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Mazda Mx5 Gbs Zero Kit


Nike55

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Guest luke2152

I'm building a mazda one too. Not as far through as Zach but its coming together nicely. I'm not really the blogging type but feel free to pm for questions or specific photo. I'd suggest once you buy the kit to get everything else you need from anyone other then GBS. Their service is *bleep* but I'm happy with the product so far.

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Thanks 'Shaft' and 'luke2152' (that's deep),

 

 

The key is knowing what is going to fit straight from the Mazda (into say the GBS Mazda chassis) and what needs to be altered / modified or 'bought in'. I appreciate lights, harnesses, glassware etc will need to be IVA compliant and bought in due to the need for 'e' marking, but the key things to find out are (e.g.) if the orig radiator will fit or does it need to be (professionally) altered to suit, or is an 'exchange' unit offered: is a steering rack from an Escort Mk 11 still needed or has the chassis been modified (can it be modified?) to take the Mazda unit..

 

Have to rely on the kit car manufacturer and research is key..so more digging into blogs is needed and attention paid to new products! (Must be 'Kit Car Builders' 'App' out there somewhere..!)

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Hi Nigel

 

Not entirely sure about the Zero but guess it will be very similar to the Sr2 Roadrunner in terms of donor bits etc.

Based on this you will re-use the following from the donor:

 

Engine

Gearbox

Wheel uprights

Brakes (Including handbrake)

Diff

Drive shafts

Prop shaft (this was shortened by Roadrunner on an exchange basis FOC, not sure what GBS do..)

Steering column (again this was modified by Roadrunner and had a quick release steering wheel boss added FOC on an exchange basis)

I also re-used the complete wiring loom (Modified), fuse boxes, ECU etc to make wiring simple....(NOTE USE A DONOR WITHOUT UK SPEC TEMIC IMMOBILISER FITTED!!!)

Instrument cluster (see my build blog https://sites.google.com/site/terryroadrunnersr2builddiary/ loads of photo's still to add soon)

Gear lever (modified FOC on exchange with roadrunner)

Fuel sender/ pump unit

Radiator cooling fan

 

Steering rack was supplied as part of the kit.

Radiator I think is from a VW polo, but was also supplied as part of the kit (MX5 one is too wide for a 7)

 

Windscreen, I suggest you leave off until after the IVA as it's not a requirement. You can then decide of full windscreen or aero screen.

Lights etc you can get from GBS or shop around there are loads of suppliers out there. Just ask on here and someone will help out.

 

All the best with the choice and the build :db:

HTH 8)

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Guest luke2152

Yep zero is similar you use from donor:

Engine

Gearbox (gear lever doesn't need modifying)

Wheel uprights

Brakes (not handbrake)

Brake and clutch master cylinders

Diff

Driveshafts (need to modify)

Propshaft (need to modify)

Steering column (need to modify)

Instruments and wiring loom if you want

 

You need to buy:

Ford escort steering rack

Ford escort hand brake (not sure about cable might be able to use the mx5 one)

Engine mounts (which really should be part of the kit. Around £100 I'm told but I made my own.

Radiator (I think its an escort/cortina one but I picked up a nissan micra one for free and looks about right)

Drive shafts and propshafts, steering shaft need modifying at extra cost. GBS charge £600 but there are other engineering firms that will do it for around half this.

4 rose joints for the front control arms along with the bolts spacers etc. Again these should be part of the kit but aren't.

Dash board

Fuel tank

Shock absorbers

Brake lines

And obviously consumables like rivits, fasteners, p clips, etc.

I've possible missed a few things here but you get the idea anyway. Certainly a few hidden costs there.

Edited by luke2152
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Thanks guys, that's very interesting in terms of differences between the two kits and what can / can't be used and what needs changing or modifying.

 

Interesting that the Sr2 the gear lever needs to be modified but for the Zero is doesn't and the donor handbrake is not used on the Zero but it is on the Sr2.

 

I'm not too worried about the additional costings for altering drive shafts, prop shafts etc - this is not unexpected and I believe both companies advise the fact in their literature. I can't blame them if they charge a bit more than the local engineering company, the profit margins must be quite tight on the kits.

