but am not sure how bad this is likely to be below the surface.
First job was to give it a quick wash with some help from no.2 son, the drive having a bit of a Mazda theme with my mk3 alongside...
Then I pulled it into the garage for a good nose underneath...
Drivers side sill
And passenger side
Passenger arch looking a little crusty
And both front wing bottoms are a bit thin
Oh, and a small hole spotted here too (front rail, by the testers chalk line)
But other than that little lot, it seems otherwise solid... So what's the verdict? possibly a saver? if it is, I think I need to get cracking and learn to weld - I think I would like to try and do it myself (or at least under the guidance of someone who knows what they are doing!) I am increasingly thinking that an Exocet will cost me around £5k to do well - would it perhaps be better to spend £1000-1500 on getting this one properly solid? (I am not considering this as an investment - this is all for the fun of the project, and he satisfaction of doing it)
Still planning on heading to Stoneleigh on Monday for a nose round, but feeling less inclined to strip this at the minute!
Oh, and the green is growing on me!
Today though I have made a new addition to the fleet - a 1998 mk1 Berkeley edition no. 58/400. I have bought this from a colleague whose mum has owned and cherished it from new. Being a Berkeley, it is one of the final UK mk1's - this one being made around Ocober 97 in the final stages of mk1 production, with this being registered Feb 98, having been made into a Berkeley by addition of some bits on arrival in the UK (chrome cabin brace, wood trim on tombstone and a numbered plaque - mechanically it is a straightforward uk 1.8i).
Looks like a decent start point - but what to do? Well, I have bought the car as an MOT failure, which needs a brake pipe, and rust to the inner area of the rear sills and also one area to the front. So my first thought was that this would be a perfect basis to use to throw away the bodyshell to build either an Exocet or roadrunner sr2 as a bit of a project.
However... That was before I had seen the overall condition of the car, and driven it around (on trade plates to stay legal) I am wondering if it might be too good to suffer that fate! I think the key will be to get it in the air and see how bad it looks (and how taken I am with the kits when I go to the kit car show at Stoneleigh on Monday!).
Having had an initial feel around underneath there are holes on both sides below the lip on the bottom of each rear sill - I had my outer sills done on my old mk1 but am not sure how bad this is likely to be below the surface.
First job was to give it a quick wash with some help from no.2 son, the drive having a bit of a Mazda theme with my mk3 alongside...
Then I pulled it into the garage for a good nose underneath...
Drivers side sill
And passenger side
Passenger arch looking a little crusty
And both front wing bottoms are a bit thin
Oh, and a small hole spotted here too (front rail, by the testers chalk line)
But other than that little lot, it seems otherwise solid... So what's the verdict? possibly a saver? if it is, I think I need to get cracking and learn to weld - I think I would like to try and do it myself (or at least under the guidance of someone who knows what they are doing!) I am increasingly thinking that an Exocet will cost me around £5k to do well - would it perhaps be better to spend £1000-1500 on getting this one properly solid? (I am not considering this as an investment - this is all for the fun of the project, and he satisfaction of doing it)
Still planning on heading to Stoneleigh on Monday for a nose round, but feeling less inclined to strip this at the minute!
Oh, and the green is growing on me!
I agree that the special edition part is not so special - I am thinking that I still kind of miss my old '91 1.6 (which I had sills and arches done on), and with this being generally solid that it is worth saving, and might have some interest as earlier cars get rarer as one of the last of the mk1's - or is that a bit naive?
Exocet does look like a fun project though!
Exocet does look like a fun project though!
Thank all for your comments - it seems that everyone I have asked is going for a restore option - and I think I am beginning to agree. While I think an Exocet or Seven-alike would be awesome fun, I have my mk3 Mazda for the track (with Meisters suspension, sticky tyres etc), and that is plenty for my amateurish driving abilities, but still retains the ability to take the kids to school.
With all that in mind, I am coming around to the idea of turning this into a very tidy and pampered car to go out for a nice drive on a sunny day or head to a show in... Given that the basis looks good, I think that this is where I will head, assuming I don't discover anything catastrophic in the process!
To the question on mileage - yes, this is a genuine car with 74k on, my colleague's mum owned it from new - so it is all original, even down to the load limit sticker on the boot rack!
I have been cracking on with delving a bit deeper tonight, and thought I would start with the front wings (as they are nice and easy to whip off!
First of all was to get the mudflaps off - which I think might have been a contributor to the problem, giving all the crud a nice place to hide behind...
Then out with the arch liner to reveal lots of crud lying in the convenient trap at the bottom of the wing
And off with the wing - can you tell where the rubbish has been sitting?
But thankfully everything appears pretty solid underneath - which is a relief!
And with a repeat on the other side, I have a car looking like this...
Looking at it, I think the wings could be saveable with a bit of TLC along the bottoms - although if the sills at the back end will need paint, I wonder if it would be best to do it properly and stick a pair of new ones on... A decision that can wait until I have opened up the rear end and seen how much work is needed there!
So, assuming I don't have a change of plan after a day of looking at kit cars tomorrow, then the restoration starts here...
With all that in mind, I am coming around to the idea of turning this into a very tidy and pampered car to go out for a nice drive on a sunny day or head to a show in... Given that the basis looks good, I think that this is where I will head, assuming I don't discover anything catastrophic in the process!
To the question on mileage - yes, this is a genuine car with 74k on, my colleague's mum owned it from new - so it is all original, even down to the load limit sticker on the boot rack!
I have been cracking on with delving a bit deeper tonight, and thought I would start with the front wings (as they are nice and easy to whip off!
First of all was to get the mudflaps off - which I think might have been a contributor to the problem, giving all the crud a nice place to hide behind...
Then out with the arch liner to reveal lots of crud lying in the convenient trap at the bottom of the wing
And off with the wing - can you tell where the rubbish has been sitting?
