Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) The Ubiquitous MX-5

G will know the details but isn't it basically a Zetec anyway???
If so it should walk in on its own.

Thats an interesting comment coming as it does on a Morgan forum arguably dedicated to a car design in the Trad that makes a TR7 look avantguarde! I dont say this in any knocking sense - personally I rather fancy a trad. But you only need to go round the Morgan factory to see an obsolete basic design ( solid axle and drum brakes for heavens sake!) being made by completely last century ( and the beginning of it at that!) techniques. Morgans are hand made because Morgan cant make them any other way.

Ironically, the design of the MX5 took many cues from the Elan and the basics were done by International Automive Design or Worthing before "productionising " the design in Japan. A re run if you like of the way we did the basics for Nissan and one of the Korean firms as well as providing the design for the iconic BMW motorcycle amongst many others.

I'd need to check the details in my 'library' but off the top of my head:
provided it is a Mk3 or later, then the engine can, technically, be said to be a Ford engine ( or at least have a large Ford input under the technology sharing deal the two companies used to have)

I've seen reports where the swap has been done, but the ones I've read about have done it using a Type 9 gearbox (Ford Sierra) and a custom prop

It seems that in money terms, a lot of people go with a Zetec out of an ST170 or a Duratec 2.0 or 2.3 which are of course much more powerful and much more tuneable engines than the Zetec

Still, if you already have the mazda lump this might put a different angle on it
G

Shame about the TR7. Politically motivated solution to a problem that didn't exist. Then the fact that wedges date more than any other shape...... TVR wedge anybody????

Don't be too harsh on the live axle and drums though Howard. Rear discs look fab, and there will be some on here like me who have contemplated changing, but it would really be a cosmetic/vanity fix for the road. On such a light car the drums work well enough at the rear, and provide a good handbrake. An independant rear end on such a flexible chassis would (I suspect)cause more problems than it's worth. If it was fixed to a tubular subframe (like the MGB IRS) with coilovers I doubt there would be much of a weight saving, and really the charm of the trad is that it's a trad, and provides a 30's motoring experience.

I wonder what Chapman would have made of the MX5 and the comparison to the Elan - which was a masterpiece in its time.

What he usually did, I guess- 'add lightness' or, to put it another way, make it so fragile it either rusted away, fell apart or went bang very loudly when it hit anything other than a Trabant
lovely car in many ways but I was glad to see the back of mine

I still look fondly ast Elan's but I'm misty eyed with nostalgia, rather than cold and logical. But what if Lotus made them new again - shades of the 3W. What if for £25/30K you could have a new one??????
I wish that TVR was still around because a new TVR would be tempting........(at the right price of course).

Some extra info:
Beginning in 2004, Ford dropped the old 4-cylinder Zetec engines in favour of Ford’s Duratec and Mazda’s MZR design. The all-new Duratec/MZR was designed as a replacement for the Zetec engine and was developed as joint collaboration with Ford and Mazda

G

Oh yes! I'd have another one...

G - I agree with you on the MX-5. Still have a marque history I haven't read yet.

Cheers,