Hello all,

After owning "the book" for a fair few years I am finally getting a build sort of going. This weekend I will be picking up a part built chassis.
My welding and fabrication skills are fine but time is of an essence so this head start is welcomed. I'll make all of the necessary checks over the welds etc and correct where/if needed.

If someone could please post a quick list of the mods required to fit an MX5 into the original Haynes Roadster book chasisis it would be appreciated. I'll then crack on with the research.

This will be a quite a long build as I'm also finishing off my Fiesta RS Turbo rebuild and that takes priority with the funds for the time being.

I'll update as much and as soon as i can.

Cheers Chris

Morning

There are two options you'll either need to look at the Saturn Sports Cars build Guide for conversion of Haynes Roadster to MX5 MK1 as Donor vehicle, I have a PDF copy i can send if you U2U me your email address.

Or, probably the better option instead of potentially correcting some else's mistakes or poor chassis alignment is to get either a flat pack or prebuilt chassis from talonmotorfabrication.

Also have a look at Haynes Roadster Forum book amendments and guides

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for the info. I did do a bit of advance research and noted what most of the changes are, the part chassis I am collecting is yet to have any of the brackets and suspension mounts etc attached and also the diff mounts are not yet on. Basically it's still at a point where it could go any direction.

I'd really appreciate the Saturn Sports Car guide please and will U2U you. Thanks.

hi Chris, im making my own chassis at the moments using a mk2 mx5 as a donor and am (for the most part) following talons tmxr design, he has very helpfully made a google sketch up version of his chassis HERE

if you havent already you can download sketchup for free and use the in built tape measure and protractor tools to measure the chassis.

as for those links that charlie posted they probably no longer work, i have found pdf/.doc versions of them if you cant find them, u2u me your email address and ill send them over.

alex

Hi Alex,

I'll get myself set up with Google Sketchup and check it out, sounds useful. I've got myself a UK mk1 1.8 donor when I am ready for it.
I'd also appreciate those files via email if it's not too much trouble.

From what I can gather the main differences between the bare bones book chassis and the TMXR are the diff mount and rear suspension mounting areas?

Thanks.

no problem ill send the files over when i finish work tomorrow.

im still finding out all the differences myself to be honest but yes as far as i know thats the general jist. though im not too sure that the suspension mounting areas have changes just the wishbones, the mx5 has a massive wings on the diff cover that the TMXR chassis does away with and uses a different cover so the wishbones are longer, though the SSC plans used really short rear bones, the plans are also incomplete, hopefully someone with put me right if any of that is wrong

also i beileve the TMXR chassis creates mounting point for the engine so the original ones can be used (thats what im trying to do anyway) and also TR5 is replaced as the mx5 engine as a huge inlet manifold and presumably wont (i have done this) fit if its kept "book spec"

check my build diary for pictures of my chassis so far, hope this helps

here are the plans for the missing top rear wishbones, good luck with the build, there are heaps of photos including the bare chassis in my photo archive
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