MX5 Rust Help (Picture Heavy)

[ryansturgess95]

Hey all I have a post elsewhere about track days and was asking about rust but was recommended to start a new thread to get better answers.

My MX5 has lots of rust. Looks in really bad shape. I am looking to find a place to get the welding done or looking into having a go myself. The car was only £400 anyway as was bought for track day purpose only.

I have included multiple photos of the areas concerned. The worst being the rear passenger sill and arch because I pressed it a little and it all just crumbled onto the floor. I can get more photos if needed just ask as to where to take them.

[wildoliver]

That's horrendous. New wings all round, sills and I'd lay good money on chassis legs and floor rot with that degree of external rust.

[ryansturgess95]

Yeah I didn't think it looked to good. I will be purchasing new wings at the front. Rear wheel arches are going to need to be cut out and replaced. The boot lids easy just buy one and fit. The rails do need doing I know that for sure. As for floor rot does that mean under the car?

Do you know anyone who could do this as I believe cutting and welding isn't all as easy as it looks on videos.

[Munter]

I think what you are looking at there is the donor for an Exocet. Or if you like punishment a westfield.

Particularly if this is a track day toy.

[t400ble]

Time to buy another.

[227bhp]

[ryansturgess95]

From what I'm reading here this car is in theory impossible to repair? Wouldn't be economical for repair?

The engine is sound as anything which does make me laugh a bit.

Cheers all

[TVRees]

Try it yourself, when you have the time.
You'll save a ton of money.
Rear sills are not too difficult, I did mine last year, took about 16 hours per side, only because I had never done such a job before.
Replace front wings is straightforward then your almost done.
☺

[TVRees]

Forgot to mention that the boot lid idea is correct. Get a new one from a scrappie.
I did that too.
Much easier than repairing the rusty one.

Speaking from experience. ....

PM if you want some photos of the sill repairs.

[wildoliver]

It's perfectly possible to repair. The problem is it looks like a base model MK2 from the wheels, so it's hardly a good base, and will need a lot of time and money throwing at it.

[ryansturgess95]

Yeah it's the 1998 version of the MK2. Has the NB 1.8l engine. When you say needs a lot of work do you mean as in rust repair or just general making it a decent track runner? This is a work in progress and in no hurry to get it finished. I will be attacking rust before I throwing money at other things.

Cheers

[HorneyMX5]

Strip all the good bits off and bin it. That’s way beyond saving in any economical sense.

[ryansturgess95]

TVRees said:

Forgot to mention that the boot lid idea is correct. Get a new one from a scrappie.
I did that too.
Much easier than repairing the rusty one.

Speaking from experience. ....

PM if you want some photos of the sill repairs.

PMed You for pictures. Cheers

[snotrag]

Don't wate your time on that shell.

What you can see on the outside is just the start of it. Off the top of my head:

-Front chassis rails aft of the ARB support brackets
-Floorpan aft of front wheel well, outside of the box sections
-Joggled part of the sill where Front arches bolt on
-Internals sills front to rear
-Seatbelt anchorage
- Pax floor under the ECU panel
-Rear arches, forward face
-Rear boot floor between the box sections

Will all be completely rotten.

All is not lost. Early NB 1.8 This makes an excellent donor vehicle!

If you go find yourself a really early, straight, rot free Mk1 1,6 car (a lot easier), even an Automatic woujld be suitable - you can swap in the entire mechanicals and loom. This would get you

- Circa 140bhp out the box
- Bigger brakes
- Ditch the ABS and still pass an MOT
- Wider track and slightly revised suspension geometry
- Longer travel rear suspension
- A number of additional braces dependent on spec
- If its a 1.8is (not a 1.8i), also a Torsen Diff

All in the lightest Mk1 shell. tts a great switch, factory Reliabiltiy and looks but a really worthwhile change, 140hp doesn't sound a lot but its will feel really healthy in a Mk1. Thats before you do any engine work at all.


You could also swap the interior over if you prefer the looks of thje Mk2 dahs, again, easy, and if it has a nice roof with a glass window, that will swap right over too.

[designforlife]

thats way too far gone.

[WhatHappenedThere]

snotrag said:

Don't wate your time on that shell.

What you can see on the outside is just the start of it. Off the top of my head:

-Front chassis rails aft of the ARB support brackets
-Floorpan aft of front wheel well, outside of the box sections
-Joggled part of the sill where Front arches bolt on
-Internals sills front to rear
-Seatbelt anchorage
- Pax floor under the ECU panel
-Rear arches, forward face
-Rear boot floor between the box sections

Will all be completely rotten.

All is not lost. Early NB 1.8 This makes an excellent donor vehicle!

If you go find yourself a really early, straight, rot free Mk1 1,6 car (a lot easier), even an Automatic woujld be suitable - you can swap in the entire mechanicals and loom. This would get you

- Circa 140bhp out the box
- Bigger brakes
- Ditch the ABS and still pass an MOT
- Wider track and slightly revised suspension geometry
- Longer travel rear suspension
- A number of additional braces dependent on spec
- If its a 1.8is (not a 1.8i), also a Torsen Diff

All in the lightest Mk1 shell. tts a great switch, factory Reliabiltiy and looks but a really worthwhile change, 140hp doesn't sound a lot but its will feel really healthy in a Mk1. Thats before you do any engine work at all.


You could also swap the interior over if you prefer the looks of thje Mk2 dahs, again, easy, and if it has a nice roof with a glass window, that will swap right over too.

That sounds a lot of work, but equally so . - a great idea and swapping from one car to an (imported?) car would be a 'nice' project to tackle.

[snake_oil]

t400ble said:

Time to buy another.

That. Rotten to the core. Never seen a boot go like that.

[ryansturgess95]

Well it seems this cars shell is fooked but cause it would make for good photos I'm gonna hack parts of it off at the weekend anyway. Nothing to lose. Just curious about how badly rotten this thing is. That MK1 swap idea is a good suggestion. Will have a look into that. Thanks all for replies.

Cheers

Ryan

[toastyhamster]

That does look very rotten. I'd have a go at it, but that's only because I've a hankering for a project and I used to be able to wield a MIG (on old Jags, so new floorplans etc don't faze me). Better stay off the vino tonight or I might look on ebay. :-D

[snotrag]

WhatHappenedThere said:

That sounds a lot of work, but equally so . - a great idea and swapping from one car to an (imported?) car would be a 'nice' project to tackle.

Its a lot less work than fixing the shell. The Front and Rear subframes come off whole.

If you have the lifting equipment, you can lift the shell off the complete subframes, still joined to the Power Plant Frame (aka the 'roller skate'').

This will direct swap onto a Mk1 shell.

toastyhamster said:

That does look very rotten. I'd have a go at it, but that's only because I've a hankering for a project and I used to be able to wield a MIG (on old Jags, so new floorplans etc don't faze me). Better stay off the vino tonight or I might look on ebay. :-D

Honestly, I've done my fair share of welding up rusty MX-5s. This one is not worth it.