gm Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 the flimsy rear view mirror finally got fitted seems to work LightBulbFun, Tickman, DVee8 and 8 others 2 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 I took it outside to run up to temp and check for coolant leaks - no such leaks were evident so I took some pretty pics I'm still not sure on that tyre pen - will probably not bother on the good tyres that grille mesh looks great though, I'm really pleased with that no hooning today as too many neighbours out in their gardens rainagain, Craig the Princess, Matty and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 15, 2021 Author Share Posted August 15, 2021 One thing to watch out for on the Exo is those bloody sharp edges on the bonnet - having bashed my dome repeatedly for several days, it was time to do something about it not only are bonnet catches the work of the devil, it would appear that bonnet trim is too ! My hands actually ache after forcing this cursed stuff into place. still, no more of this - feel free to add your own sound effects ! LightBulbFun, DVee8, Minimad5 and 8 others 2 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 I've never bothered my arse with private number plates but think I may make an exception for the Exo, looking on dvlc, there are plenty of suitable plates available this one caught my eye but could I bring myself to be one of those folk who skilfully* amend their plate with extra fixing screws ? juular 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 the steering wheel on the mx5 is staring to fall apart, shame as I really like it I imagine its going to be all kinds of tricky to glue this together without looking a mess a few beers were sufficient to relax my bidding finger last week sorted ! pretty good quality for an eBay special (the only genuine momo bit is the horn button) Shirley Knott, The Moog and Tickman 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 22, 2021 Author Share Posted August 22, 2021 a cheap hardtop appeared on facebook marketplace, it was local and I had a few quid saved up in the car fund so went for a look and bought it straight away wrong colour but having a different coloured roof is fashionable these days random sticker "Zero Eight" had to come off much better loserone, Jim Bell, LightBulbFun and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 22, 2021 Author Share Posted August 22, 2021 I also bought this Camber and Castor Alignment Gauge which will be very handy for setting up the Exo, once I've figured out how to use it looks complicated, but I'll have a go and see how I get on taken from https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/files/transfer/technical/doc/adacambergaugeinst.pdf so with a bit of luck, this will all eventually make sense from https://www.miata.net/garage/alignment/ juular and Shirley Knott 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairnet Posted August 22, 2021 Share Posted August 22, 2021 zzzzzzzzzz iva booked or wha? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 22, 2021 Author Share Posted August 22, 2021 Oops, spent the money on a hardtop ! Tickman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 Wheel alignment today just getting the thing up in the air took an hour of fannying about with jacks string was purchased and set up parallel paperwork studied and tools assembled each corner has two adjustment cams measuring the rear toe in measuring the rear camber the near side was close to spec, the offside took a bit of adjustment but is now bang on (assuming I’m doing this right) the front is a bit more complex, mark up lines with tape parallel to the template then align the wheel with each line, take the difference to measure the castor then tweak the toe with the track rod ends I’ll get it properly set up once it’s on the road but I’m fairly happy that it should be quite driveable for now mercedade, LightBulbFun, Craig the Princess and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted September 1, 2021 Author Share Posted September 1, 2021 I went to a trackday last night down at Teeside Autodrome, it was rather damp at first but dried up and was plenty o' fun being damp, I kept the road tyres on - might need a new set of those soon (brakes took an absolute hammering too) but the little mazda, as always, took it all in its stride Matty, Tickman, LightBulbFun and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted September 29, 2021 Author Share Posted September 29, 2021 On 9/1/2021 at 7:46 PM, gm said: brakes took an absolute hammering too new pads on, back to Teeside for more laps not very exciting in car footage pitfall footage Tickman, Low Horatio gearbox, Coprolalia and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted September 29, 2021 Author Share Posted September 29, 2021 the silenced de-cat was just that little bit too low and was getting in a right state coming on and off the drive so got replaced with a straight through decat for extra neighbour annoyance my road wheels which had been abused on track needed a bit of a tidy up mmm, shiney rainagain, Shirley Knott, Low Horatio gearbox and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted September 29, 2021 Author Share Posted September 29, 2021 never mind the stupid mazda, what about the Exo ? well, not much, I'm afraid - I've been pretty busy with work recently but, as the sun was shining, I fired it up and brought it out for a naughty drive up and down the street and some photos since my heath robinson wheel alignment, it drives much better, steering is lighter and self centres more. and I've still not booked the test, I'm waiting for the v5 for the donor to be returned as it needed correcting LightBulbFun, rainagain, Coprolalia and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted October 30, 2021 Author Share Posted October 30, 2021 it would appear to have been a month since the last pitiful update, and I'm afraid this one isn't going to be much better as work, ill health, some turd nicking the catalyst off the crv and my buying a Bini have all got in the way so, what has been happening ? the mx5 needed some new tyres but a set of used wheels with decent tyres turned up locally at a reasonable price, it seemed rude not to I don't much like them but the tyres are all in good nick, albeit rather squeally (nankang ns2) the old set of wheels and tyres got refitted and abused round the track for @DVee8junior's birthday, we all had a go and agreed that it was indeed a fuck of a lot of fun ! at the start of the day, I joked that "whoever is the first to spin has to buy lunch" thankfully this happened (2:38) after mrs Dvee8 has already provided lunch in the land of the Exo, even less has been happening one of the members of the Exo fb group has been messing around with a 3D printer and produced these rather