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Yeah definitely. That age Japanese cars and especially imports just didn't cope with British climate and salt roads.
But that's why I'd like it as a long term project, I'd strip it to the shell and repair or replace from the ground up. My dream would be to fully restore one to factory level. 92 because it's the year I was born and I'd keep it until ICE becomes unfeasible and strip it down again in 10/15 years and electric convert it when parts are cheaper.
Anyway just a pipe dream
PhilDAS-
I'd strip it to the shell and repair or replace from the ground up
I think Mazda are now reproducing new potentially better quality panels for the MK1 to help with this. I get this is a fantasy project but having witnessed how full strip and rebuild costs go crazy/rarely get finished i'd consider looking at finding the best base you can find for a rolling project then ICE conversion to manage the costs. Boring but it blows my mind what people spend restoring cars with such relatively low ceiling values.
This is why my Saab 900 will likely never get a full restoration as i'd have no idea where to start or stop.
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Apparently the MK2s are even worse in terms of rust resistance (or lack thereof). Damn shame as there's no real alternatives that aren't incredibly rare. Will likely pick up an MK4 when my one finally bites the bullet, but they look a bit naff IMO. This modern trend of aggressive styling really should not have been applied to MX-5s (IMO)
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1992-I hate your youth.
If you have the space, and you can weld that is the major cost and your time of course.
So uk spec or JDM spec?
My two were less than £500 for the pair, both no MOT and really poor welded patches on the rear cils. First thing I did was remove the doors and weld in some box section in the door gap to strengthen the shell. The striping the interior to make cross strengthening the shell.
Then panels/bumpers to remove as much weight from the shell as I was removing the shells strengthening.At that point I would have liked to strip the shell bare and get it soda blasted but the costs and time would not have increased the value of the car when sold.
jono84
mmccarthy
lynx
The cheap ones have been scrapped and what is left at the lower end show some terrible repairs.
But it was satisfying drilling out the spot welds while the previous repairs were badly welded and filler on two different cars but replacing the inner, middle and outer cils. Weekend a side including patching the floors.