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Daves Mazda MX5 Mk1 (aka Mindy)


Dave
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Garage asked me to bring the car down first so they can check her over to see if new bolts etc are going to be needed, and to see how much rust on the old kit they would be facing. This would also give me the chance to have a look while she's up on the ramp.

 Looks like the shocks,/bolts will come off ok after some heat. On inspection, osr shock is completely gone, no damping at all. OSF shock is leaking like crazy, and not much damping going on. They also suspect that's where the knocking noise is coming from, although will know for sure once they get stuck in. NSF shock is a bit weak, NSR shock and spring have both been replaced. No wonder her handling is all over the place!

They had me in the garage to have a good nosey underneath as you can't really tell much when viewing the car in the streets when buying it. Guys at garage even agree she is surprisingly very solid underneath. The wishbones look crap with all the underseal that's been slapped on them flaking off, but these will also be getting replaced as we go along. Underseal on floor etc looks untidy/old and needs wire brushed off and redone, but she looks really solid! Very happy and very relieved, as checking the underneath on any car is tricky, but on these it's even harder and also more crucial as they do rot like hell. Glad to see wee do appear to have bought a really good one on that front!

So, she's booked in for Monday to get all her new suspension fitted! So looking forward to it! Martyn my friend at the garage also recommended a place not too far away from here to get the geometry set up done so will get that booked asap too. Next month, funds allowing, will get new tyres all round and new brake pads front and rear. Getting her booked into there to get all her fluids changed too, along with all filters and spark plugs/leads. 

Took her for a wee celebration run seeing as the sun was out! Love this wee car!

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So, got her back, new suspension fitted and they didn't have any probs with the fitting. Just had her out for a proper wee blast as didn't have time yesterday............and bloody hell, what a difference!

The massive vibration through the car when going over even the slightest bump is gone. There is still a little vibration, also noticed this at high speed on the motorway, so assuming the wheels deffo need balanced plus a 4 wheel alignment still need done.

But cornering, my god she's so much better! Could feel myself trusting her more and more with every corner. She's just so much more controlled. Now she doesn't bounce on the osr, which used to throw her out in corners. So much more fun to drive, but also so much nicer to drive normally.

Ordered up 4 new Goodyear efficient grip tyres for her (got a bargain on blackcircles, 4 fully fitted for £214 as they had a discount sale on) so these getting fitted on Thursday. Will then get her booked in for the geometry set up. 

Got a pic of underneath with new shock/spring fitted but it's on my phone so will upload it later. Not much to see really, just a nice shiney shock bump stop and spring. Lol

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Well, everyone knows how I love miniatures so after seeing the 1:18 scale models from Gates posted by another member, I decided to go looking for one! Had been told that these were expensive, and cheapest ones I could find were over the £100 mark. Then this one popped up, but had no box (not an issue for me as all my models come out of the box and go on display shelves) but in mint condition. Looked at the price, it had just been listed minutes before.........at £40! Jumped on it there and then!

So it arrived today, and have to say description was bang on, not a single mark or scratch on it. Had to make up some of Mindy's plates in 1:18 scale (would be rude not to! lol)

Hope you like!

20190227_130133Mindy-Mini-Me118-scale.jpg20190227_130153Mindy-Mini-Me118-scale.jpg20190227_130218Mindy-Mini-Me118-scale.jpg20190227_130233Mindy-Mini-Me118-scale.jpg20190227_130248Mindy-Mini-Me118-scale.jpg20190227_130311Mindy-Mini-Me118-scale.jpg

 

Oh, and the only pic I have of the new suspension so far! lol. Unfortunately, it also shows how untidy she is underneath, but everything is solid, only surface rust. Will be tackling this as soon as I'm well enough!

20190226_144631Mindy-Mini-Me118-scale.jpg

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Well. She's got her full new set of Goodyear efficentGrip tyres fitted (more bloody money but got a cracking deal on them so couldn't say no!)..........and along with the new suspension....omg! So much more planted through the corners!! Still to get the geometry done but already transformed! Hoping the geometry set up solves the really (and I mean REALLY) crashy/vibrating ride she has. The cornering is great, but the ride still isn't!

 
Anyhoo, seems Mindy is on a mission to have my account constantly overdrawn! Went to pick Gayle up from work yesterday, and on way home, bloody brake pads went! So ordered up a new front and rear brake disc/brake pad package from MX5Parts today. My bank manager must be having me right now, but hey ho, it's only money! Lol

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Another box arrived for Mindy today, again from MX5Parts!

New brakes

20190304_144506Mindy-new-brakes.jpg

20190304_144627Mindy-new-brakes.jpg

Looking at her current discs, the fronts look to be quite new, so will still change them but keep the old ones as spare. The rears are also in pretty decent shape, no lips on the discs, so once I get em off will decide if these too can maybe be kept as spares. Could probably have got away with just ordering the pads front and rear, but thought I was always going to replace all thius for new stuff during the resto so might aswell just get them and fit them now. Least I know then it's been done, and also will feel better knowing that if Gayle's out in Mindy on her own, the brakes are all safe. Expecting the pads to be utterly gubbed going by the noise they were making! Once these are all fitted, going to put her in to get the brake fluid flushed and renewed, plus a service including all fluids changed.

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