MX5Ireland

Hi all,

I have a damaged 1997 MK1 MX5 1.8is which I slid sideways into a concrete post a few years back She was hit on the nose just in front of the passengers side front wheel which sent her into a spin, doing a full 360 and ending up pointing the way I was driving in the first place!
I put it in the garage and its sat there for 5 years! I want to try and fix it up for track use but Ive been told by a mechanic that the front end has moved from the impact, and the steering is all off. Question is, do I;
1. Break her for parts and buy a straight one?
2. Have her pulled straight by a bodyshop?
3. Re-build my parts on another good shell?
Im assuming the shell and front subframe have twisted, so the chances are Ill need a new subframe and possibly front suspension parts too.

gwmcfly wrote:Hi all,

I have a damaged 1997 MK1 MX5 1.8is which I slid sideways into a concrete post a few years back She was hit on the nose just in front of the passengers side front wheel which sent her into a spin, doing a full 360 and ending up pointing the way I was driving in the first place!
I put it in the garage and its sat there for 5 years! I want to try and fix it up for track use but Ive been told by a mechanic that the front end has moved from the impact, and the steering is all off. Question is, do I;
1. Break her for parts and buy a straight one?
2. Have her pulled straight by a bodyshop?
3. Re-build my parts on another good shell?
Im assuming the shell and front subframe have twisted, so the chances are Ill need a new subframe and possibly front suspension parts too.

1. possibly a good idea however you will be left with alot of parts that never sell and its alot of work , plus dealing with chancers and lowballers wanting usually expensive parts for next to nothing will break your heart. Try and find a straight car in northern ireland and you have done well, there are alot of rusty buckets out there atm and good ones command high prices but sometimes dogs are sold at top prices.

2. if the front chassis leg has been badly bent , then no. If its cost effective and the work is guaranteed then knock youself out.....will you have the same confidence in the car once its fixed ? i wouldnt.

3. A possibility but its alot of work , and if you are prepared to do it in 2 weeks flat then its worth while...if you drag it out forever you will loose interest.


if you need a good straight rust free shell , i have 1 here for £400 complete with logbook
I have all the parts you might need to repair it and im in Gilford, so not a million miles away

charged_rs wrote:

gwmcfly wrote:Hi all,

I have a damaged 1997 MK1 MX5 1.8is which I slid sideways into a concrete post a few years back She was hit on the nose just in front of the passengers side front wheel which sent her into a spin, doing a full 360 and ending up pointing the way I was driving in the first place!
I put it in the garage and its sat there for 5 years! I want to try and fix it up for track use but Ive been told by a mechanic that the front end has moved from the impact, and the steering is all off. Question is, do I;
1. Break her for parts and buy a straight one?
2. Have her pulled straight by a bodyshop?
3. Re-build my parts on another good shell?
Im assuming the shell and front subframe have twisted, so the chances are Ill need a new subframe and possibly front suspension parts too.

1. possibly a good idea however you will be left with alot of parts that never sell and its alot of work , plus dealing with chancers and lowballers wanting usually expensive parts for next to nothing will break your heart. Try and find a straight car in northern ireland and you have done well, there are alot of rusty buckets out there atm and good ones command high prices but sometimes dogs are sold at top prices.

2. if the front chassis leg has been badly bent , then no. If its cost effective and the work is guaranteed then knock youself out.....will you have the same confidence in the car once its fixed ? i wouldnt.

3. A possibility but its alot of work , and if you are prepared to do it in 2 weeks flat then its worth while...if you drag it out forever you will loose interest.


if you need a good straight rust free shell , i have 1 here for £400 complete with logbook
I have all the parts you might need to repair it and im in Gilford, so not a million miles away

The more I think about it, I think the best thing to do is just, break it and sell parts off. I'm sure I could get more money back out of it that way.
Yeah I was down with you in Gilford probably 2 years ago now, I bought a Torsen 2 LSD still inside the subframe with wishbones, half half shafts and PPF. I'll probably move it on as well as it was never used! Can you remember what year of car that came from? From memory it was a V-limited mk2 but no sure of the year

charged_rs wrote:

gwmcfly wrote:Hi all,

I have a damaged 1997 MK1 MX5 1.8is which I slid sideways into a concrete post a few years back She was hit on the nose just in front of the passengers side front wheel which sent her into a spin, doing a full 360 and ending up pointing the way I was driving in the first place!
I put it in the garage and its sat there for 5 years! I want to try and fix it up for track use but Ive been told by a mechanic that the front end has moved from the impact, and the steering is all off. Question is, do I;
1. Break her for parts and buy a straight one?
2. Have her pulled straight by a bodyshop?
3. Re-build my parts on another good shell?
Im assuming the shell and front subframe have twisted, so the chances are Ill need a new subframe and possibly front suspension parts too.

1. possibly a good idea however you will be left with alot of parts that never sell and its alot of work , plus dealing with chancers and lowballers wanting usually expensive parts for next to nothing will break your heart. Try and find a straight car in northern ireland and you have done well, there are alot of rusty buckets out there atm and good ones command high prices but sometimes dogs are sold at top prices.

2. if the front chassis leg has been badly bent , then no. If its cost effective and the work is guaranteed then knock youself out.....will you have the same confidence in the car once its fixed ? i wouldnt.

3. A possibility but its alot of work , and if you are prepared to do it in 2 weeks flat then its worth while...if you drag it out forever you will loose interest.


if you need a good straight rust free shell , i have 1 here for £400 complete with logbook
I have all the parts you might need to repair it and im in Gilford, so not a million miles away

The more I think about it, I think the best thing to do is just, break it and sell parts off. I'm sure I could get more money back out of it that way.
Yeah I was down with you in Gilford probably 2 years ago now, I bought a Torsen 2 LSD still inside the subframe with wishbones, half half shafts and PPF. I'll probably move it on as well as it was never used! Can you remember what year of car that came from? From memory it was a V-limited mk2 but no sure of the year

blimey mate..cant remember tbh although i do remember you.
It was from a 6 speed mk2 jap import, an rs i think