In the Club

[Rocky]

Anyone had any in-depth experience with Clubman ownership?
I sometimes think about with what I will eventually replace the MX5.
It is really just a 'toy' and doesn't have to fill any function except be lots of fun to drive.
The idea of a full-on fun car like a PRB Clubman appeals but I have never dríven one and have no idea of the pitfalls of ownership.
It wouldn't get used on a track as there isn't one within about 600kms.

[bigdog]

I have a racing clubbie (historic 1965 vintage) and have dríven it on street circuits. Very uncomfortable compared to my 5. A road going clubbie is still way more hardcore than a 5, no creature comforts at all. As a fun machine they are brilliant, but you won't go very far without needing a break. I could have bought a road clubbie, but chose the 5 as a more usable fun machine.

[mazlot]

Having restored a Lotus 7, I can completely agree with bigdog's comments.



I have a bad back and after driving it, would need a weeks break before even looking at it again. Aerodynamics dictated that it was flat out at 70 mph !

Lent it to a few friends, they all agreed with me.

[lizard]

I went the other way and purchased a MX5 SE best move I have made for some time and only wish I had years ago

6 months after building the PRB I built a trailer for it .

PM me if you would like a Wide body Honda PRB

[Rocky]

Thanks BD & Maz. Sounds like the big issue is the unsophisticated suspension set-up. Have there been any significant improvements in this in more recent Clubbies? Is it possible to find a damper/coil set-up that won't wreck your back? or is it just the nature of the beast. (I'm too old to have my fillings shaken out.)( I was tending to favour the PRB marque as they look to be a good product.)

[Rocky]

Hi Lizard, so - it sounds like you have a late model PRB (wide body + Honda mechanicals) It also sounds like you agree with the other guys - so there hasn't been any improvement in ride comfort in recent years. Would you characterise it as a 'track-only' vehicle?

[aka_juffa]

Hi Rocky,

There is quite an active group on the ozclubbies forum. Many are older gentlemen, with heaps of experience. There is also a very active for sale section for completed, part completed and clubman parts. An ex-work colleague has just finished building and registering a Locost in which he used the front and rear MX-5 chassis subframes for ease of engineering. It is possible to buy a clubbies with IRS, and many have adjustable coilovers so I would imagine that you can customise the ride quality to suit yourself.

http://www.ozclubbies.com.au
http://www.caterhamcars.com.au/index.php
http://www.birkin.com.au/index.php
http://www.pumaclubman.com/index.htm
http://www.redbackmotorsport.com.au
http://www.arrowsportscars.com.au

J.

[lizard]

Hi Lizard, so - it sounds like you have a late model PRB (wide body + Honda mechanicals) It also sounds like you agree with the other guys - so there hasn't been any improvement in ride comfort in recent years. Would you characterise it as a 'track-only' vehicle?

It would be very easy to soften up and become a lot more comfortable but it would also add 5 +++?? seconds around The Creek . The PRB wasn't designed to be road sports car it is what it is a big Go Kart or as my friend says he wished he could register his Formula Ford and drive it to the track like the PRB boys do.




And be prepared to blow $50g for a good one and not be able to sell it as there far to personalised by the time you get them sorted to how you want them, Quite often they don't suit prospective buyers and cost another bomb to get back to standard

[Black_Penguin]

My dad has a Arrow with independent rear suspension which even with a track focused setup provides a firm but not uncomfortable ride.
While my dad's one is very track focused there are plenty of Clubbie owners who have never been on the track and have no desire to do so, there are plenty of cruiser biased cars around. Even with the stiffer suspension my parents have dríven from Ulladulla to Bright twice, Melbourne to Adelaide, Ulladulla to Tweed Heads and many other longer drives. I find it no more tiring or harsher to drive than my stock (suspension wise) MX5.
Also are you looking to build or buy a rego'd car?

Edit: +1 for Ozclubbies, its a great source of info, advice and off-colour jokes.

