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Post by Blarno on Sept 16, 2020 9:57:35 GMT
Recently, my 12 year old daughter Phoebe has expressed an interest in spannering and suggested we get a project car. This was compounded by my 17 year old niece also wanting a project car to help her with her training at Audi. So, as soon as the Aygo is sold, I have permission from the lady of the manor to plonk a project car on the drive. The plan is to spend as little as possible actually obtaining said car, then rebuild/repair/modify as budget allows.
First choice was a Peugeot 309 GTi. I know of one from my Chinese delivery rounds that has sat for at least 15 years, fading to a lovely Dog Cock Pink, and was going to go an knock on the chap's door and offer to take it away for him if he wanted.
Then, I remembered the old MX5 project from 6 years ago with the fibreglass body, but that has been scrapped. I didn't give up on the MX5 theme, and a quick call to an ex bandmate about his Mk2 turbo project resulted in me being offered the whole thing, plus a spare engine, gearbox and a heap of other stuff (but no turbo) for the princely sum of nothing. All I have to do is go to Blackburn and collect it. Winner. I'm quite happy to pay someone to tow it back on a trailer for me (as I'm not licensed to tow over 750kg)
I have a couple of different paths I could take with it:
1 - straight restoration back to NA spec 2 - Find another turbo set up and finish what he started 3 - Volvo T5 or Saab B207/234 Aero lump. I have wanted to T5 an Mx5 for over a decade 4 - One of the above, but convert it to a proper fixed head coupe. This is a lot of work, but I like a challenge.
3 and 4 will annoy the purists, but that just makes it more fun.
With any luck, the Aygo will sell quickly and I can grab the MX5 before Crimbo.
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Post by cbeaks1 on Sept 16, 2020 10:03:30 GMT
I think I would start with 1 and then move forward with 2 or 3 once it all works.
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Post by PetrolEd on Sept 16, 2020 10:25:10 GMT
Or enlist the services of Mike Brewer and start a TV series. HOLD OUT YER AND!!
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Post by Blarno on Sept 16, 2020 10:35:19 GMT
Or enlist the services of Mike Brewer and start a TV series. HOLD OUT YER AND!!
How Edd China never chinned that stumpy prick is beyond me.
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Post by Big Blue on Sept 16, 2020 10:46:23 GMT
I assume one of the monster truck / farming community here can assist with the trailer?
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Post by Blarno on Sept 16, 2020 11:18:50 GMT
I'm going to sweet talk out driver at work and see if he'll spare himself, the van and the trailer for a few hours one weekend.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 11:24:56 GMT
Sounds like keeping it original to start and then thinking about going further might make things easier. Plenty of hard tops for them out there so permanent bonding would be simpler than a custom hard top.
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Post by Big Blue on Sept 16, 2020 11:37:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2020 11:47:32 GMT
Just because you can do a thing, does not mean you should.
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Post by Blarno on Sept 16, 2020 12:03:50 GMT
V8s have been done, so have V12s, rotary swaps and turbo/supercharger conversions. I don't know of a single T5 or Saab engined MX5.
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Post by johnc on Sept 16, 2020 12:07:10 GMT
I like the idea of a T5 MX5. There is a T5 goes past the office regularly driven enthusiastically by someone who likes the sound of his engine - so do I.
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Post by michael on Sept 16, 2020 12:19:54 GMT
I like the idea of putting a lid on it. There are companies that do a traditional coupe set up but a bread van style conversion would be particularly interesting.
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Post by PG on Sept 16, 2020 12:25:21 GMT
It may be the most boring option, but I'd go for 1 and revert to normal spec first. If the project is to teach the kids about spannering that would be the best bet. And they should be able to do a lot of the work in time as it will be refitting /repairing stuff that exists and can fit. Throwing them straight into a T5 engine into an MX5 project would, I suspect, mean that you'll end up having to do most of it a lot of it will be one off made to fit stuff.
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Post by Blarno on Sept 16, 2020 12:29:11 GMT
I like the idea of putting a lid on it. There are companies that do a traditional coupe set up but a bread van style conversion would be particularly interesting. This is what I was thinking as well. A split tailgate like the early 90s Honda Civic. |
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Post by Blarno on Sept 16, 2020 12:30:02 GMT
I like the idea of a T5 MX5. There is a T5 goes past the office regularly driven enthusiastically by someone who likes the sound of his engine - so do I. The added benefit being that the T5 engine is actually slightly lighter than the iron Mazda lump. |
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Post by LandieMark on Sept 16, 2020 18:00:59 GMT
Brilliant. Whatever you end up doing with it, please keep us informed, however irregularly that may be.
