How To Correctly Dispose of An Old Mazda MX5 - The MK Indy RX-5
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ม.ค. 2025
- In today's video, my new green policy. Got an old 1998-2000 Mazda MX-5 which is beyond economical repair? Fear not! It can live a second life, as something much wilder - the MK Sports Cars Indy RX-5
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Enjoyed today's video? See how we made it on our new channel here th-cam.com/video/t0RUHysfnjY/w-d-xo.html
I find it interesting that the MX5 was effectively a copy of the Lotus Elan and that it has now been turned into a copy of the Lotus Seven!
it goes full circle 😂
Wot goes around, comes around!
Nice seeing an Indy on your channel, I'm building a Locost with an NA Volvo 5 cylinder, just for the noiiiise.
one for Jay to test for sure, sounds ace!!
Niiice...
Interesting choice of engine, how heavy are those five pots?
Can't see myself ever owning one of these even though looks like so much fun! Glad there ARE people mad enough.
I own a '96 NA Miata. It has a suspension upgrade package on it and larger wheels with high performance tires. It handles delightfully, perfectly balanced whenever you do push it into a drift. And it's a good daily driver. I'd just as soon have it as this much more expensive kit car.
I have the S2000 engine variant of the above - there's not much that can beat it's performance on track - and for a fraction of the price.... starts to make sense after experiencing that
I owned a Westfield Seight (3.9 V8) for a few years in my early 20's and i maintain to this day that it taught me to drive properly. Heal and toe was a must as there just wasn't enough grip to spin up the engine if you didn't rev match, instead the rear wheels would under rotate which basically feels like pulling the handbrake on while slowling down for a bend. Like i said, it taught me to drive!!! Kit cars and the like, for me anyway, are what most people think a supercar should be like. But unilike a supercar they are actually genuinely fast on pretty much all roads and cheap enough that you're not terrified of damaging them and happy to have a go at maintaining them and modifiying them yourself. I'll never bother with a supercar but i will have another kit car.
And yes, Caterhams are for supercar owners who want a piece of the action- which is why i'll never own one either. That said my Dad does own a series one Lotus 7 so whats a Caterham really...
pps- more reviews like this James- shit i can actually own!
this is just an epic idea for the old rusted mx5 s everyone has a mate that bought a mint mx just for it to be a lemon in discuise and i think this is a rather good alternative of restoring it and paying the same money as a full resto on one of those
So glad you covered the MK, they are a great company to deal with. I have a 1997 Sylva Striker with a CBR900RR (the original kit that morphed in to the Raw and MK ) and have just rewired it. I contacted the guys at MK and I soon had a loom and new dashboard with some great advice and fast delivery.
I was getting fuel in a petrol station in Perth, Scotland. A boy tuned up in what looked like and Atom but it was a car based on an MX5. Looked amazing. I love this idea, many MX5 are beyond economical repair and to be able to repurpose the mechanicals is great.
I've purchased my mx5 2.5 and currently waiting until new year to start building. Exciting times!
Hi James
For me this is one of my favorite vids you have made . I built a Westfield a few years ago here in Western Australia & have currently a NC MX5 . I naturally watch a lot of utubes on the MX5 & am horrified how much they rot on salty roads ! Again well done .
JayEmm On Friends could be a third channel where you talk about the popular 90s sitcom
😂😂😂😂
What a joy to watch! Having had a classic red 1.8 mk1 MK5 with a stainless steel straight pipe to the block I can confidently say I am adding one of these to my xmas card list. Thanks as always :)
Great video, in the long process of building a Dax Rush with mazda running gear and this has given me a real motivation boost. I'm sure it won't be the only time I'll watch it too 😍
As a Mk Indy RX5 owner, I love it and completely different experience to an MX5, Hella fun and gets the attention better 😂😉
Great video. It’s never a car I would want to own personally but I think you wonderfully explained why some would - and should; cost vs. the Caterham being the most telling.
