Mx-5 Donor - SSC

[CaptainCrash1971]

Nice one Andy, pulled another blinder.
I'm now expecting you to design a car that costs 50 quid to build, runs on tap water, and looks like something designed in Italy. Turns from a single seater, to a 2 seater, to a 4 seater at the touch of a button. Oh yeah, and it flies, literally. At Mach 2.
I'll log on in a fortnight to download the plans!

[ozzy1]

I second that as 50 quid would be well spent
Only problem here is mx5 go for silly money no matter how old and regs state that for building a clubman the engine has to be '99 or newer

Originally Posted by CaptainCrash1971

Nice one Andy, pulled another blinder.
I'm now expecting you to design a car that costs 50 quid to build, runs on tap water, and looks like something designed in Italy. Turns from a single seater, to a 2 seater, to a 4 seater at the touch of a button. Oh yeah, and it flies, literally. At Mach 2.
I'll log on in a fortnight to download the plans!

Blimey for all that surely it has to be worth £55 you tight beggar...

Any pics yet Andy?

[spud69]

There are some pics Fabby but i'm still not happy with the rear suspension, so until revision 5, at least, there wont be any pics - wont be long though then i can cad the chassis.

Don't want much do you Alan...... If the chemists get their fingers out and split water into its elements, cheaply, we'll all be running on tap water. I reckon they already can but the Arabs and Texans have put a hold on it until they've sold all the oil.....

Cheers...Andrew

[Davey]

Originally Posted by spud69

There are thousands of Mx-5's available, a quick search on E-Bay shows this and at a good price. When you strip down the car its quite amazing how many similarities there are between that and the roadster. Probably why the Mx-5 gets so much praise for its superior handling. It's the obvious donor choice.

Andrew

Yeah but knowing where there is one (less than 200 yds away as we speak) and that you are sorting a design to use the MX5 its sorely tempting to go and buy it. Trouble is I really can't afford it and I already have way too many projects on the go anyway. i suppose I could always get it and if its MOTable I could run it for a while as a company car then when everything else is completed (somewhere around 2028 at my present work rate) I could just write the MX off (financially speaking) and build a Saturn MX Roadster .

D.

I can fully understand the need for a new donor and why the mx5 is suitable but my daft head is finding it hard to fathom why you would break a sports car only to make another one? If Mx5's are cheap why not just strip it out fit a cage and run it as it is as no IVA to pay for....

Unless it's a smacked car but then surely chances of things being poggered are high?

[spud69]

Originally Posted by fabbyglass

I can fully understand the need for a new donor and why the mx5 is suitable but my daft head is finding it hard to fathom why you would break a sports car only to make another one? If Mx5's are cheap why not just strip it out fit a cage and run it as it is as no IVA to pay for....

Mainly because we want our own self build roadster on the road which is even better performing, half the weight, 540kg v 1080kg, twice the bhp / ton, and the Mk1 Mx5 is notorious for rotten front and rear wings which are a factory item and expensive to replace.

And we are all daft.....Andrew

Well that's fair enough......good to know I'm not alone in being daft

[Bonzo]

A huge well done to you Andy.

The MX5 donor option is a huge step forward in the development of the Haynes Roadster

Even more delighted that you are willing to share all of the development work with us mere mortals

Having watched Saturn go from strength to strength, I have nothing but admiration for all that has been achieved in such a short time.

Customer service and promoting the Roadster as a self build concept, as allways, first & foremost.
Passion for the brand ahead of just making a quick buck .... What more can you say

Look forward to following your progress

[alga]

That's great news! I love Japanese cars MX-5 was inspired by the classic British roadsters, and is a faithful modern tribute to them, their direct descendant.

However, pragmatically, I'd be more enthusiastic about a BMW donor. MX-5's are quite rare around here. On one used car ads board there are 37 Sierras and 5 MX-5's, the cheapest one having the asking price of 3500 quid, and over a thousand E36 Bimmers.