[steve b]

Picked up a stock 1990 1.6 Eunos last night and drove the 100 miles or so home. Its made me realise just how far removed my other car has got from how the MX5 / Eunos started out.

My car now feels very planted and although physically lighter feels a lot more weighty due to clutch and no powersteering. Whereas the stock car on its little 14" wheels feels very light and nimble - maybe to the point of nervous nimble.

Then theres the torque and power, thrashing the hell out of the stock car results in momentum like a cool down lap tickling the throttle and changing at 3000rpm in the modified on.

I'd forgotten how comfortable the stock seats are, it really is a nice place to sit the stock seats feel like armchairs, but one thing I didn't like at all was how high I felt, almost perched high up in the car compared to sitting on the floor - that I think gives a much more connected feeling.

The stock cars worst point - my god they feel so wobbly and flexy chassis wise, hit a rough spot and the whole car feels like its about to become two. I guess my later mk1 had a lot more stiffening from the factory + harddog + Mr fast brace and it is the world of difference. Got to say I think the single most important mx5 mod is a decent half cage and chassis bracing - makes it a much less tin can feeling car.

 

[Andy-H]

mine is no where near as far as yours but i notice the difference when i take my brothers 1.8s out i cant believed the handling difference and as you said the power it like i forgot to press the loud button.

the other thing i have noticed are the brakes

this begs the question are they still mx5

 

[steve b]

I think heavily modified forced induction cars are almost different cars to the original 5. I think if you blind fold someone and put them in the drivers seat they wouldn't describe it as an mx5, they are not even remotely similar - certainly in the case of my black car as it stood on the last trackday and the stock 1990. Bit like comparing a shopping spec Renault megan and an r26r or even more different.

 

[guitarjon]

So are you trying to say that a FI 5 doesn't feel as an mx5 should in a bad way or a good way?

 

[Andy-H]

So are you trying to say that a FI 5 doesn't feel as an mx5 should in a bad way or a good way?

in a good way of course
its still a mx5 but just better the handling the power i tock another member out in my 5 last weekend and he remarked "this is how the mx5 should have been"
he was right but also wrong the in the purest sense the standard mx5 is a great car (some people would say perfect) but what we do is improve in our minds

would i go back to standard yes
would i get ride of my Fi'ed mx5 no

 

[Johnny-Five]

I have both a standard 5 and a heavily modified 5. Which do I get more enjoyment out of driving hard?.... standard one

 

[steve b]

So are you trying to say that a FI 5 doesn't feel as an mx5 should in a bad way or a good way?

Different - I think the standard car is like an old classic, MBG Roadster sort of thing going on - it feels like an old car to drive, its the sort of thing I'd want to drive on a nice sunny day to a country pub without bothering to go fast. The modified car is the car I'd choose to go for a hoon or trackday and I think is far more fun for that sort of thing.

 

[tameracingdriver]

My RS used to be supercharged. Now, I grant you, mine wasn't exactly an all singing, all dancing install, but still, it did give it a chunk more power. Now its more or less standard. I actually enjoy it more. There's more fun to be had actually having to work for your performance, and to be honest, it doesn't feel slow at all if you drive it right. I guess the fact it is very raw, and conveys speed well helps, but hearing the engine working hard just seems to add to the experience.

However, if I had the money, I'd have the standard one and a one with big power just for the slightly differing experiences. Thing is, FI for me makes the car a better day to day proposition, more flexible and effortless, but for hooning I prefer NA. If I had a choice, and enough money, my '5 would be sporting an all alloy V8 block

 

[ginger nutz]

The stock 5 feels so good because its relatively easy to make a slow car handle, or at least feel like it handles, but because it feels good we want it to be better, in every way, i`ve recently bought a 1.8 for ?300, its been laid up for 3 years, sills, rad and water pump, the thing drives like new, the suspension is lovely the brakes work great, a real testament to mazda engineering, the wifes has a manifold,an air filter, a set of gaz and is about to get an emanage, it feels better than stock, my fm2 has everything, 251bhp, tein shocks 4pot calipers bracing, fat wheels rolled arches etc, its better still, is it still a 5, yeah its a full fat 5, just for town work i`d have the first one, town and track i`d have the second one, mainly track i`d have the third one, they are all great in the right place at the right time, what ever one you`ve got, you`ve got a good one, enjoy, 5`s forever, ha ha