But thankfully everything appears pretty solid underneath - which is a relief!
And with a repeat on the other side, I have a car looking like this...
Looking at it, I think the wings could be saveable with a bit of TLC along the bottoms - although if the sills at the back end will need paint, I wonder if it would be best to do it properly and stick a pair of new ones on... A decision that can wait until I have opened up the rear end and seen how much work is needed there!
So, assuming I don't have a change of plan after a day of looking at kit cars tomorrow, then the restoration starts here...
Edited by browno on Sunday 1st May 23:35
So, I had a day out at the kit car show on a slightly grey and wet bank holiday which has made me realise how much compromise there is with a more extreme car with no weather gear to speak of - whereas I would not think twice about putting the roof of my Mazda up and leaving it in the rain, there were a lot of tarpaulins and improvised covers in action when the rain came! There were lots of lovely machines there (and some good bits and pieces on the trade stalls!) but it did reinforce how much I take for granted the everyday useability of the Mazda.
So, back in the garage for a little while tonight to have a quick look at what lies beneath with the aid of the flap wheel.
So, on the offside front sill, all looks good and we have clean, shiny, solid metal which is good - so this can all be cleaned back, re-protected and then given a good coat of dinitrol.
The rear has had a patch put on, so I will chop this out to get back into the inside, as there are holes on the inner edge, so I assume the inner panel will need some work.
So this all looks like it will be as expected, so onto the other side, where things look a bit different!
At the front, we didn't have as much of a solid feel to the metal, and sure enough we have a hole when trying to clean back the surface. Thankfully, the metal around looks ok, so hopefully this can be cut cleanly and a patch welded in.
Then to the back, (which has rust starting to appear around the wheelarch) where we also have a patch - and a covering of filler - which I think will take some more investigation, and chopping back!
So, nothing that is too surprising so far (I was aware that the sills had been patched - my colleague, who is a picky engineer, had put some patches on, but I didn't know quite how much had been done.
I think the plan of action from here is to have a good think about what to do next - I am torn between buying a welder and trying to learn to sort it, or saving that cost (I figure with a reasonable MIG, gas bottle and extras that I will be in the £3-500 range (but will have gained a skill), but that would go a long way to getting a pro to sort out welding it up - which will undoubtedly be a much better finish than I would achieve as a first-timer.
Any thoughts or guidance from folks that have had a go at similar repairs or learning to weld would be very much appreciated! I'll keep the updates flowing as a continue to dig a bit deeper!
So, back in the garage for a little while tonight to have a quick look at what lies beneath with the aid of the flap wheel.
So, on the offside front sill, all looks good and we have clean, shiny, solid metal which is good - so this can all be cleaned back, re-protected and then given a good coat of dinitrol.
The rear has had a patch put on, so I will chop this out to get back into the inside, as there are holes on the inner edge, so I assume the inner panel will need some work.
So this all looks like it will be as expected, so onto the other side, where things look a bit different!
At the front, we didn't have as much of a solid feel to the metal, and sure enough we have a hole when trying to clean back the surface. Thankfully, the metal around looks ok, so hopefully this can be cut cleanly and a patch welded in.
Then to the back, (which has rust starting to appear around the wheelarch) where we also have a patch - and a covering of filler - which I think will take some more investigation, and chopping back!
So, nothing that is too surprising so far (I was aware that the sills had been patched - my colleague, who is a picky engineer, had put some patches on, but I didn't know quite how much had been done.
I think the plan of action from here is to have a good think about what to do next - I am torn between buying a welder and trying to learn to sort it, or saving that cost (I figure with a reasonable MIG, gas bottle and extras that I will be in the £3-500 range (but will have gained a skill), but that would go a long way to getting a pro to sort out welding it up - which will undoubtedly be a much better finish than I would achieve as a first-timer.
Any thoughts or guidance from folks that have had a go at similar repairs or learning to weld would be very much appreciated! I'll keep the updates flowing as a continue to dig a bit deeper!
Thanks for the thoughts, and I hope you find your dad's Berkeley! I am still pondering what to do, and have been on business in the USA for the past week, so haven't made much progress apart from trading a few emails with the guy I bought it from, who emigrated to Oz last week.
He has kindly provided me with some more pictures and comments on what he has already done and what he discovered below the surface. He apparently also still has a rear wing panel and tonneau for the car that I can have, which is a bonus!
So when it was repaired 3 years ago, this is what it looked like, and what was done. First the nearside - which looked like the below when the sill was opened up.
And was repaired and coated like this before having the outer welded up (this is the side on which the arch is now going - so will need chopping open again.
On the offside, the inner sill was like so:
And the arch was also chopped out leaving it like this:
Leaving the inner arch to be re-formed and everything coated with an epoxy paint
Before the wing was then fitted
Having seen these I am confident that it has been well- done underneath. So now that I have taken stock of what it now looks like, I think that the offside just needs the inner section underneath repairing, while the nearside will need the wing fitting to sort the arch rust, and also the underside inner sorting - then finally it will need a small patch on the front inner and the offside chassis rail. With all that done and a leaking brake pipe replaced it will be good to go!
I have been busy all day cleaning my Vectra VXR ready for sale - but hopefully I will get some more time to play during the evenings this week...
He has kindly provided me with some more pictures and comments on what he has already done and what he discovered below the surface. He apparently also still has a rear wing panel and tonneau for the car that I can have, which is a bonus!
So when it was repaired 3 years ago, this is what it looked like, and what was done. First the nearside - which looked like the below when the sill was opened up.
And was repaired and coated like this before having the outer welded up (this is the side on which the arch is now going - so will need chopping open again.