The gear shift is normally fantastic . If not - it’ll need a rebuild kit thrown at it .
Very cheap and very easy ! Couple of waffle spring washers and a shift pivot bush and it’ll be back to glorious
All done from inside the car
Yeah, the box in my MX-5 is rifle bolt precise.
My ex had a shift pivot bush but some Canesten cleared it right up... I'll get me coat
Wow!. A road legal oversized Go-Cart!. The build is equivalent to a "Case swap" for PC builders. The difference being the suspension system (at rear) and a nice light chassis!.Good one!.
Thanks J, good to see the options for old Mx5's. This MK looked a lot of fun! 🙏
Very cool car and video. Thank you for showcasing it. After the Felipe Masa incident definitely would get one with full cage and screen.
There was a kitcar like this for sale quite locally to me. Only the engine was a 210hp 1.9TDI. Looked cool as heck.
15 k bargain hope people support the company , race series would help .
They already have a series on the way!
There is indeed a new race series. Check out MK's website and TH-cam channel for more info.
That shot down the bonnet to the cabin looks amazing.
This is cool. One of these with a k20 would be nuts :)
Got excited for a second as this would be perfect for my old Mk1 rotting in the garage
I built an MK Indy back in 2008 - great guys, great car - I have sadly since sold the car but endless memories were made - glad to see they are still going
I'll just like this vid 30 second s in. I'm sold all ready
For those who want a more practical alternative to this MK for their rusting old MX5 could be the Rickman Ranger. It has a very similar wheelbase and track so all the mechanical parts would fit, as would all of the interior! The Rickman gives all year practicality with a galvanized chassis and a fiberglass body! It is a bit of an ugly box but very well put together! They were based on the MK1/2 Escort but weight even less when all the mechanicals were transferred over in effectively a re-shelling!
Hi James, many thanks again for a fun and delightful car review, however surely the big selling point apart from the price on a MK with MX5 kit is if the donor car is 2005 or newer its engine is Euro-6 which means it's ULEZ compliant unlike all its competitors, which in turn means we can actually drive it in our cities and towns without being financially penalized..
Petrol has to be euro 4 for ULEZ and all modern Caterhams comply 👍
These are based on a 1998-2000 MX5, to be honest I can't imagine many people wanting to drive one of these into many places with a ULEZ zone?
then why did you vote for the people who put those zones in place, go out and vote the buggers out, and tell them to get stuffed, and if they dont like it they can walk and knock down their home and replace it with a bunch of tree's if their so damn worried about the environment.
as that is where 90% of the polution is coming from, they've stuffed every damn quarter full of homes and knocked down all the forests so the plants that eat the carbon dioxide are no where to be found.
as maybe if those bleeding idiots said no to a housing or a warehouse developer once in awhile, things would actually get better and you'd have some wildlife to look at rather than the back end of a lorrie full of goods from mainland china that came over on the worlds dirtiest diesel boat that produces 60 thousand times more pollution than all the motors in the world combined
Mine is a 2001 engine (1999-2000 NB) and is ULEZ compliant 😁😁
@@olivercamos When I retired, i wanted a fun toy. However my homes are within the current London ULEZ area and the up coming threatened Brighton version which is apparently even stricter. I asked both at Caterham's factory and one off its agencies /dealers both told me that although some customers had managed to get there cars ULEZ registerd, some had not, and it appeared pot luck. I guess they have finally sorted it, but to late for me as I purchased another toy instead which is a shame if i had known about MK that would have been perfect.
I was scouring the web less than a year ago for something exactly like this, very exciting to see!
Always enjoy the videos, went ahead and hit subscribe!
Good to see a non caterham review of a 7. I'm building something similar myself, a heavily modified locost chassis with a SLK230 kompressor engine and drivetrain
Not sure if it applies on your side of the pond, but in the US, NB cars only came with open and Torsen diffs. The Torsen has some unique characteristics, but they don't seem to wear out over time. Early NA's were available with a viscous diff, which was more about snow traction than lap times, and these did wear out pretty quickly.
