What you put in, you'll get back ten fold
***** THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE SITE AND HELPING YOU,OTHERWISE IT CLOSES AND ALL THIS ON LINE GARAGE IS GONE FOR GOOD*****

Greetings and welcome to menders, this site was built for every owner that might need her to help keep those bills low and also keep them on the road where they belong, she is run by very passionate enthusiasts owners for passionate enthusiastic owners, see her like a on line garage, there is a lot of tech stuff hopefully explained for everyone to use, if there is something you cannot get your head around, or you feel that there is a strong walk through guide missing that needs creating by one of us or from yourselves, please let us know, we are also on false book and youtube, which as short tech vids to help, and again if you feel there is a vid that would help please get it touch.
the menders is free, but like everything there is a cost to run things and bills( we are just happy its not a heating cost), so if we have saved you hundreds, please throw a small donation in the pot so we can keep on going to carry on helping others in the same way .

*** we are currently looking for a sponsor for this year, so if you have the passion and can see this sites worth to everyone , please get in touch and step forward to help***

And thank heavens that we are now on the way back up the brighter ,warmer longer days, "come on summer", and lets see those project builds.


M-m

Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

A place for members to show off their pride and joy. Also room to document your projects.
Incalcitrant
Just Run In
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:29 am
Location: Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Contact:

Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Incalcitrant » Sat Aug 23, 2014 3:54 pm

First post in here! Well, I'll get to what I've done so far today (whilst I have a quick snack) then I'll fill in the story of this car later!

Today's job is to sort out two electrical jobs, firstly the cigarette lighter doesn't work (I'm almost an ex-smoker, but it's handy for charging the phone!) and to fit properly the tracker that I've "thrown in" to test it.

First job was to get a decent source of power for both of these items, the cigarette lighter hasn't ever worked since I had the vehicle; it's drawing current but at the detriment of the stereo cutting-out. I think there is a huge volt-drop somewhere bought about by damaged wiring somewhere behind the dashboard, the stereo barely receives 12.2/12.4v even in an engine running condition which suffices for just the stereo but any other load on this circuit is too much. I had a quick look but I frankly would rather just wire in a new circuit than mess about repairing 26 year old cabling.


---
First things first, get your workmate in position, meet Henry!
Image

The goal of this mornings' work was to fit a supplementary fuse box, this gives me more scope if I want to add on any further electrical circuits in the future, more-over it properly protects whatever it is that I'm fitting! No more hidden fuses behind the dashboard, or worse no fuses at all!

Found some 17A rated automotive cable, bit overkill but it allows a bit more scope in the future, time to get to work!

Image
I started with the supply to the fusebox, the plan being to add a new fuseway in to the factory fusebox (fused to 20A) then brach off to this smaller box fitted next to it, initially I thought I'd only fit the two fuseways and leave two redundant. Thinking about what a total 'tit-sore' it'd be to add the other two in later I changed my plan!

Image
Yeah, that's how I do it.

Image
Twist that bunch of copper up, I've left the copper tails VERY long on this as I knew I was going to have to pre-heat this to stand any chance of getting a decent connection with a normal soldering iron. I gave it a 'big one' with a propane torch to get some heat in there first!

No picture but I go there in the end, managed to not wick any solder under the insulation, took about 2' of solder though, heat-shrunk and dressed!

Terminated the four supply sides off with insulated spades, heat-shrunk and neatened up a bit!
Image

Image
This old motorcycle loom of one of my old Hondas was knocking about in my garage, it donated a couple of fuse-way sockets that I fettled with in the vice to make a new fuseway in the factory box!

Image
Best of a bad-bunch! I love Weller irons, and whilst gas-iron is still a bit poo, it's better than any of the others I've ever used!
Image

To the car, excuse the mess!

Image
More general jiggery-pokery with the donated connectors, more heatshrink, solder and fiddling about!

Image
One new fuseway fitted in to the factory box with a 20A fuse, this protects the accessory box, it's probably totally overkill but "in for a penny" as they say.

