mx5 based westie...any good?

[Mike B]

Hi all,

Im Mike from Surrey and im looking for my first westie...

I have been offered a nice looking 07 mx5 based car but is the little 1.6 powerfull enough?

I have had a couple of elise's including one running a type R lump and despite the westie being lighter am concerned its not enough power...

What are peoples opinions of the mazda based cars comapared to a zetec or red top car?

Has any one fitted a mk2 mx5 RS engine and 6 speed box to one?

Many thanks

Mike

[bobsy]

I guess all comes down to what exactly you're expecting, but the MX5 Westfield is very impressive. That is totally unbias opinion, as I don't own one. I have to say in a Mazda it's noting special, but in a Westfield it makes for a lovely car. Doubt anyone could be disappointed with it.

The Elises, other than the SC, which is a bit dear for me are disappointing, otherwise I'd buy one tomorrow, I really love the style of them. If I had the choice of engine for an Elise, I'd have the type R as you did, I'm very impressed with Hondas (mrs has one)

[RedditchJay]

as a 1st Westy ideal package.... not sure about power upgrades later on though, Zetec's / Red Tops and Duratec's all have many addition BHP kits if you have the funds

[Mark (smokey mow)]

I love mine, great engine and reliable.  Starts and drives just like an MX5 but a whole heap faster  MK2 and 2.5 engines will also fit fine, but TBH I wouldn't bother with the 6speed box.  IIRC the ratio in top gear on a 6 is the same as a 5 so basically you'll just be changing gear more often.  IMHO you'd be better spending the money fitting a Quaife gearkit in a 5speed which will then give you a longer first gear and a set of ratios that are slightly better suited to a ligher car, that said there isn't much I could criticise with the standard box and ratios.

[Mike B]

Thanks for the replies, this is the car i was looking at

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif....gcode=p

What do you guys think? is it priced OK? finding it difficult to value westies...

Love the look/style of this one, but am i better off holding out for some thing else?

Thanks again

[RedditchJay]

that ones been for sale for a while now..... so why hasnt it sold it looks tidy...price is about right..... or has it sold and he has left the advert live as he is a trader

[Dommo]

I saw that one on pistonheads, sure it was a private seller though so maybe they've sold it to a dealer.

The 1.6 engine is lighter than the 1.8, but I haven't seen much in the way of n/a tuning options for it, seems to be more popular whacking on a supercharger or turbo. The UK 1.6 has a pitiful power output (80-90 bhp) where as the import is 110bhp I think. Judging from your Mk2.5 RS engine comment I expect you've done your research though!

My plan is to fit throttle bodies/cams/headwork next year where a 2-3k investment should see me around 180bhp. I think extracting power from a different engine would be cheaper (well, without resorting to FI).

I'm only just starting my build of a 1.8 mazda sdv (and even then in the latter breaking donor stages) so I write the above with theory rather than practical experience!

[Mark (smokey mow)]

I looks tidy enough from the photos and priced as I'd expect for a dealer.  

A few things jump out at me in the advert though which aren't quite accurate:

Firstly the car wouldn't have needed it's first MOT until 18/07/2010 so 4 of the 5 MOT certificates they have I would presume to relate to the original donor MX5.  Likewise I'd expect the same with the service history stamps.

The uprated discs look like standard mx5 ones to me.  Vented discs were standard fitment on all mx5's and that's definately a standard mx5 caliper I can see in the wheel picture.

It's got a 5-1/2" silencer not the 6" suggested by the advert, they're cheeper and louder.  That said I have one and it passes noise testing ok, but just pointing it out as it's an inaccuracy in the advert.

The add also speeks of having a roof frame and roof, although I note the frame isn't fitted  If it's a standard frame then it wont go over the RAC roll bar.  Westfield do make an optional hood and frame for the RAC bar so ask to see it fitted and make sure this is the one it has and not a bodged up standard hood.

Finally the one thing I'd be looking for amongst all the details and receipts is something to show that the car has had a full suspension, alignment and wheel geometry set-up.  That would go for any westfield and not just this one.

The one photo that is missing that i'd be interested to see is that of the engine bay as making a tidy job of all the plumbing and wiring can be a complete nightmare. As an example this is what mine looked like 2 years ago.

But this is it now

[Mark (smokey mow)]

The UK 1.6 has a pitiful power output (80-90 bhp) where as the import is 110bhp I think.

All 1.6 MX5's, Miata's and Eunos's from 1989-93 were 115bhp.  When they introduced the 1.8 engine in 1994 they detuned (different cams and pistons) the 1.6 to only 90bhp to widen the perfomance gap between the two.  IIRC the Mk2 engine was 110bhp as standard, which going by the registration number of the car I would presume this to be.

A resonable gain can be made on those figures quite easily.

[Mike B]

Hey guys-thanks for the info, very helpfull - will speak to the owner and see what he says and also see what else comes up for sale. cheers again!

[James]

not sure about power upgrades later on though, Zetec's / Red Tops and Duratec's all have many addition BHP kits if you have the funds

simple answer :- Super Charger  

[Mike B]

Hi guys - i looked at a mx5 based wesite today and noticed the standard sump sits alot lower than the chassis, can you get a shortened sump for the mx5 sump? quick google search hasnt turned any thing up and im afraid the standard sump will catch on the entrance to my drive

Cheers

Mike

[TIG Brother]

You can get the sump easily modified, any good local fabrication company should be able to cut it down for you and weld on a flat plate, this will reduce the height by about 20mm + and put it just higher than the under chassis brace.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

You can get the sump easily modified, any good local fabrication company should be able to cut it down for you and weld on a flat plate, this will reduce the height by about 20mm + and put it just higher than the under chassis brace.

What rick said ^^^^  like this

[TIG Brother]

This is my one, which i am luckily to be able to do myself.

You're local company will also need to shorten the oil pick up pipe by the same height as the sump is reduced by, and you will also need to get them to weld you on a new oil drain boss, for the plug to screw back into, as the original one will be cut off during the reduction.