1990 Mazda MX-5 ; And gone 26/07

[ChasR]

Sometimes you fancy scratching an itch for a long time. This could be to go out on a trackday, go to a venue you never have been before, maybe try a new kind of food.

For me I had a simple one ; get a soft top car; Those of you will remember that I have had a few soft tops over the years but mainly of the BL variety. You could argue that itch was scratched. I did love the character of the cars however, and the burble of the Stag's V8. What I did not like was seeming to constantly work on the cars. That and they were not the easiest of soft tops to live with; despite changing of the seals they still leaked more than a tabloid newspaper, and the roofs were pain to put away, even in something like a Midget - you couldn't simply throw it back if you wanted the hood to last more than a year. I guess also having wheezy engines in the Midgets probably didn't help matters either.

I guess what I wanted from a soft was:

-fun to drive
-reliable(ish)
-cheap to fix
-not a bad looker.

Boxsters initially came onto my radar as did Z4s, but like all great plans I ended up with one of these:



As great a car as it is I stil fancied a drop top, just not in an M3 format.

With the above spec in mind I ended up with one of these:









If that was not enough pictures the spec of the car ain't too shabby:

1990 UK Model 1.6
New sills and wings
Polybushed throughout
New updated rear adjusters
Gaz Coilovers all round
New brake lines and braided brake hoses
New calipers with discs and pads
MX-5 Parts dual exit exhaust system with the "silenced" decat pipe and 4-2-1 branch manifold
Wind deflector
Jackson Racing ignition leads
A thicker alloy radiator
Stock wheels powdercoated in Anthracite with new Goodyear EffientGrip Performance tyres.

I have to say as a package it is a little firm. But it is superb in the corners - I am surprised just how well in hangs in there! The steering and gearshift are also very direct! The wind in the hair motoring feel is wonderful in this little car! The roof is about one of the easiests I've had to put down this side of a modern car ; unzip the rear window, release the two catches and throw it back!

As for the downsides? The centre console requires replacing, the speakers despite being new require remounting (where I may add some sound deadening material).

I have only given it a service so far, not that much by my standards!

Bar feeling a little awkward when driving it with the roof down I am liking the car. With the roof down and tackling the country road corners it is a great little machine! Who thought you could have this much fun for a little amount of cash?

[MiataMark]

Nice car (I'm biased) and photos.

[g40jon]

Have you had an old person ask if it is a lotus yet? Almst as much part of owning a mk1 mx5 as driving one!! Looks like someone chucked some wedge at your car. looks very well for an early uk car

[ChasR]

Jun 13, 2016 7:15:55 GMT g40jon said:

Have you had an old person ask if it is a lotus yet? Almst as much part of owning a mk1 mx5 as driving one!! Looks like someone chucked some wedge at your car. looks very well for an early uk car

A few times to be honest!

The care the car had in addition to it being owned for 5 years by the same person did help me in buying the car. Yes, the miles are high at 156k, and I probably paid more than I should have. But is a great having a car and just driving it. After all, it is not like I will not be doing the odd job to it .

Last weekend I took it to the MotoFest with the roof on of all things! It did give me thoughts of changing the wheels but I must have a stronger will about me. b3nson 's thread has not got me thinking about a Prototipo wheel at all, even though I now have 3 Momos!

Anyway, pics of it at the MotoFest:




Coming from an MG Midget a while ago both cars are quite a contrast to each other in a number of ways!:



The Midget certainly feels less awkward to be in, probably due to less of an image being about it. The engine is also willing but asmatic, well, unrevvy unless you lack mechanical sympathy. The gearing also comical for any road with a speed limit higher than 45MPH! But they are cool!

The MX-5 is different. The steering is surprisingly direct with it really hanging on in the bends! It just wants to rev and rev and doesn't complain! Despite the age all of the switchgear still feels as fresh as the day it came out of Hiroshima! You can see why these are such a popular car.

[g40jon]

They really are good little machines. My red one is just shy of 200k on an engine which frankly I have revved the gonads off at every oppertunity. It's only ever seen regular oil changes. I did have to replace the rear diff, due to my rev happy nature killing it at 180k. However it was the perfect opportunity to install a torsen lsd. If you don't have one, make it your next upgrade, it really does transform the car!
You'll soon get over feeling awkward, when you realise that women love mx5s and most men that slate them have never driven one and my how they are missing out.

[jonk]

I have those tyres on my mk1 and they are brilliant, and letthe car move around a bit without feeling gripless. I also have the standard wheels on for this reason - stick to your guns. The grip with 15s was superb but it wasn't as fun, especially when some bumps were involved.

The only time they feel slow is when you get stuck behind something and haven't got the grunt to overtake, otherwise they are just so much fun to wring the necks of, aren't they? Says something that you're enjoying it after owning an m3.

