The MX-5…. Turbocharging makes everything better!
The Mazda mx5/Miata/Eunos whatever you want to call it is probably one of the most instantly recognised cars ever made, the simple design has barely changed since the na model went on sale in 1989 but I wonder if Mazda ever imagined it would become the cult classic it is today.
I’d put good money on the fact that everyone at some point has had some form of contact with an mx5, whether it be you’ve owned one, been for a ride or just know someone who once had one. I’d also bet on the fact that pretty much everyone who has done a track day has looked at an mx5 as a possible candidate for their track car of choice, how can you not? If you talk to the owners of an mx5 they’ll tell how much fun to drive they are and how well balanced through the corners they are and with a whole host of tuning parts readily available you really can make it your own. As a former nb (mk2) mx5 owner I can attest to these attributes, they are hugely fun little cars. I very much miss it.
I’d put good money on the fact that everyone at some point has had some form of contact with an mx5, whether it be you’ve owned one, been for a ride or just know someone who once had one. I’d also bet on the fact that pretty much everyone who has done a track day has looked at an mx5 as a possible candidate for their track car of choice, how can you not? If you talk to the owners of an mx5 they’ll tell how much fun to drive they are and how well balanced through the corners they are and with a whole host of tuning parts readily available you really can make it your own. As a former nb (mk2) mx5 owner I can attest to these attributes, they are hugely fun little cars. I very much miss it.
The example we’re looking at here belongs to Hayley Morgan and is her second MX5, she actually owned two mariner blue Eunos’, (or is it Euni?) at the same time both looked very similar and were affectionately name Mia and Tia but this one hides a secret.
First though let's journey back a bit and have a brief look at Hayleys turbulent ownership of this particular mx5 which is a little different to the norm as this one packs a Greddy turbo kit. Hayley took ownership of the car around 4 years ago and for a while the 160bhp it provided was plenty to satisfy her needs on the road and on the track. At Oulton Park a few years ago the car was faultless and performed brilliantly, how do I know this? Hayley has been kind enough to lend me the keys for a few laps with her pride and joy.
After a couple of years of just enjoying the car Hayley had decided that while a turbocharged mx5 with 160bhp is good, a turbocharged mx5 with 200bhp would be even better. So the plan was set, more power and few supporting modifications to go with it. The first job was to pull the car apart and get to work under the bonnet. The intercooler pipework was rerouted and drastically shortened, a half width aluminium Honda Civic radiator with slimline fan was fitted to improve cooling and free up more space under the bonnet. At the same time the air filter was relocated behind the bumper to take better advantage of the airflow coming into the engine bay.
The next job on the list was to get a new exhaust manifold made up, the Greddy cast one had been welded up so many times its was basically useless, a copy part was made from stainless steel but, this is where the problems started. For some reason the engineering company that made the manifold couldn’t get the flange to sit flush on the head, the parts we’re fitted countless times and removed due the manifold not sealing properly, various different gaskets were tried but nothing seemed to work.
When it was thought the job was finally done Hayley and the car headed for Rockingham, the car only managing a handful of laps before the manifold started blowing again and the turbo gasket had pretty much disintegrated, on closer inspection the whole manifold was covered in small cracks and fractures.
With the car back in the garage and in pieces Hayley at this point was low on motivation and considering selling the car. But who would buy it in this condition?
The car had to be put right. The manifold was returned to the engineering company who made it and a full refund was given, this is all well and good but it’s no good when you don’t have a manifold to put back on and since the original Greddy manifold had been disposed of there was no pattern to work from.
The car stood idle for quite a while throughout the summer months while the hunt for a company to produce a tubular manifold was on going, the job was eventually entrusted to Schuband Autoworks in Sheffield. The car was delivered to the workshop where Simon of Schuband set to work on producing what can only be described as a work of art, his speciality is building turbo manifolds for Honda’s so was very keen to try his hand at something else. Once the manifold was mated to the car and the turbo fitted the car burst into life and was driven back home
The car had to be put right. The manifold was returned to the engineering company who made it and a full refund was given, this is all well and good but it’s no good when you don’t have a manifold to put back on and since the original Greddy manifold had been disposed of there was no pattern to work from.
The car stood idle for quite a while throughout the summer months while the hunt for a company to produce a tubular manifold was on going, the job was eventually entrusted to Schuband Autoworks in Sheffield. The car was delivered to the workshop where Simon of Schuband set to work on producing what can only be described as a work of art, his speciality is building turbo manifolds for Honda’s so was very keen to try his hand at something else. Once the manifold was mated to the car and the turbo fitted the car burst into life and was driven back home
With the nice new manifold in place it seemed a logical to take care of the rest of the exhaust system, with the air now coming in quicker it's was just as important to get the gasses out just as quick, the car originally had a very rare RSR exhaust system but this again was past its best and as much as Hayley wanted to keep it she knew that she had to replace it. The car was taken to MIJ Exhausts in Walsall for a custom system to be fitted, which nicely replicates the look of the RSR system but without the drawbacks of having holes in it!
