MK2.5 owners, check your front chassis rails

[MX2000]

Simon,  (apologies for using wrong name before) being 16 years old there was some surface rust underneath on mine, including the chassis rails.

However, I was fairly confident that they were solid which was confirmed by the garage I use.

The comment I got was that it was quite a bit better underneath than average, which meant it was worth while getting the car wax oiled.

My car is garaged at night and is a second car, so I’m hoping that it should go on for a decent time without having to worry about the rust issue.

Good luck!

Roger

 

 

 

 

[acme15]

My MK2 is going rotten on the rails… I’ve sent these pictures off to TheMX5Restorer in Eastbourne. Its going to need at least the outer and underside repair sections welded in, and possibly the inners as well, but hopefully not. 

Also note the join between the rail and the front panel, as well as the large blister on the inner wing/side of engine bay. 

http://imgur.com/a/s1Hog

The car has no structural rust elsewhere that I can see, the paintwork is mint, arches are great, and it has brand new inner and outer sills already, so worth doing… But likely to be at least £600~ just to get it through this MOT. :( 

 

 

[Aston]

Is that an Icon? Just wondering due to the colour, I have an Icon and had dodgy chassis rails, had them cut out and welded 2 years ago, would recommend that if you’re having the work done, just go for it. complete new rail replacements, nit just doing the bits which appear affected. It’s expensive to get the car into a position to start the work, and will save time and cost in the long run

Just my 2p’s worth

[acme15]

Rails can have repair sections welded in place for £600~ for both sides. Replacing both rails completely would require the engine removing, and could easily cost over £2000. Not the best advice honestly.

[Stevie_the_welder]

I have just bought my first ever mx5, a 2003 1.6 as a winter project.

70k, full history and a hard top.

Had failed it’s mot due to chassis corrosion.

The front rails need patching up, they are definitely double skinned in places ( a big no no when it comes to rust prevention).

 Fortunately for me, as my name might be a bit of a give away, I can weld, or at least I could 20 years ago.

I bought the car knowing full well it needed some welding.

I have only had the car a few days, but upon inspection the corrosion and the general state of the chassis is very poor for a car of that age. mazda have clearly messed up in this area.

My advice for whats it worth is, zink phosphate primer, followed by 2 coats of high build vinyl paint and then undersealed.

 

[Stevie_the_welder]

I have spent all day cutting out the rotten chassis and welding in a new section.

I have made the sections up myself as the ones I have seen for sale are a single skin design and they look too thin.

The chassis rails are a double skin design spot welded together, they are clearly corroding between these skins, making it impossible to treat.

I have welded a ‘U’ section on the inside and another on the outside. It probably isn’t as pretty as the bought ones, but will be much stronger. I gave also got some small holes in the sections so I can at least try to waxoil between the skins.

Why mazda have used a double skin design is a mystery to me.

[ast]

@Stevie the welder

Why mazda have used a double skin design is a mystery to me.

To improve crash worthiness compared to the previously generation; the front legs are designed to “telescope” in a front impact. The NB body is basically just a modified NA body, with improved crash performance.

[Stevie_the_welder]

The front chassis rails have now been repaired, they are getting 2 generous coats of smoothrite and then undersealed.

On the mot there are advisories for all of the suspension arms saying they are corroded but not seriously weakened, upon inspection and after having a good wire brush and a poke with a screwdriver, there is absolutely nothing wrong with them. MAYBE A MOT INSPECTOR COULD LET ME KNOW WHY THIS WOULD GO ON AS AN ADVISORY?

I was going to remove them all, shot blast, repaint and rebush, but there is nothing wrong with them, so they are getting painted on the job.

 

[Roadster_Robbie]

@Stevie the welder

MAYBE A MOT INSPECTOR COULD LET ME KNOW WHY THIS WOULD GO ON AS AN ADVISORY?

To cover his back, he can’t do as a thorough inspection as you, so gave you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[IanH]

I really wouldn’t suggest this method of repair…

https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=630465

[H1S_VRB]

Oh.  My.  God.    

[Stevie_the_welder]

That fiberglass fix is a joke m8.

It is not roadworthy.

It is now a deathtrap.

I only hope when it fails and someone is injured or even killed, that it is you and not some poor innocent soul.

 

[IanH]

@Stevie the welder

That fiberglass fix is a joke m8.

It is not roadworthy.

It is now a deathtrap.

I only hope when it fails and someone is injured or even killed, that it is you and not some poor innocent soul.

 

 

Not really sure who your comments are addressed at, that’s a link to a US forum, it’s not someone here.

[GeoLum]

Hi all,

I managed to take some terrifying photos of crusty chassis rails last month with my phone down in the engine bay, and having given the car a very deep clean today I’m spotting more and more rust on the sills and arches. No surprises for me there really, but it’s still depressing to see. Trying to explain to my father, who is babysitting the car for the next few weeks, that this is not “just what a 17 year old car looks like” and “no this car will not bankrupt me” is like getting blood from a stone and sometimes i feel like he is right. So I’ve given up and I return to the OC for some support and advice.

