The MX-5 experiment

Thread in 'Project Cars and Builds Threads' started by mati, May 18, 2012.

  1. mati

    mati Member

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    This is a little side project I've got. It's actually my summer daily, but like all my cars it will get used on the track. Maybe even a 'ring trip at the end of summer. It's a 1994 1,8 MX-5, I got it for 500 GBP because the engine wouldn't start. Turned out that the cambelt was snapped, luckily the BP is a non colision engine, so all it needed was a new belt and water pump.

    This is what it looked like when I got it, the paint was faded badly:

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    the engine bay was a mess, oil leaking from under the cam cover etc.:
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    So I changed the oil, plugs, plug cables, cam cover gasket, front brakes, and air filter. I also got some 15" OZ meshies, and threw on my Nardi Deep Corn. The paint also got polished.

    So now it looks like this:
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    I've got coilovers on the way to cure the retarded ride height.

    In the meantime I got my hands on a series 4 RX7 FC 13B turbo engine:
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    So the plan is to enjoy the car as it is over the summer, while rebuilding the 13B. Then over the winter I'll swap the engine. We'll see how it goes.
     
  2. initial_j

    initial_j Made guy

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    yes! 13b into an mx5 would be the tits. i aim to do it at some stage
     
  3. Jites

    Jites Active Member

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    ha! that's awesome!

    will be keeping an eye on this, will be good to see it done
     
  4. Sw1fT

    Sw1fT Member

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    I was literally scrolling down like 'oh look another mx5 project, let me guess, grid v's, coilovers and a huge splitter' and then the 13b rolls into view, and i was like

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  5. rhysmate

    rhysmate Member

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    Nothing wrong with grid vs :(

    the engine bay was some mess nice job!!
     
  6. MattPym

    MattPym New Member

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    Very nice. I like the plans to date for it. Always love the insertion of a 13B into an mx-5 :D
     
  7. Stavros

    Stavros Active Member

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    Seen a few done, and though most make it sound like one hell of a job, when you see what they've done, it's not tbh.

    I'd love to do this, but tbh my FC weighs less than an MX5 so its pointless, lol.

    If/when the FC gets wrote off and there's not enough bits to simply reshell it, I fancy doing this.
     
  8. mint

    mint touch my fruit

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    decent. looking forward to progress.. iv got a mx5 with a 13b but iv not touched it yet .. its just awaiting a fund dump.
     
  9. mati

    mati Member

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    I'm waiting for an ignition amp for the 32, and I was bored so got some work done on the MX5. I picked up an ebay special exhaust manifold for a bottle of JD. It was for an NB, but I figured I'd make it fit, and I did but the quality of the welds was terrible, and the flange was bent every possible way.

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    wrapped and fitted:

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    since I had a manifold, I decided to make the rest of the exhaust, luckily I had a lightwieght Kakimoto system lying around:

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    I cut it up a bit, and it fits perfecly :smash:

    I also had to address the suspension side of the car. Being currently broke did not make it easy, but I managed to pick up a set of Bilstein B14 coilovers, they were missing the helper springs...

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    ...but I had some ebay springs, also for a Civic, these had to be cut a bit, and they work great with the Bilsteins

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    Recaro "bucket" for my daughter :wack:

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    This is what the car stands like now:

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    The 13B is getting stripped next week, and I will begin the rebuild.
     
  10. kevinLee

    kevinLee Member

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    Nice one :)

    Iam torn between engine swap or itbs and cams for my roadster
     
  11. Dirk Jan

    Dirk Jan Member

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    When I get bored of my S13 after completing my build, I really want to 13B a MX-5 too. Seriously awesome project! Good luck dude (:.
     
  12. mati

    mati Member

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    Wow, it's been over 3.5 years since I updated this thread :wave:
    Well a lot has changed, I ended up not fitting the 13B, the car is still running it's 1,8 engine. I drive it regularly on the track.

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    I fitted a JK Composite seat and a Nardi wheel:

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  13. mati

    mati Member

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    The stock brakes were pretty weak, so I knocked up a kit with Boxster calipers:
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    I then decided to get some 7Twenty wheels for it:

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    Unfortunately they needed 20mm spacers to clear the calipers, so ET -20 :smokin:

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    #13 mati, Mar 14, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2016
  14. mati

    mati Member

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    So the next logical step was to widen the car a bit:
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    four months later...
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  15. mati

    mati Member

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    So now I got it stopping, and looking good, it's time for a bit more power. I got a Holset HX27 for not much money:

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    I'm going to tune it with an EMU standalone

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    should be done in a couple of weeks.
     
  16. counteract

    counteract -o=me

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    I'm so happy to see more posts from you, all work I have seen you done is awesome!

    The arch extensions look amazing, like widened factory. Doubt many people would even notice at a glance.

    Will you have much room for a top mount in the bay? Have you considered remote mounting it?

    Those ECUs look pretty good, I was reading about them on a particular blog not long ago. They're Polish based aren't they?
     
  17. mati

    mati Member

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    Thanks :o

    The turbo will probably have some sort of mid mount type manifold, with really short runners, it should fit between the engine and strut tower. I'm going to cut up the ebay special manifold I have now.
    The EMU is a really good, easy to tune ECU, they're made in Poland, and basically everything here is running one, from Scoobies and Evos, to turbo BMW's, JZ's etc.
     
  18. mati

    mati Member

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    Well it's been a while since the last update. But the car is done, and it works quite well, the HX27 is an awesome turbo it suits the 1,8 engine perfectly.

    IMG_9064.

    The car made 280hp @ 1,0bar:
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    it's a blast to drive, it spins up the rear semi slick Federals without any problems.

    I got a bit bored of the red, so I wrapped it in matte silver, I think it looks pretty good:
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    IMG_0361.

    IMG_0360.
     
  19. Mihai66JDM

    Mihai66JDM New Member

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    What exhaust housing size did you used mate? The Dyno results are sick!
     

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