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MX5 yes I want one!!!


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Here is a car that is a blank canvas and you can do what you like with it.

I bought one for Diane (wife) and she loves it but it is far too slow to stir my blood...........but it is 19 years old with NO RUST and I cannot fault it.

I wish to buy one and shove a V8 or Cossie V6 perhaps a Lexus V8, whatever I put in has got to give a grin factor of at least 9.5 to match my Quantum RS Turbo, my Sprint and all its bits are going to be sold to do this.

 

I think that being a member of the MX club will give access to trackdays all over the country.

 

My question is this do the emissions at MOT time have to match the engine or the car?

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knackerjack

My question is this do the emissions at MOT time have to match the engine or the car?
The test is based on the eldest - the car or the engine. If it's the engine, you have to "satisfy" the examiner as to its age. A dating letter from the manufacturer, for example.

 

Richard

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I'm not about to get into an argument about how the V-8's handle.  I hear they are superb but that's from a bunch of Yanks with the giant roads so take it with a grain of salt.  On your lanes?  I'd go with Jony's perception initially.

 

I'd have to drive one to get a fair impression....

 

Still, Cobras and TVR's and Tigers keep coming to mind...... ;D

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Coo thanks lads I was half expecting sod off pufta and cut some hair :)

When compared with ALL other convertibles the MX is the best and cheap a monster can be built with as little as £2000 I reckon.

Utube has some V8 ones on it and handling does not seem to be a worry plus these days blasting round corners............you never know whats round em!

They seem well up to drifting...................now where is that thread on Lexus engines ;).

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I've been a lurker here for a while (I recently purchased a '79 Spit but haven't driven it yet!) but I thought I'd share a few points of knowledge.  I'm on my second miata and I have been driving them daily since 1996.  It is seriously a fantastic car with loads of potential for suspension mods and power as well.  My current 1997 miata has an intercooled supercharger setup with about 220hp to the rear wheels.  I have been driving with the blower setup 50 miles a day for 3 years with no issues.  It really scoots too!  I pissed off a Saleen Mustang owner the other day because he could not pull away from me!  I'm adding about 30 more hp (a pulley change and a dyno tune with my Hydra Nemesis ecu) and calling it good for a while.  I think....  Anyway, it is such a good platform and can be a good sleeper as well.  You're gonna have fun with that thing.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask.  I can send a pic of my car too if you doubt my setup ;)  Lots of work went into my car over the years and I get excited everyday when I get behind the wheel.  

An LS3 setup can be seriously awesome in a miata.  it only adds about 200 lbs. more to the car, which compared to a turbo'd miata with an intercooler, the weight balance is very similar.  I do have a local friend with a custom turbo setup running at 335 whp.  It is a real eye opener!  He has a customed 2.0 liter miata engine though, and before just recently installing a 6 speed transmission, had gone through about 8 stock 5speed trannies.  They tend to go when you go above 250hp.

 

Honestly though, I've wanted a Spitfire since I was 15 and I finally got one as a project car/track toy.  I was like a little kid when I got it home!  I can't wait to get it going.  I know it's not practical to have two roadsters with a wife and a one year old, but I have a very, very understanding wife.

 

I figured this would be a good first post for me.  8)

 

-Hamid

  

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Your model (as do all the NA chassis cars) respond very well to turbocharging as the motor is a deturboed unit from the 323.

 

From my understanding of the V8 conversion, 75 of that 200lbs is over the rear wheels. When you account for all the piping, manifold, turbo or supercharger, and intercooler, you'll be gaining what, 75 more lbs on the nose over a turbo or supercharged car? It will still probably have better weight distribution than most old British cars, and certainty way better than a Cobra or the like.

 

I crewed on Spec Miata's for years (the most competitive amueter road racing class in the US), and autocrossed a Miata for a little bit in college. They're good, tough cars, and are pretty easy on the wallet too.

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Well pleased that I provoked the Hambone out of hiding and a big hello to you.

I am a fan of supercharging and would love to see some pictures of your car.

When I do track days I have lost count of the many MX5,s that I have passed (some of them spinning) but I think it must be the drivers not the car.

I have an article somewhere about Turbo Miata,s and by the sound of it is the way to go.

I cannot use the UK Rover V8 because it cannot rev and the gearing will have to be changed to something like a Beemer.

Some may ask why I am not satisfied with my Quantum, I am for the road but it is brutal and FWD and I love RWD.

Thanks again for the info lads.

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Thanks for the welcome knackerjack!  This is a nice easy going forum.  I'm used to the miata forum where it can just be annoying and unruly.  I've done several trackdays with the mx5 and never had a problem with spinning, so it's gotta be the driver.  They are really perfectly balanced.  

I'm still in the process of soaking up the info here for my Spit, and I have a ways to go.  I still need to get the Weber dgv to seat properly on the head before firing the thing up for the first time.  Also, cleaning out the gas tank is underway as well -I'm going to use vinegar, but haven't figured out  whether I should seal the tank afterwords.  Comments or suggestions???  Other than youtube, I don't really know what Spitfires sound like!  Not too many around here to check out.

 

Maybe the miata took over the hairdresser title.  I haven't heard that term for the Spit until after I bought one.  Too bad I own both  :-/.  I'm cool with it- I'm secure with my manhood, and I don't need a gas guzzling monster truck like most of the locals in my neck of the woods to prove it!

 

I'll post a few pics of my miata when I get home.  I'm happy to share them- no one has ever really cared to ask before!

 

-Hamid  

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Also, cleaning out the gas tank is underway as well -I'm going to use vinegar, but haven't figured out  whether I should seal the tank afterwords.  Comments or suggestions???  -Hamid  

 

Hi Hamid, welcome to the forum.

 

I have used vinegar to get rust of small parts, worked quite well, provided you completely submerge them.

I have also tried it on a fuel tank, that didn't work at all, more rust than I started with. :-/

And yes, I did turn it regularly.

In the end I got some hydrochloric acid which worked good.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Frederick

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When I was a younger man about 30 years ago the Spit was most def NOT a car a man drove as it just did not have the right image, however as the years pass the men who like to get dirty with their cars saw a side to the Spit that changed the image as girls like reliability and clean! err same as hairdressers ;D

The MX5 is now in the same place as the Spitty was 20 years ago and is being snapped up by people such as us because they are begining to need expensive repairs if given to a garage, but cheap if we do it...................simples, they are about to get modified to hell because rear drive is just better and more fun.

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