With the car now almost sorted it was performing better than it had been for a long time, it even managed a full track day at Rockingham, something still wasn't quite right, the car was now using the boost much more efficiently through a better manifold and shorted pipe work the engine still needed a little bit of tweaking.
With the car now almost sorted it was performing better than it had been for a long time, it even managed a full track day at Rockingham, something still wasn't quite right, the car was now using the boost much more efficiently through a better manifold and shorted pipe work the engine still needed a little bit of tweaking.
The decision was made to put the final piece into place and Hayley took the plunge on a Motorsport Electronics ME221 plug n play standalone management system. This really would be the icing on the cake. It comes highly recommended from the mx5 forums and owners clubs for turbo applications. The ECU also features some pretty cool stuff like launch control and closed loop boost control which offers more boost lower in the rev range, and therefore more useable power in the RPM ranges that get used most frequently. The car suffered from overboosting issues at Rockingham in March and kept popping a boost pipe off, with all the trouble Hayley has been through with the car standalone was the final thing iy needed so it got it.
To get the best from the ECU the car was taken to Motorsport Electronics workshop in Wiltshire, who better to map the car than the people who produce the products. The car was mapped and fitted with an electronic boost controller and switchable mapping. 160bhp is provided on low boost which is plenty for most people but, at the flick of a switch around 210bhp is available on the high boost setting. In this mode the car is completely changed, its savage and the power delivery is very addictive
To get the best from the ECU the car was taken to Motorsport Electronics workshop in Wiltshire, who better to map the car than the people who produce the products. The car was mapped and fitted with an electronic boost controller and switchable mapping. 160bhp is provided on low boost which is plenty for most people but, at the flick of a switch around 210bhp is available on the high boost setting. In this mode the car is completely changed, its savage and the power delivery is very addictive
From the outside Hayleys car ticks all the right boxes for a well executed and subtle mx5, from the front the appearance is toughened up with a Garage Vary lower splitter and darkened down with smoked side light lenses. Complementing the front end is a set of carbon fibre headlight covers, the headlights themselves feature a “lazy eye” conversion which keeps the headlights at half height as opposed to fully popped up.
The rest of the car visually remains largely unchanged and is how Mazda intended it to be but benefits from a recent touch up in the body shop, the sills have been repaired, welded and repainted and the paint work is kept in top condition by husband Dave. A self confessed OCDetailer.
The rest of the car visually remains largely unchanged and is how Mazda intended it to be but benefits from a recent touch up in the body shop, the sills have been repaired, welded and repainted and the paint work is kept in top condition by husband Dave. A self confessed OCDetailer.
The wheels are Rota Slipstreams in 15 x 7 flavour and are wrapped with sticky Nankang NS2-R’s the ideal compromise between road and track tyres. Lurking behind the wheels the brakes are of standard size but now feature a full complement of Tarox parts. Discs, pads, lines & fluid all supplied courtesy of Tarox UK.
Helping to keep the wheels in contact with the ground are BC racing coilovers. There is no stretched tyres or over the top camber in sight for this mx5, this one is designed to get round a track as quick as Hayley can get it round.
Helping to keep the wheels in contact with the ground are BC racing coilovers. There is no stretched tyres or over the top camber in sight for this mx5, this one is designed to get round a track as quick as Hayley can get it round.
Moving to the interior Hayley has kept the car intact, she likes to make use of the car on the road and get out for weekend drives so it's no stripped out racer however the standard seats have made way for a pair of Sparco bucket seats and 4 point harnesses and the steering wheel has been replaced with a classic Nardi addition. A boost gauge gives some hint as to what lies under the bonnet, a chrome roll hoop completes the interior.
The overall package of this little pocket rocket provides is a car that looks fantastic, it may be over 20 years old now but it still looks factory fresh and it can also do the business where it matters for people like us.
This little MX5 is now producing more power than ever but it's the driveability which has transformed the car more than anything, the throttle control has been improved massively and now Hayley has the confidence tojump on the power without worrying about how and when the boost will come in which is helping the lap times come down.
You can up to date with what Hayley is up with the mx5 by following her on instagram @hayley_trackaddict
This little MX5 is now producing more power than ever but it's the driveability which has transformed the car more than anything, the throttle control has been improved massively and now Hayley has the confidence tojump on the power without worrying about how and when the boost will come in which is helping the lap times come down.
You can up to date with what Hayley is up with the mx5 by following her on instagram @hayley_trackaddict