So, heres the story! After nearly two years owning an Ef civic, i decided it was time to part with that, so it was time to start looking for an mx5! After some negotiation with a work colleuge (the previous owner) i picked up this relitively tidy example, after just having both arches propperly repaired and alot of the car resprayed. Unfortunately this is the only pic i have of it how i bought it! A combination of sky high ride height, and a very blurry phone picture makes the car look acceptionally cra*p!
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So the night i got it home, i knew i couldnt live with the ride height and slightly wollowy suspension! Also knowing that one of the springs was already broken, i pushed myself to order some new suspension to replace the tired and sky high origional units! Being on a small budget left me with two options, cheap and cheerful, or second hand! Having no luck finding any of the latter, and reading a few reviews on the cheap and cheerful ebay units, i took the plunge and ordered a set!
Having fitted the suspension, and a few other bits, steering wheel etc, i got on the hunt for some new wheels! Again, not the sized budget i would have liked, but i knew the look i wanted to go for! So after a good few days debating with myself, i took a trip down to Driftworks hq to collect a shiney new set of rota bm8's, in 8j et0! Luckily only being a few miles from my house, i collected the wheels, took them to work, wacked a set of tyres on them, and they were fitted the same day! A little bit of arch work later, and i was ready to drive home! Really happy with how the car was looking now, but still felt there was missing something! Like many other mx owners, i love the look of a GV lip on the mx, just works soooo well on so many different style of mk1! So i bit the bullet and ordered one off mk5parts! Quite pricey i felt, but totally transforms the look of the car, and i love it! so that night i went out to get some snaps! Shame the car was so dirty, and rubbishy pics once again, but you get the idea!
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Arch gaps were very close as you can see, and despite the arches being rolled, it rubbed quite badly! So it gave me an excuse for 4 new tyres! Currently running 195/50/15, i thought it was time to go a bit lower profile, so i got a set of new 195/45/15's, which cured the rubbing straight away!
A few weeks later i went to a very low key "driver training" event at Prodrive's test track in Kenilworth! A combination of not many people being around, my Dad being an instructor, and my love for drifting, ment that i spent the whole day hooning it around and generally killing tyres (the old ones that is!). Had an amazing day, and the car performed faultlessly all day long despite a whole day of hard driving and lots of rev limiter action! Only got one picture from the day, and unforunatley its not an action one and a phone pic yet again!
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Despite having an awsome day, i couldnt help but notice the cars lack of power, and the fact that the standard seats really arent holding enough for you to feel in control when hooning about! So i fitted a Bride fixed back seat i had lying about from the Civic. Having bolted it straight to the floor it gave me the hold, and height i was after!
Then, mods went quiet for a few weeks, as i saved my funds back up after spending so much in a short space of time! Just a few little ones, an air filter and a cheapo cat back system etc!
The car was starting to look how i wanted it to now though, so gave it a good clean, and finally took some snaps on something better than a phone!
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Dads car shamelessly stealing the limelight!
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Having saved some money back up and selling a few old bits i had lying about, i recently splashed out on a very well priced turbo kit from another forum user! Its a relitively basic kit using t25, with a nice 2.5" downpipe and all the other bits and bobs needed! Being as impatient as i am, i ordered an intercooler kit off mx5dan to complete all the bits i needed! Again, being impatient, i pushed to get the kit fitted as the standard power was starting to really bore me! So one Saturday my boss let me use one of the ramps at work! With an early start planned, i set to work! The kit fit pretty well, and all went together pretty simple! However i got the car running, but left it over night due to a few teething problems! So i went back to the car the next day with a fresh head, and knowing that i needed it for the following day, i set to work! After a few cut knuckles, some thrown spanners and lots of swearing, i got it running, with most of the teething problems sorted enough to be driveable! After running the car back and forth to work for a few days very sheepishly, realised that all seems ok, and i was very chuffed!
A few mods inbetween, but the car now looks like this
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So next on this list is management and injectors to get the most out of the turbo kit! Then ill bring the boost up a bit a see what it feels like then! Also on the list of to-do's is the rest of the bodywork, a few little niggles i want sorting, and the hardtop needs painting! Then get a vindi ducktail bootlid!
Cheers
Owen
