Secret Ghetto Miata

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 2:12 pm

I'm sure everyone saw this photo, but Roscowj and myself happened to see it within 24 hours of buying a crashed silver NA for parts.

Neat little 89 Eunos with fancy 16" rims roll bar and BC coilovers still with rego.
At just under a grand to buy we recouped our outlay by selling all the fancy stuff and had enough left over to buy a Used Chinese Bride, a set of NB8A rims and some steel for the rollcage.

We started stripping (the car).

We started chopping.

Mounted seat and powdercoated some bits.

Toyed with big rubber and neg offset.

More chopping - There's a lot of steel in there and its a lot more difficult than I expected.

Shelby Cobra rear fenders hint at a possible styling cue and inspired the colour choice.

Club racing rules insist that it appears "obviously an MX5". Here's some mock up photos.

Finally a use for the muffler i pulled out of a skip 10 years ago.

Couldn't resist this at the price, but will it even need more power?

According to the scales the new headlight covers are infinitely lighter than the removed assemblies, another skip bin find - a broken cf stretcher.

More to come soon!

Kepschke · Postby **Kepschke** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 2:47 pm

Hah OMG Yes.

I am so keen to see this develop.

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 4:18 pm

Removing the seam from the rear fenders

I swear our welding is getting better

TEST DRIVE!

Fun stuff, building the half cage. Took ages to find someone with a tube bender. Got the bends done 2 days before the first race of the season.

Mad rush.

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 4:33 pm

Got to the first race late with an unfinished car.

DNS due to no side impact protection and being a Ghettoset not an MX5.

Drove home very sad but the water coming from my eyes was from the wind.

The many thumbs up and shouted approvals on the way home made me determined to have it ready for the next race.

To the drawing board!

Happy again.

Making it a reality.

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 5:11 pm

You want more?

Sectioning to get the visual balance right for the lower rear end.

Fitting door skins to the freshly fitted door bars.

Adding some panel where I didn't cut enough from the second donor car.

More cruel mocking.

Almost holding itself together.

Alu Sheet bits.

Lightweighting

Bare bones wiring harness.

Diagonal going in.

Stay tuned...

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:28 pm

Just some of the wiring that came out.

Heaps of fun with an angle grinder

Taking shape

Filling in all the missing pieces

The night before the big race!

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:39 pm

A roll of convoluted tube costs less than a second fire extinguisher and would weigh about as much as a mounting bracket. (I sound like the grumpy Uncle).
Greg.
P.S. great project and I am keen to see the results.

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:41 pm

Obviously The trailer I had arranged to use had 36 bee hives on it (it had a broken tractor the month before), and I found this out just as my Dad was about to leave to pick it up. $120 for a rental was out my budget so I knocked up a set of steel ramps and Ross managed to get it on his truck and drag it to Barbagallo raceway with seconds to spare.

What is it like to drive in anger you ask?

Terrifying!

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:44 pm

Thanks Greg,

Now I have to Google convoluted tube.

edit: Oh I see, its on the list of things to do but the wiring still needs twerking first.

The American · Postby **The American** » Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:10 pm

YouTube clips or it didn't happen!!!!

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:08 pm

^ I didn't have time to take any footage, I literally finished taping it together in the pits while people were already lapping. Maybe someone got a video?

I just received the raw timing data and what a suprise!

I knew I'd come third in my class and set a fastert lap on the second course but there were a few other cool things.

Lots of spins because I was trying to find the limit but got 2nd fastest lap time on the first course, fastest lap time on the short course, fastest lap on the long course, fastest total time on first course, and 5th fastest total time for all courses combined.

Considering it hasn't had a wheel alignment and is on an old set of KU36s I think it's going to be pretty competitive!

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:21 pm

Maybe I missed it but what series are you running in?

M1474 · Postby **M1474** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 1:50 pm

The prestigious WAMX5Club Motorsport sprint series season 6.

An 8 round series run over 4 locations (Barbagallo autotest, RAC sprint, RAC autotest and Motorplex Targa sprint) under AASA rules. Entry fees for the entire season were $220!

Last year was a massive 14 rounds over 7 locations for under $500.

http://www.mx5club.com.au/index.php?ID=23

Some say it's the best value Motorsport in WA, and that Warwick and Don put in over 100 hours each of their own time to run it!
All I know is that I haven't lost a point off my licence since I've been doing it.

speed · Postby **speed** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 7:40 pm

This is friggin awesome!!!

Smokinscotty · Postby **Smokinscotty** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:22 pm

Love it!
Reminds me a lot of the excel motorkhana special from NT
Facebook search "team motorkhana NT" for pics, not only did they have the cheapest motorkhana special ever, they had the most fun out of everyone at the last motorkhana nationals!