[Clappers]

Hi All

I'm a 31 yr old bloke based in Lancashire. Always been interested in motorsports, fast road driving and car modification. After a long period spent with several different vauxhalls, I've decided i want a track toy and a fwd vauxhall just won't cut it. If i'm going to get a track car it would be wrong not to get something rwd. I looked at the MGF, MR2 and MX-5 and have come to the conlusion that the MX-5 is the one for me.

I'm looking to buy an MX-5 in the near future to build as an out and out track car. I always like to join a forum related to the car i'm buying in advance of getting a car so i pick up some knowledge of what to buy, what to look for when buying etc.

I looked around a few forums and get the impression that you peeps on here are pretty clued up when it comes to running and tuning Mx-5's (I've been wrong before though

).

My plan to start with is to buy a less than perfect pre-93 Mk1 1.6 (based on it being lightest chassis, pre-cat and the more powerful version of the 1.6) quite probably an mot fail or engine fail as brakes, suspension and engine will be replaced or renewed.

So bearing the above in mind and that i am looking at running the car as a completely stripped roofless track car, what problems should I look out for when looking at Mk1's.

 

[AndyMk2]

Hello fenix

Sounds like you've read up a bit on the cars already. Why not look for the least rusty Mk1 1.6 you can find, then set about adding the bigger brakes from the 1.8, some extra under-body bracing, a good solid roll-bar ( see the TD bar made by TR Lane Fabs) and some suspension upgrades would be a good start.

 

[Clappers]

Hey Andy

Yeah read up a bit on the basics of mx-5 ownership and will prob read a lot more before i get round to buying one.

I've seen the under body bracing while scouring the interweb for info but thanks for the roll bar link. I've been trying to find rollbars & cages for MX-5 in the UK without much success.

Are the 1.8 calipers a direct replacement or do they need spacers?

With regards to suspension i'll probably go for a fixed height kit to start with and do an all round bush replacement. Do the poly bushes give a noticeable difference on the 5? With some previous cars i've been told that a full renewal of standard bushes is a better use of cash as the difference is negligible.

Finally where do the old 5's tend to rust?