Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

New gearknob for 159 SW! Just a photo from the maker now but looking forward to fitting it!

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Is that wood?
You know it will warp next time it rains and the Alfa fills up with water!
( speaking from experience)

No sunroof and no soft top so I stand some sort of chance of surviving!
It is wood though. Reclaimed skateboard decks. I asked him to try and pick out colours that mirrored the Alfa Romeo logo although it doesn't exactly scream it.

Still looks cool though. Looking forward to fitting it in place of the horrible stock auto shifter!

I think I got it all working. Photos to come.

It’s momentary with a mini

Is that by the same people who made the new table for 'The Nine Club'? They talk about it from 9-12 mins in the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIYlKOG_XbY

Back to cars, a couple of in the wild shots, a nice Fiat 124

and kerr-ching, a 959 with wanky plate to match.

Does anyone want to buy my brat?
Only recent photo I can find, of it looking grubby. Will photograph it properly in due course. I was thinking of putting it up for £7k, but would take £6k for a quick sale if anyone is, or knows someone who is interested.

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@Hulsroy should buy it and use as his Brexit getaway car

It would cost the same as moving my shit home but it would not hold all my shit I am afraid

Make two trips. I'll ride shotgun on the second.

It is soooo much money tho

Brexit getaway car

This just reminded me that some heinous collection of American twats followed my Instagram account yesterday called @brexitmotoring.

They do have some lovely MG Midgets but they're obviously wankers.

Who needs an estate??

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Serious garage envy. Also strong effort.

Does anyone here have a recommendation for a mobile valet service in the NW postcodes?

Mini.
So happy.

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Birthday present from my wife is a 4 day rally driving course. Pretty excited about that. Then track day later in the year.

Top wifing!

Which MX-5 would be the best choice for track days, and what would it need done to it (if anything) before being put into use?

I imagine that there is a balance to be struck between cheap to buy and enormous amounts of rust and deferred maintenance being present?

Sounds like an LFGSS track day is nigh-on inevitable now.

(Was considering an MX-5 vs mini, but this popped up at exactly the right time).

No experience, but from Internet reading you want the 5 speed gearboxes rather than the later 1.8 mk2.5 with the 6 speed. And obviously rust on the bottom sils(sp?).

Would it not be best to buy one, take it to the track, then based on what you think its lacking change it?

I'd have thought someone else's track project, or an early mk2. A lot of the mk1 will be knackered or if good when I looked offered worse vfm than the early mk2

I was at castle Combe on Easter Monday watching the racing and there were a couple of mx5 races (with big fields) so maybe one of them? :)

Mk2s might be slightly cheaper but for looks Mk1s every time, underneath they're surprisingly similar. Personally the main draw to the Mk2s would be the vvt engine. The YouTube channel 'Circuit : Driver' is a good source for track MX5 info, especially MK1/2 info.

My local track is Bedford and the car can hustle most people in the corners (with handling mods) but on the straights it gets comically out paced. I'd say if you have a long local track maybe consider other options, or forced induction. For smiles per £'s though...

Regarding track prep I'd change all fluids and take it from there, maybe some decent brake pads too?

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My local track would be Brands Hatch

My mx5 will be for sale soon, mx5 rs imported 10 years ago and owned by me since then - not used during winter. Very solid underneath with virtually no rust.
Rs comes with lsd, biksteins, higher red line, etc
Body a bit tatty in places but easily sorted.
Looking for £1500