mx5cartalk.com

Hi all, i'm Adam and i'm a "noob" here, but a few of you might know my username from Ausrotary.com.

Anyway this thread is for my sisters 1990 NA6 that i'm helping here restore and do up a little.
I look forward to sharing a few stories and maybe a few new ideas back and forth.

So here goes the good bad and the ugly..

I found the car for sale on this forum by mekros (Rob) and after lookingat another 5 MX5's the same day we decied this was the one
We're currently doing a few of the roadworthy items and a few other things upfront, the short list of things to fix is as follows:

Replace Thermasat housing gasket
Remove window home fitted window tint (in progress)
Full cut and polish and interior detail
Replace radio fascia
refurb centre console
investigate clutch throw (very short through on pedal)
Change gearbox oil
Fit an antenna
Decarbon window switches and wire in relays to take the load (this is a trick we use on the RX-7's that works wonders for fast glass)
Fit central locking and alarm (in progress)
Clean and lube up door handles

After that we're looking at new carpet, a respray including the hardtop, refurbing or replacing the rims.

Fom there some mild mods, lowered coils, maybe uprated shocks, sway bars and bracing

Heres all the "BEFORE" pic's

As advertised


Faded / oxidised paint work




a quick buff cut test section

You can really see the oxidised pain when comparted to the cut section.
We expect the metal panels to buff up fine, but the plastic work is highly unlikely.

Cracked radio fascia



Faded trim



and the car's first mod



Many more updates to follow soon!

Welcome Adam . You may recognise my username from Ausrotary.com.

How long do you think it will be before you make room for one of your own?

Cheers,
Danny

ps. Good luck with the build.

Hey Danny, I've always wanted a NA with a 2nd gen 13bt since i had the S4 'vert!!
But I've just bought a house so i need to place some extra funds that way for at least a year or two. IF my sis decides not to sell this one i'll most likely get another and drive it as a stocker for a year or two to gather funds to convert it to a rotor.

If i ever do build one of these (which I’ve pretty much got my heart set on now), I’d start by making the engine & gearbox physically fit. From there I’d most likely strip the car to a shell and add some decent chassis strengthening and at that point i may be able to look at other diff options as I may be able to change the chassis mounts to suit another rear frame. It all depends on the engineer at the time I guess.

I have thought about using a S6 engine and driveline, but the factory emissions would have to all fit that little engine bay as well as the twin turbo’s and getting the ECU to work without everything else it controls (AC, ABS inputs and what ever else it looks into) I just feel that the S5 ECU is easier to retro fit.
It would be nice to do a NC though but i'd be waitng a long time for prices to drop...
I only want to do it if i can do it properly, it would be a long build up for sure. But, there's 's no point having a cute little car that breaks stuff every time you drive it, gets defected or the chassis just flexes when you try to turn at speed. I wanted that I’d stick a PP into a 1st gen RX-7 with stock suspension

heres a pic of the car with my R.E.'VERT Plates from the S4 to stir a few of the A/R boys

keen to see how you go cleaning up the center console.
tip: don't use prepsol or anything similar on it.

Tip for the centre console....303 cleaner then 303 protectant.....

And then you can use it on your soft top afterwards...

You're doing all the things that I planned to do

Keep up the good work and I hope she turns into a stunner.

Since the last update we've done a few things.

The paintwork got a decent cut and polish, and it came up even better than we hoped! I'll post some photos & info in the coming days.
Replaced Thermostat housing gasket
Removed window home fitted window tinting
Replaced radio fascia with a new one from James at the MX5 Centre (nice bloke! very friendly and helpful)
Fitted a new Head unit
Adjusted clutch throw (it was over adjusted going into the master cylinder)
De-carboned window switches (still to wire in relays to take the load off the switches)
We found a device hooked up to the window switches, which appears to allow them to work for a short period after the ignition is off. I say appears, because it actually does nothing, but hooks up a direct battery feed to the switches via a IC controlled relay. It had blown components on the ICB so we removed it..