[bigdog]

I wasn't just focussing on the ride quality in my comments - remember these things have no heater, air con or even air ducting. You sit right alongside the gearbox and engine, so heat transfer is a bitch, and they are by nature very small and tight in the cockpit. You are fully exposed to the elements (drive thru a puddle and you will get wet unless the builder has sealed the panels completely and you have clamshell guards. That said if I was under 30 and single I'd have one like a shot, they are as close as you can get to the motor bike experience on four wheels.

[93_Clubman]

I sometimes think about with what I will eventually replace the MX5...The idea of a full-on fun car like a PRB Clubman appeals but I have never dríven one and have no idea of the pitfalls of ownership.

Sounds like the big issue is the unsophisticated suspension set-up.

Have one that's setup for the road - fun, but with limitations. You really need to have a few decent drives of clubbies to make up your mind if it's for you. If you join the OzClubbies forum you might find there are some owners up your way. But as long as you do plenty of research & buy carefully, you can always resell, bearing in mind the market has been on the way down. Fortunately you live in QLD, which along with WA, is one of the clubbie friendly states registration-wise.

Personally don't find the suspension uncomfortable, but because they differ individually so much there are other considerations, which vary from state to state, like:
soft top, windscreen, wipers & washers, rear exiting exhaust, retractable seat belts, plenum/ airbox, 10cm minimum ride height, seat head rests, rollbar height, bootbox storage space, cycle front guards or clam shell front guards, protection on front face of rear guards, tonneau cover, heater (obviously not a problem in FNQ), demister/fan if soft top & side curtains are used, spare wheel, jack, winder & brace or can of goo, left foot brace or at least some where for left foot when not operating clutch pedal, quick release steering wheel for entry & exit, how you're going to listen to your favourite tunes, apart from the exhaust & intake noise. A final consideration is that they're not necessarily designed to be easy to service & maintain.

As a fellow MX5 owner who uses a hardtop, you may find being in FNQ that a soft top is a must. If so, keep in mind that if clubbie soft top is in place then getting in or out is an issue unless you have a flap opening designed in or you undo the soft top.

Have thought about what I'd long term replace the MX5 with for a few years now, but have come to the conclusion it would be another MX5. For the money, it's just such a good all rounder, if you can live the space limitations of a small two seater car.

[Rocky]

Good points, BD. I don't care about heaters (live in C.Q) AirCon (rarely use it) sound systems (that's what the exhaust note is for) or other creature comforts. I'm a small lightweight build so I fit comfortably in small cockpits. I would install a heap of heat insulation. I don't drive in the wet. I'd ONLY have one with cycle guards (cause they look the goods).
That said, I would want a reasonable degree of ride comfort as it would be used solely for spirited Sunday drives in the country.
I'm wondering if it is possible to achieve an MX5-like standard of ride - I guess it would need some pretty clever suspension sorting.
Thanks for your comments Clubman. A lot to think about there in terms of meeting QLD rego requirements.
I guess, in a nutshell, what I was thinking was that I don't want to go more sophisticated (e.g. Boxster or Cayman) but rather in the other direction to a more basic experience but staying with the front engine, rear drive layout. A new MX5 wouldn't do it for me as I hate electronics and idiot-proof stuff like rain-sensing wipers etc. If I don't go the Clubman route I will probably just keep the NB.

[93_Clubman]

I'm wondering if it is possible to achieve an MX5-like standard of ride...

Yeah, perhaps an MX5 Clubman with Bilstein shocks & NA8 springs type ride

If I don't go the Clubman route I will probably just keep the NB.

Perhaps a light [stripped of] weight NA6 or NA8 with the usual mods might be an option.

Btw, on the clubbie service & repair front, you may need to identify where a part/s originate from to subsequently source them.

[NitroDann]

My na6 is as close to a clubman as you can get in an mx5, and the reality is, lots of people love the car to death, but not for more than an hour.

Dann

[Black_Penguin]

Both me and my mum have fallen asleep in our car on longer trips, I know of one guy who drove his around Australia and another who has done Brisbane to Tassie and Brisbane to Adelaide. After 2-3 hours you will probably want to get out and have a stretch and walk around for a bit but would probably need to stop for fuel anyway as the fuel tanks tend to average around 30L.
I would have no more hesitation jumping into my dads car and driving all day than driving my own.