brownnova's (M)X files... Fleet update!

[brownnova]

I stand in awe of some of the Shite collections that people on here have, I only dream of such spectacular rust collecting habits at the moment.  I must be the anti-normal as I potter round in a modern shite BMW (with bastard finance - why was I lured in by shiny things! Grrr), and lust after Volvo 240s, Vauxhall Novas, Triumphs, Rovers and the like. 

 

The last old car experience didn't go well - a Shonky MG Midget which went wrong... a lot! 

That coupled with lack to time, space meant that for the last few weeks I've been lacking a proper piece of Shite...

BUT!!! Gladly this has now changed!

 

No Collekshun thread (sadly) because I've got this from my Father in law (for free and absolutely no money though - so no complaints!) - and gonna store it at his until I move house in a few weeks.  So what is it I hear you cry...!

 

I'll leave these clues:

Little orange reflector thing

 

Aftermarket Fog light!!

 

Annoying stick people couple on the windscreen (That's one of the first things to go!)

 

And shonky hood repairs

 

OK - so in the words of everyone's favourite Australian Children's "entertainer" - Can you tell what it is yet?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Eunos innit.

[alf892]

MX5?

[Cavcraft]

WINNER!

 

Now go and buy that Midget on Blacon Point road, just because.

[Taff]

Scimitar? Princess Michael of Kent had one, you know? She used it to herd sheep with

[brownnova]

Well done Rev. Eunos is the correct answer!!

It hadn't been driven for a little while, so I gave it a quick one over and all looked ok...

 

 

Bar the flat tyres all looked well, so I gave it a try and out fired up first time!

 

So exactly what have I acquired?

A very early Eunos, G-reg, 152000 kms on the clock and generally runs fairly well!

 

Rather small steering wheel and a bit grubby, but interior ok otherwise.

 

Good clean required, but the bodywork is ok, not to much rust, although the paint is a bit shonky in places. Drives well though, and the further we went the better it got!

 

Good bit of summer fun!

[MarvinsMom]

so its YOU'RE FAULT that it has started raining!!

[Parky]

That's a nice early one! And a free car means you are one of the tiny few who will benefit from the rare phenomenon known as REpreciation.

 

I like, but yes those window stickers definitely need killing with fire (after removal of course). And get a polishing mop on that sucka!

[Taff]

soft top with engine in front of the driver? novel...

[stuboy]

maybe its time i got one

[jonny69]

Ok, I'll bite. How is a Eunos different to an MX5 then?

[Jon]

Ok, I'll bite. How is a Eunos different to an MX5 then?

 

JDM MX5. Made on the same production line, so just detail differences like smaller number plate size on the rear panel and different badges but that's about it, apart from a lack of fog light, because Japan. I think there were a few extra models, from more basic ones with steels, no PAS and wind up windows, to more luxurious ones with brown leather interiors, etc. Probably a few more colour choices too, like BRG and black - at launch, the MX5 was only available in red, white and smurf blue, my favourite colour.

[DSdriver]

Just make sure you keep the parcel tape on the hood, an excellent touch.

[New POD]

Apart from the horrid wheels, which are horrid, the rest is nice, which is nice.

 

Perhaps a set of daisies ?

[New POD]

Ok, I'll bite. How is a Eunos different to an MX5 then?

 

Only an anorak would care. All interchangeable with the Miata.

 

Ours is a poverty spec 1.6 90 bhp. so no 130 BHP No pas, no cl, no ew, no speakers in the headrests, no boot popping lever inside the car, no leather, no air con, no turbo (I think they did a limited edition somewhere in the world), no adjustable suspension, no fake roll hoops, no electric aerial and no optional hard top.

 

I think that's all the things we don't have.

 

We do have a cat, and a glass rear window.

[anonymous user]

Ok, I'll bite. How is a Eunos different to an MX5 then?

an extra £50 - £100 on the insurance with some companies, as it's an import (as oposed to those British made MX5s)

[cort1977]

Excellent price there.   I would suggest that a thorough de-monging campaign including a return to some original wheels with the funds saved on purchase and it will be a very pleasing thing.  

[brownnova]

Apart from the horrid wheels, which are horrid, the rest is nice, which is nice.

 

Perhaps a set of daisies ?

Yeah the wheels aren't nice! Replacement definitely on the cards. Maybe daisies, they're not too pricy. Also got lots of stickers, saying things like "bang tidy" they might have to go too! But it'll do like it is until I move house next month which might be quite time consuming!!

[vulgalour]

I know what MX-5 daisies are, but I can't help thinking of Ronal's offering.

 

[fred]

Scimitar? Princess Michael of Kent had one, you know? She used it to herd sheep with

She did a lot more than herd sheep dirty old beggar so she was .....

[Matt]

I know what MX-5 daisies are, but I can't help thinking of Ronal's offering.

