Description
I’ve owned this for ten years, during which time I’ve upgraded the brakes, suspension, interior and engine. I’ve serviced it regularly with premium oils and genuine Mazda filters, it’s had a recent timing belt (last year), the brakes have been refurbished (this year), and the turbocharge conversion was completed about three years ago.
This car has been my hobby and obsession, but I’ve got three young kids and just don’t have time to tinker with it anymore, and have decided to move on to something a bit more modern. This car has always been kept in my garage, has never needed welding and the sills are solid. The MoT testers often comments on how it’s the best condition MK1 MX5 they’ve seen for years. It has covered approximately 148, 500 Km (odometer still reads in Km) which is about 92, 000 miles.
The upgrades I’ve made to the car were all done using high quality parts as per the list below and fitted by myself, with the exception of the mapping which was done by Nick Bailey (aka ‘Skuzzle Motorsport’) and completed at Basset Down Balancing (one of the best regarded MX5 tuners in the UK - Google Skuzzle Motorsport and Basset Down Balancing if you haven’t heard of them). I have the invoice for this from Basset Down Balancing, and a graph from their rolling road showing 224. 7 hp measured at the wheels, so the power at the flywheel will be closer to 260 hp.
The turbo conversion was completed as a pandemic / lockdown project when the car was off the road for a few months. This is my second turbo MX5 and I knew which parts to use; these were mostly brand new and are top quality (no Chinese rubbish) – the turbo is a TD04L as used on Subaru Imprezza but only the housings (turbine / compressor) and wastegate were used parts, the actual turbine and compressor (i. e. the turbo ‘core’) was a brand new part supplied by Melett (- details above). The manifold and downpipe were bought new from Revent (- details above). Injectors were brand new Bosch ED14 550cc injectors as sold by BOFI (link) The ECU is a MSLabs MS3 Mini (link).
Other notable engine upgrades include BOFI Racing clutch kit, Competition Clutch Lightened Flywheel, front mount intercooler with custom piping, Toyota coil-on-plug conversion, BMW throttle position sensor, Innovate LC-2 wideband 02 sensor, sequential injection conversion and Walbro 225LPH High Pressure Fuel Pump.
Other upgrades include a proper, solid twin-hoop TR Lane roll bar (bolted solidly to the cars chassis, not some flimsy style bar), GAZ coilover suspension, Double-din touchscreen headunit with Apple Carplay / Android Auto, amplifier tucked up below the glovebox, high quality Focal upgraded speakers (doors and fitted to rear deck), mohair hood with heated rear screen.
Engine
Shortnose crank turbocharged 1. 6 MX-5 engine producing 218bhp @ 12psi (at the wheels, likely closer to 250hp at the flywheel)
Subaru Impreza TD04L Turbo with replaced turbo core by Melett (- details above)
Revent Turbo manifold and downpipe (- details above)
Bosch ED14 550cc injectors (link)
MSLabs MS3 Mini ECU (link) mapped by Nick Bailey (aka Skuzzle) / Basset Down Balancing
BOFI Racing clutch kit
Competition Clutch Ultra Lightened Flywheel
Eight Nine BMW throttle position sensor kit
Innovate LC-2 wideband 02 sensor with gauge
Walbro 225LPH High Pressure Fuel Pump
Front mount intercooler with custom piping,
Toyota coil-on-plug conversion with replacement high-amp wiring, dedicated relay located in boot.
Sequential injection conversion,
K&N Filter Cone
Forge dump valve,
Recent genuine OE Panasonic battery
Exterior
Mohair Hood with heated rear screen in very good condition
Original extremely lightweight BBS wheels with Dunlop Sport BluResponse tyres, good tread remaining on each.
Interior
IL Motorsports Quilted Leather Seat Covers: Link
Heated seat elements with discrete switches in center console
Chrome ball gearknob
Chrome teardrop speaker covers
S-Special floor mats (these often sell for circa £100 on their own)
Sunglass holder replacement for ashtray (often sells for circa £60)
Double-din touchscreen Apple Carplay / Android Auto Headunit
Separate amplifier + quality upgraded speakers in doors & rear deck.
Chassis Upgrades
GAZ ‘Classic’ coilover suspension
Bigger 1. 8 brakes fitted with PAGID pads
TR Lane Twin Hoop ‘proper’ roll-over bar
‘Just Send It’ Delrin door bushes
Powerflex Rear Differential Bush InsertsThe car is in very good cosmetic order, the brilliant black paintwork polishes up quite nicely, but this car isn’t concours standard and does have the odd stone chip and a few tiny dents here and there. The interior is in very good condition; I recovered the original seats with an expensive IL Motorsports quilted leather kit and fitted heated seat elements at the same time (these work really well but do take about a minutes to get going, as they work through the thick quilted leather). There’s also a stone chip in the windscreen (not major, but is occasionally mentioned as an advisory in the MoT, although not in recent years).
There’s an occasional squeal or 'chirp' from the clutch when engaging first gear - this is more of a minor annoyance than a problem and happens sometimes when the car is cold (doesn't seem to happen when the car is fully warmed up). . The clutch was upgraded in 2022 with a brand new BOFI Racing Clutch and Competition Ultra Lightweight Flywheel, and at the time I fitted new high quality spigot and release bearings so its unlikely to be those. I previously though this noise might be caused by a sticking brake caliper but I’ve refurbished all of the calipers and it hasn’t gone away.
Sometimes (not very often) the idle sits a bit high, e. g. 1300 rpm, before the ECU brings it down. Possibly a vacuum leak somewhere? Likely a very easy fix once the cause has been found – this doesn’t happen very often so is difficult to pin down.
