MX5 Newbie-car pic and couple of questions...

[Scho]

Hi All,

Really impressed with my recent uk 1.6 mk1 purchase, so much fun for the money! Had a fantastic drive down to north wales last weekend, included a cheeky visit to the Evo triangle and a deserted welsh beach!:



A few things need sorting however:

1.New hood needed. where to buy a budget hood? i would like to get it fitted somewhere if it doesn't cost the earth. Northwest ideally. ideas?

2.ugly fog light? is it common for people to remove these? ruins the back end. mine looks like a hole has been cut out of the bumper to fit it. doesn't even look factory.

3.tyres, The GF will be mainly using this car and im worried by the fact that the brakes seem to lock up quite easily in wet conditions. got some budget tyres on there at the moment which may be the cause. Is it worth fitting wider wheels and tyres? if so what sizes work well.

4.strange sound of water sloshing around, seems like it's coming from inside the sills! the sills were replaced recently and the work looks spot on to me. any ideas on this?

Thanks in advance,

Rick.

[bluetone]

Scho said:

3.tyres, The GF will be mainly using this car and im worried by the fact that the brakes seem to lock up quite easily in wet conditions. got some budget tyres on there at the moment which may be the cause. Is it worth fitting wider wheels and tyres? if so what sizes work well.

4.strange sound of water sloshing around, seems like it's coming from inside the sills! the sills were replaced recently and the work looks spot on to me. any ideas on this?

Thanks in advance,

Rick.

15" wheels are popular.

Drainholes to let water out of sills:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[snotrag]

That is a fecking fantastic picture!

Which beach? I would love to get on there! I'm fancying a North Wales trip soon.

[snotrag]

Oh and - of more use -

15" wheels running 195.50.15 tyres is the universal setup for road driving, with cheap tyres.

check the pressure are right for the time being (lower than you might be used to on a bigger car).

And -

Flip the lights up, take a posi drive screwdriver and 8mm (ish) wrench - undo the 4 bolts holding the light covers on - you can adjust them so they sit flush with the bonnet and bumper, so you dont get those nast wonky shut lines that you can see on the pic.

[Scho]

snotrag said:

That is a fecking fantastic picture!

Which beach? I would love to get on there! I'm fancying a North Wales trip soon.

ta!

Black rock sands. we were lucky i think and timed it just right, set off from manc about 3. lapped the triangle twice then headed down to the campsite just near porthmadog. we got to the beach about 6pm on a friday night. most of the wardens go home around this time and you don't have to pay. they leave a couple of people behind to close the gate at round 8 ish. so basically between 6-8 it's powerslide central. no one around, no complaints!

Honestly, spent the whole time laughing my head off. would love to do it every friday!

tried the same thing saturday night an the beach patrol were straight onto it. i'd imagine a week night would have been perfect.

[Scho]

snotrag said:

Oh and - of more use -

15" wheels running 195.50.15 tyres is the universal setup for road driving, with cheap tyres.

check the pressure are right for the time being (lower than you might be used to on a bigger car).

And -

Flip the lights up, take a posi drive screwdriver and 8mm (ish) wrench - undo the 4 bolts holding the light covers on - you can adjust them so they sit flush with the bonnet and bumper, so you dont get those nast wonky shut lines that you can see on the pic.

thanks for the tip on the lights

[simon3000]

for your hood these guys get a good review on mx5 nutz:Jack Smith Trimmers of Swansea

Rear of 158 St. Helens Avenue
Swansea
SA1 4NQ

01792 461 022
a bit of a run out for you but prices were about £260 for mohair.
car looks good btw
the sill drains will need clearing regularly with a piece of thin wire,2 drain holes each side

Edited by simon3000 on Thursday 9th July 22:43

[Stickers]

Not wanting to piss on anybody's parade, but haring up & down a beach has to be the worst idea in the history of bad idea's.

In 1991 I bought a 1986 E30 325i from a guy who's son was a successfull jockey & to aid training the car had often been taken on southport beach where his son would ride horses.

To cut to the chase, the car had to be scrapped off in 1993 due to serious metal fatigue - I put my foot completely through the passenger side lower bulk head/wheel arch with little effort.

The damage was all caused by salt that had been trapped with sand as a result of the beach excursions - people, if you go driving on beaches you will almost certainly suffer from corrosion issues.

