Supercharged Hairdresser
BigLee - 14/8/12 at 09:00 PM
Well, I was going to drop a Lexus V8 into an MX5, but having bought the car and engine etc. I changed my mind!! Too much hassle and stress. I want a
car I can drive now without all the costs and delays etc. So..... I bought this.....
MX5 import. 1600cc. Kawasaki green. Hardtop and mohair foldaway, lotus elise seats, gaz golds, 1800 brakes, Torsen diff. Everything you would want on
a convertable rice rocket. Including an Eaton M45 supercharger. What a great noise!!! I may need to work on the exhaust and put an extra muffler
somewhere as its got a real loud resonance around 4500rpm.
I can really see the appeal of MX5's now. You kinda know exactly what its doing. Feeling its way around. Time to get out and drive..... something
I didnt do much of in the MNR, and this cost a quarter of what that did!
The car was built as a show piece for a local company who specialise in MX5's, so its been done to the highest standard using only the best bits.
One of those opportunities where a hypothetical question of "Would you ever want to sell the green MX5?" ends with a handshake. Very happy
If anyone needs a 1UZ-FE engine (complete with all ancillaries, engine loom, ecu, auto box etc) let me know, before I fasten wheels to it!
Lee
steve m - 14/8/12 at 09:16 PM
The intercooler intake is neat!
ash_hammond - 14/8/12 at 09:32 PM
Can I some and look ;-)
maccmike - 14/8/12 at 09:44 PM
mint colour, can I ask how much?
Steve Hignett - 14/8/12 at 10:13 PM
Real nice matey - you'll have to pop over some time in it...
Where was the "local specialist" by there way? There's a couple places local to me...
BigLee - 14/8/12 at 10:21 PM
Nelson. CBS Autos MX5Specialists.com. Carl did a bit of work on my MNR.
I will pop down mate. At least I don't need to take a shipping forecast to head that far! Joe will probably hear me as I pass down the M6.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve Hignett
Real nice matey - you'll have to pop over some time in it...
Where was the "local specialist" by there way? There's a couple places local to me...
bi22le - 14/8/12 at 10:33 PM
What sort if power do they push with an SC? Do you know max boost?
morcus - 15/8/12 at 02:11 AM
Do the head lights still work?
Great looking machine you got there, can we see what it looks like under the bonnet?
pewe - 15/8/12 at 09:48 AM
Great looking car and you should find the s/c a completely different type of power delivery - almost linear as it starts blowing as soon as the
throttle's cracked open.
Headlight should still work OK the NACA duct funnels air above and behind the reflector.
Power above 160 at the wheels which in c.850kg isn't too shabby power/weight.
Bigger power by adding Nissan Supra injectors and intercooler if not there already (IIRC race MX5s can chuck out 300 depending on how often you want
to re-build them but 200+ is reliably possible). Intercooler may require two throttle bodies to maintain boost pressure due to the extra distance the
charge has to travel.
Enjoy.
BTW if it needs a new soft-top Jack Frost in Swansea is deffo worth looking at.
Cheers, Pewe10 
Lee vv IIRC the throttle body nearest the inlet manifold should open fractionally later than the one near the blower. That keeps the charge
pressurised despite the extra distance it's having to travel compared to a direct s/c to manifold charge. Lots of discussion under the forced
induction section on a nutty forum.
[Edited on 15/8/12 by pewe]
BigLee - 15/8/12 at 10:27 AM
quote:
Originally posted by pewe
Great looking car and you should find the s/c a completely different type of power delivery - almost linear as it starts blowing as soon as the
throttle's cracked open.
Headlight should still work OK the NACA duct funnels air above and behind the reflector.
Power above 160 at the wheels which in c.850kg isn't too shabby power/weight.
Bigger power by adding Nissan Supra injectors and intercooler if not there already (IIRC race MX5s can chuck out 300 depending on how often you want
to re-build them but 200+ is reliably possible). Intercooler may require two throttle bodies to maintain boost pressure due to the extra distance the
charge has to travel.
Enjoy.
BTW if it needs a new soft-top Jack Frost in Swansea is deffo worth looking at.
Cheers, Pewe10
Cheers Pewe,
I reckon you're not far off power wise. 180bhp ish at the crank. Far more controllable than being turbo'd. The lights work perfectly and
have the upgraded lamps so you can actually see! Large front mounted intercooler and a second throttle body, although Ive still never figured out why
for that one.
Plan is to run it as is for now and enjoy it. Possibly go for bigger injectors and a standalone ecu next year for a nice 200bhp. I think that is
enough for road use in a car running 195's at the rear.
The mohair roof fitted is virtually brand new. Shame it has the plastic window but with the roll hoops I cannot do anything else.
Maccmike - there were a few other bits in the deal beside cash, but I would guess at about £3.5k ish. I know I couldnt build one to this standard for
that.
