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Hi guys and girls.

New member here, about to start on my first kit car, and chose the MX250. Went for the hard top option as really like that 1960's coupe look. I think this will be the first MX250 built in Belfast (if anyone knows any different please let me know). Thanks to Dan and Chris for their help so far in answering my questions.

Got my donor car sorted (see picture) - flew to Southampton, then picked it up and drove to Holyhead through Snowdonia (good fun!!!) before getting the ferry to Dublin, then a drive up to Belfast. Got a good solid Mk2 with brilliant sills and rear arches, reasonable service history and low mileage. Only problem was the lacquer was peeling - like that is an issue!!! Have sourced most of the additional parts needed, just need to find a petrol cap, front grille and door mirrors. Oh, and of course rims and rubber (though got some good tips off the Wheels page already, thanks).

Anyway folks, just thought I would say Hi, introduce myself and apologise in advance for all the annoying questions I will be asking!!!

Ta, Craig

Hi and welcome.
When you say you need front grill do you mean the surround?
If so I have one you can have, it's currently painted black but may need a new coat.

Thanks for the welcome. To be honest i would take any advice........ I was looking for a Mondeo grille as mentioned in the suggested parts list in the build thread, however i was looking for some kind of chrome surround that i could then use with some mesh???

This one I have is a black mondeo surround, I had the mess attached to that

I have a few in stock, I will let you have one FOC

Brilliant Chris, thanks. I need to speak to Dan too, when my kit is being sorted I am after pair of light covers and a rear window too. Really appreciate the grille.

Hi guys, just about got everything I need, and hopefully my kit is getting delivered next week. However really having problems sourcing some wheels, I have been trawling Ebay looking for something complete with tyres (keep the cost down) that will look the part. I have gone for a 30mm drop on the springs and have already got my 25mm spacers for the rear. All I seem to find at the moment are BBS Mk2 Golf wheels, and defo don't want to go down that avenue. Any pointers or advice would be gratefully received.

Look at the finished cars on the site. Most look best with big alloys rather than small wires. Not much choice second hand because they will be an odd size with the MX PCD and required deep dish and off sets. Plenty of choice for new wheels on ebay but you won't get much change out of £500 for a set. After the kit itself the wheels and tyres make the biggest contribution to the end result so its worth spending a little extra to get it right.

Thanks for the advice Lucky. I was thinking of going big and chunky, currently following a set of staggered Borbet A's, with the desired 7.5 and 9 width and the correct offset. As you said tho, no change out of 500 nicker!. Thanks again.

I paid more for my wheels than I did for the donor Mazda.

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However they do look the mutts nutts! Are they Borbet A's?

Yes they are and yes they do. Painted them black myself :)

Been on the phone with Chris today, courier is picking my kit up on Tuesday, it should be in Belfast on Friday. Time to get busy, watch this space for the odd piccy and loads of daft questions !

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So, finished work a bit earlier today ready for Easter weekend. Thought I would take advantage of a dry day and the fact my kit should be here next week and make a start. Not exactly a huge start, however I don't want to peak too early!!!!

So first daft question - do the front arch liners need keeping for refitting into the new front end, or can I just bin them?:icon_redface:

Keep them. Will need arches for the kit

Thanks mate. I thought so, but wanted to make sure.

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Woke up this morning to a dry, bright day so thought I would get stuck in, a couple of hours later and I was going great guns - bonnet off, rad header tank off, fuse box off, wings taped and cut, took the off side wing off and discovered I had a snapped front spring. No great drama as I have a set of 30mm lowering springs in the garage. I wasn't going to fit them straight away as I didn't want to restrict wheel options, however needs must.

Started removing the shock and ended up having to cut the anti roll bar drop link off as the nuts were rusted solid so will need to order new drop links. Then noticed a suspicious bit of rust bubbling on the outrigger and set to with the grinder to see how bad it was - you can see the result in the pics. Off to Halfords to buy a Mig welder!!!!

So todays daft question - What thickness steel should I be using to fabricate a piece of outrigger? I am thinking 2mm but want a second opinion.:cry::cry::cry:

All help gratefully received.

Can't help you on steel thickness but. Hope you go well with the build.

I am going to get a bit of use out of my donor car before I order the kit and start mine.

Hopefully you will ask the silly questions during your build and I won't need too lol

Pop over to this guys site. http://www.themx5restorer.co.uk/page...air-panels.php

Probably cheaper to knock them up yourself (he charges £36+vat per side), but he has done the hard work.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a90...psa32fff2e.jpg

BTW, if i were in the market for a new welder I would go here: http://www.thewelderswarehouse.com/W...ig-welder.html

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I will do my best Leigh!! More daft questions coming soon I promise.