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Post by chipbutty on Sept 16, 2020 19:29:56 GMT
Dude if you could get the 5 pot turbo to work, you could have a conversion to rival the Rocketeer.
Awesome
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Post by ChrisM on Sept 16, 2020 19:58:31 GMT
V8s have been done, so have V12s, rotary swaps and turbo/supercharger conversions. I don't know of a single T5 or Saab engined MX5. Would a T5 version become an MXT5 or TMX5 (or something else) ? |
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Post by Boxer6 on Sept 16, 2020 21:58:24 GMT
I like the idea of a T5 MX5. There is a T5 goes past the office regularly driven enthusiastically by someone who likes the sound of his engine - so do I. They sound just as good from inside too!  |
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Post by Blarno on Sept 17, 2020 11:26:44 GMT
V8s have been done, so have V12s, rotary swaps and turbo/supercharger conversions. I don't know of a single T5 or Saab engined MX5. Would a T5 version become an MXT5 or TMX5 (or something else) ? MXT5 definitely |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Sept 17, 2020 11:43:41 GMT
It may be the most boring option, but I'd go for 1 and revert to normal spec first. If the project is to teach the kids about spannering that would be the best bet. And they should be able to do a lot of the work in time as it will be refitting /repairing stuff that exists and can fit. Throwing them straight into a T5 engine into an MX5 project would, I suspect, mean that you'll end up having to do most of it a lot of it will be one off made to fit stuff. Yeah this. If it's a project the kids can get involved with and ultimately drive when they're 17, keep it original. If this is a Trojan Horse to get it past the missus and the project is really for you, put the T5 in. |
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Post by Blarno on Sept 17, 2020 16:03:09 GMT
My niece is already 17, Phoebe has 4 years yet. There are no plans as such and I am under no illusion I will end up doing most of the work. If we can take it to track days and such, that would be ideal. It is kind of a Trojan horse - I've wanted another project since Franc met an untimely end - but is also an outlet for Phoebe, who is struggling with anxiety and anger. She and Beth both actually suggested the idea to me, and, seeing as we have the space and I have the gear and knowhow, it makes sense. Jo is onboard with it, because it means Phoebe is kept busy and gets to spend some time with me for a change.
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Post by Andy C on Sept 17, 2020 16:29:50 GMT
Interesting fact about the T5 and MX5 engine weights.
As others have said, keep us posted on updates.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2020 17:59:43 GMT
It IS a win-win project imo.
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Post by Blarno on Sept 18, 2020 10:03:10 GMT
I was chatting to an ex colleague last night about this project, as he like to dabble in engine conversions (Honda S2000 engined Manta, anyone?) and he turned on to the idea of pssibly dropping a cheap V8 in. Then he sent me a link to a 3.2 XJ8 for £800. The whole car. It's only 240 bhp, but that will be enough and I could sell the rest of the car around it.
Then I fell into an Ebay wormhole looking at LS400s, 535s and 540s, even S types. V8s are cheap.
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Post by chipbutty on Sept 18, 2020 10:28:29 GMT
Would you convert it to manual (if you used the XJ8 unit) or run as an auto ?
If you did that, I would be interested to hear how you achieved the conversion - until recently manual conversions for V8 Jags have been expensive as there was never a manual option offered and the level of ECU and control unit tinkering is huge.
I still vote for the 5 pot turbo.
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Post by Blarno on Sept 18, 2020 10:48:39 GMT
Manual definitely, that's why I was favouring the 3.2 as it is less torquey and the manual from the S Type will do the trick.
But yes, T5 is my favourite. Sadly they're not as cheap as they were back when I last bought one.
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Post by bryan on Sept 18, 2020 14:18:46 GMT
How much is a 1.5 ecoboost triple? They are tuneable?
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Post by Blarno on Sept 18, 2020 14:36:44 GMT
That's not a bad shout, although I'd rather put one of them in a Mk2 Escort or Mk1 Fiesta. I'd be more likely to get a 1.0 for the lower end of the budget, the 1.5 is the ST engine isn't it?
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Post by Blarno on Sept 18, 2020 15:22:17 GMT
Just had a look, the cheapest Ecoboost on Ebay is £1200. Won't be going down that route just yet...
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