On the offside, the inner sill was like so:
And the arch was also chopped out leaving it like this:
Leaving the inner arch to be re-formed and everything coated with an epoxy paint
Before the wing was then fitted
Having seen these I am confident that it has been well- done underneath. So now that I have taken stock of what it now looks like, I think that the offside just needs the inner section underneath repairing, while the nearside will need the wing fitting to sort the arch rust, and also the underside inner sorting - then finally it will need a small patch on the front inner and the offside chassis rail. With all that done and a leaking brake pipe replaced it will be good to go!
I have been busy all day cleaning my Vectra VXR ready for sale - but hopefully I will get some more time to play during the evenings this week...
So a mini-update for today as I haven't achieved much progress as I have been busy travelling with work, doing jobs around the house and also selling my vectra which have all taken time away from the Berkeley. I have made a small step forwards though, so here goes:
Started to try and get at least the o/s front inner wing all sorted and protected, as this is in good condition, and so can be sorted.
First off, after removing the wheel, here's something that the MOT didn't spot... New front springs needed - so will sort that later (as well as new discs and pads all round).
First job then was to attack the whole area with the cup-brush on the drill to clean back the dirt and grime and any loose paint:
Notice here the top edge of the brake backing plate crumbled when I hit it with the wire brush - I guess this will either need replacing, or at least tidying up too!
You will notice that I haven't touched the wishbones or any suspension - I will sort these when I take the strut out to sort the springs.
Next I treated any areas that had gone back to metal or showed signs of surface rust with Dinitrol rust converter, and then masked and painted liberally with Dinitrol underbody wax:
This has left a good finish and should protect well, so that's a good start. I have also been looking at a plan for the repair work, and am going to borrow my mate's big MIG from his garage - I think I might try and get going on that at some point soon - at least get the patch on the n/s front sill sorted so that I can protect the inner and get a pair of wings sorted.
I have been wondering what to do for the front wings - both originals are crusty at the bottom edges, so I think it will be best to replace. Do I go with a pair of steel ones, or a pair of fibreglass ones instead? Has anyone done the same and what would you go with - I guess that all new wings now are pattern, and will likely take some work to fit perfectly, so would the carbon miata ones perhaps be a better starting point (and mean no future issues with rot)?
Started to try and get at least the o/s front inner wing all sorted and protected, as this is in good condition, and so can be sorted.
First off, after removing the wheel, here's something that the MOT didn't spot... New front springs needed - so will sort that later (as well as new discs and pads all round).
First job then was to attack the whole area with the cup-brush on the drill to clean back the dirt and grime and any loose paint:
Notice here the top edge of the brake backing plate crumbled when I hit it with the wire brush - I guess this will either need replacing, or at least tidying up too!
You will notice that I haven't touched the wishbones or any suspension - I will sort these when I take the strut out to sort the springs.
Next I treated any areas that had gone back to metal or showed signs of surface rust with Dinitrol rust converter, and then masked and painted liberally with Dinitrol underbody wax:
This has left a good finish and should protect well, so that's a good start. I have also been looking at a plan for the repair work, and am going to borrow my mate's big MIG from his garage - I think I might try and get going on that at some point soon - at least get the patch on the n/s front sill sorted so that I can protect the inner and get a pair of wings sorted.
I have been wondering what to do for the front wings - both originals are crusty at the bottom edges, so I think it will be best to replace. Do I go with a pair of steel ones, or a pair of fibreglass ones instead? Has anyone done the same and what would you go with - I guess that all new wings now are pattern, and will likely take some work to fit perfectly, so would the carbon miata ones perhaps be a better starting point (and mean no future issues with rot)?
I have started the next stage of work by taking some time drilling out the sheared lower mounting bolts and retapping the threads, which is all sorted and ready.
I have been continuing with stripping and sorting - firstly getting out the front strut to replace the broken spring - which was made somewhat challenging by the fact that most of the bolts look like they have spent a year at the bottom of the sea...
A combination of patience, persistance, penetrating fluid and a lot of wire brushing say things being removed gently without anything getting rounded or sheared - which is a first for me!
I had at this stage thought about stripping out the wishbones and everything to put them in an electrolysis bath and really get them cleaned up - but have held off for now, as I have decided that it is really beyond the scope of what I am doing for now - although if I decide to keep the car long-term, I may go back and re-do this. For now, I have attached everything with the cup-brush on the drill and a flap wheel on the grinder to clean up the surface, and have begun with a coating of dinitrol rust convertor, which has got things looking better already...
So tonight I will add some primer and a coat of paint and that should leave it looking rather more presentable - and the bolts and threads all cleaned up in a rather better state than they started!
I have also put in my first autolink order - front springs, discs and pads all round and service bits (for this and the mk 3) - so I expect a nice big parcel arriving soon, so that I can get this corner reassembled!
Progress is steady, but at least going forwards! I figure that if I get this corner sorted, then it is all done - the other 3 all need welding, so I will then start to tackle them one at a time too!
I have been continuing with stripping and sorting - firstly getting out the front strut to replace the broken spring - which was made somewhat challenging by the fact that most of the bolts look like they have spent a year at the bottom of the sea...
A combination of patience, persistance, penetrating fluid and a lot of wire brushing say things being removed gently without anything getting rounded or sheared - which is a first for me!
I had at this stage thought about stripping out the wishbones and everything to put them in an electrolysis bath and really get them cleaned up - but have held off for now, as I have decided that it is really beyond the scope of what I am doing for now - although if I decide to keep the car long-term, I may go back and re-do this. For now, I have attached everything with the cup-brush on the drill and a flap wheel on the grinder to clean up the surface, and have begun with a coating of dinitrol rust convertor, which has got things looking better already...
So tonight I will add some primer and a coat of paint and that should leave it looking rather more presentable - and the bolts and threads all cleaned up in a rather better state than they started!
