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Life after Westy's...earning my petrolhead stripes


B.RAD

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...other lights available :p

Morette.jpg.05e493cddd882baf9803c89719d9932e.jpg

:barf:

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8 minutes ago, Dave (OnliestSmeg) - Manchester AO said:

...other lights available :p

Morette.jpg.05e493cddd882baf9803c89719d9932e.jpg

:barf:

Good lord that's awful. 

  • Haha 1
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I didn’t think you could make a mk2 uglier, turns out I was wrong!

I miss pop up headlamps. Modern sports cars just never seem quite right without them. :down:

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

That looks a good one @BCF, admit to fancying something like that myself if I didn't have the Westie.

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Recently been considering getting my bike license, a bike would save the hassle of moving cars around to get the westfield out, as I could just nip between my daily barge and the missus car. It'd also give me space in the workshop for bigger projects.

I'm not into sports bikes though, I could fancy a Harley, but I'm dead against looking like one of those poncy t**t banker types who buys a Harley and thinks they're some kinda hard man, so it couldn't be some shiny chrome thing, which removes 75% of what you see for sale.

It's difficult, i've had the Westfield 19 years and although I don't get to drive it much, when it was in storage for 2 months after my house move, I really missed it.

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Here's the story of this one - I need a turbo'd car to tick that particular box, looked at all sorts of things - MR2 turbo, Impreza, Evo, all sorts. But I was never happy that they'd be a) reliable and b) cost effective to run/track/maintain. So, knowing mx5's well, it seemed sensible to go for either a converted car, or a cheap mx5 and do the conversion myself, which I estimated at £1000 in parts at the cheapest end, so probably nearer £2k when all is done. Decided a built one was the way to go. Saw a crap one that was only 15 mins from my house (worst buying experience ever, I'll tell you about it over a beer someday), walked away from it but confident I wanted a turbo mx5. 

 

Put a wanted ad on the mx5oc forum and within a couple of days had a message from someone who had listed theirs about 18 months ago, but hadn't sold. Photos looked fantastic but seller was adamant it's better in picture than real life. A few big question marks though - a RR printout showed a measly 136hp at the fly (a stock 1.8 is 130hp) and the seller kept referring to poor paint and rust - as a UK car, this can be a killer. Anyway, after many WhatsApp exchanges and a good telephone call, we settled on a base price that to me was fair for a solid car with a good turbo system - so assuming the seller was overstating the issues.

 

Bit of research showed the RR printout stopped at 5900 rpm (these should go up to and beyond 7000 rpm) so may explain the power if it kept pulling - 150bhp would be more realistic. A video from the seller highlighting any grotty bits showed the paint to be ok for a 24 year old car and the rust not so bad (basically none - just some minor bubbling at the bottom corner of one of the front wings - mega result!).  I also found that the turbo kit is the HKS bolt on kit, with an f con mini piggyback ECU, known to not release much power. A replacement ECU isn't too much and would/should transform the car and add a lot of value.  So basically decided in my own mind that I would have it, and arranged for a colleague to drop me off in Kent on his way home. 

 

I fell in love on first sight! It's a lovely 10 foot car, with the adjustable coilovers, good front splitter and nice Work alloys, it looks just right. It was clean and shiny, clearly well cared for, with all the bits I would add if it were my own car. Seller started it from cold - usual mx5 reliability, jumped into life. But I immediately heard an exhaust leak and a quick rev with the bonnet up showed exhaust fumes billowing out of the exhaust to turbo manifold. Hopefully not a cracked manifold and just a new gasket needed, but we'll see. Went for a test drive and confirmed it pulls like a standard car - nothing more. But the test drive also revealed a horrendous rattle, which I suspect to be the exhaust and potentially related to the manifold leak. Got back and the seller was good enough to acknowledge these weren't in his previous description/correspondence, so could be acknowledged in the price. I made an offer and a deal was done!

 

Amazing use of modern internet wonderment had the V5 transferred to me, car taxed and funds transferred in less than 10 mins. Chatting away, turns out the guy had a load of spares for a 1.6 (which is the same as our track car), so he loaded up the boot with all these bits free of charge - result! He's a really lovely chap and made buying the car very straightforward.

 

Drive home was fab. I flippin love mx5s. They're so comfortable, fun and relaxed to drive. I immediately chill out behind the wheel, so even with the Dartford Crossing traffic, I was calm and happy. I enjoyed the off throttle psssshhh of the dump valve, and look forward to releasing some more power. Temps were rock solid, and fuel consumption pretty good. Seats were super comfy, Momo Corse steering wheel a delight, and the new roof nice and tight and keeping road noise down. Got home absolutely over the moon, slightly high from the exhaust leak trying to kill me and super excited about the tinkering that lies ahead.... :d

 

A few pictures to close out for now, but watch this space - more to come!

 

 

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Sounds like a good buy then dude, really chuffed for you!

 

New ECU, a proper map and you'll be flying :t-up:

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That looks like a really good buy! I reckon that's going to be rather sweet once it's got a new ECU on it

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Well done @BCF, looks very tidy.

 

when you are done with it and your itchy feet start, let me know ;):zzz::d

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44 minutes ago, KugaWestie said:

Well done @BCF, looks very tidy.

 

when you are done with it and your itchy feet start, let me know ;):zzz::d

Will do my friend ;)

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On 28/09/2017 at 08:10, John K said:

2017 will definitely be the last full season for Mr Grumpy.

A Westie is just too visceral (easy for Scott to say) a drive for me now and even a gentle run lasting 1 hour to Stratford upon Avon and back breaks me.

But, the roofless rear wheel drive experience is under my skin and I still do enjoy a 'spirited' tussle between myself on the laws of physics and friction, so next year I will be hunting for a replacement fun but easier drive.

I would get rid of Mr Grumpy and the ST and add the required cash - so I do need a car that can do most of what the other two can currently give me.

Right now the smart money is between a newish MX5 and a older Porsche Boxster. Realistic budget between £15k and £20k

My heart is with the Porker as I've been a life long fan of the marque but never owned one. Biggest worry is how to get a good one.

What does the collective think given the choice of the two..?

Hope you've been following this John...

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