Just giving the benefit of my experience & a heads up to the wise.

[Stickers]

Rick, the number plate sticker is a grey area on MOT's & often open to interpretation, but & certain it has to be clearly visable when viewed & I'd say that your's was a tad too far up the bonnet for comfort.

As far as the rear fog goes, PM me for a contact that sells slimline LED rear fogs, I have one on my MK1 Roadster quite low down but you can also fit them higher up:

[Wilburo]

Scho said:

Amazing photo - any chance of a higher res copy, so that I can wallpaper it?

btw, send it to Pistonheads - could be pic of the week!

[UncleDave]

Hi, you could try converting your high level brake light (if you have one?) into a fog light. I have a switch under the steering wheel to turn mine on

[Scho]

Stickers:

Yeah, I'm aware of the danger of taking a car on the beach. Don't think there can be much salt in there now, thoroughly jet washed and re-waxed as soon as we got back. Oh, and i drove through some puddles at high speed just to be sure!

Fog lamp mod looks great on yours, might look at doing something like that.

Numberplate: My MOT guys are cool, known them for years so if it's subjective i'll probably get away with it.

Dave: mine doesn't have a high level brake light :-(

Will: Thanks man! Would be happy to give you hi res. I'll link one later. (what on earth am i doing on PH at 7am?!?)

Flattered by your suggestion but i'm not really sure about pic of the week for two reasons:

1. when i sell the car i don't want it to be world famous on PH as 'that car going sideways on the beach' I'd imaging there are quite a few people that share stickers opinion. sshhhhh.

2. i'm a photographer, and much as i love the photo there's a few things wrong with it, probably because i didn't take it

[Wilburo]

Scho said:

Will: Thanks man! Would be happy to give you hi res. I'll link one later. (what on earth am i doing on PH at 7am?!?)

Flattered by your suggestion but i'm not really sure about pic of the week for two reasons:

1. when i sell the car i don't want it to be world famous on PH as 'that car going sideways on the beach' I'd imaging there are quite a few people that share stickers opinion. sshhhhh.

2. i'm a photographer, and much as i love the photo there's a few things wrong with it, probably because i didn't take it

oops, I may have already linked Mr. Will to this topic - I got carried away, when I suggested it here. Sorry!

I'm sure you can politely reject him if he comes a-knocking

Edited by Wilburo on Friday 10th July 08:59

[Scho]

Wilburo said:

Scho said:

Will: Thanks man! Would be happy to give you hi res. I'll link one later. (what on earth am i doing on PH at 7am?!?)

Flattered by your suggestion but i'm not really sure about pic of the week for two reasons:

1. when i sell the car i don't want it to be world famous on PH as 'that car going sideways on the beach' I'd imaging there are quite a few people that share stickers opinion. sshhhhh.

2. i'm a photographer, and much as i love the photo there's a few things wrong with it, probably because i didn't take it

oops, I may have already linked Mr. Will to this topic - I got carried away, when I suggested it here. Sorry!

I'm sure you can politely reject him if he comes a-knocking

Edited by Wilburo on Friday 10th July 08:59

Sod it,If he's interested he can use it, can't turn down my 15 minutes now can i!

[FELIX_5]

Stickers, I've pm'd you regarding rear fog light. Cheers

[Johnny-Five]

Great little picture that mate... captures a lot of what the MX5 is all about. FUN!

[bluetone]

Indeed a nice action shot though would perhaps have been nicer not shooting into the sun

[big_lad]

bluetone said:

Indeed a nice action shot though would perhaps have been nicer not shooting into the sun

I disagree; its blurs the background so your attention is focussed on the car...the main event if you will!

Awesome photo mate, I love it! Go on, enter it for pic of the week! Looks like you had a fab day either way

[TwistingMyMelon]

In regards to making the pop up lights sit flush with the bonnet, isn't there supposed to be a slight gap on each light to allow air into the engine bay to aid cooling and ventilation....

I could be wrong, but kinda makes sense for me know what the Japs are like

[MX-5 Lazza]

Nope. Should be flush.

They generally get pushed down by grease-monkeys leaning on them when servicing. You don't usually need to undo anything to fix them, just open the bonnet and gently pull/bend them back into shape. Only if this fails do you need to undo the bolts and move them.