R3spcts Blue Smurf MX5

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 8:58 pm

Just bought a MX5, but is unknown condition, dont want to line tow if anyone has a trailer i could borrow or rent this week?

Euen · Post by **Euen** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:21 pm

It would help if you said where you are and where the car is.

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:34 pm

Doh.

Im in WestHarbour Auckland, car is out the back of Silverdale.

halberd · Post by **halberd** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:41 am

I picked up an MX5 recently that had a blown motor. I got a trailer from Hirequip, it was about $85 if I remember correctly. It had a winch and everything and we had it for like 12 hours or something, it's probably cheaper for a couple hours.

Kieran · Post by **Kieran** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:32 am

I rented a trailer the other day $37.50 for half a day

dynofiend · Post by **dynofiend** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:52 am

When I needed one I just made it. Got friendly with a south american car dealer, and he let me use his workshop after hours. Unfortunately on its first outing the wheel hub failed! Luckily I was able to rig up a tree branch as a replacement wheel, and finally made it to Nevada on time for the big event.

Sorry, couldnt resist. I may have just hired one at less than $50, but the above story sounded way better

punkoutnz · Post by **punkoutnz** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:28 pm

Haha, half way through that sentence I was thinking "boy this sounds familiar!"

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 3:59 pm

Rented one from place in Albany, had to pay whole day as they dont do part days, but made it a little easier to deliver back when i was finished.

Car starts and can move under its own power, will see what $800 gets me in surprises when i get time to give it a good going over.

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:01 pm

I suppose i should start a topic, but whats the best way to sort a fogged up rear window?

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:24 pm

viewtopic.php?t=10016

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 4:36 pm

I have a transport trailer, doesn't have a winch on it, but can borrow it if you want to, if the car can move on it's own power, or you can push it on. It even has a WOF on it, first time in 8 years we found out when we did it.

I'm in Dairy Flat, so just down the road from Silverdale, so would just mean a bit of back tracking. Born_disturbed and SPRSTA has borrowed it in the past, and it worked ok for them.

sprsta · Post by **sprsta** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:14 pm

you can get things on it that don't move under their own power without a winch!

Cheers Donovan

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:40 pm

r3spct wrote:I suppose i should start a topic, but whats the best way to sort a fogged up rear window?

You can polish them out!

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:57 pm

By fogged i meant its opaque, but have found that plastic polish can apparently make a significant difference, so will give that a go.

Ive got a huge to do list on this car, its a bit rugged, has a wof, but not sure how due a couple of things ive seen so far while getting it on and off the trailer.

Hopefully i will squeeze it in the garage and put dehumidifier inside and try dry it out a bit, boot is damp, drivers seat is wet as the drivers window doesnt drive on the motor, and was open by maybe 10mm.

Will prob take it for a run around the block tommorow and see what else is blatantly obvious.

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:08 pm

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Rescued from someone who rescued it and didnt make a particularly good job of saving it, hopefully its not beyond saving still.

Runs ok, and goes quite well on a short drive, fairly impressed with the power, but its been overheated and was blowing steam after a very short blip up the road and back, light brown goop under oil cap is def pointing to a blown headgasket. Also must be a hole that steam is escaping from, although its not leaving green puddles of coolant.

Drivers sill was full of water, cleared the drains and the water was clear, fingers crossed that doesnt cause any issues down the track, apparently its common for the drains to block?

Im a tall bugger, so will be looking at modifying the drivers seat for more room, aparently you can remove the rails to get the seat lower.

Roof is poor condition, so will be keeping an eye out for a replacement, but a hard top would be preferable, as the soft top is good enough for emergencys.

The to do list is fairly long, its got a Wof, but whoever did it must have been blind, rego is on hold so i will prob keep it in storage til i get some other projects out the way and i can put it up on stands and give it a good going over.

