First ever RWD car - '92 Eunos Roadster.

Thread in 'Project Cars and Builds Threads' started by Combejo, Oct 23, 2014.

  1. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    Hiya!

    After three years of driving a 1.4 MK5 Golf, I decided it was time to buy something RWD. A friend of mine has owned two MK1 MX5s since I've known him and they've always been a joy to be a passenger in with my most fun weekends being up at Crail or down at Driftland.

    After a little while searching, I found a very good deal on a Eunos Roadster 1.6 which is pretty much standard with 78k genuine miles.

    I picked the car up with the following:
    • Standard 1.6 116bhp engine
    • LSD
    • Boss kit with aftermarket steering wheel
    • Panasport M lightweight 14" alloys
    • MX5 stainless steel exhaust system
    • Polished/chrome rocker cover

    Only had the car a short time but have done some small touches to bring it back up to a lovely wee car. I'll get pictures up when I can but I'm expecting to make a lot of changes over the next few months. I intend to get to a drift day as soon as I can to start learning the basics, very excited!

    I intend to use this thread to post pictures of my progress, rather than having them all clutter up my phone. Any criticisms and/or advice would be very much appreciated as I'm new to all of this.

    Thanks for reading!
    Jordan
     
    #1 Combejo, Oct 23, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2014
  2. mad.matt

    mad.matt Well-Known Member

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    Welcome to the Forum :)

    Where in Scotland you from?
    I'm guessing Kirkcaldy/Glenrothes area given you drive down to DL and up to Crail :p
     
  3. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    Thanks man :)

    I'm not entirely sure why I said down... I'm actually from Edinburgh, so they're both up!
     
  4. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    Updates - with pictures!

    Managed to get some pictures up, so here's my progress so far (I've owned the car a little under two weeks).

    I was extremely happy with my purchase as I've always wanted one of these. There's a few minor things that need sorted, such as the arches being rusty (luckily, it just seems like surface rust - will find out if this is the case in a few weeks).

    Drove around 90 miles home with the roof down, it was a very fun experience!
    [​IMG]

    A few days after I arrived home, I decided that I didn't like the LED sidelights and fog lights that came with the car. To me, it seems that these seem out of place on a 1992 car but that's down to opinion. I picked up some Osram bulbs for the side lights and removed the lower grill as it was damaged - I intend to replace the fog lights.
    [​IMG]

    I wasn't happy with the previous owner's method on how to tint tail lights. A friend of mine joked saying "Oh, it'd be funny if it was paint" which, unfortunately, it was. It took me around an hour to scrape the stuff off before sanding them down with wet and dry and applying a tint myself. I'm fairly chuffed with how they turned out since it didn't cost me anything, but may replace them later on.
    [​IMG]
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    The tail lights don't actually look that dark in real life, and the second last photo was taken before the tint had dried and I had lacquered it.

    Next up was spraying the back plinth matt black, because why not? Right?
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I imagine this will annoy quite a few people, but I bought myself a replica 350mm deep dish leather steering wheel. In my mind, I can't justify paying £100+ on a steering wheel that I've never had experience for so instead I have this for now. It is very sturdy and I'm happy with it - it's a load better than the one that came with it!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Had some trouble with the dashboard lights, the speedo wasn't lit and that was causing a lot of bother. Whilst I was swapping over steering wheels: I removed the cluster, replaced the bulbs, electrical taped some wires together and reconnected it all. Ta-da!
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Well, that's it for now... apart from yellow tinted sidelights but you can imagine what that looks like. Payday is just next week, so hopefully be able to order some more goodies!

    Again, any feedback/criticism is much appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Jordan
     
  5. mad.matt

    mad.matt Well-Known Member

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    HAHAHA, well then :p That explains everything!

    Get some pics up :) *Edit - just got refreshed*
     
  6. GT_FR

    GT_FR Member

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    More of these MX5's, what an awesome little car !!
     
  7. C10 THW

    C10 THW Member

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    Looks clean man, nice touches, hopefully see you at Crail it Driftland in near future with my mx5 :)
     
  8. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    They are absolutely incredible wee cars!