Hi James I think this is a great kit for the mx5 because let's face it the wee mx5 likes to rust a lot and this could well be a great solution for some owners👍
Love your video's as specially when it's not always super car's.
No27 has probably still got heartburn from that pizza 🤣🤣🤣🥵
the best mx5 ive ever seen.
Great, thanks James, I'm now looking to see what options I have stateside for a Miata-based kit car.
We can ship to the US, no problem 👍🏻
@@MKSportscarsofficial That is, as James May would declare, great news! Now to figure out the local legal hurdles to properly register it.
I'd love to see this compared to the MEV exocet
I suspect this handles a little nicer due to using a completely bespoke chassis vs re-using the MX-5 monocoque, but that probably also makes it very hard to register in a lot of US states. Exocet is I think something of a regulatory compromise.
"I am not a number - I am a free man!"
That is such great fun! Kind of thing I'd like to have done myself.
Awesome video and I have no idea how you got the sound of you speaking so good, even with a front windscreen I could see that even being a problem
I have wanted a 7 type car since I was 14 when I helped someone build a Westfield, for me they is no question that this car makes so much sense for a person such as me..
Not a fan of the dash setup so I would need to change that, the bonnets also not something I am in love with and I would love the look of the old front suspension.. I know the inboard setup is better but it's just the look of the old way I like.. all things I know MK would help out with.
Oh and a nice ITB setup also 👌
Excellent video 📹
Would it be possible to review their new Type-R engined option?
I could build that... be tough to drive in February though.
Grateful for your work here, watching from Toronto, Canada, eh?
Very nice...I'd have to have a complete under tray though...Ha !!
We have EXOCET in my country that is a lighter weight version of this. I would love to get one, but I like the form of the NA more.
I am absolutely in!!!
Never knew about these kind of kit cars, that are based on MX5.
If this can be made road legal in continental Europe, there is one MX-5 getting rustier (un)fortunately everyday on my driveway, that might get a new future... :P
MK sell cars into Europe. So you should be okay. Give them a call.
Check your local laws. Making a kit car road legal in Germany is a different order of magnitude to doing so in Poland, for example, EU or not.
There's a company in the US that does a kit called the exocet, retains more of the MX-5 monocoque to make it possible to register here without needing to issue a new VIN number (if I understand it correctly) so it does end up looking a little funny, but those are awesome cars too.
@@iainbagnall4825 I didn't say all EU countries, but I know that there are cars in the EU.
Great insight to what you get for your bucks, looking at getting one , looking at this and a GBS Zero at this moment.
Get a set of ITBs or even better a supercharger on it and that would be insane.
There's always the route of turbo as well (I've got a turbo MX5 myself) but I don't think turbo would suit something like this, unless it was a really small turbo with zero lag.
I could see a setup such as what was done with the Mazdaspeed MX-5 being viable here; the turbo didn't add a whole ton of horsepower in that case (only up to 180 bhp) but helped give it just enough of a performance edge over the base car to be more exciting.
Or even get a BBR tuning upgrade, pokw the 220 kit
The yellow car that inspired this video, from my car meet, has the turbo upgrade mentioned in the video. The owner loves it.
@@thevideolord
I think you're thinking of the MX5-NC with a completely different engine and running gear . Caterham use this running gest an engine. The running gear on this conversion is either NA or NB, although an NA is worth quite a lot of money know.
@@markwalton8644 I mean yes but I think they support all generations or at lest you could swap in a 2.0 skyactive into it
James, pure B genius. As a Caterham fan, the only thing that urks me is the Japanese element. But that is just me being a stubborn olde git. Another top video. Thanks James.
11:20 seats- if those are MKs own seats then they have produced a seat that looks very similar to Tillet seats... which themselves are kind of a development of the old lotus elise seats.
