Practically Classics Forum

At 17 the insurance will be more than the car cost (my niece had to pay 2 grand to insure a KA). If she still wants one in a couple of years then I will be more than supportive.

My son is planning to learn in a rwd car but not for a few years yet, mind you I don't expect there will be much need to catch the rear end on a standard 1098 Minor which seems to be one of the few classics insurable for a youngster.

They have both been driving the landie on private land and loved it , it did highlight the need to do something about the on - off throttle though.

I will take a look at the turbo one, mind you our late 1.8 Japan spec car is pretty quick anyway, our plan is to keep it mechanicaly standard for reliability, eventually we will even replace the Bilstein Springs / dampers with standard ones as well. (ride is very harsh)

kevin

kstrutt1 wrote:My son is planning to learn in a rwd car but not for a few years yet, mind you I don't expect there will be much need to catch the rear end on a standard 1098 Minor

You would be amazed how easy it is to get the back end to step out in a minor. Skinny cross ply tyres are great fun, especially in the wet!

ive heard the 1.6 is the better engine, whats your verdict on the 1.8
as for power sliding ive managed to get both my transits & my old iveco sliding which would have put sebastain loeb to shame..

I've never driven a 1.6 so i can't make a dirct comparisson but the 1.8 is smooth, revs freely and pulls like a train, fuel consumption is not fantastic though (around 30 to the gallon) it is also quite short geared which probably accounts for this.

Having driven both the 1.6 and 1.8, i prefer the early 1.6 as fitted to my eunos, seems to rev quicker.
they are all pretty spritely however, I am not sure they can be classed as 'fast' but then again, how fast do you need to go on the open road?

I do have a preference for the early(ish) JAP spec eunos as they seem a lot closer to the ethos of the MX5.

This is mine just about to be piloted by my son (private car park btw), pretty standard apart from the sesible 15" wheel upgrade (cheaper sticky tyres) and front sticky number plate





Kev

what are they like on the motorway, when i get mine its a long trip home with at least 7 hours on the motorway.. its what put me off mister two.

rich. wrote:what are they like on the motorway, when i get mine its a long trip home with at least 7 hours on the motorway.. its what put me off mister two.

they will sit all day at 70, seats are supportive and comfy and with hood up not too noisy. only downside is that trucks are scarey big when you are alongside, I suppose to sum it up, they are not a motorway cruiser, put them on a fast A road and the smiles are huge. Parts are cheap as chips, mods easy (if you are so inclined) and the early ones like mine are cheap to insure (combined policy with my singer).
Absolutely love mine and being a very low miler, rust free import (all the toys fitted as standard) she is a keeper

Kev

mister two was an import in mint condition low miles all the toys & great fun around here but had to go.. now i need to persuade the boss i need an mx5

Ours is also a high spec import, it has been here 10 years but still seems pretty much corrosion free, it has 91k miles on the speedo but I imagine this was changed when it was imported, I have the japanese service book and all the mots since it has been here so we could work it out. I can see it being a keeper as well, we never seem to sell any of our cars, this is how we have ended up with 6 cars!

I have just put the new exhaust on and it seems to pick up even better, It was a bit of a pig to fit as the studs to the catalyst snapped and had to be drilled out, it is a bit noisy at full load but ok if you drive sensibly. Just waiting for the seat leather coating kit to finish the interior and then I can get back to my cars, TR mot is booked for next week, its on the ramp now so I will give it the once over tomorrow.

Kevin

TerryG wrote:

kstrutt1 wrote:My son is planning to learn in a rwd car but not for a few years yet, mind you I don't expect there will be much need to catch the rear end on a standard 1098 Minor

You would be amazed how easy it is to get the back end to step out in a minor. Skinny cross ply tyres are great fun, especially in the wet!

Series 3 in 2wd on 750's can do a powerslide around the Sandy roundabout on the A1 . I know , 'cos I was there. I didn't think it was that enjoyable.
Think of the scene in the Wizard of Oz where the farmhouse gets sucked up into the tornado
I may decide to fit some disco steelies, or defender wolf steelies with some nice grippy radials. The current crossplies are cracked beyond reasonable limits anyway