neat looking gear shift surrounds I quite like the orange but decided to go for a matt black finish, after the first coat, I stuck my work light behind it that's pretty neat but the letters all got filled in with a few more coats it is a rather nice finishing touch, just needs screwed in place. and I finally got a response from the DVLA about the donor car V5 error - three months after I wrote them a nice letter pointing out the typing error on the VIN and the "unknown" engine number, I got a call from a nice lady who essentially said "don't worry, the IVA man will sort it" great news but frustrating it took so long. so, I really should get that test booked soon LightBulbFun, DVee8, Isopon and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairnet Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 Gear lever needs to be Warwick davis Crackers and gm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulplom Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 I still have those Mx-5 wheels in my garage for you. 16" matching bridgestones too iirc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairnet Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 didnt seem you were going too bok - was there some shit on the track Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted October 31, 2021 Author Share Posted October 31, 2021 They had just cleaned up an oil spill, you can see the cement? dust as I ran over it - there wasn’t much I could do. Thankfully no damage or injuries, just a big slice of humble pie for dessert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVee8 Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 No humble pie at all just fits of laughter. gm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted October 31, 2021 Author Share Posted October 31, 2021 essentially I just made an arse of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbridge Apologist Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 On 5/15/2020 at 1:33 PM, gm said: more engine crane shenanigans today bye bye rusty shell Feel really quite sad seeing this, but I guess its helped keep others alive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longbridge Apologist Posted October 31, 2021 Share Posted October 31, 2021 On 5/9/2021 at 7:32 PM, gm said: when I got home last night, I plipped the fob to lock the mk1 and heard a not good noise from somewhere inside the door a tentative pull on the handle revealed something was indeed buggered - no matter how many times I plipped the button or tried the key, the drivers door would not unlock going in from the passenger side didn't help either - only one thing for it - things need to come to bits dropping the window allowed me to see what is going on - right in the middle of the pic, you might just make out "that bloody spring" a common problem with mk1 mx5s, albeit one I've been lucky to avoid so far. a bit of poking around with a wire coat hanger I keep for such emergencies got the door open, it was then a case of taking out the window glass and runner to retrieve this little bugger and where exactly am I supposed to get one of these late on a Sunday afternoon ? and also, where is it supposed to go back ? I bent the end into a new hook, had a poke around and the job's a good 'un ! a quick test and it's working perfectly. result. I managed to get the glass and (freshly greased) runners in and the door back together just before it started thoroughly pissing it down And I saved £4.08 (didn't need to remove the lock either) Mk1 MX-5's had remote locking?! Wow. I had no idea. This is what comes from growing up only on a diet of BLARG... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted October 31, 2021 Author Share Posted October 31, 2021 the only bit I couldn't save was the windscreen, everything else was sold on or re-used, probably a whole lot more than if it went to a scrappies. and it was proper rusty underneath - this was by no means the worst bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted October 31, 2021 Author Share Posted October 31, 2021 1 minute ago, Longbridge Apologist said: Mk1 MX-5's had remote locking?! Wow. I had no idea an aftermarket kit I wired into the alarm, was less than a tenner on eBay I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted October 31, 2021 Author Share Posted October 31, 2021 3 hours ago, paulplom said: I still have those Mx-5 wheels in my garage for you. 16" matching bridgestones too iirc. damn, i'd forgotten about those - I definitely prefer them to the ones I just fitted, can you hang on to them until I'm a bit more mobile and i'll come to collect ? I'm currently housebound with a knackered back paulplom and Tickman 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted November 1, 2021 Author Share Posted November 1, 2021 despite being housebound, I still managed to pick up some fancy parts for the Exo today I spotted this lightened flywheel on fb marketplace which will be perfect when thrashing it round the track the same seller had a rather tasty looking powder coated cam cover too so I made an offer for both we did a deal then he offered me his spare gearbox at a price that was difficult to refuse - I explained that I couldn't collect but it turned out he was passing in his way home from work and dropped the lot off this afternoon the gearbox might well come in handy as I currently have a bit of a stiff nob (yuk, yuk) if I'm swapping the flywheel, I might as well swap the box over too we got chatting and #smollworld he was at the trackday last week in his own mx5 powered kit car, I'll be sure to blag a passenger ride with him next time dome, LightBulbFun, Coprolalia and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulplom Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 If I get time over the weekend, I'll drop them off for you. Nowt worse than a bad back btw. Deepest sympathy. LightBulbFun and gm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted November 3, 2021 Author Share Posted November 3, 2021 2 hours ago, paulplom said: If I get time over the weekend, I'll drop them off for you. Nowt worse than a bad back btw. Deepest sympathy. Don’t be making a special trip but do drop in for a cuppa if you are over this way - exo is looking quite different to the last time you saw it paulplom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gm Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 Gram strategy ! Amortisation of marginal gains ! Adding lightness ! Every little helps ! or just Taking the Piss ? look at these ugly sods - something must be done I have spares of both so let's have a go at some weight saving Oh yes, much faster now a wee dab of touch up paint yes, very smart i bet I lose the buggers now ! LightBulbFun, Craig the Princess, Tickman and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now