gm's unhealthy obsession with mx5s - the blue one hits 70,000 miles - pretty pics and new wheels

[gm]

another mazdadudes drive out this sunday 

looks to be a decent route

the weather forecast isn’t the best so i’ll be leaving the Exo tucked up in the garage and taking the new mx5  

@Mi30n will be there in the ginger biscuit

[loserone]

Shall I wave when you all pass?

[gm]

i shall give you a toot ! 

[scooobydont]

You should start in Darlington, then go straight to Croft where the MX5's are racing on Sunday (and Saturday)

 

MX5 Cup by 5Club – The iconic Mk1 Mazda MX5 takes centre stage with one race on Saturday and two on Sunday.

[scooobydont]

Your new mx5 reminds me of this, a youtube channel I used to follow years ago, always swore I would copy it one day

[gm]

On 19/09/2025 at 13:07, gm said:

another mazdadudes drive out this sunday 

looks to be a decent route

the weather forecast isn’t the best so i’ll be leaving the Exo tucked up in the garage and taking the new mx5  

@Mi30n will be there in the ginger biscuit

 

 

last time we went to the drive out, we stopped at maccyD's for breakfast then arrived to find everyone munching on some proper tasty looking bacon rolls from the van. so this time, the plan was to head straight there and grab some scoff  

but somehow, we were late and arrived just as everyone else was ready to set off  

no matter, the sun was out and the hardtop was abandoned at home

they're a bugger to shift single handed but I managed without wrecking anything.

so, hooning did occur - we headed west out of Darlo via West Auckland towards Middleton in Teesdale and encountered our first problem - those epic country roads we had planned for hooning were already in use by middle aged men in lycra - there was a cycling race going on - and I don't think they appreciated 50 odd mx5s hooning it past them (was done safely and considerately but there were "comments" from a few of them)

leaving the cyclist behind, we headed past High Force and toward Alston, what a fantastic road ! the convoy was thinning out as the more enthusiastic drivers got their collective foot down, awesome fun 

first rendezvous was in Alston but the famous bakery wasn't open yet  but the petrol station was and coffee & bacon was achieved.

chatting to some folk whilst queuing for the loo, someone said "I think you bought a car off me a while ago"    

"you might need to narrow that down a little  "

turns out that I had indeed bought a car off him, five years ago.

this one :

which now looks ever so slightly different

I'd bought his mx5 as a donor to build Exo, way back in may 2020 and he remembered me ! and he's now running around in a very smart looking mk3 mx5 ! shame I didn't have Exo with me but I promised to take it round for him to see sometime.

bacon / coffee scoffed, it was time to study the map (see how intently I study that map, this may* be relevant later on )

 

[gm]

next stop was the other side of Hexham at a massive garden centre type place (seemed to sell mostly fancy grub but had a decent sized car park which we took over)

 

(edit) not a garden centre, a farm shop, and a bloody good one !

https://www.brocksbushes.co.uk

 

lots of very low rwd cars on wet grass - should be fun later  

@Mi30n's  ginger biscuit was parked just behind another, much less crispy, ginger biscuit, he joked about swapping the wings over, I suggested it would be easier to swap the number plates and leg it before the owner came back from the bog   

lunch was munched and mazda discussed, photos were taken and it was time to set off again

the exit from the car park involved a tunnel under the A69, what a noise as everyone gave it the beans on the way out  

 

[gm]

traffic was a bit busy and our group of 10 got split up - I ended up leading four of us trying to catch up with the lads in front - and failed  

which is where my earlier map reading might have come in handy. I missed the turn and led the group completely the wrong way - fortunately, someone who had been paying attention was able to take the lead and we got some serious foot down action up the A68 to Otterburn - the blind crests were taken with plenty of enthusiasm, I reckon our new lead car had all four wheels off the ground more than once ! 

we caught up with the pack eventually, having had an absolute blast on the empty backroads

next stop was at the morwick farm dairy for ice cream - probably the best ice cream I've ever tasted, fresh from the cows !

https://www.morwickdairy.co.uk well worth a visit

 

then a hoon home via the tyne tunnel - more noisey boy exhaust action, all the better fr having the roof down  

all in, another great drive out - and thanks to the Mazdadudes for organising - what a great bunch of lads !

[gm]

I've owned the new blue mazda for a month now and it seems to be getting better and better the more I drive it - after all those years cooped up in a garage, it's finally doing what it was built to do, and appears to be enjoying it  

I got papped on the way to a meet at the Car Barn, Beamish a few weeks ago - so shiney ! 

 

[gm]

many years back, I owned this one (bloody hell, must have been a long time ago, it's got a tax disc !)

and always thought it really suited those wheels

so was on the look out for a set to go on bluey

these turned up on marketplace, described as tatty and in need of a refurb and new tyres

£50 later...

yep, those tyres are borked, but lets give them a quick clean up and see what we have got 

not too bad at all

I'll probably get them done anyway, this whole having a nice car worth looking after is a bit alien to me  

current wheels that I'm just not keen on

new* wheels

but while I get the new ones sorted and try to sell the old ones, it needs something to run around on. 

nicked them off the Exo  

I'm not sure - maybe it's the silver hardtop that makes them look odd but it's only temporary anyway

 

 

 

[gm]

I was hungry and fancied some chips but where do you get the best chips ? time for a trip to the coast 

chips got, I parked up and took moody pics

I think with the roof off, that would look really good

maybe I'll need to buy another set of bini wheels now ?

 

[gm]

somebody please buy my wheels, in order that I may buy more wheels !

