MadaboutKitcars

Chrome boot rack or not?

Sure would be useful for touring.

I think it'll suit your car as the back end is smooth and simple and you don't have a head fairing.

I saw one fitted to an RSK replica once and it made the back look very cluttered what with the head fairing and twin chrome engine grilles fitted.

One thing I've noticed though is that 99 out of 100 boot racks I've seen recently have been fitted the wrong way round: the raised bar doesn't go to the rear to stop your luggage sliding off the back when you're loading it, it goes to the front to stop your samsonite case from shooting forward and mashing your face into the windscreen when you crash!

Ok its cold out there. I considered scraping the ice off and tackle some more bodywork.
But in addition to the cold my wife is ill, my boy wants to be entertained and they both want to go christmas shopping.

At least i bought myself a present



Just what i wanted - im sure i will get socks on christmas day.

So we are a resoureful lot on here - im looking for diamond stitched black vinyl to retrim the door cards etc

I have looked and its not easy to find especially here in the UK can anyone point me in the right direction - maybe Garry can help as he has built rods and customs.

As ever thanks guys

Try giving FlatLands a call.

http://www.flatlandsengineering.co.uk/fle/fle_bgkp.htm

If you look at their gallery photos you'll see that they use a lot of diamond pattern vinyl for their trim.

Nice seats by the way, going to look great!

Merry Christmass all
The Turkey is cooking and I have sneaked out for an hour



Its getting there and i getting ready to mark out the boot but not today
It should be complete before summer



I hope to meet many of you next year.
I wish you health and happyness for the new year

where are the seats from ? lovely

Hi,great project, looking really good. I feel guilty having a garage seeing what you're doing ouside!!! Will it need an SVA/IVA? If not how much further can you go modifying a shell without needing one?

I dont think oy will need sva
Underneath the monocoque is untouched - the front wings - bonnet boot and bumpers unbolted.
I did trim the arear around the rear lights but this was single skin and i dont believe it was structural.

I have been applying the first coat of undercoat so that the surface imperfections are more obvious. I will fix are the defects then two to three more coats of undercoat.
Sand the body with 400 and then two to three coats of topcoat and then cut back and polish
I know its still a MX5 underneath but with coilovers and the new exhaust and engine mods i will be quite happy.
Thanks for your comments the hardest thing with this build outside is motivation - some days i dont want to go out there


A little more done

The seats were a lucky ebay purchase - i knew that i wanted this style but they are expensive new

They look like beach buggy seats available from FlatLands engineering in my neck of the woods:

http://www.flatlandsengineering.co.uk/fle/fle_bgkp.htm

They're listed at £195 with loose covers or fully trimmed for £290. I'm guessing those prices are each and plus vat & delivery. They also recommend inclination wedges to mount them at the correct angle. Nice looking seats though.

what mods did you do on the front end from the g46?the lights seem different
exactly what i would like on a g46 are you having covers

Hi Roybo
The front of the roadster is a modified E type Jag series 1
I have the headlamp covers so it should be quite sleek when its all together.

I originally was considering the G46 for my project and i still believe it could have worked especially with a couple on here trying to retro fit full windscreens and hoods to their G46's

I have seen the G46 from fairly early in its infancy - it is a pretty car but not as "English" as i wanted. If money wasn't an object then a long nose D type would be on my drive.



Its not easy at the moment - the weather is not always kind, but its getting there.

i thought it looked different lol and was thinking to myself that it reminds me o something although has a different look on the mx5 thanks for the reply

Looking very nice. I can' believe what you have been able to accomplish with out a garage to work in.

Thanks John
Hows your project coming along?

I'm on hold until the body arrives. I am told that it should arrive in a couple of weeks. When it gets here i need to build the frame. I can't build it until i have the body for reference. Then I need to turn the Sammio bonnet into my version of the Cordite Bonnet. I need the extra height in the Bonnet to clear the Miata engine and upper shock mounts.

Anxiously waiting.

spring is coming

I have been eh distracted recently
I have moved home and obviously the weather hasn't been helping



But i think im getting there, internet back and with the unseasonal day of sunshine my thoughts are beginning to get back to the the project at hand.



Theres a few new names on here so hopefully a few more people and cars to meet this summer. Garrys gone quiet but im sure him and Mike have been beavering away.

Im not sure i can get her ready for Detling but Stoneleigh is my goal.

I finally did it
I measured and measured and measure and then i just went for it.

I knew i needed to radius the corners and im not great with a jig saw - so I used a hole saw on each corner and then used a pull saw to join the holes.



