My '91 Mazda MX5 (Lots of pics)

[Nocturnal]

Hi all. Just thought Id put up some pics of my project car. So here she is in all her slow, gay glory.























Shes a 1991 UK 1600cc car, modifications so far have been mainly to the suspension. The eventual goal for the car is an engine swap from a UK Nissan 200SX (black-top SR20DET), and some drivetrain/braking parts from an FD RX7. Once its all finished, Im hoping to have a crack at the UK Time Attack stuff. Just a couple more with the other halfs new MR2:





If anyone is interested in seeing the transformation from standard gay car to modified slightly less gay car, I have a build thread on Retro-Rides.com. Also while Im here as a shameless plug, Im looking for nice cars to photograph (free) for my new website, so if you have something a bit out of the ordinary (Id love to take images of a 997 GT3 RS for example), get in touch. My temporary email is [e-mail].

Edited by Nocturnal on Wednesday 20th February 11:04

[Rocco Stigfredi]

lovely motor, nice pics too, mind if I ask where they were taken?

[benny.c]

Negative-camber-tastic

(if you're ever in the North West I'd love to get some pics of my Mustang or E36 track car.)

Edited by benny.c on Wednesday 20th February 14:42

[pdV6]

Nice pics!

However:

Nocturnal said:

Shes a 1991 UK 1600cc car

I'm no MX-5 expert, but all those pics shout "Japanese import" at me. Just wondering what the back-story of the car is?

[Hitch78]

The rear plate and panel is the giveaway - though there may be a reason. Not sure why you would opt for a Jap look on a UK car as even though they're generally lower spec a UK car would get a premium. Interested to know the story.

Saw these picks on an MX5 site - car is looking very good, but less of the self depreciating 'gay' remarks...the cars rep is hard enough to put up with!

Edit: Just noted the Eunos badge, maybe it landed in the UK in 91?

Edited by Hitch78 on Wednesday 20th February 14:56

Edited by Hitch78 on Wednesday 20th February 14:56

[Nocturnal]

I live near Leeds, Im available most nights and Sunday/Monday for pictures. If I get enough people from PH wanting their pics doing, I can sort a discount too.

She is a UK car, when I bought her she was completely standard. I went to pick up a hardtop for her one day and while I was there grabbed a Eunos (JDM) rear centre panel. Of course, my rectangular UK plate wouldnt fit, so I threw it in the window. It still landed me a £30 fine. I just prefer the cleaner look of the Eunos panel. I intend on keeping the car for many years yet, so the effect it will have on the value doesnt concern me too much at the moment.

Edit - Pics were taken in various places. Most around york/thirsk.

Edited by Nocturnal on Wednesday 20th February 15:00

[AndyBe]

Nice little motor.
Have you got a friendly MOT tester ? A grumpy one might take exception to those wheels sticking out from the body.

[Strangely Brown]

Fabulous looking little beastie but why spoil it with the barryboy zorst?

[h4muf]

Nocturnal said:

I live near Leeds, Im available most nights and Sunday/Monday for pictures. If I get enough people from PH wanting their pics doing, I can sort a discount too.

She is a UK car, when I bought her she was completely standard. I went to pick up a hardtop for her one day and while I was there grabbed a Eunos (JDM) rear centre panel. Of course, my rectangular UK plate wouldnt fit, so I threw it in the window. It still landed me a £30 fine. I just prefer the cleaner look of the Eunos panel. I intend on keeping the car for many years yet, so the effect it will have on the value doesnt concern me too much at the moment.

Edit - Pics were taken in various places. Most around york/thirsk.

Edited by Nocturnal on Wednesday 20th February 15:00

Mines the other way round!
jdm to uk!

[Nocturnal]

AndyBe said:

Nice little motor.
Have you got a friendly MOT tester ? A grumpy one might take exception to those wheels sticking out from the body.

As I type this, the car is booked in to have the geometry sorted, as I havent had it done since I had my old Rotas on. Roughly, this will be -1.7 degrees camber all round, 1/16 toe out front and 1/32 toe in rear. The castor will ultimately be decided by the camber. With the body sat a touch lower too, the wheels will no longer stick out. At the moment, the rears are legal but the fronts arent, the law as I was told by a local traffic copper when I asked was that the tread of the tyre has to stick out, not just the sidewall/rim. The tyres are stretched 195/50 over an 8" rim, so the tread is covered.

