goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,875
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Apr 24, 2012 21:22:20 GMT
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Yeah, the steering wheels is a direct swap. I'd love a Nardi Classic for mine.
There's a surprising amount of mx5 parts that will swap back and forth with minimal or no modification. For example the gearbox is basically an mx5 gearbox (well i guess it's the other way round!) and I'm hoping to switch to mx5 ratios at some stage, it's got a longer 1st which is a bit more useful.
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Apr 24, 2012 22:41:43 GMT
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Oooh, that's interesting. I didn't know about the MX5 boxes being compatible... More info to lock away for when it's required. Aye, it was on eBay, based in Camberley iirc. Anyway, good luck with the rebuild.
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If the 55,000 mile engine is a good runner then I would leave it well alone and just use it. In the meantime you can slowly build a real stinker of a quick engine out of your old one. It's quite amazing how far the housings can be worn and they still build up into a good usable motor. My one has a fair bit of chrome gone around the edges and one big scrape in a housing surface near the exhaust port. I think you can safely run a housing with chrome peel up to 3 or 4 mm in. As for scrapes etc if they are on the exhaust swept area you can get away with some. This is all for cheaply built, rough as engines that will see you having fun and not for engines you would expect to last another 100,000.
Our first rx7 eventually lost compression at 120,000 but I had been doing all the wrong things like not warming it up and driving it very hard cold plus well over revving it. In fact i don't even know if it was bad compression as i knew nothing about them at that point and just gave up selling the car on. It could have been something really simple like ignition. Fellas in the states who warm them up and do long trips have been getting over 200,000 from original engines. My engine is pretty lose and only just within the Mazda specs when I rebuilt it but it was a cheap car project so I threw it back together with new water seals and replacement centre plate ( the old one had the frost damage) It starts and runs fine. It's ever so slightly noisy ( sort of zingy) till warm but then it flys.
Make sure you rebuild it yourself- they are soooooo easy to build and all the info/ help is out there. Very satisfying to do.
Your mx5 looks f--king hot on those wheels!
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Last Edit: Apr 26, 2012 5:54:34 GMT by yoeddynz
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Yeah, the steering wheels is a direct swap. I'd love a Nardi Classic for mine. There's a surprising amount of mx5 parts that will swap back and forth with minimal or no modification. For example the gearbox is basically an mx5 gearbox (well I guess it's the other way round!) and I'm hoping to switch to mx5 ratios at some stage, it's got a longer 1st which is a bit more useful. And if I have the same RX7 wheel in my 323 then I can get an MX5 one too? Sounds awesome!
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,875
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If the 55,000 mile engine is a good runner then I would leave it well alone and just use it. In the meantime you can slowly build a real stinker of a quick engine out of your old one. ....... Make sure you rebuild it yourself- they are soooooo easy to build and all the info/ help is out there. Very satisfying to do. Your mx5 looks f--king hot on those wheels! Yeah that is the plan I'm leaning towards. Either way I'd like to do the rebuild myself, never done it before and gotta be a nice challenge As you say stock 12a's can seem like they go on forever, and I like to think on the whole I've been nice to mine, but I guess i've no idea what the previous owner did, so I wont really know why it's lost compression till I pop it open. I'm a huge fan of these wheels too. It doesn't help with the thought in the back of my head wondering what the rx7 would be like on steels..... AFAIK Timmy, if you've got the same wheel you should have no issues putting an mx5 wheel on.
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gutting news on the lump I'm currently looking for a new engine for my fiesta, loving the mx5, those pictures taken on spring lane by any chance? not far from the spa?
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,875
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Cheers dude. Yeah the pictures were taken on spring lane Mx5 will be for sale in a week or two, so if you're that taken with it..... I picked up a new block on Saturday It's from an identical rx7 so all my parts should bolt right upto it, including the flywheel which is good news. When last used it had good compression and is pretty low millage, believed about 55,000. So the plan is to bolt it in and get the Rx7 back on the road and the Mx5 sold. Then when I've got more time I'll break my 12a open and see what it's like. If the housings have survived I think I'l be having a go a rebuild and home bridgeport! ;D When I picked up the engine on Saturday I was hoping I'd have it swapped in ready for Japfest this Saturday but the weather is not being friendly. Every time I'm not at work it's raining. My mate Tom and I made a start on stripping the old engine down ready to be pulled out in the drizzle the other day but then it came on to rain more and we gave it up as a bad job. I continue to hope to that I'll be done for Saturday but it's looking less and less likely. Really looking forward to getting back out driving Rexanne, the mx5 is alright but it's just not the same.