(G40 Jon do you remember I bought an exhaust from you a long time ago!)

[g40jon]

Jun 13, 2016 21:57:30 GMT jonk said:

I have those tyres on my mk1 and they are brilliant, and letthe car move around a bit without feeling gripless. I also have the standard wheels on for this reason - stick to your guns. The grip with 15s was superb but it wasn't as fun, especially when some bumps were involved.

The only time they feel slow is when you get stuck behind something and haven't got the grunt to overtake, otherwise they are just so much fun to wring the necks of, aren't they? Says something that you're enjoying it after owning an m3.

(G40 Jon do you remember I bought an exhaust from you a long time ago!)

That's going back some time! So long in fact I had to attack my replacement exhaust with the mig welder! My red mx is looking a bit sorry for itself now.

[highvoltage]

I'm biased too!
That looks like a much loved example,very few early UK cars in that sort of shape are left now.Mx's are sensitive to unsprung weight best to go for wheels of a similar weight to stock when upgrading.
They are great drivers cars and the hairdresser image has mostly gone with regard to the Mk1 I think.Most are enthusiast owned from what I see and just about every other Mk1 on the road will give you a wave or a thumbs up which is nice.

I've had the Lotus thing too,goes with the territory!

[Carlosfandango.]

These are truly excellent cars. Yours looks particularly tidy, really nice to see one that hasn't been tricked up - which is cool, just not my bag.
This evening I dove mine ('90 1.6 - the first one registered in Ireland, a press car) to a lad that breaks them on the outskirts of Dublin to pick up a few bits. Roof down, through the twisties, magic. I've just invested in a mohair hood with a glass back window - supposed to be a curse word to fit. My car looks quite like yours, including the black hardtop, sticker reg on the bonnet etc...

I'm nearly 50 and I love it and agree with what g40jon and a few others have mentioned above - the only people that slag them off are people that haven't driven or owned one.

Super cars.

CFD

[b3nson]

Absolutely some of the best value motoring to be had there! Mine did 40,000 miles in 4 years including 2 trips around Europe mainly at the redline, and never let me down. So much fun.

[MiataMark]

Jun 13, 2016 21:57:30 GMT jonk said:

I have those tyres on my mk1 and they are brilliant, and letthe car move around a bit without feeling gripless. I also have the standard wheels on for this reason - stick to your guns. The grip with 15s was superb but it wasn't as fun, especially when some bumps were involved.

When I first got mine it had 14" wheels with worn tyres was good fun being able to slide around, now with 15" wheels and new tyres the only time it slides is on a track day. Might go back to the smaller wheels for road use.

[Hammy]

Bias too... fantastic cars. I just finished restoring my MK1 last year. Took a while, but was worthit
retrorides.proboards.com/thread/168157/1989-mx5-eunos-finished

[flyingphil]

Great choice!
I have a Mk1 Frogeye which I really enjoyed - in my youth, but we got a Mk 2 MX 15 years ago and it is still a great car to drive - so much so that I bought a Mk2.5 MX Sport 5 years ago and I still really enjoy getting in it each time - and nearly always with the top down!

[sprintmini]

Got to say the mk1 mx5 is a superb car, I also have a mg midget in the garage.
the mx5 does everything you can ask of it, mine has 180k miles under its tyres and still feels tight.
in fact I'm just organising a tour of the UK in mine.

[ChasR]

Well, thanks for the appreciation of a popular car on here. Mind you, it is easy to see why this is the case .

Jun 13, 2016 21:57:30 GMT jonk said:

I have those tyres on my mk1 and they are brilliant, and letthe car move around a bit without feeling gripless. I also have the standard wheels on for this reason - stick to your guns. The grip with 15s was superb but it wasn't as fun, especially when some bumps were involved.

The only time they feel slow is when you get stuck behind something and haven't got the grunt to overtake, otherwise they are just so much fun to wring the necks of, aren't they? Says something that you're enjoying it after owning an m3.

(G40 Jon do you remember I bought an exhaust from you a long time ago!)

Who said I got rid of the M3? . I do love the M3 as well, but both have their place. This is certainly a more capable car in town and in slow traffic!

They do at times feel slow but I am happy with the pace. It's something which can be enjoyed alot of the time.

The EfficientGrip Performances are a great tyre. It does move around a little but not that much . The rear is quite progressive on this but on corners it seems near enough as quick as what my Clio 172 was, and maybe faster on the exit (but I was never keen on the Uniroyal Rainsport 3s up front when it was on 15s). I take it your car was grippier on the 15s? I do plan to stick with the 14s mind you, partly down to the brand new Goodyears.