I have also put in my first autolink order - front springs, discs and pads all round and service bits (for this and the mk 3) - so I expect a nice big parcel arriving soon, so that I can get this corner reassembled!
Progress is steady, but at least going forwards! I figure that if I get this corner sorted, then it is all done - the other 3 all need welding, so I will then start to tackle them one at a time too!
Thanks again for the comments guys - I think that this is one of those that isn't an economic decision whichever way I went with it, but with the work done so far, it hasn't cost me loads so far (I'm about £200 in on parts - all of which I would have needed whichever way I had build the car) - and my time is free - I'd certainly rather be tinkering on this in the garage in an evening rather than sitting festering in front of the telly!
So - where are we up to today? First of all, I got a large box of goodies from Autolink (very quick turnaround, and a bit of savings with the OC member's discount):
Next, I got the paint on the offside - which has tidied things up nicely:
Then got the spring compressors out and swapped the broken spring:
and started stripping the nearside (and am still pleased that despite the rusted fixings, I have managed to be patient and clean up the threads, use lots of penetrating oil and have managed to remove everything cleanly without rounding fasteners or snapping anything!):
which was followed by a good clean up with the wire-brush and a coat of rust converter:
which made a bit more mess!
so I ignored that and went to build up the driver's side - which is looking much improved over where I started:
So now I need to get some more bits done - I need to clean and paint the caliper carriers both sides, the wishbones etc on the n/s and also the calipers. Before I paint the calipers though, I want to give them a good going over to make sure that they are free and not going to end up sticking - if so, I will look to put on replacements as needed.
I am hoping that I can get it back on its wheels this week, as I have more business travel coming up - then when I return I am going to get started at trying to address the rust...
So - where are we up to today? First of all, I got a large box of goodies from Autolink (very quick turnaround, and a bit of savings with the OC member's discount):
Next, I got the paint on the offside - which has tidied things up nicely:
Then got the spring compressors out and swapped the broken spring:
and started stripping the nearside (and am still pleased that despite the rusted fixings, I have managed to be patient and clean up the threads, use lots of penetrating oil and have managed to remove everything cleanly without rounding fasteners or snapping anything!):
which was followed by a good clean up with the wire-brush and a coat of rust converter:
which made a bit more mess!
so I ignored that and went to build up the driver's side - which is looking much improved over where I started:
So now I need to get some more bits done - I need to clean and paint the caliper carriers both sides, the wishbones etc on the n/s and also the calipers. Before I paint the calipers though, I want to give them a good going over to make sure that they are free and not going to end up sticking - if so, I will look to put on replacements as needed.
I am hoping that I can get it back on its wheels this week, as I have more business travel coming up - then when I return I am going to get started at trying to address the rust...
Time for another update, as I have been making more progress since I got back from Asia!
The first job was to unpack another parcel which contained a pair of front calipers and a rear offside flexible brake hose from brakeparts.co.uk (very reasonable for new calipers and no exchange surcharges), So first to finish the front end by fitting the new calipers:
Then I moved to the back as there was a significant fluid leak from the brake pipes around the 3-way connector on the o/s flexi-hose, so I ripped out the old hard line linking the two sides and replaced it, and also fitted a new hose - which looked better:
Next I had to swiftly bleed the system through, so that I could move the green car off the ramp - as my mk 3 brakes had started grumbling... I knew i needed new pads, and to ensure that I could use if for work on Monday, I threw in a set of road pads that I had in the garage... it's fair to say that I got value for money from the pads!
Then yesterday I got an added distraction, as my new daily turned up, so I went to collect it...
This is very different to drive to either mazda (and also compared to my old Vectra VXR) - but is very nice, and the dsg box is very impressive. It isn't quite the involving driving experience of the MX5, but is much more lively than the vectra, and really can move pretty well - I think that it will make a great family bus for the next 2 years!
Back to the Berkeley, I am getting to the stage now where I need to start chopping out the rot, and then get hold of the welder to begin stitching it back together!
The first job was to unpack another parcel which contained a pair of front calipers and a rear offside flexible brake hose from brakeparts.co.uk (very reasonable for new calipers and no exchange surcharges), So first to finish the front end by fitting the new calipers:
Then I moved to the back as there was a significant fluid leak from the brake pipes around the 3-way connector on the o/s flexi-hose, so I ripped out the old hard line linking the two sides and replaced it, and also fitted a new hose - which looked better:
Next I had to swiftly bleed the system through, so that I could move the green car off the ramp - as my mk 3 brakes had started grumbling... I knew i needed new pads, and to ensure that I could use if for work on Monday, I threw in a set of road pads that I had in the garage... it's fair to say that I got value for money from the pads!
Then yesterday I got an added distraction, as my new daily turned up, so I went to collect it...
This is very different to drive to either mazda (and also compared to my old Vectra VXR) - but is very nice, and the dsg box is very impressive. It isn't quite the involving driving experience of the MX5, but is much more lively than the vectra, and really can move pretty well - I think that it will make a great family bus for the next 2 years!
Back to the Berkeley, I am getting to the stage now where I need to start chopping out the rot, and then get hold of the welder to begin stitching it back together!
browno, on 28 Jul 2016 - 1:52 PM, said:
Unfortunately no more progress on the green car over the last couple of weeks due to other things going on, but I have made a couple of additions having been over to visit the previous owner last night (a former colleague's mum, who had owned the car from new and was very attached to it - now driving a mk3).
As seen in some of the pictures when it was having previous work done, the car was originally supplied with a matching sparkle green hardtop, which I have now bought to keep it with the car - and I was also given the mazda wall hanging brackets too for storage, which should be useful.
but the hardtop wasn't the only goody that they had left over - they also had the original (and unused) tonneau cover:
and finally (and of more immediate use!) they had also bought a rear quarter, which hadn't been fitted when it was repaired 3 years ago - but needs fitting now as the n/s arch is starting to go, and also a copy of Rod's manual - which is always a useful thing to have handy.
