MX5 250GTO body conversion kit
Discussion
Looking forward to seeing a "finished" one.
Could be my next project!!
Could be my next project!!
smash said:
Seems this little kit is gaining a lot of interest in a short time:
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/forumdisplay...
First proper pics of painted convertible and appropriate size wheels promised for today. Stock Mx5 soft top retained (looks quite good with hardtop as well!)
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/forumdisplay...
First proper pics of painted convertible and appropriate size wheels promised for today. Stock Mx5 soft top retained (looks quite good with hardtop as well!)
Pictures now on the tribute forum of it in primer:
Forum thread: http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
Looking good so far but I hope that's not where the buck stops(groan!)
For me the rear arch is a little too square/boxy and the haunches too flat on the top - in fact the whole top of the rear is a bit flat and just generally lacking the curvy gorgeousness of the Vela Rosa:-
It really doesn't need much - it's so close - just some more shaping and it could be a very pretty car indeed
Forum thread: http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
Looking good so far but I hope that's not where the buck stops(groan!)
For me the rear arch is a little too square/boxy and the haunches too flat on the top - in fact the whole top of the rear is a bit flat and just generally lacking the curvy gorgeousness of the Vela Rosa:-
It really doesn't need much - it's so close - just some more shaping and it could be a very pretty car indeed
Edited by smash on Wednesday 18th July 14:11
Furyblade_Lee said:
The Retroforza has a coupe version they are/were developing 
I was 100% wanting to build one of these last year for my wife, I had negociated a superb MX% turbo for the donor car and spoke to the guy who makes them. But he was at the time unwilling to sell me one as he was finding stress cracks in his coupe roof due to chassis flex. I explained I was going to fit a full cage and underfloor X bracing as per the US Miatas but he said not yet. Not sure if he has sorted it yet and selling them. But I think his is nicer than the ebay one as I think it is not so obviously trying to be a Ferrari.
That looks fantasticI was 100% wanting to build one of these last year for my wife, I had negociated a superb MX% turbo for the donor car and spoke to the guy who makes them. But he was at the time unwilling to sell me one as he was finding stress cracks in his coupe roof due to chassis flex. I explained I was going to fit a full cage and underfloor X bracing as per the US Miatas but he said not yet. Not sure if he has sorted it yet and selling them. But I think his is nicer than the ebay one as I think it is not so obviously trying to be a Ferrari.
Technically that's a Simpson Italia - loads of info here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=106...
Dreamspeed said:
I understand why there’s a market for these Budget-buster type kitcar rebodies, it allows people with limited budget to have something nice and unique but I’d like to offer a piece of advice to anyone who is about to start such a build.
The cost of the kit is cheap because the original development cost was also cheap; now there’s nothing wrong or unusual about this within the kitcar world, it just means you, as the builder, must allow for your own development time and money to finish the build.
For the initial cost, the kit looks ok, but there are a few issues you may want to address before putting it together.
After seeing one close up at the Newark kitcar show, I noticed a couple of errors, firstly the one piece front body panel is pot-riveted and bonded to the original MX5 and clamps down over the bottom of the windscreen, which is fine until you get an MOT failure cracked screen; So Auto glass isn’t going to be able to help you.
Secondly the panels are pot-riveted to the original steel Mazda bodywork. You need to be aware that Aluminium pot-rivets and steel will corrode when in direct contact, especially when water is added, this is called intergranular corrosion.
So the exposed rivets on the underside of the Mazda bodywork will allow water ingress and ultimately your paint will blister and the join will fail.
I think if everyone who is building this car can bring these, and other points together, overcome them as a team, then you will all benefit from a much better end result and a car you can be proud of and give you years of enjoyment. Good luck.
Hi Dreamspeed.The cost of the kit is cheap because the original development cost was also cheap; now there’s nothing wrong or unusual about this within the kitcar world, it just means you, as the builder, must allow for your own development time and money to finish the build.
For the initial cost, the kit looks ok, but there are a few issues you may want to address before putting it together.
After seeing one close up at the Newark kitcar show, I noticed a couple of errors, firstly the one piece front body panel is pot-riveted and bonded to the original MX5 and clamps down over the bottom of the windscreen, which is fine until you get an MOT failure cracked screen; So Auto glass isn’t going to be able to help you.
