It’s certainly been awhile since I’ve been in the driver’s seat of an MX5.
Some may remember my supercharged NA, named The Purple Monster. I stripped this for parts in 2018 to fund my R34 GTT (which I still own).
I did own an NC1 Sport back in 2022/2023 but sold it to buy a ‘sensible diesel car’.
The current daily driver project is a 1996 Mazda 323F V6 which I purchased in January 2024. I’ve been doing Youtube for about 3 years and unfortunately there just isn’t enough content left in it. So I’ve made the decision to sell it and buy another car.
A platform that I’m familiar with, a chassis I’ve not yet done before (well, kinda…to a degree) and something that will help my Youtube channel.
Welcome to my MX5 NBFL project
The car is a 2004 NBFL Arctic Edition with a 1.8 VVT, 5 speed manual with an open diff. Currently on 119k miles.
The chrome fuel filler cap has been badly painted along with the chrome door mirror covers. These will be replaced in the future.
The softtop is in really good condition, the glass window is an added bonus
The car is on stock shock absorbers and lowering springs. These will be the first to get changed, the ride is too bouncy and it could really do with an alignment.
The first thing I checked when viewing the car was checking the condition of the sills. They’re solid and look to have been replaced at some point. The rear arches feel solid but I’ve noticed some minor bubbling. There’s also evidence of sanding marks so unsure if they’ve been replaced/repaired, the inner arch doesn’t look new.
The interior is stock with the exception of the gear shifter and stereo. The heated leather seats will come in handy during the winter months. I wasn’t sure about the blue leather but it’s slowly growing on me.
Under the bonnet (or hood) is a very dirty engine bay. A little bit of corrosion below the coolant bottle and around the PAS reservoir (I think thats common?)
I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with this project. I’ll also be documenting the build on Youtube. I’d really appreciate any subscribers, likes,comments and shares