Black NB!

[Joshhh]

Hey everyone, my names Josh and here is my Black MX5 NB, year 2000!

I’ve done a few things to it but going to add a little more over time, if you have any NB suggestions please let me know ! Especially in regards to tyres, any suggestions would be awesome. Will be upgrading tyres at some point for fun track days (not racing).

So far this is what I’ve added:

- 16” ROH Azzuro’s
- Kumho K17’s (205/45/16)
- Custom catback exhaust done at Rob bliss exhausts in Bris (great shop). It consists of 2.25” piping from stock cat to 2” res, to 2.5” straight pipe. I have the old, more quite magnaflow muffler sitting in my garage, wanted a louder tone!
- XYZ tuning air intake kit w/ K&N pod filter (old XYZ one died lol).
- KYB Shocks
- Lowered king springs, v nice without too much rattle.
- Custom style bar/roll bar whatever you want to call it.
- Red trim gear knob.
- Painted the brake callipers red.
- New alpine head unit

That’s it so far! Drive it as a daily and would love to get on the track a little bit for fun. Will update thread with more mods/pics over time. See all pics in that dropbox link!

https://www.dropbox.com/home/BLACK%20MX5%20NB%201.8L%20(2000)

Cheers.

[joshuam]

The dropbox link doesn't work

The best way to share photos on the forum is to sign up to an external image hosting service like PhotoBucket or Flickr and then share the IMG tags here (So [ IMG]............[ /IMG], without the spaces).

Most people run 15" rims when they want to get very grippy tires because they are much cheaper and more available in that size. In saying that, I just bought a new set of 16" wheels. I wanted tires that had decent (but not too much) grip in the dry, but had heaps of grip in the wet..... basically I wanted it to still feel a bit playful without trying to kill me. I ended up buying a set of Pirelli Cinturato P1 in 205/45R16 and with a decent alignment (i.e. not a factory one from the tire shop) I am very happy with them. They are not track tires by any stretch of the imagination, but a fantastic enthusiastic street tire that I will be happy to do a few events with next year before I get a second set of track rims.

[Joshhh]

The dropbox link doesn't work

The best way to share photos on the forum is to sign up to an external image hosting service like PhotoBucket or Flickr and then share the IMG tags here (So [ IMG]............[ /IMG], without the spaces).

Most people run 15" rims when they want to get very grippy tires because they are much cheaper and more available in that size. In saying that, I just bought a new set of 16" wheels. I wanted tires that had decent (but not too much) grip in the dry, but had heaps of grip in the wet..... basically I wanted it to still feel a bit playful without trying to kill me. I ended up buying a set of Pirelli Cinturato P1 in 205/45R16 and with a decent alignment (i.e. not a factory one from the tire shop) I am very happy with them. They are not track tires by any stretch of the imagination, but a fantastic enthusiastic street tire that I will be happy to do a few events with next year before I get a second set of track rims.

Thanks for that Joshuam! Here's the car Awesome, may I ask where you got the P1's?

[joshuam]

I got them from Kmart tire and auto (Loganholme) because they were the only ones that had them in stock and would price match...... however I would NEVER go back there again. Bunch of jerks.

Car looks awesome

Now here is my essential NB8B cosmetic guide;
- IL Motorsport Clear side indicators (can get with black or chrome bezel)
- IL Motorsport clear / white side markers / reflectors (OR since you have a black car you could just heavily tint the current ones so they appear black - they are a US legal requirement not an AUS one).
- Black number plates (slimline front, full rear. $165 to keep your current combination, or $450ish for custom).
- Automotive plus front number plate bracket (get the plate out of the air going to the engine!)

Anything more than that gets very subjective for sure.

Other than cosmetics;
- You have already done an intake (pics? )
- Sun visor removal (practically useless and always in the way.... literally just unscrew them and stick them in the shed)
- Foamectomy (get you sitting a little lower)
- Good wheel alignment

Have a quick read through my garage thread to see some pics of most of that stuff, as well as SileNceR's garage thread for a recent and very tidy black NB8B. On the FB groups there is a person called Kirk that has a black NB8C with a few of those mods for inspiration too.

