Minor but good tinkering tonight, a problem which I’ve had since day 1 was the car not idling as it should, it was always 1100/1200 at bang on timing, after some advice tonight I unplugged it and the idle drooped way down to 650 so adjusted it back up to 850 (originally 950 as is the rpm expected by the ECU at that point but was told to go to to 850 from the guy who’s gunna remote tune it)
it now bogs again on Accel but that’s all map based
Timing still looking good
Took years to cool down again so not much done tonight bar that, but I’m exceedingly happy it idles as it should
Friday night I’ll make the datalog of it starting and warming up then It’ll be time to sort a day for remote tuning
Bofi order not here yet so no shiny parts to go on
(Except the turbo kit but I got my eye on you boi)
Datalog made and sent off, Google docs form completed. Hopefully the map will be sorted out soon!
Got a map file for the mx5 loaded it and it was great, a few minor things like high revving with the fan on etc, but now it idles and revs brilliantly at 950 (couldn’t get 900 no matter what I tried so sticking with it, my last guess is maybe the coatings been stripped from the throttle body or something so I’ll get some spray for that just for the sake of trying it) but I’m happy, it idles fine and the cooling fan comes on and sorts it and I could happily leave it to sit there idling for hours
Which is exactly where I wanted it for an MOT! So since it’s payday tomorrow I think I’ll try sort something out, the bonnets on and it’s ready for a wash! (And some sidelight screws pls)
One thing I did notice when it was warm was a loose rattling coming from the clutch area, rattles slightly & randomly when clutch is out in neutral, rattles when you fully press the clutch and goes away if the clutch is held, doesn’t rattle when revving. So not ideal, Its either started today which is strange cause it’s never moved, or IV never heard it before, but I do have a 6 puck spec2+ clutch and bearing on standby. MOT first!
■■■■■■■■. Gunna phone Mr insurance shortly and if that’s sorted it’s taxed, washed and out for a spin 
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It moved under its own steam for the first time today, got outside and back in the garage no problems for a wee wash, it was rather required
Boggin.
But then
It even started back up after being washed, it’s like living in a fairytale
Insurance company is shut until Monday though, bokin, so it’s waiting until then, Im gunna have to give it a good machine polishing as it’s water spotted to hell all over the top facing parts as my mum’s garage was awful
Might do that tomorrow
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Oof and a text from dpd, shiny parts tomorrow
Turns out dpd wasn’t bofi and it was something else I had forgot that I had ordered. Spewin again, no idea when bofi’s order will turn up that’s been 2 weeks now
However Its getting insured today whilst im on my lunch and driven tonight!
At least round the road to see if itl work, then back in the garage to machine polish it because it currently looks like shyt covered in waterspots
Ordered some gloss black wrap to do the hard top and some better edging trim for the doors
Been trying to find someone to swap the white hardtop with a red or black on but not got lucky enough, so I’ll see how this goes! Ordered a wee fitting kit aswell, done some wrapping in the past and it went alright, hard top doesn’t have any mad shapes in it so fingers crossed!
Made a start on machining it tonight, it went badly.
The watermarks are awfully hard to get out the paint so I’ve resorted to extremes and had to use scholl s0 compound which is basically 1000 grit sandpaper in liquid form and it’s takin a while!
Got a little patch of watermarks left to get on the bonnet with the scholl then it can be machined back up to glory, I’ll catch the too of the wings whilst I’m at it then the boot is just gunna be awful again,
doors aren’t bad and the roof never got water spotted as it’s got lacquer it’d seem
the shells definitely been resprayed at some point and judging by the amount of paint in my pads im assumin its 2k or just no lacquer at all
Gunna look good though
Apparently today was a bank holiday so my insurance was shut, back at that tomorrow
And it’s insured!! 300 quid fully comp, all mods declared including the fact it’s going turbo, a love getting old. Keith Michaels has came through again!
Even though it’s half sanded ill still be taking it for a road test tonight
Success!!! Drive around for a bit tonight and everything seemed great! No leaks although the Coolant temp guage kept going to 0 then warm when running around so will check if it needs a little topping up
, plenty of intake noise! Wee rattle from the front driver side but that might be because there isn’t s bolt in the bottom of the expansion tank, will find one for that, and it needs an alignment, but all in a success! I can’t move the seats any further back so need to see if I can get an NRG short mount or something as it’s quite close
So pleased to be able to drive it around after so long
Needs an alignment quite badly, will try book in for that soon
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More on machining, brought the bonnet back some more, got the A pillars, roof, front bumper and the drivers side done tonight, plan for tomorrow is do the passenger side and make headway on the rear end because it’s a mess
Also had the stonechip out again, done the ECU kick plate and decided to freshen up the wipers, now going to have to ceramic coat the window trim scuttle bit as it looks ■■■■
And I found my bag of micalor clamps after ages! V chuffed as it’s saved me about 80 odd quid in replacing them
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Bofi order finally been shipped! I’ll get that in isolation in that case hopefully, will need to prime some oil aswell and freshen that up when I’m doing the guage
Been following this for a while great work! I wanted to ask what process you went through to freshen up your wiper arms? Mine badly need the same. Especially interested in what type of paint used.
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Cheers man!
I just smoothed them out quickly with 600 grit sandpaper and the paint I used was stonechip paint, I’ll get the exact brand later on when I head out to wax it, the stuffs amazing it always drys incredibly flat (because its so thick I reckon) and the cans huge so it lasts ages 
same stuff I done my sills and ECU cover with
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Forgot to post an update last night
Machining all finished for now! Tf 
But it’s lookin braw!
Photodump
Just needs waxed and some little bits finished off and pieced back together
Ordered up some oil so once my shiny bits get here from bofi I’ll sort that out, also waiting on the gloss black wrap coming for the hardtop
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Thanks, let me know when you can, will try and get to it next weekend, I have a list of jobs for my car about 15 items long on my phone but having seen how well yours came out I think that job jumped fairly far up the list.
Also I cannot believe how well your paintwork is coming up! I definitely lack the patience for all that elbow grease.
Finally if you are interested (shameless self plug!) I have my own project diary on here under Reader’s rides, title is ‘Red turbo money pit’ where I’m mostly asking for help/advice!
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I’m actually subscribed to that already
The stonechip is just hammerite stonechip
The paintworks probably taken in the region of 30 odd hours to sort to a half acceptable standard, got it waxed today and it’s brawwwww
Also went round with a toothpick and filled in the stonechips, ceramic coated the scuttle pannel and fitted the wipers back on, and just in time my new scooshers came because the old ones were crumbling
And fitted my first thing to the 3d printed blank plate, probably not to everyone’s taste but I’m here for the bants
Missile switch for launch control (or pops and bangs. W/evr)
Working perfectly fine then suddenly stopped, the clutch switch was just reading on so I had a play around, connections all seem good, led is on all the time now until you out the clutch in, tried the connections the other way but no dice, but it’s working so all good, will turn on launch control and play around with it soon
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I’ve also cleaned the interior since seeing it in those pics, will take some again of its freshness tomorrow
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Cool! I’ll come back to you on Pm shortly. What does the switch do, change the map somehow?
I will Amazon a can of that hammerite tonight.
Paintwork is looking WAY better now than a car of that age has any reason to! Make sure you get some photos of it out in the sun before it leaves us for good in the next few weeks.
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I will soon, shiny parts coming on Monday hopefully, I’ve to isolate for 10 days so I’ll get the new bits on and sort the coilies hight out and get it ready for some photos
