Leaderboard

12 hrs and 340 miles in glorious sunshine round Wales today. Absolutely epic.

Nice photo! Another one from the other side.... And then a walk past of them all 👍

A couple of shots of the Peak District meet disbanding from the Bull Yard on the A515 on Sunday. The nose of my car is just in shot.

Here is mine, safely tucked up in a fairly cluttered, but otherwise clean and dry garage. Have been out for a blat to Windsor and back this evening with my son who seemed to enjoy it 👍 Hoping to have it down in Somerset at my house by mid September 🤞

Introduction Here for sale is my classic Mazda MX-5 Mk 1 in ‘Brilliant Black’ with the highly-acclaimed Rocketeer V6 conversion. No expense has been spared in trying to make this into one of the best high-performance sports cars it could be. It was designed to replace my Westfield, a job it's done just brilliantly. Sadly I now have to sell it due to my deteriorating eyesight. It is ‘P’ registered (1996) and originally had a 1.6 engine. It was in lovely condition and had done just 67,664 miles when I bought it in February 2020. I soon booked it in with Rocketeer in Hungerford (now near Whitchurch, Hants) for their full turn-key conversion which was completed in June 2020. The mileage is now 74,500. The next MOT is due in June 2023. During a recent trip, a tankful averaged 29mpg which pleased me greatly. It weighs just 960kg which is no more than the cast iron engined car it once was. The 50:50 weight distribution, compliant ride and the legendary chuckability of the MX-5 is therefore unchanged. Engine Bay Rocketeer installed one of their completely rebuilt, fully balanced and blue-printed all-alloy Jaguar AJ30 3 litre V6s, a new front subframe and a new catalytic converter and Cobalt dual exit stainless steel exhaust. This over-square and therefore naturally high-revving engine now makes about 270 bhp at 6,750rpm, tops out at 7,250rpm and has 240ft lbs of torque at 3,500rpm. It's all managed by a brand new MBE ECU and engine loom. The car came with an MX-5 Parts/IL Motorsport high-performance polished alloy radiator and I have since fitted their bonnet lifters and a DaveFab washer bottle, brake stopper and radiator cowl. The fuel pressure regulator has been upgraded to a Fuelab version and I have also fitted a 13 row oil cooler and remote filter with all Mocal parts supplied and manufactured by Think Automotive of Ashford. It all fits into the engine bay very neatly and looks just like an original factory installation. The red painted cam covers and dual carbon inlet manifolds look particularly good. Drivetrain, brakes, wheels and tyres The excellent 5 speed gearbox has been retained but Rocketeer installed a Mk 2 prop, an essential 3.9 Torsen LSD and matching half shafts. They also installed new Wilwood Dynalite 4-pot ventilated disc brakes and callipers to the front and replacement Mk 2 discs and callipers to the rear. It therefore now stops as well as it goes. The car came with new Vmaxx adjustable height coilovers set at 30mm below standard height. The standard anti-roll bars and rubber bushings were still in good condition and the alignment and geometry was returned to Factory settings. I replaced the original wheels with lightweight gloss black Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2s and Michelin Pilot Sport 3 195/50 r15 tyres supplied by Wheelbase Alloys Ltd of Chadderton to improve the road-holding and handling still further. There is about 5mm remaining on all tyres. Bodywork I paid Rocketeer to undertake some minor remedial work to the sills. They inspected the rest of the bodyshell snd it was found to be absolutely fine with no more patches of rust anywhere. Nevertheless, I have subsequently applied Dinitrol Cavity Wax inside the sills and other hollow sections, underseal where required and Lanoguard spray on the floors and wheel arches. This will ensure that rust will not be an immediate concern. Rocketeer also fitted a pair of Jass Performance stainless steel frame rails. I installed a pair of reasonably