[Joshhh]

Thanks! Pretty happy with how it is looking at the moment Red tow hooks, automotive plus front number plate bracket and black number plates are all on my list. A good wheel alignment is definitely coming soon too. I also want to paint the rocket cover red at some point. I just read your garage thread and I'm loving the white wheels w/midnight blue! As requested, here's the engine bay, gave it a good scrub a while back.

[Okibi]

Welcome

[Joshhh]

Thanks for the warm welcome! And black is awesome ;)

[SileNceR]

- Sun visor removal (practically useless and always in the way.... literally just unscrew them and stick them in the shed)
- Foamectomy (get you sitting a little lower)
- Good wheel alignment

Have a quick read through my garage thread to see some pics of most of that stuff, as well as SileNceR's garage thread for a recent and very tidy black NB8B.

Thanks for the mention

For me, the sun visor removal and foamectomy are mutually exclusive; now that I sit lower I can use them! I think I might actually re-install my passenger side visor (I already had to reinstall the driver's side as the wife is shorter than me and threatened to crash the car if I didn't, lol!)

[Joshhh]

I actually use the sun visor quite a lot, but I can see where your coming from. Wife threatened to crash it Love it.

[Mr Morlock]

Sun visors are absolutely mandatory in my car - sun dazzle is so annoying and you get some protection with visors.

I also still have amber reflectors and amber lenses in the side repeaters. A white lense is actually for side applications or side turn and white is for front facing or back up laps etc. In theory if you pick up an amber reflector in the headlights then a car is side on. I understand some people like the looks of clear even if a light source actually is amber but its merely aesthetics. Technically I reckon a vehicle with clear reflectors on the side is not legal and a rwc checker should probably reject it- little chance they will though. I am not sure why Mazda used the reflector on the MX5 but my guess is that it was a safety feature to give better visibility to an already low profile hard to see vehicle. Virtually all vehicles have red reflex reflectors built into the rear combination lamps and when you see red you know its the rear of the car.

[hks_kansei]

Technically I reckon a vehicle with clear reflectors on the side is not legal and a rwc checker should probably reject it- little chance they will though. I am not sure why Mazda used the reflector on the MX5 but my guess is that it was a safety feature to give better visibility to an already low profile hard to see vehicle. Virtually all vehicles have red reflex reflectors built into the rear combination lamps and when you see red you know its the rear of the car.

I read into the relevant ADRs regarding these maybe 18months ago.

Basically the MX5 (and any passenger car) is NOT required to have side reflectors, however, if they are fitted they must be amber (I think the ones on the rear bumper, despite being on the side of the car, were allowed to be red but my memory is not too clear on this)

Clear/white side reflectors were not permitted on the side.

And the rear MUST have a red reflector (which the MX5 has built into the rear lights)



In practice however, nothing really is picked up. I have no reflectors on the side of mine and have never had any questions asked (in saying that, according to the ADRs it is legal)

[SileNceR]

Sun visors are absolutely mandatory in my car - sun dazzle is so annoying and you get some protection with visors.

Until I did the foamectomy, I couldn't see the road at all with my visors down, and even attempting to meant blocking movement of the steering wheel with my knees.

Now, though - I can use them

[speed]

HKS, I'm curious to see a side profile pic of your car without the reflectors. Must look clean?

[hks_kansei]

HKS, I'm curious to see a side profile pic of your car without the reflectors. Must look clean?

Far from a recent pic (different seat now, and took out the BD bar), but has the reflectors in it.

https://flic.kr/p/hMZHQf

[Joshhh]

Update!

No pics as of yet but will be uploaded soon. I have washed the car again. Gotten a decent street/minor track alignment. Painted the rocket cover wrinkle red. Had the valve cover gasket replaced. Got rid of the old number plates and bought some slim black and white ones - these are attached to the automotive plus front number plate bracket. I got rid of the straight pipe because it was actually affecting power/torque, miss the sound though. Refitted my magnaflow perfomance muffler. Have purchased a mazdaspeed oil cap for engine bling.

To do list:
- After much research, either going to go with a set of 205/45/16 hanook RS3's or Yokohama Advan AD08R's as an upgrade from my Kumho k17's.
- Hurricane headers fitted, keen for a little more torque/power and a nicer tone.
- Red tow hooks, does anyone know a good place to get these? MX5 Mania are out of stock
- Maybe paint the factory strut brace, boring in the current colour.