 

 

[gm]

the mighty mx5 has been spotted out and about with it's new owner

looks like he is enjoying it, not sure on the pink leds but maybe I'm just getting old !

[gm]

a couple of years back, a chap got in touch asking about Exo, he was planing a build himself and had loads of questions - I took mine through to see him and we spend an hour or so chatting while he looked mine over.

fast forward to July this year and he was back in touch, apparently life had gotten in the way and he had to delay the project. until now.

he proudly sent me pics of his donor...

hmm, that's "nice"

but, as with these things, there's a story attached.

it's a low mileage mk1 that has been (ab)used as a training mule at the local tech college where the students have trained in bodywork.

a bit crispy underneath, no surprise there, but in fine running fettle.

we've kept in touch so I nipped over to see how he is getting on - and he's been making swift progress 

 

I remember those days, seems like so long ago  

his kit will be ready for collection at the start of November, will it be moving for Christmas ? 

 

[gm]

some time back, I'd fitted a phone holder in Exo for sat nav purposes

but the screen was always a bit too wee for my aging eyesight to see the map whilst getting a hoon on

time for an upgrade

that's more like it

was only £30 off aliexpress and I don't even need to take my phone out of my pocket - I'm well impressed  - will hopefully help me avoid tight bends and road signs !

[gm]

the brakes on bluey were a bit, err, well, shit - I wonder why ?

a set of Brembos were fitted and the difference is night and day  

a quick underside pic while it was up on jacks

yes, this is a 35 year old uk registered mx5 !

I'll need to look after this one.

the gear shift wasn't as tight as it should be - looks like the boots have perished, an easy fix

topped up with gear oil and a new lower boot

and upper boot

centre console back in place

and that lovely little gear box is back to its best  

 

 

[paulplom]

Have you a link to your sat nav thing plz.

[loserone]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009204966642.html

Same as the one I got from (I think) @djoptix

[New POD]

11 hours ago, gm said:

many years back, I owned this one (bloody hell, must have been a long time ago, it's got a tax disc !)

and always thought it really suited those wheels

so was on the look out for a set to go on bluey

these turned up on marketplace, described as tatty and in need of a refurb and new tyres

£50 later...

yep, those tyres are borked, but lets give them a quick clean up and see what we have got 

not too bad at all

I'll probably get them done anyway, this whole having a nice car worth looking after is a bit alien to me  

current wheels that I'm just not keen on

new* wheels

but while I get the new ones sorted and try to sell the old ones, it needs something to run around on. 

nicked them off the Exo  

I'm not sure - maybe it's the silver hardtop that makes them look odd but it's only temporary anyway

 

 

 

I have a set of daisies behind my shed.  I'll swap. Cash my way. 

[gm]

1 hour ago, paulplom said:

Have you a link to your sat nav thing plz.

 

49 minutes ago, loserone said:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009204966642.html

Same as the one I got from (I think) @djoptix

that’s the one, there seem to be loads of different ones available but as @loserone recommended that one, i didn’t bother shopping around  

[stuboy]

when i saw your new blue one it reminded me of this..

[gm]

i’d forgotten about that - will need to look it up and have a watch - didn’t they stick a turbo on it or was that car sos ? 

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

No turbo, If I remember correctly Edd ended up owning it for a time.

Back from the early days of Wheeler Dealers when it was lipstick on a pig, not complete nut and bolt restorations.

Edit: Currently SORNed, MOT expired in 2013.

[Snipes]

On 08/10/2025 at 20:17, gm said:

a couple of years back, a chap got in touch asking about Exo, he was planing a build himself and had loads of questions - I took mine through to see him and we spend an hour or so chatting while he looked mine over.

fast forward to July this year and he was back in touch, apparently life had gotten in the way and he had to delay the project. until now.

he proudly sent me pics of his donor...

hmm, that's "nice"

but, as with these things, there's a story attached.

it's a low mileage mk1 that has been (ab)used as a training mule at the local tech college where the students have trained in bodywork.

a bit crispy underneath, no surprise there, but in fine running fettle.

we've kept in touch so I nipped over to see how he is getting on - and he's been making swift progress 

 

I remember those days, seems like so long ago  

his kit will be ready for collection at the start of November, will it be moving for Christmas ? 

 

This reminds me of wondering why MX5s aren't more popular as kit car donors. They break down into such a neat, complete assembly and there was always plenty around, usually attached to rotten bodies....

[paulplom]

On 09/10/2025 at 06:55, loserone said:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009204966642.html

Same as the one I got from (I think) @djoptix

Delivered in three days. Very impressed.

[gm]

On 08/10/2025 at 20:26, gm said:

 

I took Exo out for a hoon this afternoon and the screen was more than a bit wobbly, just being clamped into the phone holder. the plug popped out of the 12v socket a couple of times too so a permanent install was needed

the supplied bracket got chopped up and bolted to the underside of the wiring tray, the cable being fed through a grommit and hardwired into the loom

yes, CarPlay in a kit car is perhaps excessive but I like it  

speakers next ? 

[gm]

[loserone]

50 minutes ago, gm said:

hardwired into the loom

Did you keep the circuit inside the plug? It still works without it, but it's very noisy on the 3.5mm output.  Obviously I found this out after the bin was filled up on top..

[gm]

I cheated and fitted a hidden 12v socket inside the wiring tray  

[gm]

the sun was shining and I'd forgotten to sorn the new mx5 so took it for a run out to the coast

and on the way, it clicked over 70,000 milos

those wheels seem to look so much better with the roof off