Image
This fuse will take power from this cable, which seems to be the main permanent live feed in to the fusebox?

That's it for now, having typed this it's amazing it's taken nearly four hours to fiddle about and do this!
User avatar
blackyb
Moderator
Posts: 1524
Joined: Tue Sep 17, 2013 8:41 pm
Location: Scarborough

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby blackyb » Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:18 pm

I can wire up a house but auto electrics scare me to death.

Good post keep it up buddy

:text-thankyouyellow:
1993 1.6 Eunos Roadster (gone)
1998 UK Mk 2 1.6 (gone)
2003 1.8 SVT Sport (shouldnt have sold it)
1991 1.6 Eunos Roadster with a bit of bling.

Life is a journey, best travelled topless in an MX5!!
User avatar
Mazda Mender
Site Admin
Posts: 15069
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2011 6:18 pm
Location: Pie land, in the glen of Wiganshire
Contact:

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Mazda Mender » Mon Aug 25, 2014 10:42 pm

Look at it all the same way Bry, just different voltages. :wink:
:text-coolphotos: :text-imwithstupid: :text-goodpost: Keep them coming Andy :handgestures-thumbup: :coffee:
M-m
The Disclaimer:-
This post is a natural product made from recycled electrons. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects, the articles/answers/comments are provided for information purposes and they are not intended to substitute informed professional advice, I or mazdamenders.net cannot personally be hold responsible for any damage occurred from following this procedure or any injuries from it. Proceed at your own risk.


Mk 1 Eunos 93 black V.S II 1.8 ,
Mk 2 .1/4 Roadster 99 black & gold V.S 1.8 .
Mk 1 Eunos 90 1.6 soul red ..f/ build
MK 2.1/4 Blue V.S Roadster 1.8 99 ..
MK1 1.8 ,white import.. (Ashleighs)
MK1 1.6 yellow J ltd import.f/build
MK 1 1.8 black Tokyo Ltd..f/build


http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/ http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/ http://miata.net/ http://www.autolinkuk.co.uk/
Incalcitrant
Just Run In
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:29 am
Location: Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Contact:

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Incalcitrant » Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:58 pm

Cheers guys,

blackb, I'll also wire up houses (although I work as an industrial spark normally) don't be scared of autoelectrics - once you've got your head around how it works it's not too bad!

Lots more to come, just getting the time to compose everything!
Incalcitrant
Just Run In
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:29 am
Location: Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Contact:

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Incalcitrant » Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:52 am

Little job yesterday evening I've been meaning to do for ages.

The relay holder on my inner wing is empty, with one SPNO hacked in (this had replaced the Mazda LA10 relay) for the horn, and the dim-dip relay that'd been removed, obviously this looks gash and is asking for electrical gremlins to rear their heads further down the line.

Image
This job requires a Rupert to supervise.

Image
A cable tie had been used to hold the SPNO in, no insulated spades or waterproofing, a proper DIY job.

Image
I bought this in error, found it in the back of the garage, and whilst logically I knew I could use the LA10 relay the plug wires would need working out, however luck was on my side as the only multiplug I had kicking about as a spare was an exact wiring colour match!


Image
To work, started soldering and heatshrinking - note the glaring error in this photograph!

Image
Swapped the whole bracket over rather than fart-about swapping the relays as this bracket hasn't had a cover for some years by the state of it!

Image
Loom dressed and clipped in!

Image
Also found a cover, sorry for the noisiest photograph in the world!

Image
The engine bay is in a hell of a state, not happy with it at the moment, but little jobs like this are a start!

===
Image
A few weeks ago I treated the wiper arms to a coat of Satin Black paint, bought them up like brand new and made the whole car look a lot smarter, that's until one night in the pouring rain this happened!!
Image

Image
Bellend here hadn't tightened the spindle nut enough and errorded the spindle, I really didn't fancy farting about changing the wiper motor, and remaching the spindle looked an utter ballache.