Secondly the panels are pot-riveted to the original steel Mazda bodywork. You need to be aware that Aluminium pot-rivets and steel will corrode when in direct contact, especially when water is added, this is called intergranular corrosion.
So the exposed rivets on the underside of the Mazda bodywork will allow water ingress and ultimately your paint will blister and the join will fail.
I think if everyone who is building this car can bring these, and other points together, overcome them as a team, then you will all benefit from a much better end result and a car you can be proud of and give you years of enjoyment. Good luck.
Thanks for your input regarding the MX250 kit. Just thought I would point out a couple of things. Firstly your issue with the windscreen, the rear part of the MX5 front wings that are left in place when the kit is fitted are bolt on as is the whole GRP front section. So, once the front has been fitted it is still possible to remove the entire unit with just some spanners to allow access to the windscreen, not a five minute job admittedly, but one that can be done should it be needed.
Secondly, yes you are of course total right about alloy rivets in steel. I have used alloy and stainless rivets in various cars before, they are a back up to the 2 part epoxy that bonds the GRP to the steel wings. I will advise my customers to use stainless rivets whenever possible.
Once again, thank you for your input.
Regards Chris Welch, Tribute Automotive.
Tribute Auto said:
Dreamspeed said:
I understand why there’s a market for these Budget-buster type kitcar rebodies, it allows people with limited budget to have something nice and unique but I’d like to offer a piece of advice to anyone who is about to start such a build.
The cost of the kit is cheap because the original development cost was also cheap; now there’s nothing wrong or unusual about this within the kitcar world, it just means you, as the builder, must allow for your own development time and money to finish the build.
For the initial cost, the kit looks ok, but there are a few issues you may want to address before putting it together.
After seeing one close up at the Newark kitcar show, I noticed a couple of errors, firstly the one piece front body panel is pot-riveted and bonded to the original MX5 and clamps down over the bottom of the windscreen, which is fine until you get an MOT failure cracked screen; So Auto glass isn’t going to be able to help you.
Secondly the panels are pot-riveted to the original steel Mazda bodywork. You need to be aware that Aluminium pot-rivets and steel will corrode when in direct contact, especially when water is added, this is called intergranular corrosion.
So the exposed rivets on the underside of the Mazda bodywork will allow water ingress and ultimately your paint will blister and the join will fail.
I think if everyone who is building this car can bring these, and other points together, overcome them as a team, then you will all benefit from a much better end result and a car you can be proud of and give you years of enjoyment. Good luck.
Hi Dreamspeed.The cost of the kit is cheap because the original development cost was also cheap; now there’s nothing wrong or unusual about this within the kitcar world, it just means you, as the builder, must allow for your own development time and money to finish the build.
For the initial cost, the kit looks ok, but there are a few issues you may want to address before putting it together.
After seeing one close up at the Newark kitcar show, I noticed a couple of errors, firstly the one piece front body panel is pot-riveted and bonded to the original MX5 and clamps down over the bottom of the windscreen, which is fine until you get an MOT failure cracked screen; So Auto glass isn’t going to be able to help you.
Secondly the panels are pot-riveted to the original steel Mazda bodywork. You need to be aware that Aluminium pot-rivets and steel will corrode when in direct contact, especially when water is added, this is called intergranular corrosion.
So the exposed rivets on the underside of the Mazda bodywork will allow water ingress and ultimately your paint will blister and the join will fail.
I think if everyone who is building this car can bring these, and other points together, overcome them as a team, then you will all benefit from a much better end result and a car you can be proud of and give you years of enjoyment. Good luck.
Thanks for your input regarding the MX250 kit. Just thought I would point out a couple of things. Firstly your issue with the windscreen, the rear part of the MX5 front wings that are left in place when the kit is fitted are bolt on as is the whole GRP front section. So, once the front has been fitted it is still possible to remove the entire unit with just some spanners to allow access to the windscreen, not a five minute job admittedly, but one that can be done should it be needed.
