Hi all, I’m John and I have a couple of confessions right off the bat…
I’m not actually in Derbyshire yet. Just dotting the Is and crossing the Ts on purchasing my first house (in Matlock). Until then I am in Nottinghamshire, but hopefully only for a few more weeks.
Also, I don’t actually own an MX5 yet! I have long since wanted one as a bit of a project and ultimately a weekend toy, but recently every spare penny has been going in to getting a deposit together for the house, and keeping my very boring daily runner, running (2008 Mondeo 2.0 diesel, phwoar!).
Over the next few months I’m going to be shopping for my first MX5, and as well as the hundreds of youtube videos I have been watching, I hope to use this club & forum to gather advice, suggestions and maybe even learn of some suitable cars and parts for sale.
My starting budget for the car will be quite low - £1-1.5k - but I specifically want a project car and plan on spending considerably more over the following months (or years…) to restore & upgrade. I prefer to be hands-on and want to learn new skills such as welding, painting, upholstery etc - but while ever the only car at my disposal has been my daily runner, I am hesitant to do anything too complex, time consuming or with the potential for very expensive mistakes! So far the most extravagant DIY jobs I have done have been replacing discs & pads and fitting a tow-bar! Ideally I will be looking for a manual 1.8 NA or NB, as close to stock as is possible. I will eventually be wanting performance upgrades, but I would prefer to fit them all myself.
Anyway, really looking forward to getting stuck in to the forum, although I might just be more of a lurker until I have bought my own!
Also from Derbyshire, well South Derbyshire and know Matlock well. Trying to stay well clear of there for now, more Matlock Bath really.
Buying a Mk1 for the price you suggest I guess you’ll have some fettling to do, old cars now and will need it.
All good fun and most stuff easy enough to do and plenty of help off the forums, that’s how we all started.
Hello, and welcome (eventually) to Derbyshire. I’m just down the road in sunny Chesterfield.
Like Mick, I’m avoiding any touristy bits (Matlock Bath etc) on bike and in car. I don’t get why anyone would want to go there currently.
Matt
These sure are crazy times, and I’m not desperately keen on the idea of living around a tourism hotspot like Matlock while this is still going on. Thankfully our house is away from the centre/Matlock Bath, so while it might mean channelling my inner-hermit for the first weeks/months after we move, doing that in my own home is still preferable to doing it in rented accommodation! lol.
My budget for the car might creep up slightly, depending on how long it is before I get one - and how many brownie points I can score with the wife - but the primary goal here is the project. So a bit of rust (only a bit!!) will be welcomed (how badly do you think I will regret that comment in 12 months time!?)
I can’t see the attraction with Matlock Bath myself TBH but I’m an getting on in years now. The grandkids love it for a day out, I meet up with the family as they take the train up from Derby, too many to fit in one car. Gulliver’s and Heights of Abraham yes great and the river walks it’s pretty but it’s just really a one street town. Summer weekends the A6 through there is a no go area for us, we take the back roads.
Wouldn’t make a very good tourism advert would I?
Now the surrounding areas are great, Matlock itself holds more interest, better shopping, antique shops etc plenty to poke around in as Bakewell and beyond.
Enjoy your house move, lucky you’re moving to such a lovely area and when you get the MX-5 such great roads for a spin out.
(how badly do you think I will regret that comment in 12 months time!?)
Had a Nc now own a beautiful Na … Top down always 