Jump to content

We welcome modern classics from the 80's, 90's and on-wards, from saloons and hatchbacks to sports cars.
Join Now

Reviews

Check out our reviews of modern classic cars. We give them ratings so you can choose your car wisely.

Members Cars

Check out our members cars and add your own

Mk1 Mazda MX5 (aka Mindy!)

This is the latest addition to our modern classic family! A Mk1 Mazda MX5 1.6 (UK car). I've wanted one of these since the day they were launched back in 1989. Was at the Car show in Glasgow seeing all the new cars, when they pulled the cover off to reveal this gorgeous little red sports car. Was love at first sight, and said there an then I have to have one of these one day! Only taken me nigh on 30 years to realize that dream, but I was a skint teenager back then (now I'm a skint oldie! lol).
As I've been down lately, Gayle my Mrs suggested I needed a new project to help pick me up. She also loves the mx5's, so initial plan was to get a total rust bucket without mot and do a full restoration. After looking at prospective cars, realized that the £1000 budget really did just buy cars that were totally gone. So we upped the budget and came up with plan B! This plan was to buy a decent enough car to start with that just needed TLC, so we spent ages viewing lots of cars that appeared decent but once we arrived to view found they too needed too much work rust wise. Finally found this one which was in Stirling.
So, she's a 1997 UK car (so one of the last mk1's) with 90K on the clock, came with almost a years mot and the chap selling really didn't want to sell her! As everyone knows, all MX5's rot in the rear inner/outer sills and the rear arches. Mindy still has her original arches, but has had the very lower outer sills replaced on both sides. Not the prettiest repair, but look to be a very solid one. Underneath she's solid, and the previous owner has spent a fair bit on her with the welding and also replacing both rear brake calipers. There wasn't a service book which was disappointing, but there are receipts and old MOT's so some history of what she's had done.
Faults we noticed that needed dealing with first were the hood. It was completely shot, and had temp gaffa tape repairs. There was also a really bad vibration when at 65-70mph. These repairs are detailed in later posts.
So here she is the day we arrived home!

We'd literally just arrived home 5 mins before, and I thought I'd get a couple of pics but as I did, Gayle and my step daughter promptly jumped in and off they went for a wee run!! lol
My plan is to restore her to as close to new as I can get, along with some subtle mods. So planning the following:
Replace all suspension including shocks/springs, all wishbones etc then laser 4 wheel alignment Stainless steel exhaust Replace hood fully strip underneath and apply new underseal plus having chassis wax injected. New brakes Rear sills to be replaced by BorderMX5 so done professionally and will be undetactable once done Full respray (in either the original classic red or possibly the new Mazda "Soul red" metallic red.) Custom leather Interior retrim including replacing the seats with tombstone ones New wheels and tyres (Cades Enos with a bit of dish) Fully detailed engine bay Follow her progress in "Members Cars" in the forum.
Read more...
News Flash!
  • Future Classic Cars
  • for all modern classic cars from the 80's onwards

Latest Club news

Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0

Catch up on the latest news, updates, forum rules and announcements.

SITE RULES! PLEASE READ!

Please take a moment to read the rules for using our club forum.

  1.   ONLY 1 MEMBER ACCOUNT PER PERSON
  2.   NO POSTS / VIDEOS ABOUT MEMBERS ILLEGAL STREET RACING. WE DO NOT CONDONE BREAKING THE LAW. FCC CANNOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY CONTENT POSTED.
  3. WE ARE A BUSY FORUM, AND ALL POSTS ARE MODERATED BY OUR HIGHLY EXPERIENCED TEAM OF MODERATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS. POSTS MAY BE EDITED/DELETED IF DEEMED NECESSARY, AND YOU MAY / MAY NOT BE INFORMED OF THIS.
  4. OUR TEAM WILL WHERE NECESSARY ISSUE WARNINGS REGARDING FORUM CONDUCT, FROM POSTS TO THREATENING BEHAVIOR. WE ALSO DO NOT TOLERATE RACISM/BULLYING IN ANY FORM.
  5. IF YOU RECEIVE A WARNING, YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS TO WHAT IT WAS ISSUED FOR. IF YOU WISH TO ASK FOR MORE INFO REGARDING THE WARNING, THEN PLEASE PM THE MODERATOR / ADMINISTRATOR WHO ISSUED THE WARNING. DO NOT DISCUSS IT IN THE FORUM. PLEASE ALSO BE AWARE THAT THE MODERATORS / ADMINISTRATORS DECISION IS FINAL.
  6. ANYONE FOUND BEING ABUSIVE TO ANY OF THE CIVIC5 TEAM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WILL BE INSTANTLY BANNED. OUR TEAM VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO RUN THIS SITE, AND RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CARRY OUT FORUM DUTIES WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING VERBALLY / PHYSICALLY ABUSED.
  7. IF USING THE CLASSIFIEDS SECTION, BE AWARE THAT ALL TRANSACTIONS ARE SOLEY BETWEEN THE MEMBERS BUYING/SELLING.
  8. OUR CLUB IS A FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL ONE, SO PLEASE JOIN IN AND ENJOY!

Subforums

  1. Forum How to Guides

    Full colour How to Guides for using the forum.

    5
    posts

12 topics in this forum

  1. Competition time!! Free Bluetooth hands free/MP3 player

    By Dave,   
    • 2 replies
    • 694 views

  2. Change to Members Cars

    By Dave,
    • 1 reply
    • 252 views

  3. The boss taking a sabatical - please read

    By Dave,
    • 4 replies
    • 330 views

  4. Future Classic Cars - The End

    By Dave,   
    • 0 replies
    • 119 views

  5. New staff member!

    By Dave,
    • 2 replies
    • 354 views

  6. New addition - MOT history checker

    By Dave,
    • 0 replies
    • 490 views

  7. Upgrdade complete

    By Dave,
    • 0 replies
    • 394 views

  8. Adrian Flux Insurance joins Future Classic Cars

    By Dave,   
    • 0 replies
    • 334 views

  9. Website and Forum now officially open!

    By Dave,
    • 0 replies
    • 226 views

  10. testing youtube button

    By Dave,
    • 1 reply
    • 395 views

  11. Latest wee update

    By Dave,
    • 0 replies
    • 349 views

  12. Our brand new website and forum.

    By Dave,
    • 0 replies
    • 320 views
Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0
×

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of UseGuidelines..

  I accept