Hopefully will be starting to get sorted and progress with this shortly - assuming that the mk3 passes its MOT next week! Almost time to fire up the welder at last!
Unfortunately no more progress on the green car over the last couple of weeks due to other things going on, but I have made a couple of additions having been over to visit the previous owner last night (a former colleague's mum, who had owned the car from new and was very attached to it - now driving a mk3).
As seen in some of the pictures when it was having previous work done, the car was originally supplied with a matching sparkle green hardtop, which I have now bought to keep it with the car - and I was also given the mazda wall hanging brackets too for storage, which should be useful.
but the hardtop wasn't the only goody that they had left over - they also had the original (and unused) tonneau cover:
and finally (and of more immediate use!) they had also bought a rear quarter, which hadn't been fitted when it was repaired 3 years ago - but needs fitting now as the n/s arch is starting to go, and also a copy of Rod's manual - which is always a useful thing to have handy.
Hopefully will be starting to get sorted and progress with this shortly - assuming that the mk3 passes its MOT next week! Almost time to fire up the welder at last!
Well, progress has slowed somewhat here due to holidays and more jobs to be done on the house over the summer, and as a result there isn't too much to report - but I have at least managed to get into the garage and fire up the grinder briefly to see what is facing me inside the passenger rear quarter panel - where the area around the arch lip was beginning to bubble and had gone through in one area.
so with a bit of chopping out, we can see what is going on inside (and also find that the lower lip of the inner arch came away with the outer skin, so that will need replacing)...
and we can also see the repairs that were conducted to the inner sill area 3 or so years ago - but that there is some corrosion further up on the inside that needs cleaning pack and treating.
I also needed to do some a service on my wife's clio 182, so the green one saw the outside world for a couple of hours alongside my mk3...
so, now that the summer break is over, I am hoping (travel permitting!) to be able to spend some time in the garage and get the rest of the areas that need patching all chopped out and cleaned up, and then prepare the repair panels ready to get them welded up... although in the meantime I need to also service the mk3 and fit new discs and pads ready to try and squeeze in a trackday or two before the end of the year!
so with a bit of chopping out, we can see what is going on inside (and also find that the lower lip of the inner arch came away with the outer skin, so that will need replacing)...
and we can also see the repairs that were conducted to the inner sill area 3 or so years ago - but that there is some corrosion further up on the inside that needs cleaning pack and treating.
I also needed to do some a service on my wife's clio 182, so the green one saw the outside world for a couple of hours alongside my mk3...
so, now that the summer break is over, I am hoping (travel permitting!) to be able to spend some time in the garage and get the rest of the areas that need patching all chopped out and cleaned up, and then prepare the repair panels ready to get them welded up... although in the meantime I need to also service the mk3 and fit new discs and pads ready to try and squeeze in a trackday or two before the end of the year!
Edited by browno on Saturday 10th September 22:11
Another mini-update as I have managed to at least get into the garage briefly to do a little more choppingl Afraid to say that I haven't made loads of progress, but I am seeing a little more of what I am facing...
So first I chopped a little lower on the bottom of the sill - revealing quite a bit of rust in the area that has been previously repaired... due to the corrosion on the inner edge too, the lower lip also fell away with the outer skin.
A bit of an attack with the flap wheel does make it look much better - with much of the issue here looking like surface rust.
So I put a coat of rust converter on to try and improve things, but looking from below, we can really see the problem. There is still some more work to do to remove the rust and see what is needed to start repairing the damage - I think and inner sill repair, fabricate the inner/underside panel that forms the bottom edge, and look at how much of the sill closure panel needs chopping away to see whether that can be patched or if I need a replacement panel.
So I don't think I will be driving it to the OC national rally on Sunday, but I am at least slowly moving forwards. Having had another busy few weeks I am hoping that things are starting to quieten down a little so that I can make a bit more progress soon!
So first I chopped a little lower on the bottom of the sill - revealing quite a bit of rust in the area that has been previously repaired... due to the corrosion on the inner edge too, the lower lip also fell away with the outer skin.
A bit of an attack with the flap wheel does make it look much better - with much of the issue here looking like surface rust.
So I put a coat of rust converter on to try and improve things, but looking from below, we can really see the problem. There is still some more work to do to remove the rust and see what is needed to start repairing the damage - I think and inner sill repair, fabricate the inner/underside panel that forms the bottom edge, and look at how much of the sill closure panel needs chopping away to see whether that can be patched or if I need a replacement panel.
So I don't think I will be driving it to the OC national rally on Sunday, but I am at least slowly moving forwards. Having had another busy few weeks I am hoping that things are starting to quieten down a little so that I can make a bit more progress soon!
A bit more chopping done tonight to get rid of some more of the rot - but opening up some holes!
Firstly under the o/s inner sill, which as had a 1/4 panel and looks ok beyond this patch (obviously, I need to do a bit more chopping and continue cleaning back to protect everything once it is welded up).
And similar area on the n/s which is rather more in need!
And clearing the holes out of the sill closing panel/inner wheelarch area
The same are from inside the wheelarch
Then finally the area on the n/s front lower wing mounting, which needs a small patch.
Then finally a slightly superfluous job, given the state of the rest of the car - I removed the front plate and plinth...
I have ordered the inner will panel to replace the n/s and give me a lower lip to work with - and should allow me to fabricate the panel for the underside of the inner. So it is looking pretty serious, but at least I am starting to be able to see what needs to be done...
Firstly under the o/s inner sill, which as had a 1/4 panel and looks ok beyond this patch (obviously, I need to do a bit more chopping and continue cleaning back to protect everything once it is welded up).
And similar area on the n/s which is rather more in need!