I now have access to the battery but as expected the battery is flat after its winter rest. I can reach the bolts for the rear shox so tomorrow i might have a go fitting the coilovers.

I would like to tell you that i planned all along to use the original hinges but as i cut the apeture they just seem to be in the right place. A little bit of luck.



Another day off tomorrow so lets see what i can get done

Looking good. I'm doing the same job this week, making a boot lid, as I have changed the shape of the opening on my car. Keep up the good work.

The weather has been good - bright and not too hot.

I got lots done but it just doesn't look like ive done much. Its 2 weeks before Detling and i had aways set my sights on shaking the roadster down at that show.
But its not to be and even Stoneleigh looks doubtful now.



I work on attaching the boot to the hinges but it doesn't clear the new rear end. So i will now use dzus type fastners instead.

Having access to the boot has allowed me to finally whip out the old suspension and replace them with coilovers - i have set them up roughly but plenty of adjustment available.



A little bit of body building left then paint and lights - I should get to use it this summer.

Come on, you can make it to Stoneleigh. I haven't bought the base MX5 for my demo car yet, let alone finished the mod's on the front panels/moulds yet and I will be there! You can do it!

Haha thanks for the encoragement
Splitting myself between 6 days of work, the family and the car is hard

If it passes the MOT i will be there fingers crossed.

The sport spyder mx5 is very interesting - maybe the next project a stripped out racer

April Showers

The forecast was good so i thought i would start to prep and start the topcoats. The end is in sight and i knew that seeing the colour change would inspire me.

So out at 9am, no noise until all the neighbours are awake, and i wet sanded,washed,dryed and tack ragged. All looked ok so on with the first layer.

Three quarters of the way through it began to drizzle. GRRRR
Not real rain just enough to bugger up the paint.
So i came in and cleaned up.

From a distance it looks ok but it needs fixing before i try again.



The rest of the day i spent with my son and in the evening i tinkered with the interior as it was still threatening to rain.



Stainless guage panel added and a retro looking stereo fitted. It looks ok and cheered me up a little.
Another weekend gone, the time is quickly approaching for the first Sammio meet, I hope the roadster is finished.

The weather is really hampering the build.
Painting outside is a pain and more so when a shower comes along before its touch dry.
I managed to get a coat on at 8am just before i left for stoneleigh on monday



I am near the end of this stage - flat back down and recoat and then onto the clear coat as the wife has told me that it must be shiny. She will be obeyed as i have another project that i need to get permission for,



The end is in sight, so just finish the paint, wire the lamps up and add some chrome trims - simples



Hopefully i will be ready for the gathering, weather permitting.

Roadster returns

I am vey aware that i have been lurking around here for a year now
I had to submit another SORN - all those self set deadlines passed.

I have made some progress since my last update - the interior now has black diamond "stitched" vinyl trim and various pieces are now chrome but the truth is that my original idea of brush painting the roadster hasn't gone as i planned.

I managed ok results but the weather has been against me this er summer(?) so i have resorted to getting it blown over by a bodyshop.

The rain had held off most of this week - so i wired up the rear lights. I was happy to see them all light up even if my wife couldnt understand my little celebration.

I arranged to take the car in to be painted Saturday morning. The owner said he would get there early so i could make the journey before too many people witnessed the journey.

I woke up this morning to find torrential rain grr!
But being British that wasn't going to deter me and i waited for a break in the rain.

It eased a little and i made a run for it. Five minutes into the journey it stopped raining all together and i lowered the roof.

Deep puddles lined the little country lanes as i avoided the main routes. Water splashed up the car and over the screen but i didnt care. This was what i had been building this for.

The exhaust barking as i snaked my way towards the bodyshop i didnt need to look in the mirror to know i had that big stupid grin on my face.

I found a few niggles - i have a squeaky door mirror and the exhaust rubbers arent man enough for the new exhaust but The maiden voyage went without incident and i now have one less excuse why it isnt finished.

When i pick it up from the bodyshop i only have front lights and bonnet catches to fit and then sort the exhaust rubbers. Then the legallites to complete. Im aiming for the Goodwood Revival - 6weeks - i should make it.

Here we go again :P


I couldn't resist taking a picture on the phone as i checked everything was still ok mid journey.

It's great to see you're still going matey, i really like what you're doing and the fact that you have to chop-n-chage things constantly as you've gone certainly puts you in good company!

Fingers crossed you manage to get it all done and ready to enjoy when the sun comes out, going on what's happened the last two years that should be about Sept/Oct!