I pinched a bit of a product I use at work (the stuff holds the UK water industry together, that's Dow Corning 744!) the ultimate gunger-upper-er, it's a very, very, very sticky silicone sealer that remains flexible when try. Don't confuse it with normal silicone, this stuff will happily bond metal and even worse skin!

A good glob of that left overnight, coupled with a really good tightening of the wiper-arm nut seems to have done the trick. I used this product as, with a puller the arm could be removed in the future for a windscreen change etc.
Incalcitrant
Just Run In
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:29 am
Location: Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Contact:

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Incalcitrant » Sun Nov 02, 2014 4:38 pm

So, yesterday was MOT day.

.....and things didn't go as smoothly as I might have hoped.

Turns out the whoever did the welding on the car before I had it wasn't really a very good welder, not by a long chalk.

Lots more to come over the next month or two when this turns in to a full restoration!
User avatar
DavesBRG5
Moderator
Posts: 2311
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:37 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby DavesBRG5 » Sun Nov 02, 2014 9:37 pm

Bugger! Hope you soon get it sorted.
DAVE

1992 1.6 BRG V-Spec - 2003 MK2.5 Sport - 1992 ROADSTER 1.6.
Incalcitrant
Just Run In
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:29 am
Location: Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Contact:

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Incalcitrant » Sat Nov 29, 2014 8:13 pm

This is copied from another forum, and is provided purely for your entertainment or intrigue. Feel free to ask any questions!

====

It's been a while since I paid my poor old MX5 the blindest bit of attention, infact as I have a company credit card for fueling my company wagon I had to look back through my bank statement to find the last time I put petrol in the poor thing, that was ÂŁ10 worth of Tescos finest at the start of September.

One thing however that did crop up, was that the MOT was rapidly approaching its due date. Thankfully I have a tame NT in the shape of my brother-in-law who said he'd test it and bear-in-mind it was a seldom used 25 year old car.

Well;


That'll I'll accept on a 25 year old car, namely I'd disturbed a fuse doing the electrical mods in the post above (thankfully I haven't driven the vehicle at night since!) so numpty here felt a bit of an idiot whilst brother in law decided to rip the living p*ss out of me.
"Like you'd present me a vehicle without working lamps...."
"Yeah... fair play...."

The calliper leak was a bit of a non-fault, some paint had peeled around the union, inconclusive, cleaned up and pressure tested the brake system without any issue, something to keep an eye on but seeing as the brake fluid level hasn't moved since I've owned the car I wasn't panicked.

Weirdly this stressed me out more:

The welding that's been carried out on this car is shocking, my brother in law called me over from outside puffing a smoke (nothing worse that, being watched testing a car) and obviously waiting until the end of the test to comply with VOSA regulation he looked at me, with an odd look on his face, his eyes gesturing to the underside of the car

"What do you think?"
"Oh....."

The underneath of this car is legal, but it's been arc welded, and not very well...... The very definition of a 'barely adequate repair' throughout. I have no photographs and whilst the bits that have been remedied have been very expertly fabricated (a stunning job, we were impressed by the skill to form the metal) the welding is.... naff...... To say the least, I'm a barely competent welder myself but I KNOW that even I can manage a better job than that, and my arc welder will be staying in the shed throughout!

So the car is off the road until I've resolved this, hell, she's getting a soft-restoration!

And today, it started..... I always work "back-to-front" restoring a car.
===
Small electrical maladies;

This car is riddled with electrical issues, firstly is why the bloody battery is flat every-time I try to use the car, there must be some sort of parasitic load thinks Benham, after a few days the damn thing is knackered and the battery was only replaced in January....


Taken on a toaster...... I won't admit I also trade as a photographer in my spare time.....

[img]
(Other brand of meter are available, but not worth buying....)
100mA parasitic load, hmm.... Be surprised the stereo is pulling that much current, but it doesn't explain a flat battery in 24 hours either. Inconclusive but something to keep an eye on.

Out of interest if anybody fancies a load test, mine pulls 1.6A with no accessories in 'run' condition.

(My meter is 'out-of-cal' so I'd give 2% either way) - being the good instrument engineer I am...)