And clearing the holes out of the sill closing panel/inner wheelarch area
The same are from inside the wheelarch
Then finally the area on the n/s front lower wing mounting, which needs a small patch.
Then finally a slightly superfluous job, given the state of the rest of the car - I removed the front plate and plinth...
I have ordered the inner will panel to replace the n/s and give me a lower lip to work with - and should allow me to fabricate the panel for the underside of the inner. So it is looking pretty serious, but at least I am starting to be able to see what needs to be done...
Time for another update on a bit more progress...
Some more chopping and cleaning up the inner wheelarch.
And some more chopping away the lower inner sill for the repair panel.
Back panel removed (and also the bumper, but haven't taken a pic of that)
So, having raided the scrap bin at work for some sheet offcuts to try welding, I got impatient and began making a start at fabricating the patches starting with the little ones - front of the sill first.
Then the holes in the wheelarch:
So we are heading a small step in the right direction - and I hope to be able to begin reconstruction shortly (well, maybe just a bit more chopping!)
Some more chopping and cleaning up the inner wheelarch.
And some more chopping away the lower inner sill for the repair panel.
Back panel removed (and also the bumper, but haven't taken a pic of that)
So, having raided the scrap bin at work for some sheet offcuts to try welding, I got impatient and began making a start at fabricating the patches starting with the little ones - front of the sill first.
Then the holes in the wheelarch:
So we are heading a small step in the right direction - and I hope to be able to begin reconstruction shortly (well, maybe just a bit more chopping!)
Cheers Guys - and good to hear yours is still on the road Roy!
I am conscious that I am probably making a proper meal of something that would likely take a pro a day or two, but I hope my amateur ramblings are at least of interest!
Today was having a go at a bit more metal bashing - with the lower sections of the inner sill to do - which were a little trickier! So first job was to raid the recycling bin for some cereal boxes to make templates!
And then after a fair bit of trial and error (and some duct tape in place of weld for now...) we have some more patches (all patches have been made from sheet that is a bit chunkier than the original steel to try and both give some meat to weld to but also maximise strength of the repairs).
Which still need a little tweaking but should eventually marry up to the lower sill repair I bought to sort that area out...
So we are beginning on the road back to repair - just a few more bits to make and then the small matter of getting it all stuck together left to go!
I am conscious that I am probably making a proper meal of something that would likely take a pro a day or two, but I hope my amateur ramblings are at least of interest!
Today was having a go at a bit more metal bashing - with the lower sections of the inner sill to do - which were a little trickier! So first job was to raid the recycling bin for some cereal boxes to make templates!
And then after a fair bit of trial and error (and some duct tape in place of weld for now...) we have some more patches (all patches have been made from sheet that is a bit chunkier than the original steel to try and both give some meat to weld to but also maximise strength of the repairs).
Which still need a little tweaking but should eventually marry up to the lower sill repair I bought to sort that area out...
So we are beginning on the road back to repair - just a few more bits to make and then the small matter of getting it all stuck together left to go!
Thanks for the comments Tom - although today's update has no progress of any note to report (has been another crazy few weeks), and I am having a crisis of confidence in what to do next...
I am having thoughts as to whether I should continue fixing it up, and leave it as what will be a tidy, but possibly not exceptional mk1 (depending on how much I want to commit to spending on it, of course!) - which I am not sure is something that I will keep long-term, unless I end up with it looking truly excellent, or whether to revert to plan A and use it as the basis for a mechanically sorted Exocet. I keep flipping between options, especially as I haven't made much progress for a while, and want to keep it moving. The big hurdle currently being that I need to get hold of a welder and teach myself to weld, or get it all done for me (which is likely to be a significant cost)...
I think a key thing will be to get my mate (mechanic who owns a local garage) to have a good dispassionate look over it and see what he reckons is possible with it before I either continue fixing or start ripping it to bits! That way, I will have a decent idea of whether it is worth digging a little more and getting rid of absolutely all the rust in the car, leaving it structurally good, or if it is likely to be just as bad again after a couple of years, even if I fix what I can see now... that is then likely to be the key to deciding where I go next - and of course the views of the assembled masses!
I am having thoughts as to whether I should continue fixing it up, and leave it as what will be a tidy, but possibly not exceptional mk1 (depending on how much I want to commit to spending on it, of course!) - which I am not sure is something that I will keep long-term, unless I end up with it looking truly excellent, or whether to revert to plan A and use it as the basis for a mechanically sorted Exocet. I keep flipping between options, especially as I haven't made much progress for a while, and want to keep it moving. The big hurdle currently being that I need to get hold of a welder and teach myself to weld, or get it all done for me (which is likely to be a significant cost)...
I think a key thing will be to get my mate (mechanic who owns a local garage) to have a good dispassionate look over it and see what he reckons is possible with it before I either continue fixing or start ripping it to bits! That way, I will have a decent idea of whether it is worth digging a little more and getting rid of absolutely all the rust in the car, leaving it structurally good, or if it is likely to be just as bad again after a couple of years, even if I fix what I can see now... that is then likely to be the key to deciding where I go next - and of course the views of the assembled masses!
Time for an update - So having got to his stage, as mentioned before, I have taken stock of what needs doing, and with large holes in the rear inner sills, one quarter panel and holes to the from of one inner sill and one frame rail to sort I have come to the conclusion that while it might be possible to fix all of that, I am still going to be left with a relatively average car - without throwing loads of cash at it to do a complete rebuild and respray - and I think that treatment might be best reserved for early and/or very special cars at the moment.
As a result of this, I think it is time to stop being sentimental and get back to plan A - turn it into something unusual and fun! My thoughts are still going with an exocet to provide something that isn't yet another seven-type car (not saying there is anything wrong with them, but I think with a seven I would want a caterham, even though the roadrunner does look like a very good kit) and is more unusual - along with it keeping much more of the Mazda parts and nature, and potentially being an easier build for my first kit car.
