As my electric arial doesn’t work, I decided to have a look to see if it was an electric or a manual one. It was electric but unplugged as it just makes a row and does nowt. Then I found something else…
Nice and tidy boot pocket…
…then I found some surface rust which I had to poke with my finger, then…
A good chunk fell out onto my garage floor… Nice huh?
I’m guessing it’s rotted from the underneath as I pulled some more off. The boot isn’t the greatest thickness - but at least it isn’t like a BMW M3 CSL who’s boot floors are made of cardboard to save weight! But at least they can be mended with newspaper and flour/water paste
I think a liberal coating of Krust (or other rust cure stuff) is in order then my options would be either to fibregalss it, or weld a plate on? Probably safer with fibreglass since that looks like the petrol filler breather tube? I take it the smaller tube on the left is from the drain in the hood area?
When I bought it, the seller showed me the batter, which was wedged in with some wood. It’s the wrong one to my mind as it doesn’t fit the battery tray and the clamp is nowhere near the edges. It does work however, and so I’m leaving it be, I will be taking it out to inspect the metal underneath the tray - but crawling in my back and looking underneath, it doesn’t look bad.
This is the battery that’s in (took a close-up pic of the info on it so I can look it up.
I’m probably not the only one to find bits dropping off their cars It’s annoying though… There’s rot/rust under the bonnet as well as well, and will take pics tomorrow to post up…
Just hope I’ve not bought a money pit… Otherwise I’ll get rid (I’ve had my fair share of chucking money at cars this past few years).
That makes me wonder if the previous owner ever really browsed this forum, the most obvious is that battery - wrong one for a Mk2 or 2.5. It needs a Panasonic 32 ah battery, that type fitted is more a Mk3 type. Just over £100 from a friendly dealer (with some discount) or our favorite supplier www.mx5parts.co.uk.
I hear your ‘ouch’!
That boot rot comes from water ingress - can be from bunged up rear drains, but also from a rusty ‘rain rail’ (visible only with the top raised, it fastens the rear of the soft top to the cars body.) You need to pull up both side floor carpets and check for damp and/or rust, as in bad cases it can affect the ECU, which is in a compartment under the sloping section on the passengers side.
Most urgent, you need to check the front chassis legs - the two box sections that run each side of the wings.
These are an expensive touch as well (sorry about that) but do need replacing - check the forum. To check them properly, you need the car on a lift, with the engine plate removed - it protects the sump.
Overall, it’s beginning to look like a ‘walk away’ I’m afraid, but mine is in much better condition than that one is, and it’s an earlier car. Once a member, you learn all the tricks I’m afraid.
Afraid it’s becoming plain why the previous owner really sold the car, especially of he wanted to track it.
I’m feeling sick as a parrot just hearing all this stuff. I hope you didn’t pay a fortune for the car.
As above, I would definitely be checking the chassis rails on that car before spending any more on it.
A couple of points though:
You don’t need to fit Panasonic batteries to a Mk2, just one that is an appropriate size and power and that ideally can be vented outside using the pipes in the boot (you can get a bigger tray if required);
Rain rails don’t rust as they are made of plastic, which means that can normally be patched with silicone and duck tape if they are damaged.
Water holds in that area and rarely inspected. I have handled many MK2/MK2.5 aerials. There is a gasket where the drain tube connector joins that area - it is invariably covered in paint and often a crust of rust.
A proper repair would involve fabricating a metal panel and welding in place as well as killing all rust, painting, etc.
Given the location I would be tempted to tidy it up, kill the rust and heat up a piece of aluminium coated flashing with a hot air blower to seal the hole.
Well, I paid just over a grand for it (£1200) with 100k on the clock, which included going halves to get some welding work done for the MOT (I know, but the car was being sold for £1200 anyway and I offered less).
I get the feeling that I’m going to get a years motoring out of this then push it on… I have a big TIG welder (inherited from my late father, who was an engineer and fabricator. He could do anything with metal) but haven’t welded since I left college… Goof place to start eh? I’ve also a big garage that I can work in. It’s whether I have the time to do anything tbh.
The garage that did the welding said that other than the bits that needed doing, it’s a solid car… Pretty sure the signature on the MOT was written by the tester’s guide dog…
I’ve had far worse tbh. My first car was an '85 BMW 316 which was rescued from Selby flood. It had sewerage in the boot and mushrooms groing out of the carpets. Needed a new interior and the bodywork was shot. The paint was literally holding the rust together… but the engine ran like a sewing machine. It eventually fell to bits.
If I knew what rot boxes these were I wouldn’t have bothered. To put it into perspective, I have my father’s 1963 Ford Anglia that has been in his garage for 30 years. All the welding it needed was a little bit on one of the rear wheel arches, which you could only see on a ramp. It is currently been restored by a mate’s garage and everyone who visits asks who it belongs to…
I’ll keep the Mazda as long as it’s financially viable anyway, it’s fun car to drive tbh. A little cramped, but fun.