We also got the 1st RWC check done, they only picked three things, (a loose sunvisor, rear brake pads and movement at the rear uni/ diff pinion) which have all been fixed. It goes back in tomorrrow for the 2nd test.

On the list for this week is the following (if I can fit it all in):
Finish fitting the alarm (its in there as an immobiliser but other function aren’t yet hooked up)
Fit the central locking
Install window relays (god these cars need this mod more than i remember the RX-7's needing it!)
Refurb centre console and modify to include a hidden iPod holder, My sis also wants one of those cup holders that replaces the ashtray.
fit/ replace a few missing/broken clips
Adjust the Hard top latches
Adjust the glove box latch
Detail the interior
Hand the car back to my sis so she can drive it for the weekend!

Photos up soon!

Another minor update.
We got the RWC sorted and the rego all transfered etc...

I finished fitting the alarm, fitted the central locking.
The new head unit was taken out and replaced for another of a different brand. The sony ipod one we had in there wouldn't support a current model ipod!
I didnt get time to make a holder for the ipod yet though.
I fitted some 6" 2way speakers i had here and we added a little sound deadening to the doors, They now close with a solid deep sounds rather than the mazda tin rattle that once was.

I Installed the window relays and lubed everything up, we now have FAST glass I took some before video footage, i'll get some after videos then post them up.

My sister took it late on friday and the hard top is in my shed, so i guess shes having a great time topless! its a great sunday arvo for it too.

This week will be a little quiter,
I hope to add a remote boot release (a part i bought for her 1st 5, but never fitted).
Fit an areial, either the semi auto one ive got here, or the orginal when Rob gets a chance to bring it down.
and do a touch more detailing. heres some pics. still need to get some decent body shots.

Somebody say reflections?





The sun was low in the sky sothe car looks orange rather than the very deep classic red that it is. we'll get some decent phots one day.

Heres the doors... we used about 3/4 of a roll of flash-tac to deaden both the doors, so not too much. All of the inner side of the outer door skin is done and only spots where required on the inner skin. I've used much more in other cars, but the stereo is only basic in this and this has worked a treat, improving the bass and avoiding any door rattles.




heres a pic of the window relays. It simply plugs inline between the factory plugs that hook the window switches to the loom. It is just 4 powered relays that feed the wiindow motors and are triggered by the factory switches, taking all the load off of the switches. Meaning they will NEVER carbon up again They're all taped up and have foam on tem to make sure they dont rattle against the fascia, but you get the idea.


I'll attempt to get some decent body and interior pics and the window video up soon!

looking very impressive

The aerial is sitting in my work car now, it's just getting a chance to head down your way, the last week or so has been based at head office.

Rob, the semi auto aerial dosen't fit so we really want the orignal one when your down this way, or maybe Tamara can pop up your way?

Not much to update with the car, the rain slowed us right down. I did manage to fit the remote boot release and fix a squeeky clutch pivot.
But i do have a couple of pics.

The new fasica and refurbed center console. We removed the ashtray lid to make it into a little extra storage spot. The pocket under the radio is only a temp one until we get one thats the correct size.


Body shots, it needs a wash again, but they're the best i've got so far.


The nose cone still hasn't been polished, it shows how much the rest of the paintwork has improved.




Sorry for the strage figure in the tail light


More worthwhile updates soon

looking good so far!

keep it up

well no real updates, but just thought i'd let people know were still alive.

The car hasn't missed a beat other than one of the wires to the headrest speakers shorting out on the seat rails.
I drove the car breifly last week, and its still great! its just clicked over 200k too

Well on monday the MX5 was backed into while parked by a uninsured late model land rover discovery




A decent hit as you can see. The lady would have had to of walk past the car to get into her car, but she didn't see it when she reversed out.
I've already had it quoted on and i'm just waiting for the insurance company to get back to us. the gaurd and the door need painting for the repair, so we're considering paying the difference and a getting full respray at the same time.
My sisters daily is out of action at the moment too so the timing really sucks

That sux dude. Wishing you trouble free repairs.

Hopefully you can turn this into a positive.

Best of luck