My Ideal MX5

Charlie Brown · Postby **Charlie Brown** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:36 pm

dave2221 wrote:For 16-18k why not get a SE

its got more power, and nearly all the handling bits your after out of the box.

Dave he wants N/A not turbo. You can buy an NC for $15K, with the same performance, better ride, handling & braking.

Postby **NitroDann** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:20 pm

If you won't open the motor just get a loud muffler. The rest won't do enough to justify it IMO.

Certainly won't gain any response.

Regarding SE vs NC its not fair stock for stock because with an SE you can double the power with simple proven bolt ones. So.. Hardly an even fight.

Dann

dave2221 · Postby **dave2221** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 3:45 pm

Charlie Brown wrote:
dave2221 wrote:For 16-18k why not get a SE

its got more power, and nearly all the handling bits your after out of the box.

Dave he wants N/A not turbo. You can buy an NC for $15K, with the same performance, better ride, handling & braking.

he said "preferably" naturally aspirated.....

deviant · Postby **deviant** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 6:33 pm

OurCognitiveSurplus wrote:Where are people getting LSDs from for NBs? I just don't seem to see them for sale.

Maybe I should make a WTB thread...

MX5+ for mine.

roket52 · Postby **roket52** » Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:11 pm

Deviant - Thanks for the feedback on the ratio's. 3.9 to 4.1 will certainly be the two choices ill be deciding between. I am after a reasonably aggressive power delivery and its interesting hearing that you are now considering the 4.1 after living with ur 3,9. All the bikes that ive used on the street were geared for the track and I'd imagine I'd want my car setup the same.

Dave2221 - I have certainly pondered the idea of an SE as I could almost just buy one and drive it as opposed to a stock NB build. But one of my key criteria is crisp and instant throttle response for the complete control it offers. Unfortunately here in SA there are no SE's that ive come across to get a ride in to see how good the power delivery is but from what Ive read the "stock" model is that they have a small lag AND they have a short power band before a lower redline of 6500 RPM. Half the fun is revving the girl up! Especially in a 4cl. The other issue with an SE is that it leaves me no more $$$ for any more mods I may want to do. Tough call but I had to make a choice.

Dann - In time I will no doubt tinker with some porting and cams but for now with a few bolts on like high ratio lsd diff, lightened flywheel and some 15's and im sure that it will liven up the existing power and make it more fun in the twisties! Dann have you got any other cost effective other ideas not mentioned for improved throttle response or any mods that you think would compliment my list?

deviant · Postby **deviant** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:04 am

roket52 wrote:Deviant - Thanks for the feedback on the ratio's. 3.9 to 4.1 will certainly be the two choices ill be deciding between. I am after a reasonably aggressive power delivery and its interesting hearing that you are now considering the 4.1 after living with ur 3,9. All the bikes that ive used on the street were geared for the track and I'd imagine I'd want my car setup the same.

I should qualify that and say that my car is barely dríven on the road anymore. I think the 4.1 will better suit the motorsport I do but it will end up doing something like 4000RPM cruising at 110kmh which I am not sure I could live with for the times I do road drive it.

For improved throttle response I found a full exhaust system (built by Dann) and a K&N induction kit worked wonders, only a very small gain in power to be had but prior to those things I always found the car to feel very stodgy and unwilling to really get to the top of the rev range in a hurry.

A lightweight flywheel also worked magic, not the cheapest mod to do if you need to pay someone to swap the clutch out for you though. I am lucky that a good friend of mine has a hoist, beer fridge and a tv in his garage!

Some on here would tell you not to bother but the first thing I have ended up doing with the MX5's I have owned is ditch the sh*t plastic radiator in favour of an ASI or Cooling Pro ally one. The factory one in both cases had already turned brown with age and one of them crumbled with little provocation so it is worth considering this, no need for a coolant re-route if you are looking for an NB8B.