Secondly, yes you are of course total right about alloy rivets in steel. I have used alloy and stainless rivets in various cars before, they are a back up to the 2 part epoxy that bonds the GRP to the steel wings. I will advise my customers to use stainless rivets whenever possible.
Once again, thank you for your input.
Regards Chris Welch, Tribute Automotive.
Thanks for the extra information; my original observations where only visual, as I was unable to fully look over the car, inside and out. I did wonder if the original Mazda wings were bolt on.
I was unaware that your entire front part of the car was bolted on. Yes, I would have to agree with you, it doesn’t look an easy job, but as you say it is achievable.
I would have to raise the question though, if the entire front is now bolt on, and you now have a finished shape (Mazda wing blended with MX250), couldn’t you spend a little more time on developing this kit and make the whole front lift up? Similar to an E-type?
I know the original Ferrari wasn’t like this, but it didn’t have a Japanese 4 cylinder engine either,
but it would really help your customers:Firstly it removes the need entirely to cut and rivet the Mazda wing. So the rivet/corrosion problem is solved.
Secondly it removes the need for filler/sanding on either side of the car. Let’s be honest, not everyone’s bodywork skills are top quality and I think this area of the car would look poor if done by an amateur.
Thirdly, with a lift up bonnet, working on the engine, suspension and brakes on the front part of the car would be so much easier, and I think would reflex a quality product. If a customer wanted to pull the engine (being an old donor car to begin with I can see a lot of these engines “going bang”) then you could remove the whole bonnet, just with two hinges and work on the car with a lot more ease and safe in the knowledge that you’re not going to scratch your front wings. I could see a whole line of these cars parked at a kitcar show, many with the bonnets flipped up, showing off a nice chromed engine bay and coil-over suspension.
Oh, and lastly, mild accident damaged would be easier to repair; they could just order a new front section from you, get it painted and simply bolt it onto the front hinges. Instead of trying to patch up a damaged front that is difficult to get off.
It’s the extra thought, care and attention to detail that will move any kitcar further away from the general public’s impressions that all kitcar cars are badly engineered and put together. Although it’s maybe more work for you now, but in the long term the benefits can be easily seen.
I hope your car does well, looks fun!
I am currently building an MX250, and have just come across this thread. Intresting comments above, what do you lot think of my tweaks? I am not trying to make a replica by any means, just a good looking coupé.
I have added vents, loosely styled on the 275, ant reduced the size of the rear vent
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
There is the link to my build thread.
Cheers!
I have added vents, loosely styled on the 275, ant reduced the size of the rear vent
http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
There is the link to my build thread.
Cheers!
Hello again. I have modified my Tribute Automotive MX250 kit to flip front.
Here is a quick vid of its first opening........ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFQKtQ9yfwg
build thread on.............. http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
obviously not finished yet, but I wish it was!
Here is a quick vid of its first opening........ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFQKtQ9yfwg
build thread on.............. http://www.madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.p...
obviously not finished yet, but I wish it was!
There was a request earlier for a BMW Z3 version and a few requests for bigger engines.
Not the MX250 but this is planned for the end of June/start of July.
BMW Z3 2.8 meets Maserati 300s to form the Z300s
Sorry about the poor quality images, I only had access the MS Paint rather than anything clever like photoshop.
Currently it is planned as a one off but I am sure Chris will take a buck off it if he thinks there will be demand. He also might trial fit the 250 shell if you ask nicely.
Not the MX250 but this is planned for the end of June/start of July.
BMW Z3 2.8 meets Maserati 300s to form the Z300s
Sorry about the poor quality images, I only had access the MS Paint rather than anything clever like photoshop.
Currently it is planned as a one off but I am sure Chris will take a buck off it if he thinks there will be demand. He also might trial fit the 250 shell if you ask nicely.
wca said:
There was a request earlier for a BMW Z3 version and a few requests for bigger engines.
Not the MX250 but this is planned for the end of June/start of July.
BMW Z3 2.8 meets Maserati 300s to form the Z300s
I did a very quick and dirty shop of a stretched around 300 to fit the z3 just to get a feel for how it might vaguely end up. ish.Not the MX250 but this is planned for the end of June/start of July.
BMW Z3 2.8 meets Maserati 300s to form the Z300s
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