Cheap Project Cars

B.Martin · July 10, 2011, 09:51:35 PM

I concur... 1.8 MX5 Seems your best bet.

And if you get bored you can butcher in a n/a 13B FTUW!

m1tch · July 10, 2011, 09:53:32 PM

Quote from: BenRX;775022I concur... 1.8 MX5 Seems your best bet.

And if you get bored you can butcher in a n/a 13B FTUW!

Or a Turbo II lump with a Garrett turbo off a truck like Speedline imports MX7

wish I had fitted that turbo now rather that selling it lol :rolleyes:

jetpilot · July 10, 2011, 10:02:48 PM

I would have thought the tuning potential will run out very quick on a n/a car?

Lacey · July 10, 2011, 10:16:06 PM

I have my Honda up for sale for sub 3k, 1.6l Non-VTEC so plenty of tuning options, no VTEC liners and lower compression than VTEC means turbo\'ing is an option.

Even without VTEC it\'s quick enough to keep up with Prof

Steve-A · July 10, 2011, 10:18:41 PM

Quote from: Prof;775019I reckon if it\'s for mapping practice then the following should be on your list of requirements:

1) Piston engine - you get away with a bit of pinking before change of underwear required - mx5

2) Non contact engine - not sure what control you\'d have over timing electronically - but valves hitting pistons is game over. - both mx5 1.6 and 1.8 engines are non interference.

3) Something not to stressed - in some respects a non turbo engine may be a better starting pint. - mx5 1.6 IS a turbo engine without a turbo. Its the engine out of the 323 turbo, but with the turbo taken off, there\'s even turbo oil feeds still in the block, which makes life easy to add a turbo..

4) Simple engine - 4 pot reliable type - mx5.

It\'s a no brainer really :Giggle

The 1.6 mx5 engine being designed for a turbo initially really is a god send. It means its bullet proof n/a, then when you do go turbo it\'ll run at 1 or 1.2 bar all day long making ~250hp.

The pulley / woodruff key issue only effects very early 1.6s, pre 91 I believe, and it\'s easy to spot which engine you\'ve got.

I made between 180hp and 230hp, with plenty of mis tuning and knocking while I learnt, on an engine that was boosted from 100,000 miles to 125,000 and still had good compression on all 4 cylinders

Quote from: BenRXAnd if you get bored you can butcher in a n/a 13B FTUW!

Trust me it ain\'t that easy

Fun though!

m1tch · July 10, 2011, 10:23:57 PM

Yeah my 1.6 was an early one, with 115bhp, rather than the 90bhp of the later ones lol I think the engine even has oil sprayers etc

I had a BP-05 GT engine that I dropped into my BA 323F, its what the car should have had

Big Al · July 10, 2011, 10:27:07 PM

I have a 94 Mk1 MX5 gathering cobwebs. Minor mods, ...quad headlights, style bars, stainless cat back, Wolferace wheels, near new Toyo tyres.
Reliable and low mileage for it\'s age. Could be up for sale.

Big Al · July 10, 2011, 10:27:47 PM

Forgot to mention...it\'s a 1.8

Lacey · July 10, 2011, 10:29:03 PM

You know you want a Honda

PDale · July 10, 2011, 10:39:55 PM

Thanks for the suggestions guys, some good additional points to look into as well. I don\'t have the money to hand right now as I\'m in the research phase at the moment, as soon as I do I will give the cars for sale some serious thought.

MX5 seems to be the most popular and obvious choice at present! I have to confess thinking of a BMW in some guise but I think it would get expensive really quickly as well as a much steeper learning curve.... or maybe a turbo\'d Ford....

Lacey · July 10, 2011, 10:42:08 PM

Boooo, you know you want Honda! :p

Steve-A · July 10, 2011, 10:49:15 PM

Quote from: m1tch;775035Yeah my 1.6 was an early one, with 115bhp, rather than the 90bhp of the later ones lol I think the engine even has oil sprayers etc

Sorry to be a pedantic pain in the arse but AFAIK....

89-90 \'short nose crank\' 1.6 had 115hp and can suffer crank pulley problems.
91-93 \'long nose crank\' 1.6 had 115hp and no problems.
93-98 JDM 1.6 is long nose and 115hp
94-95 they didn\'t make UKDM 1.6s
96-98 UKDM 1.6s are 88hp and long nose crank. They make more power than the early engines below 4k but it runs out of puff about 6k and misses out on the top end. Some rumours that there\'s weaker rods and changes in the head but my experience says otherwise. The drop in power is due to softer cams, lower compression ratio and a soft map.

Because I started with the 88hp engine I did lots of research into the engines before I started turboing.

PDale · July 10, 2011, 10:59:42 PM

Quote from: Lacey;775043Boooo, you know you want Honda! :p

I like Hondas as well, you could always lend it to me so I can have a play with it and then I\'ll bring it back later in one piece. I promise

Lacey · July 11, 2011, 12:06:54 AM

You\'d want it to have tax and MOT first, has been my daily for nearly 5 years and never missed a beat, it\'s immortal!

Prof · July 11, 2011, 12:35:36 AM

Quote from: Lacey;775031Even without VTEC it\'s quick enough to keep up with Prof

Only when Prof let\'s you - lol - I haven\'t used \'Full throttle\' for quite some time - as it tends to open up large gaps in between me and those following. I make 12 psi with 75% throttle - so why waste the extra 25% (as it happens I\'ve not tightened up the wastegate enough to allow much more boost - but it means I get 318 bhp+ without WOT :driving )