    Thanks fella :D. Your 350z looked amazing! I hope to go to Crail in the next couple of months to try get a feel for it, you'll notice me there as I'll be the one constantly spinning out :wack:.
     
  9. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    :d

    Payday tomorrow! Ordering mainly service parts so won't be that much of an interesting update I'm afraid :(.
     
  10. Colla

    Colla Member

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    Nice 5, I love mine, so much fun
     
  11. Retro - Slide

    Retro - Slide Member

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    Great starting point! Love MX5's :thumbs:
     
  12. Kirky14

    Kirky14 New Member

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    Cars coming along nicely
     
  13. mint

    mint touch my fruit

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    Hey, are you planning to drift it? If so you should maybe look into more of the mechanics of the car instead of the cosmetics? That wheel will also bend in half if you crash hard enough lol but you know that.

    Have you tried to slide her yet? Lock mods, coils, wheels, seat time. :) Very capable cars, dont be fooled itll need a turbo to work though.
     
  14. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    True words, it's like a road legal go kart :D.


    Thanks man :D.

    Cheers fella :D.

    Hey man!

    I am planning to drift it, yes. Hopefully starting off at Crail to get used to kicking the back end out and hopefully be able to get some advice off of more experienced drifters. I totally agree with what you said about the mechanics of the car - I bought the car around 3 weeks ago and haven't been paid yet so no goodies :(.

    Haha, yeah. Unfortunately I'm well aware that the steering wheel will disintegrate if I crash... it already has some play on it. Genuine is definitely the way to go!

    I may have done some donuts on a *cough* private road... (that old excuse, eh?) but that's the extent of it. Bucket seat is next on the list! I'm a slightly larger lad (36" waist) though so will have to look about as my mate's Bride Low Max don't fit.

    Sorry for the bible!

    Cheers,
    Jordan
     
  15. DouglasB

    DouglasB Member

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    Don't listen to the guy about the turbo! Tyres over 60psi and you can drift crail all. Pretty sure everybody with a 5 doesn't have a turbo and plenty of them drift.
    If I'm not wrong Mint, are you not 'Minto san' on instagram? Yellow mx5 non turbo? Also got the purple JZX (love that thing man!! :D )

    Jordan. Nice wee mx5!
     
  16. mint

    mint touch my fruit

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    Yeah thats me, I said.. "Dont be fooled that it'll need a turbo to work though." As in, It wont. :D As you said, plenty proof of that, just pop down to any crail day haha.
     
  17. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    Payday!

    Got paid today, and already I have very little wage left without buying any goodies :cry:.

    So far I've bought:
    New brakes and pads all round
    Engine oil
    Coolant (plan to flush the system as it's got some very sketchy looking coolant in it)
    Rust killer
    Body filler
    Various small touches

    The plan is to get the new brakes on as soon as I can, then work on getting rid of the rust from the arches before it gets worse. I've had a look at the sills and under the car and that all seems relatively well.

    I'll continue research on bucket seats that would be able to fit me, all the GT or Large ones seem to be in excess of 500 for one seat though which is a shame.

    Also plan on taking a trip to the scrappies soon to get a set of skid wheels :wack:.

    Thanks,
    Jordan
     
  18. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    I think a Cobra Monaco Pro would be good for myself. Seen a couple of other reviews on DW for the slightly larger guy and they seem to be raving about them. I'll look more into it in the next couple of days... hopefully no-one's had some bad experience with them!
     
  19. mint

    mint touch my fruit

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    A seats a seat bro. If its comfy for you thats all that matters really. Maybe try some out? If your friends have some.

    I always go for Brides because im like a stick man. Any recaro's I sit in, I always bash my head off the stupid plastic bit where the harnesses go.. however, never with any Brides which is odd.

    I just recently sold a Bride Digo R Type recliner.. this seat was fairly awesome tbh. It was wider than any other bride I have owner or sat in .. loved it. However I already have like 4 Brides sitting about so.. lol.
     
  20. Combejo

    Combejo Member

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    That's true! The only people I know who have bucket seats both have bride low max and they're just too snug around my fat arse (haha).

    Hmm. I hadn't really considered a recliner bucket seat, that's something to think about :).

    Haha you sound like you're a bride dealership ;D
     

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