 

I will be searching for details of what needs altering and by how much (drawings anywhere of engine mounts etc for Zero?) and wonder if there is anyone that is recommended (or suggested) by members of the forum who can do such work and has done it before.

 

I know in the States and on this forum that a member might produce, or arrange to have someone produce, a short run of special one off parts at discount, perhaps by a guy working in a shed (or on the nightshift with a CNC machine with a bit of spare capacity).

 

More research needed....

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Let me finish mine before any judgements are made thank you! Might be sh*t hot.....depending on the builder...

 

Sorry Zach, was no way meant as a slur on you or your build. Just I think the quality of some other kits are better, certainly seem to be better companies to deal with. I drove an early zero at the weekend and its still a fine car!

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Haha I know mate, I'm only joking. I have no doubts it will be a good car in the end, just getting it there is the problem lol. I reckon going with a well established product is the way forward if you want the ease, I believe GBS only got their MX5 Zero finished less than a month ago and its only based on one type of MX5 so poorly planned IMO. However it's helped me work through things instead of running for help every step of the way :)

 

Should be a fast car anyway, nearly shot through the back of my garage Monday night reversing it in, only had about 1500-2000 revs, (Had to keep them up to avoid the engine cutting out) Can't wait to get a chance to hit the redline ;) haha! I'm going to get a loyalty card for kwik fit.

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only real prob i can see with the masda is the 3 types of engine mounts and the three types of diff,

it makes the doner a problem in that you dont know what your getting .

could be an export prob for gbs

graham

 

ps have you ever shortened a drive shaft , they are tempered steel.

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Friction welding is how you shorten a tempered steel driveshaft. I got a cheaper quote to have 2 new shafts made to order though (£100 each).

 

OK - must have missed the post where one of the members on here was organising a job lot of MX5 shortened driveshafts from a UK engineering company (bloke in a shed) for a reasonable amount...Surely there's someone in the UK who can do it for less? (or are we going to leave it to a guy in the 'States..?)

 

(No wonder it costs £10k to put one of these together.........)

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hi my point was that depending on the donor ie 3 engine mounts and 3 different diffs .

should the best way to sell these kits is to sell the doner with the kit.

so as produced the kit matches the donor. 1 big box with all the bits in.

 

graham

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  • 3 weeks later...

Lots of useful stuff above but I'm still looking at various manufactured frames to help ease the build, there are more out there than I realised and I'm not entirely certain which one to choose yet. Might wait until next season and make a decision after the current crop of MX5 kit offerings have settled down a bit.

 

After visiting his web site I picked up a copy of Keith Tanner's 'How to Build a Cheap Sports Car'. If anyone is considering building an MX5 based Locost and doesn't have much (or any) previous experience this is quite a good read, not quite like the Haynes Locost books but contains valuable info all the same.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest kevinflyingpeanut

Hi Nike55, just to chip in my twopence worth, I purchased a " 90% " completed Lowcost recently,with Mazda 1800 n running gear, however, much to do ! guess the last 10% will take 90% of the time, if u need a look to let me know , the Mazda in 1.6 or 1.8 guise is mighty capable( nod to Tazzzman) on the recent trackday at Blyton Park. Already RHOCar members for me have been invaluable with help, advice, reading the posts yields much valuable info. Good luck with whatever u decide to build.

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Hi k.f.p. Thanks for the offer of a look, I'm located near Watford, otherwise I'd pop over. I've been looking over a friends completed Caterham and getting some general ideas of the kind of quality I want to achieve, but it surprised me that for £25k it was a bit rough in places, (not my friend's fault he simply 'built' his kit by bolting on the wheels ;)

 

Sadly we are not well blessed with steel stockholders, friendly engineering firms, accessible breakers yards (Latvian mafia have taken over) or college welding courses around here so its going to be a long haul.

 

(We used to have a strong aviation industry in the area - De Havilland at Hatfield and Handley Page at Radlett with both companies sharing Leavesden, but they've long gone together with their support companies. Same is true of certain kit car manufacturers; Fairthorpe, Cheetah and Lotus (at Cheshunt).

 

Now thinking of using Talon Motor Fabrication chassis and parts as I can buy as and when I can afford it, which GBS can't allow.

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