The Roaring Season

The Mazda MX5 was first produced in 1989 and is now in its 28th year of production
Here is an article on the early years ;

https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2017/09/06/mazda-mx5-miata-origin-american-bob-hall?utm_source=MagnetMail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=jaguar@oldirish.com&utm_content=1

Please feel free to post any MX5 related items on this thread;

My own 1991 V- Spec Limited Edition ;
photo from 2014


photo from "Caffeine and Classics August 2017


cheers

Roger

There are close to 500 members in the Mazda MX5 Car Club nationwide now.
Would love to find an early coupe but they only made around 160 I believe.

Growler wrote:There are close to 500 members in the Mazda MX5 Car Club nationwide now.
Would love to find an early coupe but they only made around 160 I believe.

Nice car, have never seen one .. the NB Coupe,
here is a Roadster.

Pukekohe Track Day 2004


The car now June 2017 ..

They do a Fastback fibreglass kit in the States that turns it into a coupe. I reckon it makes a great looking race car.
How long have you had yours now?

Growler wrote:They do a Fastback fibreglass kit in the States that turns it into a coupe. I reckon it makes a great looking race car.
How long have you had yours now?

Growler, its a 1991 V - Spec and have owned it since it arrived in New Zealand in September 1996, has its 21st Birthday under my ownership on the 24th ..



Still have the original 14 inch wheels, they need to be refurbished,as does the whole car.
It came with many accessories;
Wind Blocker, half Tonneau, V-Spec floor mats,
I got a chrome roll bar that arrived on another car at the time, and later on the Black Hardtop.

Ha! That's about the same time I bought mine - April 1996. Mines a 1989 so one of the very first ones off the line. I have modified mine of course. It still has the 1600 in it but from a 1993 as I had the crank nose issue, and it worked out cheaper to put another block into it.
I did lighten the flywheel slightly while I was at it.Other mods are suspension and exhaust. I'm toying with the idea of adapting the Mini supercharger to it but that's when I get time.
I have been gifted another MX5 (1990) from my Step Mother as she has now retired and bought a "more sensible car". This one is a bit tired but have fixed a lot of things on it. Not sure what I'll do with it just yet.

Growler wrote:Ha! That's about the same time I bought mine - April 1996. Mines a 1989 so one of the very first ones off the line. I have modified mine of course. It still has the 1600 in it but from a 1993 as I had the crank nose issue, and it worked out cheaper to put another block into it.
I did lighten the flywheel slightly while I was at it.Other mods are suspension and exhaust. I'm toying with the idea of adapting the Mini supercharger to it but that's when I get time.
I have been gifted another MX5 (1990) from my Step Mother as she has now retired and bought a "more sensible car". This one is a bit tired but have fixed a lot of things on it. Not sure what I'll do with it just yet.

About to start refurbish on partner's 1989 MX5, need LF guard & LH door if anybody has them, car has done over300,000 K's only trouble it has had was crank nose, brilliant machine.

Kevin Hirst wrote:About to start refurbish on partner's 1989 MX5, need LF guard & LH door if anybody has them, car has done over300,000 K's only trouble it has had was crank nose, brilliant machine.

Kevin, try Ross Campbell at MX5 Mart in Tauranga - he may either have the parts or know who has ;
phone 07 543 4567 he is at 389 Joyce Road, Pyes Pa.. has a website but not sure if the address is a workshop / warehouse or his home..

Agree about the longevity / reliability, as mentioned mine has done over 226,000 k's and now need a good tidy up, seats and door panels, minor panelwork and repaint, new or repaired soft top, and refitting of some components, Roll / Style bar and some accessories, Tonneau, Wind Blocker etc ..
Hope it goes well Kevin !!
Growler, hang onto it if you can, great car and a worthy 1990's idea of a 1960/70's British Sports car.

Thought you lads would like to have one of these.
[video]http://www.zoomzoommag.com/winter-2016#!mazda-throwback-mx5-le-mans[/video]

How would you lads like to have one of these ?

