has anyone tried to put the mk3 front end ont a mk1.
i have a spare mk1 bodyshell that i am going to rebuild but i am thinking about putting a mk3 front end and rear arches onto the car.
before you say it, iknow it wont be a easy conversion but i think the result would look quite good.
just wondering if anyone has tried to do it and the problems that have been encounterd
Anything is possible. The Mk3 only has the wing indicators in common with previous MX5s.
Plenty of arch kits for the Mk1. Postert even did a more boxy arch kit, versions for the Mk1 and 2
And a prototype NC mule, with RX8 and NB panels looking like a dogs breakfast
You think ?!?!?! [:O]
I think it might even be easier to build a one off front end that just looks like the MK3 nose. I haven’t got any measurements to hand but I’m sure the MK3’s wider and the wings are taller (And a completely different profile where they meet the doors)…
BUT, If you DO have the skills to pull it off, I could pretty much guarantee another one wouldn’t pull up beside you on the lights, And you’d earn a LOT of respect among all us tweakers on here [:D].
hi, i agree the wing/door profile could be a bit of a problem, it would probobly be a case of spliceing the front of the mk3 to the rear of the mk2 wing. the height is not to much of a problem as i would have to fabricate a new lower section.
does anyone have a mk3 local to the forest of dean that would be willing to let me have a look at and do some mesurments.
as for the skills i own a small bodyshop so the job does not phase me to much i would rather go this route than a fibreglass bodykit.
as soon as i get some mesurinments done, if it all looks good i will start getting some donor panels and have a play with the aim of finishing for next summer, if it is a goer then i will post some regular pics of the progress.
Just my opinion, but I think it will end up looking gash. Mk3 front isn’t one of that model’s strong points.
NB conversion is a fair amount of work. Yokohama West make panels for this
http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~west-y/
This is a conversion using actual NB panels
And this is useful:
More modest, NB-FL-NA hybrid front bumper
Porsche lights bodged onto a MX5, doesn’t work
Wood and Pickett tought they had improved the looks of the Range Rover when they grafted bits of a Rover SD1 onto it
there is a good chance it would not look very good but the only way to find out is to try.
i would rather try something and know i gave it my best shot than just give up.
opinion is very mixed on this idea and we all have different ideas, personally i like the look of the mk3 front end.
at the end of the day i have a shell ripe for this conversion and if i can find some panels at the right price(not going to break the bank on a whim) then all it will cost me is some time to see what the initial profile will look like. if its good great i will finish the project if its not then i found out the hard way.
I suppose the easiest thing to do (Though it’s still not that easy) would be to find a specialist breaker who has all the front end panels in stock, I doubt they would let you borrow them all so… Carefully remove the wings, Headlights, Bumper and bonnet from your shell (“Carefully” because the sale offsets the overall price of the replacement parts, This usually helps your argument with any significant other in your life [:D]), Then trailer the shell to him and see if the project’s viable.
As I said, the easiest option isn’t necessarily easy.
One other idea, How about making fibreglass molds of genuine MK3 wings, Bumper and bonnet, You could then make some replicas and cut them about to your hearts content (There might even be a few MK3 racers that would like a fibreglass or carbon kevlar front end [:D]). Once you get all the bits to fit and look good you just make molds from these to make your final panels (And posibly take orders for a few more to help finance the original cars set).
What about it? Would anyone out there want to buy a set of GRP parts to make there MK1 look like a MK3 ? [:P]
well its a bit easier than than that for me really, i break mk1 mx5s as well so i have my donor shell fully striped ready for shot blasting and a respray(check out - the cure for a rusty 5) as soon as i have mesured a car to make sure its viable i will get the bits of good old ebay or buy a complete front end cut and do it that way.
hadnt thought about the carbon route but a friend of mine makes carbon panels for race cars, so i might have a chat to him-though carbon is super expesive at the mo
I have to ask, why would anyone want to put an ugly Mk3 front onto a beautiful Mk1???—
How many times do I have to tell you Geoff, “Style is subjective” ! (And of course, You now live in Australia so your grasp of UK style is possibly skewed. You probably look at pickups with barbecues on the back and think “Classy !!! I gotta get me some o’ that !” [:P])… (Don’t take any offence there Geoff, As always, It’s all tongue in cheek [:P])
I can see where your coming from though, I personally think the MK3 looks like the second biggest pile of sweaty nads to have ever come into existence (No offence to MK3 owners obviously[:D]), But If some people want to make there '5 look like an old Italian “Spider” or a Frog eye sprite then someone else out there might want to " * Upgrade" there MK1 to look like the current model.
As an example that this isn’t a one off idea, Look what you can do to an old range rover “Classic”, From looking like a 3 grand runabout too looking like a 40/50 grand “Pimp’s Toy” [:D].
( * The word “Upgrade” is used in the loosest manner possible here).
Style is subjective of course. I can see a converion to look like a Mk3; a bit pointless perhaps (bit like the Z3 conversion kit, the M1Stang kit or the Ducks Garden kit). You can get away with bolting bits of Mk2 onto a Mk1 because, underneath, its the same car. But the Mk3 shares nothing with the Mk1 or Mk2, except of course, for those little round indicators. Mk3 panels, somehow put onto a Mk1, will look all wrong, not because of aesthetics, but because everything will be out of proportion.
M1Stang; all steel conversion, looks wrong
Cobra MX5, also wrong
A Mk1 Bugatti
Ducks Garden’s idea of a old Datsun Fairlady
Sort of 240Z
Apparently bits of Nissan included in this
E-type
Z3
Umm
This one has got Supra lights
MR2
And here’s how to turn a Mk3 into a Aero8
why turn your mx5 into a z3 and an even uglier one than normal!!! [:P]
