Eunos Roadster MX5

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TAZ6416

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Eunos Roadster
Since 1997 I have owned the same car, a 1991 Eunos Roadster and from 2000 to 2006 I did Hillclimbs and Sprints in it, as well as in a Alfa Romeo 75, a Ford Racing Puma and once a FIAT 126 (yes, really).
This was it in it’s glory days.

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Then I had two children in two years, now what no one warned me about childen is how expensive they are to run, even more than cars. So in 2008 I put the Roadster on SORN, and it hasn’t moved since. I did however use to park it in Parent & Baby spots at Tesco's just to wind people up first.

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Fast forward to now and my son starts school in September. This gave me the kick up the arse I needed to get the car back on the road, how cool would it be to go to school on his first day in a ex-racing car?
First step was to charge the battery, then Dexter and I went down connected it up and the lights popped up and I heard the fan kick in, that's a good sign I thought.

But it wouldn't start, indeed it wouldn't even turn over, so as I suspected the battery was buggered. But on the little power we had left we spent 5 minutes popping the lights for a laugh, then killed the battery for good.
However, just in case decided to pop back to my mechanic to borrow their booster pack. On the way called into my Mazda dealer just to see how much a new battery would cost from them. The MK1 MX5 has a smaller, lighter gel Panasonic battery and there are quite pricy. Now you would think asking the price of a OEM battery for a car would be easy. There were two computers at the desk, the guy spent 5 minutes clicking at one.... then went to the other one and spent another 5 minutes clicking at the other one. I assume one was for parts and one was for stock control. But these days with RDP's and virtual machines have no idea why they needed two PC's. 10 minutes later I got my price, £161.23. I made my excuses and left.

Got the pack and they ordered a battery for a BMC Mini which they reackoned would fit and went back and started the car. Turned over and then all lights went, went back in the car and the red booster thingy had fallen off, connected again and tried again and it started first time , pretty impressive as it hadn’t moved for 4 years. The engine bay is pretty horrible though, needs a good cleanup.

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It's running OK, smokey and a few odd noises coming from I assume old belts being brought into life. When I was walking around the car I brushed against the door and the mirror fell off. While the door is solid the metal bolt that held the mirror to the holder had rotted away. This scared the crap out of me, I assumed that if stuff like that is falling off, the rest of the car might be rotten too. Turns out this is a common problem with the cars and there is a cheap fix - http://www.autolinkmx5.com/door-mirror-ss-repair-bolt-set-mx-5-mk1-443-p.asp

Another problem I noticed was my immobiliser wasn’t working, which was £100 to fix. Then bizarrely it started working again the day I moved it to my mechanic, I wonder if it has a internal battery that was drained and now it's back in charge again, only explaination I can think of.

Kids love pop-up lights by the way.

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Got her down the the mecahnics and up on the ramp and it looked bad to me.

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But I've been assured after much poking with a screwdriver that the important bits are solid, both outer rear sills need replaced, they are only 40 quid each luckily.

http://www.autolinkmx5.com/repair-section-rear-of-sill-mx-5-mk1-lh-5900-p.asp

She's also down to 3 cylinders, but hopefully that is nothing serious. So hopefully I'll make my September deadline :grinning:

Jonathan
 

roverspeed

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Leads hopefully just broken down over time causing 3 cylinder running, or check that the engine coolant hose hasn't perished at the back of the engine and spraying on the coil pack, causing missfire (speaking from experience!)

might be worth getting the bottom of the car treated once the sills are done, £40 a side is very cheap.

I am doing a similar project on mine now I finally have a garage, I will coating everything under the car with POR15.
 

roverspeed

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Nice story, but seriously who in their right mind goes to a main dealer for a car battery? :p

Its hard to get proper batteries for MX5's they need to be ventilated because they are in an unventilated boot. There is a little pipe that has to go on them to stop your boot exploding, supposedly anyways.
 