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,875
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May 15, 2012 12:01:08 GMT
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So thursday afternoon, with some help from Tom, I got the engine out. And we made a start on swapping the parts over to the new block. Friday morning I finished dressing it. Doesn't look as nice and shiny as my old one, but the main thing is it works! Friday was pretty manic as I had to get the engine in and tested by 5pm in order to phone insurance otherwise I'd be taking the mx5 to Japfest! So pictures got fotgotten about. The only one I've got is the new engine in the bay. It fired right up and ran great, which is awesome news! So we went for a test ride. And I made it to Japfest. I'm so glad Ichanged the engine as we had 4 hours of queues to get into Japfest so did lots of hot starting and the new engine was good as gold. So yeah so pleased to be back on the road. It took me a few minutes to get used to the silly clutch again and the heavy steering, but it just feels so much more 'right' . ;D ;D ;D ;D Next step is to finish my mums mx5 repairs then I can take my old engine to bits and start to port it ready for rebuild!
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May 15, 2012 15:52:23 GMT
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Sorry to hear about the 7, was one of my favorites i've seen around for a long time! I'm sure you will get it back up and running again, in the meantime you have another cool car! Ace. Good luck.
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May 15, 2012 16:05:21 GMT
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Sorry to hear about the 7, was one of my favorites i've seen around for a long time! I'm sure you will get it back up and running again, in the meantime you have another cool car! Ace. Good luck. Look up a single post I love this car. It's most excellent.
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xrmike
Part of things
Posts: 165
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May 15, 2012 18:22:27 GMT
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Wow! So glad your back up and running. I'm loving all the hard work you have put in! Shame your so far from me! Theres no-one up my end really! Ive just got mine back on the road, just fitted a Knightsports FCD and got a decat to go on
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Good work on getting another engine in. What did you pay for it? I bet you paid way cheaper than what we pay here in nz for a good running motor. In fact it's damn near impossible to find an original unopened 12a now in nz.
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s122a
Part of things
Posts: 56
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May 16, 2012 14:41:48 GMT
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Good work on getting another engine in. What did you pay for it? I bet you paid way cheaper than what we pay here in nz for a good running motor. In fact it's damn near impossible to find an original unopened 12a now in nz. He paid Exile mates rates Alex plus he got a cup of coffee thrown in. So glad the engine is going well Steve, I did say it was a good engine. She may have sat for nearly 2 years, but she was filled and turned regular.............just like I do my women ;D
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May 16, 2012 16:27:51 GMT
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Look up a single post I love this car. It's most excellent. Woops haha! How on earth did i miss that?
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,875
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May 16, 2012 19:21:26 GMT
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Thanks Elmo and Dougie It is nice to be back behind the wheel of this old girl. Nice looking FC you've got there xrmike. There's rotary fans spread all over the place if you know where to look, where are you based? Alex, yes I did pay mates rates, which was very kind of Jase Maybe one day rotary bits will be worth as much here as in the southern hemisphere. But hopefully not until I'm about to sell up hahaha.
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xrmike
Part of things
Posts: 165
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May 17, 2012 16:43:19 GMT
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Cheers. I'm from near Chester. I'm hoping to go to a show this year to meet other rotary owners and their cars!
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May 17, 2012 18:32:07 GMT
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I've been driving past your house for ages and admiring the RX7 and other vehicles, I work round the corner, Link Business Centre, Howsell Road, lovely looking car and great thread - I'll continue to admire on a regular basis
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Good on ya Jase for sorting him out. Keep a look out for any other motors though and put them in a pile for me. I wanna pick up some spares while I'm over. BTW Jase- i think you ought to update your RX2 thread on here eh! ;D
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goldnrust
West Midlands
Minimalist
Posts: 1,875
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May 19, 2012 15:31:09 GMT
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You should definitely get along to show shows Mike, most owners are friendly Cheers Cerbsp6 Have you got a retro ride? I'll keep an eye out for you round Malvern.
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s122a
Part of things
Posts: 56
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Good on ya Jase for sorting him out. Keep a look out for any other motors though and put them in a pile for me. I wanna pick up some spares while I'm over. BTW Jase- I think you ought to update your RX2 thread on here eh! ;D Hi Alex, how long are you over for? and when lol. Uncle Era has a few 12A's under his work bench, drop him a message I'll update my RX2 thread shortly. Still waiting to get back down to get it tuned up. Had a few issues but have a plan to put it right.
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