gm's unhealthy obsession with mx5s - Hooning and Horning !

[hairnet]

mark

just scrolled past this

and i know i know.................

verdict - useless

[gm]

12 hours ago, Supernaut said:

 

Are we still posting Exocets for sale in here?

 

why the hell not ? 

here’s another few off the exo fb group if anyone is interested (curiously all around the same price)

or take on a part built project ? @NorthernMonkey

supercharged 2.5 litre engine - this will be one terrifying piece of kit !

[NorthernMonkey]

7 hours ago, gm said:

 

or take on a part built project ? @NorthernMonkey

supercharged 2.5 litre engine - this will be one terrifying piece of kit !

That one keeps winking at me from the FB group…🤨

[gm]

another unfinished mx5 based project 

@grizz ? 

https://www.facebook.com/share/16kUtb5v5y/?mibextid=wwXIfr

 

[stuboy]

On 05/04/2025 at 17:27, scooobydont said:

Got this sitting in the garage, correctly registered, done about 100 miles since it's last MOT (didn't MOT it last year), just need it out the way tbh

2.0 pinto, lots and lots of new bits but bloody uncomfy 😆

Sorry to thread hijack!

is that a kit car?

[scooobydont]

2 hours ago, stuboy said:

is that a kit car?

Yes it is, also up for sale.....

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1654666575227969/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A58c76a53-8841-4af0-b0fd-3c9952842642

(apologies OP, not meaning to derail your thread).

[gm]

10 hours ago, scooobydont said:

apologies OP, not meaning to derail your thread

no problem, looks like a cracking little car - and you’re just up the road from knockhill, someone could have a pretty awesome collection day if they planned it right  

[gm]

a bit of a catchup with exo

having run it over winter the first year, the suspension was looking a little rough

time for a tidy up 

 droplinks  too

then winter came round and i didn’t have time to do the other side  

 

[gm]

the mk2 suspension with those yellow springs was also letting the side down so when a set of low mileage mk1 shocks appeared locally, i snapped them up

(the lad selling them had just bought a 1995 mk1 mx5 with 27,000 miles on it - it was beautiful)

still looking a bit scruffy, i pulled them apart for a lick of paint

i found a set of springs in the loft (bought years ago from a fellow exo builder who had them stripped and coated before changing his mind)

and got them all put back together again 

 

[gm]

yes, much better 

time to paint those other wishbones

a big improvement 

[gm]

while the exhaust was off  

 

 

 

[gm]

the exhaust needed a bit of fettling too

 suprisingly good for gasless mig on stainless 

and back on the car - no more leaks 

 

[gm]

time for the same on the front end 

should i paint the calipers to match ? 

yellow might not have been the best choice but i’m running out of time so a wipe over with a rag will do for now 

[gm]

while it was up in the air, i noticed the cam cover looked a bit shabby

fortunately i had a spare

looks pretty smart but those open cam gears are just asking for trouble 

so a couple of coats of wheel silver were applied and a very delicate bit of filling in on the lettering

much better

[gm]

so, new suspension on, how does it look ?

scabby yellow shocks

shiney green shocks

i've gained about 40mm ride height ! doesn’t sound like much but it’s noticeable 

[gm]

[gm]

and out for a test drive

it’s smooth as you like on decent roads but bouncier than mr bounce on a trampoline when the going gets tough  

it drove brilliantly on the previous set up so maybe i’ll need to get them refurbed now ?

shame, as it looks great now with the green ones on

 

[Rustybullethole]

Looking good though sounds like the hulk springs need swapping over.

Was thinking in the pics they look more tightly wound then when i looked again they look like they're not quite sitting in the cups properly. Maybe that was pre seating? 

 

[gm]

it’s an odd design, the mk1 set have a flat perch whereas the mk2 set is stepped for the spring to seat properly.

i’ll strip the yellow mk2 set and get the springs blasted and coated then swap back. it’s not undriveable, just not as good - i probably won’t book any track time yet 

[gm]

someone was asking on the exo group about exhaust manifolds and whether or not a heat shield was needed

i posted a pic of mine showing there wasn’t really much space for a heat shield but as there’s plenty of fresh air, it’s probably not needed anyway

shiney bright heat resistant paint lasted well  

 

also, what’s that ? 

bugger - i’ll whip it out to investigate 

lucky i’m an ace* welder 

i refitted the catalyst while i was at it, its first MOT is due at the end of the month 

 

[gm]

mot due at the end of the month ? 

time to ditch those funky led headlights then 

so these ugly bastards are back

good beam pattern on them

obviously i had to go for a test drive, they’re a decent light once i’d got them lined up a bit

 

[gm]

the giant headlights had been out on loan to another exo builder while he got his iva test passed.

on my way to pick them up, i happened across Brancepeth Castle, someone had left the gates open - how could i resist ?

it’s a big solid lump of a castle, i’ll need to go back for a proper look

[gm]

mot due at the end of the month ? 

sorted ! 

had a bit of trouble with emissions, looks like the catalyst is on the way out

but a clean pass is what i was looking for - there will be celebrations tonight  

 

[gm]

not the best weather for a trip to the mot station but i arrived only “mildly moist” 

[gm]

with a fresh mot in hand, there was no option but to head out for a hoon, destination : the dairy barn car meet, hunwick, near crook

about half a mile from the ‘barn, i noticed an unusual rattling noise that quickly got a lot louder  

pulling over, i had a look under the nose and immediately spotted the cause - the horn had vibrated itself loose and was rubbing against the water pump pulley 

turns out the bracket had completely sheared through

not ideal, but an easy fix 

back home, i dusted off the unused half of the twintone set and fitted it in place of its fallen comrade 

will do for now, while i find something more suitable and mount in a less vibraty position 

 

[gm]

 I didn't take any pics at tonights meet but here's someone else's pic of a Jensen Healey with Exo in the background ! quite a diverse collection of cars

[gm]

[gm]

the little mx5 hasn’t been getting much attention since the jaag arrived 

so i filled the tank and took it for a run out 

Hartside Pass

seeing as Penrith is near Carlisle, and that is nearly Scotland, i pressed on up the A7 (what a road, barely a car in sight, lots of fun)  and found myself in Kelso.

so loaded up with supplies and headed for home

used a full tank of fuel just nipping to the shops ! 

and what a great little car that mx5 is, just loves being hooned round the twisties  

[gm]

in the meantime, I marked up the headlight alignment on the garage wall

and stuck the jazzy leds back on

[gm]

as it was TwixFest last weekend, I had to choose which car to take : exo or the mighty mx5 ? 

simple solution - take both  

@DVee8 took little to no persuading to hoon the mazda round northumberland, @Mi30n came along in his ginger biscuit mx5, his brother Alex in a very shiney golf gti

mrs @KruJoe seemed quite taken with the Exo

then @Schaefft was let loose behind the wheel

much hooning occurred on some particularly well chosen roads - thanks @loserone