Kieron's NB MX-5 - Maxine

[Lokiel]

Tried to adjust my driver's headlight a touch higher to match the passenger side today,
:

You're going to HATE hearing this now:

The driver's side headlight is SUPPOSED to project lower than passenger side headlight to minimise blinding the driver coming the other way.

Your original road headlight shot above is exactly how they're supposed to project in Australia (ie. noticeably less on the driver's side).

This is why it's important if buying headlights from O/S that you buy from RHD countries.

[RS2000]

Both low beams should be the same height!
But the high intensity zone of each low beam is below the horizontal centreline, & to the left of each vertical centreline.

[kiezon]

So a friend convinced me to buy AT Performance delrin door bushings. I read up on them and reviews seemed 50-50 on if they actually did anything to stiffen the chassis.







The quality did seem good.



A comparison with the OEM bushings



And they're in!



So I went for a quick drive tonight and found that, yes, the car did feel a touch tighter at the doors. The car doesn't feel as fragile over imperfections on the road. If anything, it feels a step closer to feeling like a normal car with a roof. Again, with the car changing direction, it felt stiffer at the doors. Another way of putting it - she just feels slightly more solid. Can't say much on any improvements with cabin noise, as my MX5 was fairly 'good' in that respect.

The weather in Sydney is crazy at the moment! Really need to start seriously looking for an OEM hardtop.

[Code4]

If you want to reduce NVH fit a torque box roll bar.

[StillIC]

A torque box roll bar stiffens up an already relatively stiff/torsionally rigid portion of the chassis. The delrin door bushes stiffen up the least torsionally rigid section of the chassis, with no added weight and a much smaller cost.

I would like to see a torsional test done on an MX5 with each modification done.

The windscreen rattle test indicates my car is way more rigid with PLA door bushes than standard bushes, but my AGI roll cage makes no discernible difference to torsional rigidity.

[Code4]

I was talking about reduced NVH with the torque box design with no claim as to rigidity. Please read my post again from the perspective of a street car not a racer. The Agi looked different to me.

[kiezon]

100% will be throwing in the MX5+ roll bar in once I obtain an OEM hardtop. DBA T3 rotors, Project MU street pad and stainless steel brake lines will follow.

Once those are done, possibly some track work to learn how to drive fast in a RWD.

Following all of this, the order of modifications will be as follows:
- Ultra Racing undercarriage braces
- Okuyama Carbing aluminium front and rear strut braces for extra rigidity and bling (mostly bling)
- MCA X-R coilovers once this is done as well
- Work Meister S1 2P 15x8 wheels with the possibility of them wrapped in 225/45r15 Hankook RS3/RS4 tyres. Would be awesome if Bridgestone would make 205/50r15 in RE003s though. They did have them in the RE002s IIRC.
- A pair of Recaro SP-JC (Alcantara version) seats

Some more track work? Then an LSD?

Oh, and a GT2560R or a GTX2860R. Still deciding on this one, so it may change. Will most likely go for the Flyin' Miata cast iron manifold and dump pipe to a 3 inch exhaust with a Varex muffler at the end. Sorry. Need the best of both worlds? A Haltech Elite to manage the new setup as well.

In saying all of this, it will be a slow build. Don't expect all things great in the next two years lol. Just a few of them...

[kiezon]

I was talking about reduced NVH with the torque box design with no claim as to rigidity. Please read my post again from the perspective of a street car not a racer. The Agi looked different to me.

Same story here. A friend runs the AGI bar in his NA6, but only has a hardtop. I need the flexibility of both. Plus, unsure about the legalities of having the AGI bar.

[StillIC]

I was talking about reduced NVH with the torque box design with no claim as to rigidity.....

These two aspects are directly related on my car. The door bushes removed rattle and twist. Quieter and more rigid. BTW my car is a road car that gets tracked.

[lucmor444]

Some good plans for your car Kieron - those recaros will be quite impressive.

