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1993 S-Special Work In Progress...

28K views 174 replies 35 participants last post by  Onehillside  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I took a trip down to Devon to collect her a couple of weeks ago:

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1993 S-Special; 1993, approx 100,000 miles, bilsteins etc, K&N, some random mazdaspeed bits and some chrome style-bars. Piles of paperwork and history including recent rolling road results, sills and arches seem clear and recently treated underneath. Also came with a hardtop.

Previous owner was a young lad who'd added an expensive DVD Player (not the most sensible idea in a convertible but there we go) and 16" Eclipse alloys. Then had her SORN for 6 months before needing to sell her.

Alloys:

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Bay :

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There's a few bad bits to fix / straighten out but fundamentally she's a sound car. The paintwork a little tired - a some trolley dinks, some badly touched up chips on bodywork and hard-top (it's also had a proper cage mounted at some point so the catches on the hardtop have been cut-out on the large flap so as to fit), interior needed a damn good clean and tidy ie. drivers seat stained from a water leak:

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..., mohair roof has a couple of what look like cigarette burns, and the previous owner had stuck some daft stickers (turning it into a "John Player Special" on as well as adding a gold detailing stripe using sticky ribbon stickers:

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He'd also removed the electric aerial so the radio had 0 reception on his DVD Player and the shift gaiters were shot.

In the engine bay it looks like someone has tried to manufacture some sort of scoop out of flexible piping that pulls air from underneath the car and routes it to the air intake (you can just see it in the pics) and there's also something funky going on with the wiring on the rad fans (shorting across TFA/GND points on the diagnostics box turns on both fans where i think it should only be one).

So I've made a start: last weekend I sorted the shift and replaced the stereo with a £10 ebay special, retro-tastic cassette player (with all important AUX-in), added an internal aerial to the boot, gave the interior a damn good clean, fitted my JDM knee pads and removed the stripes and stickers from outside as well as a simple clean and wax:

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to get to:

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and

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Then got round to fitting 14" OEM Mazda wheels (I think an option on a 1994 version). They need to be properly stripped and given a refurb but budget dictates that this'll have to wait. They're stupidly light and hopefully a little less harsh on the bad roads we have around here:

Corrosion:

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Yesterday I gave them a good clean and fitted them to the car, along with some clear side indicators. So the car currently looks like this:

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I'm going to give her a good clean today and take some proper pics from different angles rather than just grabbing a shot when she's just sat on the driveway.
 
#2 ·
Nice one on the new motor. Looks good.
 
#5 ·
Looks mint. Prefer the gold wheels though, are you keeping them or selling?
Fair enough - I just prefer the ride of smaller wheels and couldn't pass up on the others at the price I got them at.

But anyway, plan on selling / swapping, when I get round to it. Been busy this weekend so no chance to take some proper pics. They're Eclipse 16" - the lad I bought it off paid £400 + the cost of tyres. They're in reasonable to good condition; one front has a bit of a scuff on one rim, there's some slight kerbing but otherwise seem alright. Let me know if you're interested and I'll stick some proper pics together for you.
 
#8 ·
Looking nice, loving the new wheels, nice car. How you finding the D1 QR? I've got one to fit but not done it yet..
Fitting is easy if fiddly (lots of lining up holes in the Momo / hub / rings etc) but all done and dusted in 20 minutes. I had to use cables with shorter spade ends due to limited space and had to change the bolts from the wheel end from those that were previously fitted as they weren't long enough.

Once it's on it brings the wheel a little closer but that's no bad thing; my wife can't reach the indicator stalks from the wheel which she's not thrilled about. If you've small hands you'll doubtless have the same issue. Feels rock solid on and easy enough to clunk the wheel off.
 
#10 ·
Cool, think i'll be needing to drill out the current hex bolts on my Nardi as they won't budge!

Anyway, nice car buddy, i'll keep an eye out for some future updates.
You tried plusgas? Did the trick for me at the w/e when I had some properly stubborn bolts on the petrol lid...
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
Cool - ill give that a go - cheers
no worries - trick seems to be to spray once, leave for 5 minutes, spray again, leave and then go for it. 100% unscientific but rescued me when I thought I'd be having to either drop fitting my nice shiny fuel cap or get drilling out the screws. Not something i wanted to do within proximity of the fuel tank (though would have tried dremelling the philips heads first - cut a deep line across the middle of the head and try a large flat-headed screwdriver)
 
#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
Another day of fettling today:

Took off the 'toilet lid' emblem. Starting point:

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2 seconds with dental floss later:

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Started cleaning it up:

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Someone's obviously tried to take it off already (And it shows how badly the paintwork needs cutting back and a good polish). I've a early style black and white enamel badge to replace this but think I'll leave it off until I've fitted the sticky number plate and given her a proper polish.

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Then onto the inside. Firstly cleaning up the Nielex console I managed to find. Complete with switches. Arrived a bit dirty

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Some elbow grease, baby wipes and Autobild later and it's come up a treat.

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Out to the car. Centre console out, front of the tombstone out and cleaning 20 odd years of crud whilst i'm going it.

Before:

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Everything off:

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Lights and warning block ready to come off:

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Tombstone drilled for the Nielex, freshly cleaned vents back in, new lights/warning switches fitted, radio cage reset so that it'll sit flush with the Nielex front and Nakamae quilted lining also added:

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Nielex on and screws in and centre console finally back in:

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Then under the bonnet, sorted my bust headlight bulb and started cleaning up and assembling my Racing Beat Pulse Cold Air intake, fitting to cannablised spare airbox with new air-filter fitted - hopefully get that onto the car next weekend...

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#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
few more changes:

Added one of these:

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Also, some KV85 Magnecors and new long-reach NGK plugs along with Flying Miata slam panel:

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Found this ARC brace / stylebar (though pretty hefty not sure it's much of a 'rollbar' though it has brackets for further bracing down behind the seats as well as for harness / belts). Welding is lovely though.

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Now fitted:

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Along with another change - some Watanabes.

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Also she's now wearing some 2nd hand Ohlins - spent a very hot and sticky day swapping out my old, slightly tired Bilsteins ('long-bolt' method - worked a treat). No pics of the new additions though; too busy trying not to sweat to death in the 30 degree sunshine, it was very hot especially with reflected light off the white of the house...

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#19 ·
Starting point:

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Collected these Elise seats, bought off here:

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Found some changes and an aged receipt for £135.55

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One in (with pads removed):

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Both fitted:

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Modelled by Stanley the Bedlington, trying his best to look noble:

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Both seats still need a fair bit of work for proper refurb - going to sort the worn bolsters, try and restore colour a little and get some of the marks cleaned up. Couldn't wait to get them in though.
 
#24 ·
Minor update - changed the yellow brace with a Dcuatro one.

From this:

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To this:

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And there's an ever increasing pile of bits for when we move (fingers crossed) and I finally get a garage. Then I can properly crack on with things, rather than having to work around the family coming-and-goings on the driveway...
 
#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
The Elise seats have been deemed to be too hard and uncomfortable (though I rather like them). So, to that end, this arrived today:

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Bit grubby, minor wear on the bolster. Attacked with Valet Pro and the wet&dry vac.

They're currently drying out in the sunshine and I'll give it another going over later this evening. Then it's out with the Elise seats and back in with this and one of the original cloth seats.