When we made the seat for Caterham R500 in 1999 it was totally unique, and not based on the Lotus Elise seats. It was the first ever twin skin moulding and there was nothing like it before. We spent 400 hours sculpturing that shape.
@@stevetillett3537 Well damn, consider me told! Are the MK seats made by your company, or are the MK seats and Tillet seats entirely unrelated again other than in form?
@@iainbagnall4825
No Iain, the MK seats are not made by us but they are a copy of our Caterham seat shape without the fabric covering.
That's very appealing, especially if a windscreen of some sort is available! On balance, for an old fossil like me, a used Scion FR-S/ Toyota 86/ BTZ makes more sense but it's still fun to think about.
You were having a blast !
James, I'd like to see you review the Westfield V8, if you can find one... 👍👍
If I can find one, I will
That RX-5 looks like huge fun to drive. Nice video James.
That's awesome. Great video James.
Cracking little car and obviously brings the fun back into driving 👍🏻
"Sexy, no. Practical yes." That's what I have on my Tinder profile.
Holier than mother Theresa's Swiss cheese collection. Bravo. Even JC couldn't come up with that one.
'screen' - Think you'd find that if the aeroscreen was set right, and the seats lowered as much as poss, then for folks of average height they wouldn't get 'battered' by the wind at all. In fact, a 'proper' screen will likely give way more buffeting as the wind whips round it - unless there's side doors. That seating position must ( i assume) also be the reason you mentioned feeling chilly when it was 16 degrees!!
MK's are something that over the last few Weeks I seem to have become a little obsessed with :D
I have owned loads of 300BHP Turbocharged hot-hatches over the Years and simply got fed up of paying a fortune to drive too and from work and everyone wanting to steal my car so in 2017 bought myself a nice daily driver (Non Sporty) and got into Motorbikes which gave me the best of both worlds.
Currently I have a 2022 Suzuki Hayabusa which I got brand new in May this Year, I was really close to taking a break from bikes earlier this year having owned the majority of bikes which I wanted to own but promised myself the new Gen 3 Hayabusa when the came out so bought one. I am a fair weather rider and now Winter is here the bike is parked up in the garage and I am already looking for the next replacement...
Now I am questioning what I want to do next season and if keeping that bike is something I want to do or should I go for something totally different?
I have considered buying a modern-ish hot hatch as a second car such as a Civic Type R FK2 or MK3 Focus RS etc but the way I see it is that both cars are just breathed on versions of the cooking models and offer so much practicality that other than the additional performance over my daily driver they are not that much different and would I on days off get that special feeling taking one of those out for a drive like I do on the Motorbike? Probably not.
Where-as something like an MK Indy bridges that gap and offers a totally unique driving and ownership experience that would make each journey a special one on days off, They are every impractical but then that is the idea and I think because I enjoy tinkering and doing my own servicing etc and there is an array of options and upgrades it would keep me entertained.
I have been in a classic Pinto powered Robin Hood and also a GBS Zero with a Zetec on Throttle Bodies a few years ago and enjoyed the experience.
My only concern would be that the standard RX-5 just wouldn't offer me enough performance, Having owned a couple of Suzuki Hayabusa's now I find it hard to be impressed by most performance cars when I compare the stats. However I do think that the RX-5 with the Turbo conversion or a Honda K20 powered RX-5 would tick all the right boxes.
I've long wanted to do a Lotus 7 of some sort with a supercharged flat 6 out of a Honda Goldwing/F6C Valkyrie.
What a good idea! I wonder if they come with left-hand drive. I have a 2001 NB that is a little tired. I'd need a windscreen and heater. I am getting old.
Yep, these are available in LHD no problem! / Neil
Looks like you had fun with the car
I’ve got one of these… but built in 2000 with a motorbike engine. No reverse gear but it’s frequently hilarious.
I actually love the sunglasses!
Was expecting Wankel power but still satisfied. Looks like a great drive!
That sounds like a lot of fun!