[kiezon]

Some good plans for your car Kieron - those recaros will be quite impressive.

Haha, thanks. Hope they fit! A couple of dudes installed SR4s in their NB and the fit is so tight that the leg bolsters squish on the door cards lol. The SP-JCs should be more comfortable. SR4 bolsters do get quite cumbersome after a while. I would have loved Bride Stradia II Japan Venus but I'm 168cm and 90kgs. My thighs and back are too wide to even be remotely comfortable in them.

Just found that the MX5+ roll bar isn't CAMS approved, so I've decided to purchase an AGI half cage/roll bar instead.

[ManiacLachy]

A lot of work being done there, would love to see these pictures too, as well as your thoughts on some of those items.

How do you find the wiper blades? I bought some WiperTech ones recently but I don't love them in constant rain.

I recently went to RPF1s + AD08Rs as well, they're a great combo.

What did you think of the Jass rails? They're on my list.

Enquiring minds want to know!

[kiezon]

It's been a while since I've updated this. I've been lazy in finding a image hosting site. Hope dropbox is good to me... lol


Put on a pair of Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades




Oh, what's this? Hmmm, AD08Rs...




Ah, RPF1s...




Frankenstein bolts? Yep. This fortnight left my wallet pocket feeling pretty light... The top was actually from a member. Thanks Glenn!










Hardtop means I can finally install the rear dash cam. I'll be attaching this to the AGI roll bar when I get around to purchasing one.




Best cheap mod you could ever do for your interior!




Fuel vapour canister deleted (is that even the correct name?)




Jass Performance Hardtop Brackets




20% tints done @ Tint Haus






Some sound insulation on the outer door skins






New door to glass weatherstrips






Maruha Jp (MX5 Mania) windscreen washer kit - Step 1 to turbo? Finally sourced a driver's headlight as well haha







Thanks to Beavis for the Carbon Miata seat belt extenders






Baby teeth delete - Only one side shown






Antenna delete - Yes, I know... So many deletes lol. I was using a rubber grommet until I gathered the motivation to buy an alloy plug








So many shiny nuts and bolts - Jass Performance Reinforced Frame Rails






This was a nuisance of a job if I'm being completely honest...








Had a friend help me with some polishing - He did most of the work lol

Before:



After:




So a year into ownership, I noticed something odd near my soft top drains...




Pretty funny finding a glasses case there lol




More polishing!








Got a pair of number plate protectors as well...






Mazda Tribute washer nozzles from and1





What's next?

- Also waiting on another reverse camera as the clip on the number plate housing style camera has snapped - go figure. So, the next reverse camera will be on its own bracket. Much easier to adjust as well
- Replacing my gearbox and diff oil tomorrow with Redline MT-90 and 75W90
- Selling my soft top skin
- Radiator seems to be on its way out, so I'll be purchasing a Koyorad Hyper V radiator in the next few months
- A minor stereo upgrade is in the works as well - nothing fancy...
- Shall start purchasing real turbo goodies from sometime early next year. How does an EFR6258 sound?

[kiezon]

Got around to removing my soft top for the sale. Still yet to remove the rain rail.




If you ask me, the frame without the skin on looks similar to a 6 point cage lol

[kiezon]

A lot of work being done there, would love to see these pictures too, as well as your thoughts on some of those items.

How do you find the wiper blades? I bought some WiperTech ones recently but I don't love them in constant rain.

I recently went to RPF1s + AD08Rs as well, they're a great combo.

What did you think of the Jass rails? They're on my list.

Enquiring minds want to know!

They're nice, but I think I may have ruined them by wiping the windscreen while it was dry for too long lol.

Yeah, the tyres are awesome but I wish their wet stopping performance was better. Might try RS4s next as they supposedly have better wet weather performance.

They're nice, highly recommended. Really helps with NVHs and you can actually feel each corner absorbing each imperfection on the road.