expensive LED pop-up head lights from Amazon which have integral ‘Halo’ DRLs and amber indicators. I also fitted MX-5 Parts/IL Motorsport LED replacement clear rear light units, side repeaters and side markers. The existing sidelights and indicators now have LED bulbs. A pair of their chrome covers are fitted to the mirrors. It came with a new black mohair hood and I have fitted a new bigger battery in the boot. The largely monochromatic black and chrome exterior is much admired. Interior The main upgrade is the provision of a pair of lightweight Lusso Motors RCC Mk3 black fibreglass seats with black ‘Alcantara’ diamond stitched pads. These seats are firm, give plenty of sideways support but are comfortable and have the advantage of a much lower seating position. I also fitted a Nardi black alloy and ‘Alcantara’ steering wheel. There is also a black G C Fabrications roll bar for extra chassis stiffness and crash protection. To bring the car right up to date with satnav, Spotify and hands-free phone apps etc. Rocketeer installed a Pioneer double-din touch screen unit, aerial, rear camera and a Thatcham Category 1 immobiliser. I have also fitted an internal switch for the new electric boot release, a chrome gear knob, gear lever surround, handbrake handle and an upgraded instrument cluster from MX5 Parts/IL Motorsport and Jass Performance. Finally there is a SPA digital combined oil pressure and temperature gauge from Demon Tweeks. These changes have turned the appearance of a mass-market sports car into something much more bespoke. Spares and Servicing I have parts that still need to be installed. Firstly, the rather dull door cards. I have some more diamond stitched ‘Alcantara’, a remote locking kit and some alternative horizontal armrests waiting to be fitted. I also need to improve the stiff window winders. I also have some anti-drum sheets for the inside of the doors and have already fitted some Delrin bushes. Secondly, I have an MX5 Parts/IL Motorsport front lip and replacement bumper stays and also an Ebay small rear spoiler. Thirdly I have some self-adhesive insulation for the boot lid and bonnet to counteract condensation and sound transmission. And finally more spares, including the OE seats for refitting if required, sunshades, etc. Finally, the car has of course been cleaned and serviced regularly with an oil change every six months. The next MOT is due in June 2023. Purpose I have travelled down to Cornwall and up to Yorkshire on several occasions - it is now a proper, comfortable and long-legged sports car. Driving it is effortless too so I can pop to the shops and gently explore our wonderful local countryside. Whatever the purpose, this is an analogue, visceral car. You get direct, first-hand sensations from its steering, suspension and dynamic performance - especially on track. The first time I went to Snetterton in October 2021 it was to safely explore the handing at its limit. However, the desirability of an oil cooler also became apparent. The second time, in June 2022, was to explore the handling again(!) and to prove that driving this car flat out on the track did not now cause the car to overheat. Price This MX-5 is priced to sell at £18,000 ovno. This is less than I paid Rocketeer. But, in relative terms, compare this fabulous sports car with any other half-decent front-engined convertible such as a Honda S2000, some BMWs, most TVRs or Morgans and you’ll find that they are slower, more expensive or both. But I’ve forgotten to mention the very best bit of all. It’s better than anything on any of the cars listed above. It was eloquently summarised by Evo Magazine who said that it had “...one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard from a car in years!” But it isn’t noisy (92dB static at 3,500rpm as tested at Snetterton). But put your foot hard down and you can tell it means some serious business. And as it reaches 7,000rpm, it is producing the most engaging and spine-tingling howl you will ever have heard. And once it’s been heard, it won’t be forgotten.