Reconnected the battery, don't do this with an extension... The spare-wheel is a rather nice earth....

Next thing to sort was the L/H stereo channel dropping in and out....... Not a massive thing but bloody irritating.
Reconnected the battery and of course the stereo found "China-In-Your-Hand FM" the cancer of local radio......

"Radio for people who don't like music, as a good friend of mine once remarked."

The stereo is fitted with one of those bloody awful ISO Plug adaptor things, wiggling that caused the L/H channgel to drop out so I pinched the contacts back together and gave it a nice liberal dose of switch-cleaner.


I'll wire this in properly when I get a chance.


That's better, by the way these Sendai stereos are dire.......

===
Time for some spannering!

I must replace the rear brake lines, but first it was time for a bit of a tidy-up!


Not terrible, I whipped out the arch liner (more on this later) and had a good poke around, apart from some lazy undersealing it wasn't half as bad as I imagined under there!



Time to strip the brakes down to replace the pipes, fit some braided hoses, and generally have a bit of a tidy-up!

Found that the NSR caliper slider pin had been replaced by something laying around in the previous owners spares box, this is a 3/8" headed pin, queue Benham scrabbling around in the garage to the back of the chest for his set of seldom used AF sockets,

That'll be replaced before it goes back on the road!!


Started stripping down the NSR brake assembly!


Light started diminishing rapidly by this time! Must have tool, huge reusable cable tie for supporting calipers!


Stay tuned when this comes out tomorrow morning!

=== Left that there and moved in doors!===


The arch liner got a good bath, in fruity shower-gel no less (the biochemist in me telling me this would work, which it did, and my tatty old nail brush!)


Borrowed Herbie's towel to dry it off with, then attacked it with 'Benham's Awesome Sauce' and a hairdryer!




Looks very nearly brand new!

Phew, lots more to come tomorrow (got more than 90 minutes on the car!
Incalcitrant
Just Run In
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:29 am
Location: Flitwick, Bedfordshire
Contact:

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Incalcitrant » Sat Nov 29, 2014 8:23 pm

It's been a while since I paid my poor old MX5 the blindest bit of attention, infact as I have a company credit card for fueling my company wagon I had to look back through my bank statement to find the last time I put petrol in the poor thing, that was ÂŁ10 worth of Tescos finest at the start of September.

One thing however that did crop up, was that the MOT was rapidly approaching its due date. Thankfully I have a tame NT in the shape of my brother-in-law who said he'd test it and bear-in-mind it was a seldom used 25 year old car.

Well;
Image

That'll I'll accept on a 25 year old car, namely I'd disturbed a fuse doing the electrical mods in the post above (thankfully I haven't driven the vehicle at night since!) so numpty here felt a bit of an idiot whilst brother in law decided to rip the living p*ss out of me.
"Like you'd present me a vehicle without working lamps...."
"Yeah... fair play...."

The caliper leak was a bit of a non-fault, some paint had peeled around the union, inconclusive, cleaned up and pressure tested the brake system without any issue, something to keep an eye on but seeing as the brake fluid level hasn't moved since I've owned the car I wasn't panicked.

Weirdly this stressed me out more:
Image

The welding that's been carried out on this car is shocking, my brother in law called me over from outside puffing a smoke (nothing worse that, being watched testing a car) and obviously waiting until the end of the test to comply with VOSA regulation he looked at me, with an odd look on his face, his eyes gesturing to the underside of the car

"What do you think?"
"Oh....."

The underneath of this car is legal, but it's been arc welded, and not very well...... The very definition of a 'barely adequate repair' throughout. I have no photographs and whilst the bits that have been remedied have been very expertly fabricated (a stunning job, we were impressed by the skill to form the metal) the welding is.... naff...... To say the least, I'm a barely competent welder myself but I KNOW that even I can manage a better job than that, and my arc welder will be staying in the shed throughout!

So the car is off the road until I've resolved this, hell, she's getting a soft-restoration!