TAZ6416

RMS Regular
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TAZ6416
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295
Location
Lisburn
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Eunos Roadster
Thanks for the coilpack info Roverspeed, once I get the sides done and through MOT intend to give the underneath a good going over as I'll probably SORN it again from late October onwards. Then in March can start having wee day trips out with the boy.

He's already interested in learning how to drift.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10151055507306418&set=vb.542321417&type=2&theater

Nice story, but seriously who in their right mind goes to a main dealer for a car battery? :p

Well, it was on the way there and I was just curious, you can buy the batteries online for about £80, expected the dealer to be a bit dearer but if only £10 or £20 would have bought one there just for the convienience. Didn't expect £80 more though.

Jonathan
 

Graham2

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Good luck, looks like you have a bit of work ahead of you.

Its hard to get proper batteries for MX5's they need to be ventilated because they are in an unventilated boot. There is a little pipe that has to go on them to stop your boot exploding, supposedly anyways.

My Elise has the battery in the boot and its not ventilated.
 

Graham

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first image, above the "r" on the centre part of the sticker is me in the grey coat hanging over the mono pod HAHA

what year was that ?
 

TAZ6416

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TAZ6416
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Lisburn
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Eunos Roadster
It's a small world :grinning:

It was 2006, I've just looked at your pictures from the day.

IMG_1657.JPG

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Jonathan
 

Bryan

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I can't believe you still have that car... brings back so many memories at the Nutts Corner track.
 

roverspeed

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Good luck, looks like you have a bit of work ahead of you.



My Elise has the battery in the boot and its not ventilated.

I don't know what to tell you, Mazda spec'd a vent pipe for the batteries. Maybe they are sealed Gel in the Elise?

You should to this with the lights to match the teeth lol

angryeyes.jpg
 

svensktoppen

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I did however use to park it in Parent & Baby spots at Tesco's just to wind people up first.

Oh, it would almost be worth putting a baby in the Elise just to do that :p

Looks like a proper little project. About time for someone to step up and keep Graham honest, he is having for too easy a time in his class :innocent:

I thought all batteries were sealed these days anyways? Maybe best to stick with manufacturers recommendations I guess.

My Elise has the battery in the boot and its not ventilated.


What kind of Elise do you have, lol - my battery is at the front, fully exposed to all elements :grinning: In fact, there is no space I can think of on the little Rover which is not exposed to the elements, roof up or down!
 

Graham2

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Maybe they are sealed Gel in the Elise?

Nope, just a standard wet battery, I replaced it last week.

What kind of Elise do you have, lol - my battery is at the front, fully exposed to all elements :grinning: In fact, there is no space I can think of on the little Rover which is not exposed to the elements, roof up or down!

Back left corner of the boot :cool:
 

svensktoppen

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That is just so wrong Gee, lol :p

Mine is up front where it belongs, under the screen wash bottle - fully exposed to both rain and screen wash, as it should be 8-|
 

Graham2

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svensktoppen they obviously realised that, amongst other things, they got the positioning of the battery wrong with the S1 and moved it to the correct location in the S2 :p

/topic
 

gav525

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Brilliant story, good luck getting it back on the road, bet the wee lad would be over the moon arriving at school in that!
Are the pics above taken on the Hilltown-Spelga Dam road by any chance? Looks like my favourite corner lol
 

Daz500

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Can't wait to see this car back on the road scaring pedestrians again. Maybe this time around you'll at least t-cut the paintwork :p
 

TAZ6416

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TAZ6416
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295
Location
Lisburn
Drives
Eunos Roadster
You should to this with the lights to match the teeth lol

I'm not convinved that's legal :p

Are the pics above taken on the Hilltown-Spelga Dam road by any chance? Looks like my favourite corner lol

Yeah, it was the 2006 Spelga Hillclimb, have a wee look at http://www.reallymeansounds.com/report.php?event=270

Can't wait to see this car back on the road scaring pedestrians again. Maybe this time around you'll at least t-cut the paintwork

Remember this Rover? :grinning:

 
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