I haven't done anything really to the mazda over christmas, other than switch the cars round in the garage so I have better access to my mini and can get it on the lift. My plan right now is to put the Mazda on hold for a little while until I can get my mini (a 23-year project that needs finishing!) all sorted and MOTd and then rip into taking the mazda to bits.
The mini taken around 3 years ago before I built my new garage (looking the same as it does today!)
I have robbed the mazda of its front indicator bulb holders - I had a short on the indicators on the mini from within the front indicator units (dodgy fittings in there, allowing the connectors to short), so I looked up and saw the fittings on the mazda would fit, and so a quick wire cut and splice later, then it made its first parts donation! I am now waiting on new indicator and hazard relays to arrive, as the short appears to have fried them, then it is on with more of the list of jobs pre-MOT. I don't think there is a lot to do really - it starts and stops ok (but does need setting up properly), I need to refit the grille and bonnet properly and make the interior look presentable, and then I think it will be time to get it in and see what it needs for its first MOT since August 1993!
As I said above the plan is to get the mini MOT'd before really ripping into the mazda - but I am planning on getting started photographing and listing some bits for sale soon to get bits out of the way, and to go towards the cost of the kit! If anyone needs anything body/interior wise, then let me know - I know there are a few Berkeley owners on here, and I would be quite pleased if I can help to preserve some of the other Berkeleys with parts from this one!
As a result of this, I think it is time to stop being sentimental and get back to plan A - turn it into something unusual and fun! My thoughts are still going with an exocet to provide something that isn't yet another seven-type car (not saying there is anything wrong with them, but I think with a seven I would want a caterham, even though the roadrunner does look like a very good kit) and is more unusual - along with it keeping much more of the Mazda parts and nature, and potentially being an easier build for my first kit car.
I haven't done anything really to the mazda over christmas, other than switch the cars round in the garage so I have better access to my mini and can get it on the lift. My plan right now is to put the Mazda on hold for a little while until I can get my mini (a 23-year project that needs finishing!) all sorted and MOTd and then rip into taking the mazda to bits.
The mini taken around 3 years ago before I built my new garage (looking the same as it does today!)
I have robbed the mazda of its front indicator bulb holders - I had a short on the indicators on the mini from within the front indicator units (dodgy fittings in there, allowing the connectors to short), so I looked up and saw the fittings on the mazda would fit, and so a quick wire cut and splice later, then it made its first parts donation! I am now waiting on new indicator and hazard relays to arrive, as the short appears to have fried them, then it is on with more of the list of jobs pre-MOT. I don't think there is a lot to do really - it starts and stops ok (but does need setting up properly), I need to refit the grille and bonnet properly and make the interior look presentable, and then I think it will be time to get it in and see what it needs for its first MOT since August 1993!
As I said above the plan is to get the mini MOT'd before really ripping into the mazda - but I am planning on getting started photographing and listing some bits for sale soon to get bits out of the way, and to go towards the cost of the kit! If anyone needs anything body/interior wise, then let me know - I know there are a few Berkeley owners on here, and I would be quite pleased if I can help to preserve some of the other Berkeleys with parts from this one!
So it has been a while but it is time to resurrect this thread from its slumber...
I have managed to get my mini sorted and ready for MOT (it failed, but is being sorted!), so I am now back on sorting this one...
Firstly I have started stripping and selling off some parts, so far getting rid of the hardtop, boot lid, bumpers, mirrors, brace bar and tonneau, which is a good start on my aim to recover the cost of the donor in parts sales.
With those bits off and a few more starting to be stripped, the car is looking a bit more bare:
09B32713-4560-47BC-9C14-D69BF15BC266_zps50cxfeux on Flickr
and the boot is filling up with trim that is coming off...
09FF857E-3700-4C3E-9342-E21FCA052DFD_zpsf58qg8za on Flickr
and tonight I have begun removing the dash - making sure to label all wiring! The dash is now free but needs the column lowering a little to make sure it will come out...
ABE8D134-AA02-4CC4-85EE-050630587836_zpsfxx8xdf7 on Flickr
So just a bit of progress, but it is good to see it start to come apart - although I need to keep the momentum at selling parts as I fear the car will take up rather more space in bits (if anyone needs. anything, let me know, or see my parts sale thread)! My overall plan from here is to get the car stripped and get rid of everything I don't need then start to work on cleaning and refurbing the mechanical bits before ordering the kit - I will then have the duration of the order lead time to get everything cleaned sorted and rebuilt before the kit arrives for building.
I have managed to get my mini sorted and ready for MOT (it failed, but is being sorted!), so I am now back on sorting this one...
Firstly I have started stripping and selling off some parts, so far getting rid of the hardtop, boot lid, bumpers, mirrors, brace bar and tonneau, which is a good start on my aim to recover the cost of the donor in parts sales.
With those bits off and a few more starting to be stripped, the car is looking a bit more bare:
09B32713-4560-47BC-9C14-D69BF15BC266_zps50cxfeux on Flickrand the boot is filling up with trim that is coming off...
09FF857E-3700-4C3E-9342-E21FCA052DFD_zpsf58qg8za on Flickrand tonight I have begun removing the dash - making sure to label all wiring! The dash is now free but needs the column lowering a little to make sure it will come out...
ABE8D134-AA02-4CC4-85EE-050630587836_zpsfxx8xdf7 on FlickrSo just a bit of progress, but it is good to see it start to come apart - although I need to keep the momentum at selling parts as I fear the car will take up rather more space in bits (if anyone needs. anything, let me know, or see my parts sale thread)! My overall plan from here is to get the car stripped and get rid of everything I don't need then start to work on cleaning and refurbing the mechanical bits before ordering the kit - I will then have the duration of the order lead time to get everything cleaned sorted and rebuilt before the kit arrives for building.
