MX5 Fisher Fury build diary

31st December 2006

Last entry of the year. Got the handbrake cable fitted during the week – Alistair and Nigel spent some time with me and eventually we worked it out. Then I needed some new clevis pins for the handbrake linkages and while at XL Spares found out how much brake callipers and discs cost! But they suggested going to J&C Spares at Sunbury and getting some off a wrecked Sierra then simply buying an overhaul kit from them for £10.00. David Elliston explains very clearly how to do this on his site so Alistair and I went over and got them for £30.00 instead of £140.00! Then as we poked about Alistair found a wrecked MX5 in a corner. The engine looked pretty undamaged. It was an early Eunos judging from the body number NA6CE 158584 and as it had an automatic ‘box may have had a fairly easy life. The scrappy said they had run it and it was listed as “good”. He wanted £200.00 so I gave him a deposit and they’ll get it out for me and then I’ll see how it looks, but it really looks OK so far, only the air conditioning pump looks damaged and I don’t need that. Then Alistair found a 5-speed MX5 gearbox on eBay for £60.00 from good seller who says it’s OK so I bought that too and here we are £260.00 for engine and gearbox instead of the £2500.00 I’ve been expecting for the Ford option. And Tony Healey, who is on the Sylva chat site, then offered me an engine free! But he’s also been really helpful with guidelines on the engine mounts and I can now see what he means and what I’ll probably have to do to get it to fit. Here goes anyway – Fisher don’t list any MX5 engined cars so far! I cannot raise Fisher but Tim Hoverd thinks they may just be taking a break. Fair enough. I’ve sent back the wishbone that needs threading properly, the track rod end that got stuck in it and the modified knuckles that have rubbish threads in them. Let’s wait and see!