Jun 14, 2016 12:49:34 GMT Hammy said:

Bias too... fantastic cars. I just finished restoring my MK1 last year. Took a while, but was worthit
retrorides.proboards.com/thread/168157/1989-mx5-eunos-finished

Now that is looking superb. Hats off to many of your custom touches in and outside of the car.

Jun 14, 2016 17:57:02 GMT flyingphil said:

Great choice!
I have a Mk1 Frogeye which I really enjoyed - in my youth, but we got a Mk 2 MX 15 years ago and it is still a great car to drive - so much so that I bought a Mk2.5 MX Sport 5 years ago and I still really enjoy getting in it each time - and nearly always with the top down!

It sounds like I am taking a leaf out of your book. If ever I can the roof comes down ; it is such a neat and simple affair as well to do!

Not all is well with the car but it is to be expected with its age and the fact that it is new. These include:

-Thermostat housing having a slight leak ; this IMO could be down to the gasket, corroded housing or maybe even a leaky hose (all of the hoses have been changed)
-It's leaking somewhere from the front of the roof and collecting in the seal/catch.
-The emissions are too high @ 4.75% for the CO and 300ppm for the HCs. While the HCs are acceptable, the CO needs sorting ; you can smell that it is rich! I gave the car a full service with filters and plugs but I suspect I will need to probe around the car a little more. I have a spare throttle body and AFM which I can try out.
-Now and again it will gently hunt when coming onto idle from driving it and settle down after around 7 seconds (no, not the song by Youssou N'Dour).

Not a bad list by any means but enough to keep me occupied . Besides that it is a hoot driving it .

[highvoltage]

The small metal pipe that comes from the thermostat housing commonly fractures at the right angle and leaks,may well be the problem.

The roof..you could try adjusting the catches so they pull the roof tighter.

[andyborris]

Spooky, a big Triumph, a Midget and now an MX5, my own recent car list, are you sure we're not related?!

And I agree with every comment, the MX5 is the reason the Triumph is still off the road! Having too much fun driving it (the MX5) to work on the Triumph......

[adam73bgt]

Ooh only just spotted you've got a thread up, bookmarking to see what happens with this

We'll have to get the two Mazda's together at some point for some photos, since they seem to be the same red

[Hammy]

Jun 15, 2016 17:57:57 GMT highvoltage said:

The small metal pipe that comes from the thermostat housing commonly fractures at the right angle and leaks,may well be the problem.

Yes, that is most likely the cause - the T piece is just mild steel and it corrodes right at the edge of the thermostat housing. I did an insitu permanent fix on mine - it decided to spill it's guts right after I had rebuilt the engine,:

Pt1:
retrorides.proboards.com/post/1960149

Pt2:
retrorides.proboards.com/post/1960150

Easy fix, well, I should say cheap fix but 100 times better than replacing it with another housing or push in t piece

[ChasR]

One thing I do like about the MX-5 is the community I have come into ; inviting, welcoming and generally helpful from an avenue of people you would not have thought . While I knew the community was good, I was used to other circles, with probably only 944 owners coming close here .

Jun 15, 2016 17:57:57 GMT highvoltage said:

The small metal pipe that comes from the thermostat housing commonly fractures at the right angle and leaks,may well be the problem.

The roof..you could try adjusting the catches so they pull the roof tighter.

I'll bear that in mind about the roof being pulled tigher - but the seal at the front of the roof does not look to be in its first flush of youth, but I may try your technique first .

Jun 15, 2016 21:00:08 GMT adam73bgt said:

Ooh only just spotted you've got a thread up, bookmarking to see what happens with this

We'll have to get the two Mazda's together at some point for some photos, since they seem to be the same red

I hope I don't dissapoint - I did say it's a summer toy right? That is not to say I will make some small improvements to it .

Did you say photos? let me know. I just got a new camera body ; it is still a learning curve but I am sure something good will come out of it :

Jun 15, 2016 22:01:53 GMT Hammy said:

Jun 15, 2016 17:57:57 GMT highvoltage said:

The small metal pipe that comes from the thermostat housing commonly fractures at the right angle and leaks,may well be the problem.

Yes, that is most likely the cause - the T piece is just mild steel and it corrodes right at the edge of the thermostat housing. I did an insitu permanent fix on mine - it decided to spill it's guts right after I had rebuilt the engine,:

Pt1:
retrorides.proboards.com/post/1960149

Pt2:
retrorides.proboards.com/post/1960150

Easy fix, well, I should say cheap fix but 100 times better than replacing it with another housing or push in t piece

Cheers for the tips, I'll check out that area.

However, I am fairly certain it is the hose or housing/gasket. It appears have dried coolant all of the way around of the housing join, in particular at the front which is "slightly" damp. In the past, I've not had a great experience of pattern gaskets (this one came with the cheapo thermostat) so fingers crossed it may fix it. I guess I could always try sealant, but I hate cars that undercool.