Fabulous looking little beastie but why spoil it with the barryboy zorst?

That 'barryboy' exhaust is actually an Apex'i system, one of the free-er flowing exhausts available for the MX5. Its also only one of two (the other is the RS*R GTII which is rarer than rocking horse st) that doesnt utilise a side-on backbox like the MR2s, which I hate the look of. The only problem I have aesthetically speaking with my exhaust is that the tip and the backbox are in one unit, making it look bigger than it actually is. The RS*R doesnt have this, but then its backbox hangs around 3" lower, which would be in pieces by now.

Edited by Nocturnal on Thursday 21st February 09:14

[Strangely Brown]

Nocturnal said:

Fabulous looking little beastie but why spoil it with the barryboy zorst?

That 'barryboy' exhaust is actually an Apex'i system, one of the free-er flowing exhausts available for the MX5. Its also only one of two (the other is the RS*R GTII which is rarer than rocking horse st) that doesnt utilise a side-on backbox like the MR2s, which I hate the look of. The only problem I have aesthetically speaking with my exhaust is that the tip and the backbox are in one unit, making it look bigger than it actually is. The RS*R doesnt have this, but then its backbox hangs around 3" lower, which would be in pieces by now.

That's all very well and good but you could still get a cirtus fruit up it from 20 paces.

Seriously though, apart from the bucket sized tailpipe and the "Euro Look" stretched tyres it's a very nice looking little beastie. Well done.

Edited by Strangely Brown on Thursday 21st February 09:33

[Nocturnal]

Strangely Brown said:

That's all very well and good but you could still get a cirtus fruit up it from 20 paces.

Very true.

Its one of two marmite factors of the car, the other being the front lip. Admittedly more people like the lip than the exhaust.

[SB - Nigel]

Nocturnal said:

Hi all. Just thought Id put up some pics of my project car. So here she is in all her slow, gay glory.

Grez, she's not slow or gay - she's a reasonably straight car (with a curl in the bonnet lip)

Are you sure you're on the right site with those remarks? - Do you normally spend your evenings searching out noise and smoke at retail village car parks?

'Nige'

Edited by SB - Nigel on Thursday 21st February 20:36

[Nocturnal]

SB - Nigel said:

Are you sure you're on the right site with those remarks? - Do you normally spend your evenings searching out noise and smoke at retail village car parks?

'Nige'

Hah, not quite. I drive like a grandma everywhere and listen to indie music, my old SX was called a ''mosher car'' though if that counts?

[SB - Nigel]

Nocturnal said:

SB - Nigel said:

Are you sure you're on the right site with those remarks? - Do you normally spend your evenings searching out noise and smoke at retail village car parks?

'Nige'

Hah, not quite. I drive like a grandma everywhere and listen to indie music, my old SX was called a ''mosher car'' though if that counts?

Glad to hear your driving's not as racy as your language

indie music "mosher car" no it's not you on the wrong site it's me - I'm off to SAGA

[Nocturnal]

SB - Nigel said:

indie music "mosher car" no it's not you on the wrong site it's me - I'm off to SAGA

Hah, if it makes you feel better, I am probably the oldest and most miserable 21 year old you'll ever meet. We could go to SAGA together

[Carbon-Me1]

Looks Good with them wheels and Tyres, Gives it a more muscular stance (
not so Gay )

[Nocturnal]

Thanks man

[SB - Nigel]

Nocturnal said:

Hah, if it makes you feel better, I am probably the oldest and most miserable 21 year old you'll ever meet. We could go to SAGA together

Quick change your car, you shouldn't be miserable at 21 - even I was happy until I was 23 (I think, I don't really remember)

Ring me at the Sams or EXIT - I must remember not to confuse which phone I'm answering

[v15ben]

Grez
Great looking car, but what sort of power are you looking at for Time Attack. I haven't seen any '5s around the events yet, but would be good fun to see one in the series!
Ben