And today, it started..... I always work "back-to-front" restoring a car.
===
Small electrical maladies;

This car is riddled with electrical issues, firstly is why the bloody battery is flat every-time I try to use the car, there must be some sort of parasitic load thinks Benham, after a few days the damn thing is knackered and the battery was only replaced in January....
Image

Taken on a toaster...... I won't admit I also trade as a photographer in my spare time.....

Image
(Other brand of meter are available, but not worth buying....)

100mA parasitic load, hmm.... Be surprised the stereo is pulling that much current, but it doesn't explain a flat battery in 24 hours either. Inconclusive but something to keep an eye on.

Out of interest if anybody fancies a load test, mine pulls 1.6A with no accessories in 'run' condition.
Image
(My meter is 'out-of-cal' so I'd give 2% either way) - being the good instrument engineer I am...)

Image
Reconnected the battery, don't do this with an extension... The spare-wheel is a rather nice earth....

Next thing to sort was the L/H stereo channel dropping in and out....... Not a massive thing but bloody irritating.
Reconnected the battery and of course the stereo found "China-In-Your-Hand FM" the cancer of local radio......
Image
"Radio for people who don't like music, as a good friend of mine once remarked."

The stereo is fitted with one of those bloody awful ISO Plug adaptor things, wiggling that caused the L/H channgel to drop out so I pinched the contacts back together and gave it a nice liberal dose of switch-cleaner.
Image

I'll wire this in properly when I get a chance.

Image
That's better, by the way these Sendai stereos are dire.......

===
Time for some spannering!

I must replace the rear brake lines, but first it was time for a bit of a tidy-up!
Image

Not terrible, I whipped out the arch liner (more on this later) and had a good poke around, apart from some lazy undersealing it wasn't half as bad as I imagined under there!

Image

Time to strip the brakes down to replace the pipes, fit some braided hoses, and generally have a bit of a tidy-up!

Found that the NSR caliper slider pin had been replaced by something laying around in the previous owners spares box, this is a 3/8" headed pin, queue Benham scrabbling around in the garage to the back of the chest for his set of seldom used AF sockets,

Image
That'll be replaced before it goes back on the road!!

Image

Started stripping down the NSR brake assembly!

Image
Light started diminishing rapidly by this time! Must have tool, huge reusable cable tie for supporting calipers!

Image
Stay tuned when this comes out tomorrow morning!

=== Left that there and moved in doors!===


The arch liner got a good bath, in fruity shower-gel no less (the biochemist in me telling me this would work, which it did, and my tatty old nail brush!)
Image

Borrowed Herbie's towel to dry it off with, then attacked it with 'Benham's Awesome Sauce' and a hairdryer!
Image

Image

Looks very nearly brand new!
Image
Phew, lots more to come tomorrow (got more than 90 minutes on the car!
User avatar
Mazda Mender
Site Admin
Posts: 15069
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2011 6:18 pm
Location: Pie land, in the glen of Wiganshire
Contact:

Re: Andy's 1990 mk1 MX5 - Soft Restoration

Postby Mazda Mender » Sat Nov 29, 2014 10:01 pm

That slider pin is just ace :bow-yellow:
M-m
The Disclaimer:-
This post is a natural product made from recycled electrons. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects, the articles/answers/comments are provided for information purposes and they are not intended to substitute informed professional advice, I or mazdamenders.net cannot personally be hold responsible for any damage occurred from following this procedure or any injuries from it. Proceed at your own risk.


Mk 1 Eunos 93 black V.S II 1.8 ,
Mk 2 .1/4 Roadster 99 black & gold V.S 1.8 .
Mk 1 Eunos 90 1.6 soul red ..f/ build
MK 2.1/4 Blue V.S Roadster 1.8 99 ..
MK1 1.8 ,white import.. (Ashleighs)
MK1 1.6 yellow J ltd import.f/build
MK 1 1.8 black Tokyo Ltd..f/build


http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/ http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/ http://miata.net/ http://www.autolinkuk.co.uk/

Return to “Members Mx-5/ Roadsters”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests