MX-5 (the whole car) experts?

[Kingster]

My sons getting a very tidy mk2 in the new year and looking to fit a decent roll bar and some proper harnesses. 

Any advice before I suggest he joins mx5-nutz?

[Dommo]

Are TR Lane still going for the roll bar?

[Kingster]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F201845898224

like this?

[Arm]

Please check front chassis rails for rust. Then check again.  Almost all will be rusty and need fixing. Not difficult but an mot failure.

[Dommo]

44 minutes ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F201845898224

like this?

Yep, I think you can get them with the harness bars welded in as well. That might be from TR Lane direct but having found their website, I can't make heads nor tails of the roll cage options!

https://www.trlanefabs.co.uk/MX5-ROLLCAGE.html

[TAFKARM]

1 minute ago, Dommo said:

Yep, I think you can get them with the harness bars welded in as well. That might be from TR Lane direct but having found their website, I can't make heads nor tails of the roll cage options!

https://www.trlanefabs.co.uk/MX5-ROLLCAGE.html

I think they got very expensive Dommo so people tend to get Hard Dog (?) now.

Rust rust rust rust rust then when you think it’s rust free, check the sills by the rear wheel arch and you’ll find rust. 

Rust. 

[B.RAD]

Chassis rails. About £400 a side to repair and not a fun job. A MK2 will either need them, or have had them repaired.

Other than that make sure it's a 1.8 and check the special editions list to see if it has an LSD. Not critical for road use but if any track use is intended, it's a must in my opinion. Plenty about on Facebook groups for around £3-400 and dead easy to swap around though so not a deal breaker. If track work is intended, strip everything out of it, they come alive when lightened.

[Kingster]

4 minutes ago, BCF said:

Chassis rails. About £400 a side to repair and not a fun job. A MK2 will either need them, or have had them repaired.

Other than that make sure it's a 1.8 and check the special editions list to see if it has an LSD. Not critical for road use but if any track use is intended, it's a must in my opinion. Plenty about on Facebook groups for around £3-400 and dead easy to swap around though so not a deal breaker. If track work is intended, strip everything out of it, they come alive when lightened.

It’s a 1.6. Belongs to one of his best mates who is OCD on the cleaning and maintenance front. Been garaged for three years and started every month to keep fluids moving etc. It’s in London and we are in Newcastle so I can’t go view it and can only offer advice. 

I assumed he wanted track toy when he mentioned help fitting a roll bar but his reply when I asked if would be my track buddy was “hadn’t thought if that”  - kids eh?  although he’s 34 so hardly a kid

[Kingster]

I just copied your replies to him and he says he’s excited about his rustbucket 

[Arm]

Did I mention checking the front chassis rails

seriously they need a proper inspection otherwise great cars

[TAFKARM]

Check the drainage channels behind the seats are clear. 

[Kingster]

Just now, Arm said:

Did I mention checking the front chassis rails

seriously they need a proper inspection otherwise great cars

Will make sure he does thanks!

[B.RAD]

9 minutes ago, Chris King - Webmaster and Joint North East AO said:

It’s a 1.6. Belongs to one of his best mates who is OCD on the cleaning and maintenance front. Been garaged for three years and started every month to keep fluids moving etc. It’s in London and we are in Newcastle so I can’t go view it and can only offer advice. 

I assumed he wanted track toy when he mentioned help fitting a roll bar but his reply when I asked if would be my track buddy was “hadn’t thought if that”  - kids eh?  although he’s 34 so hardly a kid

If he were 20 and a bit of an idiot (like father like son...? ) then I'd say the 1.6 was a good idea. But at just 108bhp, with all that additional MK2 weight, it's just not gonna be fun. The reason Mazda upped the power of the 1.8 in the NB (MK2) to 146bhp was to overcome the additional weight over the NA (MK1) and retain its power to weight character.  I honestly think you'd drive a 1.6 and find it woefully underpowered.  At 34, he doesn't have the yoof insurance issues to worry about, so if he wants one, I'd recommend hunting around for a decent 1.8 NB (or my personal preference, an early 1.6 NA).  Or drive his mates and if he's happy with it, I'll shut up!  

Just don't expect it to be quick on track - our little track hack NA with its 110bhp (26 years and 135k miles ago!!) is frustratingly under powered, but we've stripped a lot of weight out of it so that yesterday, at Bedford, it was surprisingly able to keep up with an RX8 and a type r civic down the back straight up to about 70mph, when their greater power saw them start to pull away. We disappeared round the next few bends though as the corner speed of these little cars is nuts! An NB with 250kgs of additional weight AND less power would be painfully slow I think.

[B.RAD]

Good read here

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/features/buyers-guide-mazda-mx-5-mk2

[TAFKARM]

20 minutes ago, BCF said:

 An NB with 250kgs of additional weight AND less power would be painfully slow I think.

But the NB is nowhere near 250kg heavier than the NA.... but I do agree go for a 1.8.