Woooh!
The car feels even better without the hardtop on. As I was off work today and the sun was shining I decided the time was right. So glad I did, what a revelation!
My first time too, its great! that hardtop may have to stay off from now until winter time.
Feels good don`t it? [Y]
Sold my hardtop as i dont use the car much in winter & its always garaged.
Tops been down all weekend & will stay down untill Thursday if weather forecast is right.
Bit fresh early morning driving to work but with collar & windbreak up it sure feels good & certainly wakes you up.
Roll on Summer!
Roll on the summer indeed, when it shall be top and down and waving to other 5s like a mad woman!
Silly me - I thought the roof on an MX-5 was to keep the rain off and to put up to stop kids nicking your stuff while it’s parked. Never thought of having it up while driving.[;)]
If you lock the glove box and centre console then you can leave the top down when it’s parked!
They have tops??!
Last week after 3 years I finally drove my MX5 with no hard top and no roll cage on my way back from dropping off the cage to have some work done on it.
How do you guys live with the scuttle shake? I thought my wheels were going to fall off every time I hit a bump. I hated it. Hated the stupid wind noise too. How any of you prefer the car like this I don’t know. Mine must have some kind of major chassis problem. Do all mk1s shake when you hit a bump?
Oh dear Captain what an addmission to make. [:O]
Try fitting a lower strut brace. It transformed my Mk 1 and would probably imprpve yours even with the hardtop in place.
If you don’t like the wind in your hair try a wind blocker - they work as well !! [:D]
I already have a lower brace at the front (very handy for resting the gearbox on during thsoe tricky clutch changes) a lower brace at the back and an upper brace at the front. Are the later 1.8 cars much stiffer? It’d be worth knowing for when I need to reshell my '92 1.6.
My 1.8 has a thunking great piece of standard-fit scaffolding pole bolted between the seatbelt towers - and no scuttle shake whatsoever. I’ve only ever noticed the scaffolding on a later mk1 1.8 though.
My car is a late 1.8 that also has a brace behind the seat. As this is the only one I have driven I cannot compare therefore have nothing of interest to add.
[:D]
My 1.6 Mk1 didn’t scuttle shake much
You’re welcome to test my 96 with Hard Dog anytime.
I’d want a rip in your FI tho! [:P]
Had another drive today - a trip to Kent from Oundle in Northants via mainly dual carriageways and motorways. It was a bit overcast when I set out so kept the hood up for the first half of the journey, which was fine, noise levels no different to having the hardtop on., then stopped at the services near Stanstead on the M11, decided to drop the hood for the second half as it was sunny. Up to about 65mph it was great, but above that became raher too noisy and despite wearing sunglasses I was driving into the sun and found I was having to screw my eyes up. The answer being that I will have to wear a peaked cap or hat in future. The windbreak kept the draught of my neck too.
Someone mentioned that their Mk1 had scuttle shake without the hardtop on, well mines a Mk2 1.8 Sport and although it is affected by very bumpy roads, for the most part the car was great, feeling more alive and supple without the extra weight. So for anything other than high speed journeys I must say that hood will come down every opportunity i get from now on and the hardtop will stay in the garage until winter…
Deal. I should be making it to some kind of big meeting this year, see you there maybe.
I keep thinking of getting my behind sorted and going to see a drift meet - Midlands ideally - you at any sometime?
I saw the domonstration at Japfest a couple of years ago, and another at Donny - impressive!
I’m competing at Donnington in round 1 of the British Drift Championship on Saturday 11th April. It’s part of a huge tuning and styling show so that might put you off. I think tickets are something like 18 quid and pit access is restricted (I hope so any way - don’t want my spares evapourating while I’m driving)
Other than that I normally go to Barkston Heath in Lincs a couple of times a year which would be much cheaper (free for spectators) and you could have a few passenger laps. In fact anyone can have a passenger ride 'cos I’m nice.
I think there is some kind of 20-15 thing this year too, but I’m not sure on details.
11th April is completely out of the question - Mrs Goof 40th birthday party!
Barkston Heath sounds interesting sometime…