Edited by browno on Tuesday 15th August 22:02
TooMany2cvs said:
Galling though I'm sure it is, after the time and effort you've put in to repairing the shell so far, I think you're making the right decision. There's still plenty of decent MX5s out there, and one that's been patched-up will never repay the work and money put into it.
Thanks - that is really my thinking, there are plenty of other cars out there, and I want something that I will enjoy at the end of it, so I think this is the right way to go.So, a little more progress tonight on the stripdown - after a lot of fiddly fixings I have managed to get both doors off and also (after the fiddly job of extracting the dash loom) removed the dash - while making sure that all connectors are labelled and that I remembered to remove the immobiliser module from below the dash.
119194B9-53FF-423E-AB60-86EB2A30A139_zpsef5qlm0m on Flickr
86DD22A8-043E-41F7-9549-0393C2916164_zpsxckjx8jt on Flickrwhich means that the back of the car is getting increasingly covered in parts to sell off
49FB8872-AA84-49F6-BEF3-1383A0AA95AC_zpschgbr6er on FlickrAlthough progress on that front is continuing - so while I am taking this car to bits, it is at least helping others to live on - including parts like the original stereo that was one of the limited edition features that is being passed on restore originality to another Berkeley...
735E35F0-30BE-4767-9433-FC09004F93A0_zps8pkq5h1q on FlickrEdited by browno on Tuesday 15th August 22:11
So, time for another update on what is happening with this - I have slowed progress on this somewhat as I have been busy on my other project - which is a 1985 mini that I bought back in 1993 to tidy up as my first car... and which I have finally got MOTd on Saturday after a full rebuild (and 23 1/2 years!).
I have got some more done to the deconstruction of the green one though, and am going to visit MEV on Friday to check that the Exocet is the right kit for me (I am still pondering the seven-type kits as a backup, but given the cost to build one of them I may as well go out and buy a decent ready to run westfield...).
So after the last update, the next job was to whip out the seats and carpets, which (with some help from my 7-yr old son!) was easily achieved.
CD040E71-76C1-4EA6-AEE9-B51553CDAB91_zps6thoeh31 on Flickr
which left me with a car piled with bits
70CDA995-CC22-47CA-90E4-2388196EB4DA_zpsdddexteo on Flickr
Then I removed the headlights and started clearing under bonnet wiring - with the n/s being relatively easy to access and sort, before pushing it all through the bulkhead, while making a good start at labelling the o/s. One note here is that I have been using a label printer that I picked up from costco ages ago (the machine is only about £7-8, tapes aren't cheap, but not horrid at about £20 for 6 from Amazon) which has made ensuring that I have labels that will stick to the wires and remain legible very simple - and hopefulyl durable too.
91BED762-E5F5-417D-B5F0-3EB02F0A9406_zps2ui08yj5 on Flickr
which left the cabin filled with more wiring
34D8B972-6077-415D-BE7B-E5CD3E26CC48_zpst3xqztbm on Flickr
Since that I have drained the coolant so that I could remove the heater matrix and free the harness behind it, and label and free all the wiring on the o/s - apart from one section that runs under the brake servo and doesn't want to come out - so tonights job is to remove the servo and master cylinder to allow me to remove the last of the wiring completely. For now, the interior is looking rather more bare than it was!
8E68F7E7-292E-4685-AEA6-C8A3DD591EEA_zpslv53cmxk on Flickr
I have to say that as I go through this, and compare to the mini that it is interesting to see the differences in design and build methods - the mini had clearly evolved by trial and error, whereas the mazda is very much designed, and everything planned and executed for reliability, but also for ease of manufacture (and service to a degree).
I have got some more done to the deconstruction of the green one though, and am going to visit MEV on Friday to check that the Exocet is the right kit for me (I am still pondering the seven-type kits as a backup, but given the cost to build one of them I may as well go out and buy a decent ready to run westfield...).
So after the last update, the next job was to whip out the seats and carpets, which (with some help from my 7-yr old son!) was easily achieved.
CD040E71-76C1-4EA6-AEE9-B51553CDAB91_zps6thoeh31 on Flickrwhich left me with a car piled with bits
70CDA995-CC22-47CA-90E4-2388196EB4DA_zpsdddexteo on FlickrThen I removed the headlights and started clearing under bonnet wiring - with the n/s being relatively easy to access and sort, before pushing it all through the bulkhead, while making a good start at labelling the o/s. One note here is that I have been using a label printer that I picked up from costco ages ago (the machine is only about £7-8, tapes aren't cheap, but not horrid at about £20 for 6 from Amazon) which has made ensuring that I have labels that will stick to the wires and remain legible very simple - and hopefulyl durable too.
91BED762-E5F5-417D-B5F0-3EB02F0A9406_zps2ui08yj5 on Flickrwhich left the cabin filled with more wiring
34D8B972-6077-415D-BE7B-E5CD3E26CC48_zpst3xqztbm on FlickrSince that I have drained the coolant so that I could remove the heater matrix and free the harness behind it, and label and free all the wiring on the o/s - apart from one section that runs under the brake servo and doesn't want to come out - so tonights job is to remove the servo and master cylinder to allow me to remove the last of the wiring completely. For now, the interior is looking rather more bare than it was!
8E68F7E7-292E-4685-AEA6-C8A3DD591EEA_zpslv53cmxk on FlickrI have to say that as I go through this, and compare to the mini that it is interesting to see the differences in design and build methods - the mini had clearly evolved by trial and error, whereas the mazda is very much designed, and everything planned and executed for reliability, but also for ease of manufacture (and service to a degree).
Edited by browno on Tuesday 15th August 22:20
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff