Hi All,
I bought a MX5 S-VT Sport version with 6 speed LSD 3+ years ago, used it for a few track days, but then neglected it. My 17 year old son has been badgering me to get it up and running again, and Covid 19 has facilitated the time! I hooked up the battery and it started straight out and was driven into the garage. But on inspection, there is a lot of rust. And I mean a lot. Both front chassis legs are rusted with big holes, the bottom of both front sills and inner wings are rotten, the same for the rear where it will need 2 new wings. But there are more holes in the inner wings - all 4(I cant find any inner wing repair kits?), the sills have big holes and part of the subframe has holes. The suspension arms are heavily rusted, as is the roll bar. I started trying to remove the front suspension, but decided a 2 day WD40 soak would be essential. But removing most parts will be difficult.
I am not trying to get it MOT worthy, but as a track car it needs to be safe. I am quite good mechanically and with a welder.
The question is- at what point should I say its not worth it?
Comments and help would be appreciated.
As a road car it sounds beyond economical repair. As a track car only, who knows, do these need to be of a certain strength and road worthy, I’m guessing so??
I’m no expert re track cars, others can advise.
A few pics showing the worse bits may help but it sounds a basket case.
Generally speaking I would say this car sounds like it has gone well beyond economic repair. The advice would be scrap it after removing and selling or keeping as many good spares as you can and buy another SVT sport but…
Coronavirus! - changed circumstances and nice weather coming and you have a welder. It will not be easy to go out and buy another in the current circumstances and I would hazard a guess that your son would benefit from an introduction to car restoration on a car he will derive benefit from.
Most of the welding, especially if the car is for track use can be done with your own fabricated repair panels.
Have some fun in the better weather and stay constructive at this miserable time.
Put up photos of the worst and continue the thread with a story of the phoenix that rose from the ashes, so to speak
As a track car, and not needing to be road legal you are probably better off picking up a slightly less-bad car as a donor and building a good track car out of the two.
I have been very pleasantly surprised at just how cheap MX5s are to buy, run and fix compared to my previous track car encounters! You will probably be able to pick up another MOT-expired car for peanuts and have a lot less welding to do pop the good bits on an break/scrap what’s left
I guess the biggest worry I’d have is its structural integrity once you’ve patched it up. Especially if you get it wrong somewhere like Craner or Paddock Hill not sure I’d trust my own welding to stuff it and it not to all fall apart
Exocet or a dbr1 kit car…you remove the whole body leaving the engine, suspension, wheels and the connecting bar.
This is something I may do if mine becomes too rusty to repair.
pop the good bits on an break/scrap what’s left
not sure I’d trust my own welding to stuff it and it not to all fall apart 