Over the years I've started to collect power tools (Ryobi) and was always struggling to store them. Then I spotted But at nearly £100 a little over the top. Then discovered a whole world of DIY solutions But that's effort, meh So onto Amazon and noticed these under cupboard glass holders And with a little imagination (and bending the metal guides) ended up with All for £11 👍

Up to Beadnell (just south of Bamburgh) last Saturday for a week away with the family. Ruth drove the tintop support car with Oscar and I drove the Westy with Luca as Co-pilot. From Nantwich we took the M6 at Middlewich and turned right way up on the A69 via Hexham. North on the A1 and Beadnell is on the coast a couple of miles shy of Seahouses. Salt Water Cafe next door and the Craster Arms not 20 yards round the corner - what more could you want! Great drive - constant water temp in all conditions and at all speeds, as well as oil pressure behaving as normal right the way up. I’ve even had a few minutes to fit the new clock! First properly long run and very pleased.

@Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative Don't worry, as long as we don't start with hooters, there aren't many avenues left for innuendo bingo in Westfield ownership 😄 Now archery! That is a pastime just made for innuendo bingo...

Run out round Glasson Dock and up to Jubilee Tower Quernmore. Clean tomorrow ready for Scottish Lowlands Mystery Tour next weekend. Weather looking good @BigSkyBrad👍🏼👍🏼

oooo, I have read that back, it sounds terribly rude doesn't it, just for the record I am not a flasher😁 .........but middle aged men in Caterham's clearly are

I think we all need a definition of ‘flashing’ at @Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative . Just to clear things up. I only ask as it would appear that no one is willing to ‘flash’ at @Labrat 😀😀

Had a quick pre tea run out. Weather was lush at home. Got about 4miles in and weather went cool and cloudy

Yes folks you have read this right, we will not be meeting on Wednesday at the Horton Arms. instead we are going to try a breakfast run, meeting at Sycamore Farm. Liverpool Rd, Burnley BB12 6HH at 9.30. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Sycamore+Farm+-+Dining+%26+Carvery/@53.7898105,-2.2862161,201m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x487b97599b808661:0x5ad1bb2c0363840b!8m2!3d53.7899744!4d-2.2857418 After a hearty breakfast we will head north to the Yorkshire dales, the route will be finalised on the day. I need to know how many are coming, I'm fitting this in between trips, I get home from holiday on Saturday and go away again on Monday, and if its no ones coming, I've got a lot to do do on Sunday.

Now the Sigma has sold, I no longer have a Westfield that my half hood will fit, so this needs to go. It's one of the first batch of Westfield supplied half-hoods, in Mohair, for a ZK body car, with the RAC Roll Bar. It comes with two metal brace bars, to prevent it flapping on your head, at speed! The original bag is included, but please note, the bag has lost one of it's securing straps, while the other is starting to tear, too. - last times I used it, I just bunjeed the bag on to the roll bar and it was perfectly secure. Details of the bag here; missing strap. And where it's just started to pull. The hood itself is in good condition, though as usual, the plastic channel had started to go, so I added a quick bit of glassfibre reinforcement before using it for a week in France! (Note, it looks like new channels may be available again now, from a third party supplier) Note, I made custom versions of the rear lower securing straps - the ones that press stud onto the rear of the tub. They were done for the French trip, and allow the rear straps to go over the top of a 60 litre or similar dry-bag, stored on top of the boot box, or can be used on the short studs, as normal with no bag. Normal mode: With luggage! (Note, in the last two photos I'd actually got rid of the RAC bar, so had a metal frame to hold the hood in the same place and height.) Having just had a disastrous shipping experience with another part, I'd prefer collection for this as it's bulky and fragile, but will ship if absolutely necessary. £140 collected, I'd need to get a price for shipping but I can see it easily adding another £20.

Don't let it phase you.....

This is making my eyes hertz

Try here - https://www.elesa.com/en/elesab2bstoreuk/catalogo-cat-166-sales/hinges-and-accessories--1#orderBy:9

That was a good turn out , well done folks 👍

There's a LOT of that around. As with many of us, we become a bit of a product of our environment so when people on TV see other people on TV talking crap, they follow suit. Same for politics... Peston has spent a LOT of time trying to improve his delivery. If you watch his monologues from a few years ago he had a very weird speaking pattern. Credit to him, he's worked hard to change it but his new way of speaking is, if anything, even more irritating 'cos now, ironically, it seems like an affectation. His old way, whilst annoying could at least be seen as quirky. Not any more, and I just can't watch or listen to him. I wouldn't mind but I think the current F1 guy was a radio commentator, as was Crofty over on Sky and my issue with them is this; Because they cut their teeth on the radio, they talk all the time trying to describe everything to the listener. Fair enough, it's radio and peoples "inner TV" (or imagination, trying to imagine what's being described is actually exciting, but I digress...) needs to be fired up. When they get to TV, they forget we can see what they see and there is no need to fill every moment of a race with the irritating noises that come from the hole under their nose. They need to remember the great Richie benaud. Here are two of his quotes about the job of commentating: "My mantra is: put your brain into gear and if you can add to what's on the screen then do it, otherwise shut up." "The key thing was to learn the value of economy with words and to never insult the viewer by telling them what they can already see."