Damn JayEmm looking fresh in this video
Built one years ago pre sva drove it to MOT garage got it registered sold it straight away wondered if I’d survive a minor crash side or front ? Errrr NO hence got rid quickly
Cracking video James like always, very enjoyable! I'm so glad to see another kit car brand on the channel, please please please more videos of other kit car brands 🙏 On my channel we have a 1991 Pilgrim Sumo Mk2 (1.6L 🤫) and a 2008 Westfield SEi (2.0L) but, unfortunately, you'd have to travel to Portugal (if you fancied doing a review on them 😅)
Wishing you all the best, big fan of your work and hopefully I'll be investing in some better equipment to improve my own content! Your adventures are truly fun and inspirational! 😊👍
Reminds me of the Misuoka Zero 1 which is basically this with a vin
Cool car! You should get your hands on one of the other MX5 kit cars, I think they're called Exocus or something
This is actually really cool!! Now if only there was a kit for an mr2 spyder to turn it into a mid engine 70s looking go cart…
Excellent video... Great fun car.. Needs a screen!
A plus sized man in a Caterham. Have I time travelled? Is this Top Gear season one?
I had an MX5, didn't scratch the itch. I was driving past a local garage, and there was this green thing sticking, I stopped to investigate, it was a Westfield, the salesman took the engine cover off, that was it, my knees went from under me, I had a test drive, I chopped in the MX5 for the Westfield, back to basics, road, seat, arse, how hard can it be????
If I could buy a rusted mx5 and turn it into something, I'm not sure if I'd want to turn it into one of these or the alfa romeo f1 car replica.
Try the top in kit cars, a Donkervoort.
If I keep my ND long enough, maybe it'll one day turn into one of these 🤣😎
Loved the sunglasses comment 😎
Pop a bobble hat on when it's cold... and on 7 style cars, don't forget the late Marlin Sportster.
So a dorkmobile rots away and gets reborn into a Lotus Caterham 7 with more muscle under the hood? that is pretty awesome lol, also the advantage of it keeping the wiring is that someone who knows how to work on an MX5 can work on this, so you dont get charged super large labor to get it fixed given if its custom, they now have to reverse engineer the wiring, and then figure out what went wrong with it in the first place, which is a huge problem with LS swaps in general, as no two people do them the same way, which ends up complicating the messure and you would have been better off just leaving the 350 in there and putting a new carb on it in the first bleeding place lol
Do a Rocketeer engine conversion Jag V6 for the same weight
Around here it's been raining for days, that's where these open top + zero protection cars are less appealing.
Interesting…
The car looks pretty tight, apart from the gearstick travel.
Mine isn't better, but I do have a Tiger Cat E1 sat in my garage ready to sell - 2ltr Pinto, Sierra based kit car.
Videos on my channel, but I'm far from a TH-camr!
300 hours, that is a lot of time unless you really have no commitments and love building things.
Caterham still makes much more sense to me. Plenty about from £12k and any extra efforts will add and hold value.
Much better value then a Caterham. You can pick them up second hand on Ebay for under £10k.
A person with cerebral palsy, I love the idea of these cars it certainly is cheaper than the Caterham. However I'm just curious to know can you buy something that originally automatic and throw it in there?
Much love from Cape Town South Africa
Could you do it with a Mazdaspeed Miata/MX5?
I am reminded of when I drove a Radical on the road and every stone chip was blasted right at my head..
Please can someone give Jay a Radical? Pretty please?
Bloody expensive but good stuff!
Nice Caterham.
Awesome car in every way
Hard facts are this: MX5's handle great, don't break down and rust like hell (well, the sills do) and I remember many on the nutz forum being broken for parts. Here is a genuine alternative. Ok, so it won't be a daily but at least the roof won't leak... ;o)
Nice job
I dont really get this kit, since the MX5 is a great car on its own. Why strip one?
I've got 2 for the price of a Caterham
1st Miata Like!
Oh wait
You wore those glasses because you were trying to look like Matt Farah with Wolverine hair.