 

…please don’t lay into my dad, he’s an organist, not a car fanatic…

 

HOWEVER! Having spent (far too much) time trawling through helpful posts on this forum and others from the many people faced with the dreaded rot, I remain optimistic.

It seems that provided you catch this early enough - which I hope I have - it can be repaired, and it wont cost the earth. I am now seeing more happy endings than scrap heap tragedies. My plan is to film this whole adventure of restoration and eventually post the whole process online for all to see, and hopefully reassure the less mechanically minded MX5 fan like myself that this car is still worth owning and, most importantly, worth saving! This thread in particular has provided me with much hope, which is why I am writing this here and now.

 

The car goes in on Monday for a service and MOT at my local, friendly, family garage, who is going to take the drip tray off and let me poke about with my camera while it’s up on the ramp.  They are honest, reliable and brilliant for all my servicing and MOT needs, but they are not restoration specialists. The MX5 Specialist Thrussington Garage near Leicester and the MX5 Restorer in Eastbourn seem to come up most often as offering the most high quality restoration work for a very reasonable price, with Thrussington already featuring in Rich Duisberg’s blog following his Mk1 restoration (I dread to think how much that project cost… check’s bank balance) - see link below, its a good read!

http://www.motorpunk.co.uk/articles/total-restoration-of-one-of-the-oldest-mx-5s-around/

 

My questions are:

1. where shall I take my car to be assessed, cut to bits, sand blasted, welded back together again, waxoiled, undersealed, resprayed, and all the other love and attention it may need? I’m looking for reviews from experience.

2. what does everyone feel are the most important steps for me to document and highlight about this process, particularly for those who aren’t handy with a torque wrench, angle grinder or welder, like me?
   
   
   

I realise I’m not the first to document a restoration project of this kind, but I hope by cleary documenting my experience it may mean more 5’s will be on the road for years to come.

 

Thanks in advance,


George the Sound Engineer

[GeoLum]

Here are the photos in question… taken by shoving my phone down through the engine bay under the alternator, pointing towards the off side Chasis rail. I’ve also included some pictures of the engine bay to give an idea of the condition of the car. The damp patch around the oil filler cap was a clean up thanks to my sloppy pouring skills.

Cue sharp intakes of breath… Thoughts? Is this a typical sight to be greeted with?

Needless to say, getting under the car on the ramp on Monday with the drip tray removed will paint a clearer picture…

 

 

 

 

[acme15]

Mine looked like that. got quoted £730 to repair by TheMX5Restorer. They added another 30 minutes labour on because it extends back further than usual, so they would need to cut out a bit more. 

[GeoLum]

So… (deep breath)

The car went in for it’s MOT and serivce.

 

Needless to say it’s going to be a few days before it’s back on the road. I’ll let the photo’s do the talking…

 

^This is what greeted us when we got to the front chassis rails… more bodywork to come off before the extent of the problem can be seen…

^Rear suspension and exhaust components - the exhaust looks like it’s about to fall apart and there is anti-roll bar linkage O/S/R is shot. Most other suspension components seem solid but I can’t help thinking what would be left after shot blasting…

Cat’ shield rusted away, and we’re not sure there’s actually anything in it…  we’ll just replace what we need to get it through the MOT for now, but a completely new exhaust is clearly on the cards.

 

Our friendly local mechanic is a talented welder, and he and his team will be cutting and replacing the affected chassis rail sections.  This, along with replacing several pads, disks and callipers and a full service, will set me back £1,500 (WHAT I PAID FOR THE CAR 6 months ago!!)

Is it worth it? In my mind, undoubtedly. I leave the car at the garage while I return to London for work, but I’ll try and get some progress shots.

Next step is to get the car to a specialist for inspection, new sills and arches and to set off down the road of restoration… Watch this space…

 

[I’m probably going to move this story to its own thread, but tell me if I should leave it here]

[GeoLum]

Work took me abroad for a few weeks and the car has been worked in for the past month, but I’m heading down to collect it in the coming days. The bill was a few hundred less than the quote (when does that ever happen?!) which is a relief. I was sent a few pictures and the work looks spectacular.

The time has come for me to start a proper build thread, I think… plenty of work on the horizon but the car is still on the road and I’m happy to have spent the money.

 

I will post some updated photos when I can!

[Noddy_Dog]

Having read through this thread I have the impression mk2.5’s succumb to this issue more than the mk2. Has anyone found this to be true or is it just there are more 2.5’s out there and thus they are skewing the figures in this thread?

[Paul_W1]

I have a very early mk2 (possibly one of the first in UK as far as I can tell) and it doesn’t seem to have suffered from these same rust problems. My son has one that’s two years younger and it has suffered quite badly on both front rails and on the sills and rear arches.