1991 Mazda MX-5 Le Mans EDITION

Year: 1991 0-62 mph: 6.8 secs Engine: 1,598 cc Top Speed: 130 mph Number Built: 24

As well as being the most distinctive special-edition car ever produced by Mazda, the MX-5 Le Mans is definitely the rarest. Built to celebrate Mazda winning the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans race, just 24 of these roadsters were built by Mazda UK between August and December of that year—one for each of the 24 hours raced by the triumphant rotary-powered 787B race car.

Only available in the same team colors as the 787B, the MX-5 Le Mans’ stunning livery was a proper paint job, rather than a modern-day wrap. And there was performance to back up those racy looks. Underneath the hood lurked a BBR low-pressure turbo kit that boosted the car’s 1.6-liter engine from 115 hp to 150 hp, with torque rising from 135 Nm to 208 Nm. That meant a top speed of 130 mph and the 0-62 mph dash taking just 6.8 seconds.

“Each car came with a certificate of authenticity signed by racing driver Johnny Herbert”



p.s. Moss Miata will have a new website next month and it should have some interesting information but I still say to them their products are all "foo foo" stuff compared to the British side of Moss Motors.

(Ken H)

Kevin Hirst wrote:About to start refurbish on partner's 1989 MX5, need LF guard & LH door if anybody has them, car has done over300,000 K's only trouble it has had was crank nose, brilliant machine.

The easiest fix for the crank nose is just do an engine swap. I have done 6 now for various members. (Only takes about 15 hours!). You can glue the bottom pulley on, but that usually is a temporary measure. Halfway through 1990 Mazda identified the issue and fixed it by increasing the shaft diameter, increasing the length of the key way and using a larger bolt.
The only other issues they have are the rear calipers, and sometimes rust under the stainless steel door sill covers if they are fitted.

Good luck with using Ross at MX5 Mart. I have never used him but I believe its pretty hit-n-miss with the service he offers.
There is a closed group on Facebook (NZ MX5) who are of the younger generation but you can get a lot of parts reasonably cheaply. A few guys part them out occasionally.

MazSpares in Christchurch also look after club members and they are reasonably priced. I can send you the contact details if you want it.

Thanks Ken,should I do that as part of the repaint ??, not really as would need all the trick sills and grilles spoilers etc..

Oh come on Roger, you are part way there, it's just your green is a different shade but with some orange paint and some Moss "foo foo " spoilers etc you could be quite the lad about town !

khyndart in CA wrote:Oh come on Roger, you are part way there, it's just your green is a different shade but with some orange paint and some Moss "foo foo " spoilers etc you could be quite the lad about town !

Kevin. An excellent source for parts is Neil Ellison at New Plymouth he is mx5spares.co.nz phone 027 6455777.
I am building a kit car with MX5 donor parts, Neill is very helpful and obliging, he has dismantled a large number of MX5.
My experience with Ross at MX5 mart Tauranga is very ordinary.

Peter M wrote:Kevin. An excellent source for parts is Neil Ellison at New Plymouth he is mx5spares.co.nz phone 027 6455777.
I am building a kit car with MX5 donor parts, Neill is very helpful and obliging, he has dismantled a large number of MX5.
My experience with Ross at MX5 mart Tauranga is very ordinary.

Thank's for the information guy's a big help'

Thanks Roger Thats my one Graeme Banks

Thanks Roger the Silver one GRA3M3 is my one. 1998 205,000kms 1600cc Auto Graeme Banks

GeebeeNZ wrote:Thanks Roger the Silver one GRA3M3 is my one. 1998 205,000kms 1600cc Auto Graeme Banks

Great Graeme, the Cars seem to do huge " mileage " - old word, without much trouble..
I have been to " Caffeine and Classics " in May and August, will miss September but should be there for October, may run in to you ..
cheers Roger D.

A couple more pics of the car ;



Engine Bay with POD Filter


Dash and Nardi Steering Wheel [ yes It has a Momo Horn Boss - centre as when I got the car it had a Red Mazda Personal Horn Boss ]


My old 1971 issue NZ standard Crash Helmet, that was used 1971 to 1983. It is now hanging up in the garage probably cannot be used as complied to NZS at the time


The instrument panel in January 2017 Odometer at 226210 km, has only done about 600km since then


The Chassis plate - Eunos Roadster had the NA prefix whereas MX5's [ for export ] had a J prefix JMX I believe