He, among many other people in the audio/visual media, has graduated from the Robert Peston School of Speaking in a Confusing Manner. Peston employs the circular breathing technique developed by the Australian Aborigines when playing the digeridoo. His variant involves breathing in through his nose and speaking through his anus.

Just like buses - you don't see one for ages then 3 turn up at once... Another car meet attended this evening, just a small rural pub meet with my ( rebranded) old Truiumph car club, which now allow all classics to join. As yesterday met some old and new friends very enjoyable night with some interesting cars and bikes. Mini Clubman 1275GT which had a slightly hotter engine in it - Cossie . I picked a good week to get better as another one to attend tomorrow night as well. More soon.

What gets me about the current C4 commentator (so non-descript I don't even remember his name) is the way he puts incorrect emphasis on lots of his sentences. He also has a habit of talking without punctuation which he does at least twice a race and can be very confusing, almost like a haiku poem but without any mastery of poetry, or even basic sentence structure...

@AndrewBClarke I am pretty glad the Caterham drivers didn't 'flash' me, luckily I just waved at them so no flashing involved on my part, or Gemma's I hasten to add 😄

I hope you weren't wearing club clothing when you were flashing all those middle aged men in Caterham's! What a reputation for us to get...

Here is the video diary for anyone who is interested 👆🏼👆🏼

Brilliant job @Rob Hunter Derby & Notts AO, you have been well trained 😛, thank you sweetie. So what is the verdict on The Bull Yard / Bull i Thorn place? good food? worth going back there? the paint was still wet when we called in a few weeks ago. Here in Snowdonia the Llanberis Pass is full of Caterhams! not that I have a photo, but here is my cars bed for the night.

Wish I had these before posting my own ( much better quality and artistic view), but huge thanks to Peter of the Wirral WhatsApp group for taking the time to take one or two of mine , we eventually met up near the end of the show , so Thank you Peter 👍

What a great day out in the sunshine! Ash, Alex, John, Gary, Ben, Hedley (riding shotgun in the MNR), Tim, Martin and I all met up at the services for a chat and refuel before heading north. The journey was quite good fun as traffic was unusually light for most of the drive. We landed at the Woodside Cafe to find Glynn already there. Also there was Michael from Chesterfield who I'd invited along as he'd never been out on a group run. He owns a 1.8 turbo Mazda MK Indy and is interested in joining the club, what better way of selling membership than a Peaks run! The wider nose of the MK sure makes the turbo install easier... Shortly afterwards Lee arrived so we all indulged in a brew and some breakfast. The stars then aligned and we had an empty car park! Reminiscent of a Le Mans start, everyone rushed to shuffle the cars and get some stunning photos! The Woodside Cafe is a real old school "greasy spoon" but the car park does make a good photo 👌 After watching Hedley wandering up and down at least 153 times with his daft stick, Gary headed home and the rest of us decided to head off to find some quiet roads and some lunch. Traffic was awful up to Newhaven, but much better through Hartington, Hulme End and Crowdecote. Lee had a cycle wing malfunction enroute so we got split up into 2 groups but no harm done as everyone arrived at the Bull Yard (previously the Bull i Thorn) within minutes.... all except Lee.... A quick phone call established he was limping to meet us. Never one to miss an opportunity for a wind up, I quickly retrieved a sign I keep for such emergencies and attached it to Lee's roll cage 😂 After some leg pulling, Glynn brought out the trusty gaffer tape and a temporary repair was completed 👍 After a few photos (and Hedley yet again wandering around with a stick! 🤦‍♂️), Tim headed home and the rest of us went to seek food! A few minutes later Luke and his lovely wife Gemma arrived in the SEiGHT making eleven of us in total. A huge thanks to everyone for coming today, hopefully it came somewhere close to the amazing job @Julie Hall - WSCC AO Representative does! See you all on the next one! Thanks Rob

Have a great time mate, see on the next one 👍

having multi..ple of these could come in handy one day!