mx5cartalk.com

OK ive been overseas in Chicago, USA for a few years and finally back home. The folks have told me to come pick up my car which has been stored there since 2008-ish. In 2008 I was pulled over by the police and defected for roll bar, momo race seat, harness and large wheels (18 inch with 35 series). That said they didn't look under the bonnet to discover the turbo (car has been happily turbo-ed since the late 1990s).

randymx5 wrote:Specs:
1990 NA red MX5
original 1600 replaced with a 1800 AVO stage 2 turbo kit
LSD conversion from from an 1800 (with larger back brakes)
larger injectors, clutch
EMS engine management
Cooling pro radiator
148.5Kws at the wheels

Momo chair, harness and wheel (suede wheel)
BD roll bar with bolt in larry bar

16 inch BBS
18 inch Rota's

stock standard radio and speakers

Also has the Bigger SE brakes front and rear


I was wondering if anyone knows a workshop here in SA that might be able to help me get my car back on the road and registered..

Any help/recommendation would be grateful

Thanks

Randall

It'll need to go over the pits and will be thoroughly looked over. I'm not 100% on the rollbar's legalities (someone here will know) without engineering report but the other items will need to be removed and replaced with standard / legal items and they'll certainly notice it's turbo (I am assuming not regod as such otherwise things are much peachier).

There's info in this thread regarding the legal process to legal turboing in SA however, since you've had a larger engine conversion it may be harder again. Either way it's going to be a pretty big job. I'd be considering moving the parts into another car and returning that one to standard or selling as track only.

http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=60907

Welcome back Randall !
Going back a few years but Steve Cramp at Manta Automotive was well regarded & knows mx5s: http://www.mantaracing.com.au/

Thanks DanZig
Soon after the Turbo kit was installed in the late 90s i had taken it to an engineer to start the process rolling and he assured me that the roll bar, race seat and harness (wasn't in the harness at the time i got pulled over) were legal and shouldn't pose a problem. Yeah i realise its not going to be a cheap fix but I've had the car pretty much from brand new and thought either get it on the road or alternatively have it as a dedicated track car. Thanks for the link Dan. I have been previously recommended 'Graham West' as was told they did a lot of emission testing for gas conversions a while back. Ive also did a little search on a few members from here that were in the process of getting emissions around about the time i was heading to chicago..



93_Clubman: Its great to be back. Chicago has an amazing city skyline, we made some great friends and work wasn't bad either, BUT it is unbelievably dangerous (lucky not to get shot and we lived in a good part of town). If the daily shootings weren't bad enough it way too cold for my liking..Currently between -10 to -20C. Last years we went two months with it not getting above 0C.
I can recall 'mantra' plastered on the side of a MX5 that used to do supersprints so might check them out too.

Thanks again guys

+1 for Manta. Steve knows his stuff and gives great customer service.

Randall, how handy are you with a set of spanners?

I've got a 1600 sitting in the shed, plus pretty much 80% of a NA6 in parts lying about the place. With a solid weekend of work, we could probably get the car back to stock-ish and able to go through Regency.

Thanks thehillsarecalling.
I did consider doing the old switch the 1600 back into it and heading to regency. I have the original 1.6L at home (well the parents house again). Id just put the 1.8T back in straight away so rather get it done properly if at all..
Randall

Howdy Randall, good to see you back here again. Might want to contact Bark I think his username was, he had gotten two NA6s through Regency with turbo conversions last I read.

It might even be worth switching to SE or SP if you can afford it to save the hassle at a cost. There was an SE for sale not long ago for something like 14K if I remember right on this forum, but such an occurrence isn't regular.

SuperMazdaKart wrote:Bark I think his username was

Yeah, it was bark - lists his broad process step by step here:
viewtopic.php?f=81&t=46390&p=585423#p585423

A few other of his snippets of info:
viewtopic.php?f=81&t=52186&p=656098#p656098
viewtopic.php?f=81&t=40292&p=520525#p520525
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=28857&p=366243#p366243
viewtopic.php?f=81&t=29602
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=31505

Bark's were still running the 1600's when they went through. Perhaps you can give them a call and discuss the process of becoming legal with the 1.8 though, I recall them being pretty vague on the phone. Another option is submitting the application to modify which will list your requirements:

Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
Vehicle Standards
Phone: 1300 882 248
Email: dpti.vehiclestandards@sa.gov.au

https://www.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/16395/MR620-APPLICATION-TO-MODIFY-Motor-Vehicle-2013.pdf

Thanks 93_Clubman, Danzig et al. looks like ive some catching up reading to do..
Very much appreciated

Hi Randall, I've sent you a PM. Shouldn't be too much of a drama to get approved from what I've read, if you need any help just let me know.