Rallying a Mk3

went to Oulton Park yesterday and saw Paul Sheard rallying his mk1 in the Neil Howard Stages rally, the first round of the msvr/ motorsportnews circuit rally championship. 

This is has got me thinking! Has anyone rallied a mk3

I guess I’d look to build one to a similar spec as the race cars but with suitable underbody protection and a hard top.

why a mk3 over a mk1? not sure really but I’d like to be able to race it in cscc races, too and I’d prefer the mk3 for that.

the engine is known quantity but is the mk3 6 speed transmission and lsd up to it?

any views?

Paul o Neil was meant to be rallying a mk3  this weekend but a gearbox failure forced a retirement.  shame as I was looking forward to seeing it on track. 

 

I did see an escort nearly make its way through the fence and into the crowd, caught it on camera too. For all that want to see 

https://youtu.be/_GCk_WtFJ6c

mans I have more videos /pics including mx5 ralky car from Paul sheard to add at a later date. 

 

Dave

Was Paul O’Neill meant to be out in a Paul Sheard built car?

 

funnily enough the subject of rallying a mk3 MX5 is being discussed on the British Rally forum at the moment. Considered by some to be useful cars on the circuit based rally type events, but it’s clear that most rallyists don’t know much about them.

 

i understand that there’s a chap from Jersey rallying one regularly and doing well.

 

must admit that I eventually bought a ubiquitous (but very scruffy) Escort Mk2 but still have a hankering for a mk3 MX5 to do something like the 750mc Club Enduro and CSCC series, and I also bought a 944 turbo race car cheaply, but I can’t do everything!!!

I’m a spanner man for a mate who competes in a MK1 BMW in the oak leaf series

The last round this year was at Rockingham Speedway , there was a chap at that round in a 3 MK3 MX5 with a Cosworth  engine in it

He owns the Mazda dealership on Jersey

He was having a mare of a day with it though poor bloke

For any of you that are interested in club rallying , there were a couple of fairly new BMW 1 series competing and they have a Jaguar S Type engine in them, very quick and reliable

I have a few photos of the MK3 Mazda but for some reason this Photobucket thing wont let me put them on here

Happy to email to any that want a look