Full Underside Update

[drumtochty Eddie Cairns]

Interesting new service announced by AK Automotive in North East England.

I have never used the company and therefore I cannot comment on their work. AK prepare the cars that GoodwoodSportsCars import from Japan and also prepare track cars for customers.

A number of enthusiasts with MK1 cars remove both front and rear sub frames to strip down the suspension, powder coat the sub frames and suspension arms and then rebush the arms, clean the underside and undercoat with all the areas being accessible. They also remove and inspect the fuel tank. Then replace with new suspension.

Now it appears that the cars in Japan are going for more at auctions and the trade of importing the Mk1's may well fall due to the cost of bringing in a car in from Japan.

Therefore AK Automotive are now offering this is part of their refurbishment programme for the early cars.

The main problem here is where do you stop i.e. new brake lines, new suspension bolts, repair rust of course, well why not put in a new fuel tank then the cost is say £6,000. We have not even got a new hood yet and while you are at it rebuild the engine.

I'm afraid that I would rather go for a newish Mk3 or a Mk4 probably but of course others will have other views.

In saying that as always Mazda basically tells you when you PCP a Mk4 that it will drop 50% of value in three years.

No doubt others will comment.

http://www.akautomotive-mx5.co.uk/asnew-refurbishent/

[IanH]

I'm not one to subscribe to the let's keep one for ever school of MX-5 ownership, for me it's a toy to enjoy in the present and replace as required. For not much more than the basic cost of their services, underbody plus engine plus seats you can find an NC. Each to their own of course.

[OldSpice]

Fair play to them, and people who sometimes spend more on their old slappers than is advisable
I'm afraid I have to count myself amongst them but these days £15,000 standard Escorts & 20/25k plus nut & bolted Triumph, B's, and Stags are pretty common.
Recently, a last of line Capri 2.8i, albeit mint & 100% original went for 46k at auction. How I wish I'd kept my own show-winner.

Autolink will likely have noted the lack of truly 99 point condition imports, and together with the Yen/£ exchange, these days lesser vehicles are more the norm.
It looks like Japanese enthusiasts & speculators have very aware of future values, and are only letting go of what they know are 2nd division examples these days...relatively speaking. Note the Hiroshima factory £30k Mk1 rebuilds available. Mental.
Personally, I'd be doing an Autolink on mine if.....I see customer reviews and photographic walk throughs' first.
My chassis is original and about as tight as a slice of streaky bacon and the sills/rear arches need renewed so it's on SORN till it's comfortably affordable.

I've dealt with Autolink on several occasions, including a "new" Mk1 engine and I've generally found them to be honest brokers..once you get them to return calls sometimes!
They certainly know a thing or 3 about engines, in which case I'm seriously thinking about their "Mk2.5" engine graft as well to give my Auto a bit more verve.
I'm not interested in anorak originality, just want a solid and drivable Mk1.
Standard fair for them.

[drumtochty Eddie Cairns]

Robin,

I notice AK have a Mk2.5 engine in stock waiting for you!

[OldSpice]

Eddie.
I notice my sills & arches are shot, and the car sits "all to one side like Greenock"
Patience padawan...patience

[Bob the Train Bob McNair]

Eddie. "all to one side like Greenock"

Ah've no' heard that wan afore.

[drumtochty Eddie Cairns]

I think Robin is referring to the tilting tower of Gourock.

[drumtochty Eddie Cairns]

I just looked at Border MX5's projects page and they appear to be doing the same thing re major refurbs of early cars.

They are and daring to suggest that their rebuilds, which they further suggest will be nearer £9 to £10k and I have costed and cannot disagree with are a better bet than an Import from Steve in Berwick upon Tweed.

http://www.bordermx5s.com/projects.html

[OldSpice]

I'd rather spend 9 to 10k with them than 6,7k or more from any "specialist".
Quite specifically I have no particular JDM importer in mind.
As I said before, the majority of "the best available" are what would have been considered 2nd division 10/15 years back.
Cars with inner sill crud and other hidden issues, former light to medium (repaired?) accident damage, and often.... doctored mileages.
Easy to do on a Mk1 when no JDM documents are either available, or produced.
My import came with it's full JDM history in a file including the dreaded (over there) "Shaken". Very rare.
From what I've been reading recently, the Japanese woke up a while back to hanging onto the mint & boxed Mk1's for themselves.
Who would dream of chucking 10k at an old Mk1 to make it 100 points plus?
Plenty, and in increasing (niche) numbers it seems.
Given time, if not now at 5 displays & gatherings, it'll be these cars that are quietly coveted by passers by.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again.
Now...is the time for genuine Mk1 petrolheads to nab the best they can if they want weekender/winter SORN'ed keeper.
Just try finding a solid-tubbed original & unmessed Vin Rouge anything...or an RS today with excelllent provenance worth consideration for less than 4/5k...and good luck burning the midnight oil.

[drumtochty Eddie Cairns]

The only minor problem I have is that no matter what make of car Frogeye, Morgan, Aston, Jaguar you name it, you see adverts with a picture history of say £15,000 or lots more spend on a nut and bolt up restro, finished three months ago or last year and the car is now up for sale!

In saying that, there are people who have just bought an ND RF's or the latest Morgan special edition plus lots of customisation to make it "theirs" who sell it after a month for whatever reason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OldSpice]

Takes all kinds Eddie eh?
Cars can be a medium of sound investment.
Or, a great method of chucking depreciation costs down a shaft quicker than a grand piano.
Might as well pile £50.00 notes into a garden bin and set light.
Ego & personal life style choice VS solid common sense & grounded economic awarenesses based on realistic disposable (debt free ) incomes
Like food & wine...each to their own.

[OldSpice]

In saying that, there are people who have just bought an ND RF's or the latest Morgan special edition plus lots of customisation to make it "theirs" who sell it after a month for whatever reason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's simple.
They perhaps realised a solid Mk1 was a better proposition..for 25%/50% of the price.