Cheers
Lee
enginearin - 15/8/12 at 07:07 PM
How comfortably do you fit in Lee? Can you get in with a helmet on?
I'm 6'6" and seem to recall struggling to fit in a friend's mk2 cabrio MX5 quite a few years ago, so i'd kind of written them
off as a viable option for ownership.
BigLee - 15/8/12 at 07:45 PM
quote:
Originally posted by enginearin
How comfortably do you fit in Lee? Can you get in with a helmet on?
I'm 6'6" and seem to recall struggling to fit in a friend's mk2 cabrio MX5 quite a few years ago, so i'd kind of written them
off as a viable option for ownership.
I've not tried with my helmet, but my limited hair does brush the lining. There is more room with the hardtop. I'm a little taller at
6'8", and on the heavy side at 127kg's, but relatively comfortable. I cannot get into a standard car though, and the mk2 feels smaller
due to a massive door handle on the inside and a huuuuge steering wheel. I have the Elise seats which a wafer thin, bolted straight to the floor. If I
were doing a track car I would lose the seats and use a bag. The easy answer is when you have your lid on, keep the roof down, but chances are your
head would be above the roll hoops.
If you're ever in the area, come and have a try 
Lee
pewe - 15/8/12 at 07:47 PM
enginearin^^ you might struggle but there are various posts from the US if you google big guy miata.
HTH
Cheers, Pewe10
indykid - 15/8/12 at 08:12 PM
Dual throttle bodies is for throttle response.
With the supercharger, the throttle body moves pre supercharger, so when you close the throttle, the engine keeps trying to drag air in and draws the
full inlet tract into vacuum, not just the inlet manifold. This isn't such an issue with a non intercooled setup where you only have the
crossover pipe, but with an intercooler, the increased throttled volume gives poor transient throttle response because you have to replace the vacuum
before you can build boost.
Optimistic thinking pewe, but you'll find it's more like a smidge over a tonne, especially since it has soft top and hard top.
With an M45 on a 1.6, 200bhp is about the most you'll see without wringing the nuts off it. If you wanted more, you'd be better going
turbo.
Glad to see someone else in an mx5 anyway
enginearin - 20/8/12 at 08:51 AM
quote:
Originally posted by BigLee
quote:
Originally posted by enginearin
How comfortably do you fit in Lee? Can you get in with a helmet on?
I'm 6'6" and seem to recall struggling to fit in a friend's mk2 cabrio MX5 quite a few years ago, so i'd kind of written them
off as a viable option for ownership.
I've not tried with my helmet, but my limited hair does brush the lining. There is more room with the hardtop. I'm a little taller at
6'8", and on the heavy side at 127kg's, but relatively comfortable. I cannot get into a standard car though, and the mk2 feels smaller
due to a massive door handle on the inside and a huuuuge steering wheel. I have the Elise seats which a wafer thin, bolted straight to the floor. If I
were doing a track car I would lose the seats and use a bag. The easy answer is when you have your lid on, keep the roof down, but chances are your
head would be above the roll hoops.
If you're ever in the area, come and have a try
Lee
That's interesting... i'd been considering the Max5 championship cars as an option last year, but the potential issues with getting cage
modifications approved for racing and my previous issues with interior space put me off somewhat.
Thanks for the invite... i spend more time in Reading than Leeds these days and the garage is now full with an RGB Fisher Fury but i may give you a
shout if i head toward Max5 cars again at some point.
I'll have a nose around the US Miata sites and see what they're up to
Cheers
Tim
pewe - 20/8/12 at 10:41 AM
Enginearin, you could do worse than drop round my place in Reading and try mine for size.
U2U me your details and we'll arrange it.
Cheers, Pewe10
welderman - 20/8/12 at 12:25 PM
quote:
Originally posted by BigLee
Nelson. CBS Autos MX5Specialists.com. Carl did a bit of work on my MNR.
I will pop down mate. At least I don't need to take a shipping forecast to head that far! Joe will probably hear me as I pass down the M6.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve Hignett
Real nice matey - you'll have to pop over some time in it...
Where was the "local specialist" by there way? There's a couple places local to me...
you could pop in here on the way through for a nice cup a te
im just pictureing an image now of a 6 foot 8 inch pretty well built straight guy getting out of a Kawasaki green stands out big time MX5 lol. your
going to have to come over now lol.
[Edited on 20/8/12 by welderman]
enginearin - 20/8/12 at 10:39 PM
quote:
Originally posted by pewe
Enginearin, you could do worse than drop round my place in Reading and try mine for size.
U2U me your details and we'll arrange it.
Cheers, Pewe10
Thanks for the offer Pewe... I'm gonna try and get some seat time in the RGB series next season, but if Max5 starts tempting me again I'll
certainly be in touch.