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Thanks mate, I have actually managed to source some 1.5mm plate. Went to a local fabrication company and they gave me some off cuts for free! Most of the rot now cut out and ready to start shaping the in fills. Thanks for the tip on the welder, I ended up borrowing an arc welder of a mate so all sorted.

Todays daft question - I was reading some of the build threads last week and came across a part number for decent chrome wiper arms, and of course being an idiot didn't make a note of it. Now a week later I can't find the right thread or the part number. Help please!

Another question, how do you put pictures into a thread, all I can see to do is save them as a link?

By the way - kit should be here tomorrow.

Google up Tex adjustable wiper arms, there are a few sellers.

Cheers dude.

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Been quiet for the past week or so, my kit attived last Friday as promised by Chris. Cheers mate, all intact and well packed. Since then the weather has been awful so not much work done. I managed to find some wheels this week, 16 x 8's with a 20 offset, so spacers for the rear end. Think they will look good. Came with 4 nearly new tyres and not a mark on them, got them for a good price too. I have got some of the chassis welding done, hoping it is going to stay dry this afternoon and evening so i can get the rest done, doesn't look promising tho!

Nice wheel choice - whats your plans for colour tri, etc?

Just in case you are interested, there is a set of 14" bolt on wire wheels for a MX5 on Ebay at the moment. £400 or £450 can't remember exactly.

Thanks will have a look.

Sorry for being unadventurous but going Ferrari red. I am building it for a mate of mine so what he says goes. For the interior I am going for mk1 tombstone leather seats with the nardi wooden steering wheel, handbrake and gear knob. Nothing too exciting but that is what he has opted for. Just need some decent weather now, p***ing down again this afternoon

Well I had half a day of decent weather on Saturday, and a full day on Sunday. So removed the radiator and set to on the chassis legs. End result - all front end welding done, undersealed and radiator back in. New shocks arrived tonight (front NS was misting so thought I would change them while I was doing the springs anyway), so hoping to get the suspension back together and it sat back on its wheels tomorrow night (weather depending), then we are ready to trial fit the front end and start making some headway!!!

Todays daft questions:
1. Has anyone managed to use the MX5 bonnet and boot release / lock with the 250 kit?
2. I presume you use a seal of some description around the bonnet frame, anyone got any links to a suitable fleabay listing?

Cheers folks.

Kitscar solutions for the bonnet seal, and plenty of other stuff too

Or sealsdirect http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/

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Thanks mate, you are really helping me out with your pointers. Appreciated.:icon_wink:

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Thanks a lot, all advice and tips gratefully received.

Well I got my good weather yesterday evening, so the front end is back together. New shocks, new springs (30mm drop), new anti roll bar drop links (had to cut the old ones off, the nuts were seized solid). Had a bit of a measure up tonight and lined up inner wing extensions etc. Weather forecast is good for tomorrow so after work I am hoping to get the front end on, lined up and marked ready for fitting at the weekend.

Thought for today - I need a far bigger garage. Getting really annoyed with working on the drive and being restricted by the weather!!!!!!

you don't hang about look forward to the update pics

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Lol, cheers Leigh. When you get in the 'zone' you have to go for it. Had another good couple of hours tonight, had a trial fit of the front end, got the inner wings ground back ready for the extensions to be bolted on, got one fitted. Hopefully dry tomorrow, and I have a lunch time finish so hoping to have a good couple of hours at it. If I do, then second wing extension fitted, front end back on and start bonding / riveting / bolting. Came to the conclusion tonight that I need lazy tongues, plier type rivet guns are way too much like hard work!!!!!

Couple of pictures for you all:
12 - some of the rot in the chassis leg, by the time I had cut it back to good steel it was 6 inches long and both sides and the bottom of the leg, both sides of the car!
15 - Welded and undersealed (it ain't pretty but is good and strong!!!), and the new springs and shocks.
16 - Got some Mk1 tombstone seats this week, Immaculate, drivers bolster good and firm - £280, RESULT!
17 - Tonights 'dry' fit of the front end. I am feeling quietly confident!

Cheers folks.

Have fun with the front end. I put one on a MK2 and had to remove quite a bit of the fibreglass around the engine bay to get it to fit. I then had to cut out the inner skin on the bonnet to get that to fit.

Might have just been me being cack handed though.

Hmmmm, now I'm not feeling so confident. You wouldn't have a pic or 2 would you?