One other bit of advice....drive the thing like you pinched it. I am convinced that serviced properly you cannot kill an MX5 engine so use it properly! Don't be scared of the rev-limiter and generally drive it with your foot welded to the floor, they are pretty hard to get in to trouble in as they just arent quick enough :mrgreen:

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:36 pm

the thing with advice is to try and differentiate between what is good and what is not and a lot of the time that will merely stem from ones own mindset. Essentially the development of the car and its evolvement was put in place by enthusiasts- one of the guys had already had 90 cars and bikes at the time of the development. If you always buy a hamburger with the lot or a pizza the same way its easy to lose the taste for simple great food and sometimes cars are the same.Driving a car on the road and using it for what was intended - its a LWS or FR design and what a brilliant job those guys did for the last classic car.

re the engine "there were outsider comments recommending the addition of a turbocharger but our team had a firm belief that an engine with natural aspiration and linear output ,which is more in turn with human feelings ,should be used to in the LWS". Bear in mind that the 1800 eng was not available at the time.

Motorsport - racing its just not the same as a road car.

Postby **Okibi** » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:32 am

dave2221 wrote:For 16-18k why not get a SE

its got more power, and nearly all the handling bits your after out of the box.

toadcat · Postby **toadcat** » Sun Feb 09, 2014 9:30 pm

I have certainly pondered the idea of an SE as I could almost just buy one and drive it as opposed to a stock NB build. But one of my key criteria is crisp and instant throttle response for the complete control it offers. Unfortunately here in SA there are no SE's that ive come across to get a ride in to see how good the power delivery is but from what Ive read the "stock" model is that they have a small lag AND they have a short power band before a lower redline of 6500 RPM. Half the fun is revving the girl up! Especially in a 4cl. The other issue with an SE is that it leaves me no more $$$ for any more mods I may want to do. Tough call but I had to make a choice.

Dare I say it, but maybe consider a Honda S2000? It seems to tick all of your boxes and they can be had for that price if you are patient and can haggle. I think the engine will be exactly what you are after

roket52 · Postby **roket52** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 6:07 pm

Well I found my car..

I decided to go for a clean stock NB8B and build it up from scratch. I found a silver NB in excellent condition with 54000kms and got it for a price of $11 000!. A grand more than I wanted to spend but for those KMS I couldnt find a better deal. Already got a 4.1 T1 LSD Torsen sitting in the shed for it and going the route of 1.6lt HD clutch and flywheel very soon. MCA suspension is on the cards also once i do a bit more research on the spring rates but honestly, so far, I am very happy with the car even in stock form. MX5's are great fun to drive and Im stoked to have one sitting in my shed to tinker with over the next few years.

Thanks all for your help and advice the MX5 community has been super helpful!

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 6:14 pm

Spring rates are 9kg front, 6kg rear for track purposes on the MCA. Are you looking at red or blue?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

roket52 · Postby **roket52** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 8:44 pm

Looking at the blue Mca 's. I'm sure the reds and golds are the business but they beyond my budget. I have heard that the valving with the mca' s is very good. I just hope that the blues are still a high quality unit even though they are the cheapest of their range.
Do u know what spring rate the blues are? And what the stock nb rates are?
I'm looking for a ride that is firm and responsive but not too uncomfortable over the bumps in the Adelaide hills

Black_Penguin · Postby **Black_Penguin** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:13 pm

Stock NB rates are around 3 kg front and 2 kg rear.

emx005 · Postby **emx005** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:17 pm

Nice work on finding a car with those kms.

There is one in Sydney with similar kms asking $15000.

My budget is around $12k and I'm having trouble.

roket52 · Postby **roket52** » Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:35 pm

thanks, yeah it was deal i wasnt sure i could beat especially as I plan to hang on to it for a while. The guy I bought it off would have been in his late 60's and had few old gems in the shed.

I have to be honest though I had to settle for the silver. Its not my favourite colour but im sure by the time Im finished with it, it should look pretty sexy. :mrgreen:

I thinking about going silver and black