248 replies to this topic

[Tuuurtle]

Ready for Hoon rash Bob. Can you get as close as possible to Mark first run its looking to good

I was just thinking that! Looks great now Bob mate, I really need my VX sorted like that. What is the going rate for a good machine polish & wax?

[G-Bob]

Well last time the car was in the Garage they commented on the fact that it was going to need some welding done on the sills so I took it to Scott at Resto-weld in Edinburgh.

 

This guy's entire business is welding and restoring sections of cars and was recommended to me by quite a few people so in good hands.

 

I took it out to him for a quote to get the rear section at the drivers wheel arch sorted, which is a common place for MX5's to get the dreaded rot.   All was agreed and I dropped it off to him a couple of days later.

 

He started the job and then gave me a call to say that it was MUCH worse than it originally appeared.  After tapping with his hand only, the whole sill started to disintegrate.  

Here's what it looked like after a little tap:

 

 

So we agreed a slightly revised price and he continued.  he had to go and get a complete box section, weld it in, fabricate a section at the back, grind it back, rust-proof it, skim it, prime, stone protection stuff and paint.

 

So it was ground back and prepped:

 

New panel fitted:

 

and inside, turns out is was in quite bad shape under here before:

 

Rear quarter rot cut out and removed:

 

[color=rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;]New panel section welded in place, ground back and lightly skimmed with filler to seamlessly blend into the original panel.[/color]

 

 

Inside, the metal sections were treated to stop any further rust appearing:

 

Rear section in primer:

 

Finished off and ready to be cleaned when I get the chance:

 

Quite happy with the job and it means that the car is solid for another few years.  

[ghand]

Just shows you don't know what your driving around in, just think if you had a bump LOL. Seriously, it lives to fight another few years, do you think you should have stuck with the VX ?

[G-Bob]

One of the things that people on the forums complain about is that the car feels a bit slack and the chassis needs stiffened up.  They attach sections and rails to make it stiffer.

 

I now believe that a lot of their issues could be down to rot.  The car feels loads stiffer and sharper and doesn't move around as much over the bumps so I am happy.   The previous MOT said that the drivers sill was an advisory, but I'm thinking more and more that it was a "friendly" MOT.

[G-Bob]

On the vx front.... I really don't get that much to drive my fun car at the moment, and when I have had the chance there's been a lot of commuting.  The VX was sh*t at commuting in Edinburgh because the roads are sh*t, so at the moment I don't miss it.

 

I miss the looks and the posing element of the VX, but my chances to use the car to it's potential now is minimal so a sharpish open top car that I can have fun in and go longer journeys like the MX5 is ideal.

 

 

Edited by G-Bob, 27 October 2013 - 08:58 PM.

[Claws]

Not being smart and didn't want to say on Facebook, but do you think that is partly to blame for why I didn't "get" the car/mx5 hype/characteristics/tightness when I had a shot at Kames? Glad to see it's ship shape now, hope it didn't dent the wallet too much. Back to perfect for more happy miles of motoring

[G-Bob]

It could be. The car wobbled diagonally when coming on and off the power which made the handling interesting at best. I always thought it was an engine mount but Scott reckoned this could be a big part of it. Still think my rear shocks might be on their way out though

[Claws]

Your rear shocks are definitely past their best. I'll need to check Karen's laptop, should have the footage from the Kinlochleven loop. Bouncy is the theme That sounds like it, plus going back to back on a track with the VX on a twisty track like Kames will only highlight any weaknesses. Hope it tightens it up as the initial turn in is spot on

[nicollow]

Was I not invited to Kames? 

 

Glad its a bit more solid Bob, looks like a colander in the "before" shot

 

[G-Bob]

The eibach springs are quite nice without being extreme so I'll probably just replace the shocks with standard non-15year-old ones. Will make a big difference.

[G-Bob]

Was I not invited to Kames?    Glad its a bit more solid Bob, looks like a colander in the "before" shot  

Looks like ly_Scott's stock car in the before pictures.

[Claws]

You were away Nicol, work possibly?

[G-Bob]

Scott was supposed to be organising another one.

[nicollow]

You were away Nicol, work possibly?

 

Probably, beed away a sh*t load of late     Any plans for a track outing before the end of the year?

[G-Bob]

I'm wanting to do knockhill before the end of the year.

[nicollow]

I'm wanting to do knockhill before the end of the year.

 

Ditto. Not taken the charger on track yet

[G-Bob]

 

I'm wanting to do knockhill before the end of the year.

 

Ditto. Not taken the charger on track yet

 

 

There's a couple coming up.

I might just take the shed up to one of the cheap hot-hatch days.  

[nicollow]

Is there a Sat one?

 

Theres one on Sunday 10th of November. Keen?

Edited by nicollow, 27 October 2013 - 09:33 PM.

[G-Bob]

I'd be up for that.

[Claws]

I'm just back my holidays then, so the car won't be ready, but I will turn up if you guys are going on