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:15 pm

Can I ask where you picked it up from?
I did know of a blue MX5 that had been sitting in tall grass since January.
All it had was a leaking water pump.
He wanted absolutely stupid money for it so didn't bother with it...

punkoutnz · Post by **punkoutnz** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:36 pm

Was at Waitoki. Mate of mine grabbed it cheap with the idea of doing it up so we towed it out to his farm. I didn't realise by "his" project he meant I'd have to do all the work on it, and I got sick of driving all the way out there so bailed and he did a pretty poor job of finishing off the work that needed doing (or rather, did next to nothing on it since I threw in the towel) so Darryl picked it up and hopefully it lives to see another day!

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:47 pm

Guy out the back of Silverdale on a farm, he got it from Greylynn i think, had a broken cam belt and hard top. Hardtop has been sold to another forum member here.

I also know of a red one with a hard top that has been unused for about 3 or 4 years, i might use some of my tax money and see if she will part with it cheap, it will def need a huge birthday, then combine the best bits into one good car and sell the other for low reserve and see what i can get back from the deal.

Water pump was changed when cambelt was done, so dont know if its maybe blown a hose or something and then overheated, he said it threw the water pump belt, but i cant see why it would have unless the alternator has seized or something, belt is on and pump and alt are turning ok atm.

Aircon blows cold, radio doesnt make any sound, has a cd stacker on the rear tray which will def be going, driver door lock doesnt work and window wont control on the winder.

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:01 pm

Snap post lol.

punkoutnz · Post by **punkoutnz** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:24 pm

You must be a slow typer, there was a good 11 minutes between those posts

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:36 pm

[quote="r3spct"]I also know of a red one with a hard top that has been unused for about 3 or 4 years...quote]
I might be keen also if you don't go through with it...

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:55 pm

I think the red one is only worth 1500 max due to how long its been sitting, 4 new tires, all new fluids, think the soft top is a writeoff, new discs and pads, paint is very faded. Im going to offer 1200 and see what she says, offered her 1k a while ago and she was not interested, but i think it needs 1200 to 1500 spent to get it up to any sort of standard. If i do get it i might be only keeping the roof and selling on once i get it to wof and reg standard.

Will see what happens i guess and let you know.

Had a look at a few things that were concerning me with the blue car tonight, and a rust spot on A pillar turns out to be a small dent that has surface rust, doesnt go as far under windscreen seal as i thought, so easy enough fix. Sills have been primered but not painted and there is a little bit of surface rust under the chrome trim, think that will tidy up ok.

Put the roof up and dehumidifier in it for the night to try dry it out.

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Tue Jun 19, 2012 11:05 pm

The blue beast has a Rego, so went for the club cruise on Sunday, minor problem with the water pump belt, have since fitted a new water pump pulley and belt, fingers crossed that sorts it.

Drivers side window regulator was broken, lower cable had rusted out, managed to repair it tonight by using a slightly modified bike brake cable, got it all rewound and tensioned ok, just got to put it back in now and test. Might pull passengers side one out and service too, this one moves very nice and smooth now.

New stereo and speakers fitted, Domain headunit for the win, its got SD card and usb.

Hoping to find a smaller steering wheel for my long legs, hopefully got one lined up from James. I want to butcher up the drivers seat too, but also dont want to make it impossible for short people to drive. Removing the drivers side door pull handle has given me a decent amount of room for right knee.

r3spct · Post by **r3spct** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 5:41 pm

Been out a couple of times in the car now, starting to get a feel of it.

Factory headers are leaking somewhere in the center of the collector, was looking at how i could repair them when i realised what a awful design the collector is, all crushed tubes, yuck. Might cut whole lot off and make a new collector.

Will post up a wanted thread, but does anyone have a set of NA factory headers lying in junk pile?

Driving last night and this avo, and smell of coolant is getting stronger, turns out there is a leak in heater core, passengers footwell under carpet is soaked, sigh. Im assuming this is going to be a partial dash out job and im gutted as i was hoping to drive it around this weekend.

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 7:43 pm

Loop the two heater tubes together where they go through the firewall- this will allow coolant to flow from the back of the head straight back into the mixing manifold. this will by-pass the heater [& leaks] untill you get sorted & will allow you to carry on driving.

R3spcts Blue Smurf MX5

R3spcts Blue Smurf MX5

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