 

 

God bless Ronal.

 

[vulgalour]

Ronal: creating impossible to balance wheels since 1942.

[Bear]

I've never seen that Bibendum one. Now I want some.

 

Apparently the teddy bear wheels were a commission for the BBC in the 1970s-90s, to equip the pool cars for DJs and child-friendly* pop stars.

[Guest Breadvan72]

She did a lot more than herd sheep dirty old beggar so she was .....

 

[purplebargeken]

Cosmo Smallpiece! I'd forgotten about him. Ace character.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Fill yer boots -

 

[brownnova]

Crikey those wheels are bad!! I'll not be getting ANY of them!!

 

In Mazda update news: I removed the irritating stick skeleton stickers... Erm... Drove it a few times (including twice with the roof down)...

 

Yep that's it.... Oh wait! I pumped up a tyre too!

 

(In all fairness I am doing up a house at the mo... But my workrate will never be at Vulgalor levels!)

 

I've identified a couple of areas for improvement... So watch this space for snail-esque progress!

[brownnova]

Update time!!!

 

So The Mazda has piled on a few more KMs which gives me chance to assess the foibles with this particular motor!

 

 

Cleared enough space to fit it in the garage! (Good job it's not a big car!)

 

So the state of play looks to be that there's not too much wrong actually!  Funny jangly noise from the rear has been traced to a clip on the brake caliper (repaired, and then broken again  - new one required)

 

It needs a good service - (easy to do, just gotta find the time)

 

You have to warm it up for a couple of mins before you set off - otherwise it cuts out... I didn't believe FiL and just drove off... and cut out at a busy junction 30 seconds up the road!!    Lesson learnt!

 

Suspension is hard tho!  Cut springs methinks.  

But the best news was when I played the MX5 favourite game of 'hunt the metal' (a game often lost by MX5 owners) I won!  The Sills are OK!  Rear subframe's been done in the past too... 

Gave it a good clean (was a bit scummy), and removed the stickers...

 

 

 

So just a few little jobs for now.... And then to think about the wheels... although they are growing on me

[brownnova]

Well I'm sure that everybody nobody has been waiting with bated breath for an update on this particular piece of borderline autoshite... but I'm going to inflict it upon you anyway.  Feel free to stop reading at this point if you're not interested... Oh you already have?  Suit yourself....

 

So 8 months since the last update (some of you have been through about 12 cars in that time... heroes) what progress????

 

Well it's been providing 3000kms of reliable service!  There's one thing you can say about these they're reliable... Oh and fun to drive!  Didn't expect to like this all that much (too 'new' for me really) but it puts a smile on my face nearly every time I drive it!

 

Here's it up the Horseshoe Pass this morning....

 

In terms of work done, the answer is not a lot!  I gave it a service, it really needed it too the oil was pretty sludgy.  Runs smoother as a result. Fiddled around a bit underneath, seems Ok.

 

Two problems stand out on the car: 

Number one: The locking wheel nut... I don't have the key.  One of the back tyres is rather cracked,

 

so I popped to the local tyre place and gave him the locking nut I had, he returned saying... this is the wrong key, where's the other one... What other one?? Bugger.... Previous owner has looked and can't find it, and it's nowhere in the car. 

 

Which leads us to problem two.

There was a rattle, I thought I'd fixed it, but it came back.  Turns out the clip that holds the brake pad on the rear brake has come loose.... so the pad rattles round slightly in it's holder.  

 

It's secure in place, but I don't fancy driving far!  Not sure why it does this.

 

Now popping it back into place is easy in theory... except when one refers back to problem one....

 

The gopping nature of the wheels was noted above, and today I went off on a collection mission to Stoke on Trent!  And picked up these beauties

Needed two new tyres anyway for the MOT anyway, so these with four good tyres was less than that would have cost! Bonus!

But of course can't fit them... see problem one!

 

Talking of the MOT, it's due this week... Rather busy at work tho, so will have to wait til half term now... so I've got a week to resolve problem one.  Which I keep putting off because I'm lazy.

 

Anyone had any experience of the tools you can get to remove locking nuts?  Any good? Nut looks like this.

 

Think this one might be staying a bit, so new suspension and a hard top are next on the list!

Happy motoring!

[vulgalour]

Try a stud extractor, this worked surprisingly well on Chompy's Picasso.  As long as you can hammer the socket onto the head of the locking nut and then get enough leverage to undo it you should get them off without damaging the alloy.

 

 

If you're not too precious about the wheels, you can get the locking wheel nut air chiselled off, again experience of one of Chompy's cars, an Omega this time, where he had to do just that.  It made a mess of the wheel but it did get them off so he could sort tyres and brakes and everything out.

 

I'm not a big fan of the original daisies but they'll be an improvement on what's on, it'll look like a clean little thing.