February - Mazda MX-5 Club of Victoria & Tasmania

Murray’s Corner ...■ Murray Finlay – PresidentI’m back for a rest!Over the last few weekends I’ve had afull-on weekend in Tasmania visiting thetwo Chapters there, sweltered throughthe “Cars of the World” display and led theannual President’s run.The Tassie trip was fantastic! All themembers of both Chapters made Alyssaand me feel most welcome, and I hope wemade them feel that they are an integralpart of the Club.From the moment we landed inDevonport on the Friday afternoon, itwas all go! Convenor Ken loaned us hiswonderful 1990 Classic Red NA (completewith wooden steering wheel) and tookus on a tour of the storm-ravaged roadsaround the north before finishing fordinner with the Chapter in Forth.On the Saturday it was up early and off toDeloraine to meet the rest of the Chapterand then on to Ross, in the middle of theeastern half of the island, for lunch. Therewe met the two Hobart Convenors, JohnsHadrill and Waldock, who loaned us JohnH’s NB and escorted us to Hobart via thespectacular East Coast road.After a very genial dinner with Chaptermembers at John and Michelle Waldock’shome on Saturday night, it was up againat sparrow’s on Sunday for the famous“Cygnet Run” (see the “20 Roads” book fordetails), this time in Liz Williams’ 2000blue NB.Special thanks to Ken and Ruth Beatonand John Hadrill for their gracioushospitality, John and John for driving upto Ross to collect us, Michelle for a mealfit for Master Chef, and to Ken, John H,John W and Liz for the very generous useof their precious MX-5s.Our lasting impressions of Tasmania arethat the roads are deserted and are justsensational for an MX-5, but there’s somuch road pizza! And driving through,you could be in a slice of England or anextension of Victoria but, as the sign nearLake Barrington says, there’s Nowhere Elselike it!The rescheduled Cars of the Worlddisplay at Rochford on 30 Januarywas a resounding success, despite theoppressive heat (which was in starkcontrast to the wash-out last October)with 29 Club MX-5s among the 260 carson display.Hot on the heels of his win in the ClubChristmas show & shine in November, Eric4Field walked off with second prize for theMX-5s. Unfortunately, the MX-5 that wonwas not in the Club!Thanks to all who attended to representthe Club, and especially to Glenda,Brian, Steve and Dan for their help withmarshalling on the day.Unfortunately the President’s run toDonna Buang run was postponed to 6March. I hope everyone got through thestorms unscathed. Still, mustn’t grumbleabout the weather!I’m sure we’ve all been touched by thestorm damage we’ve seen in both Victoriaand Queensland, and we will be makinga donation on behalf of members to theVictorian flood appeal. Lockie Story inMockinya in Victoria’s west suffered somefence damage, but as far as I’m aware nooneelse was affected. We sent a messageof support to the Queensland Club, whichwas gratefully received, and on SundayQueensland Club President Denise Pecksent her best wishes back south. It’s greatto have that sort of national support!Closer to home, your committee isundertaking a review of our currentfinancial position, and will be makingsome decisions before 30 June aboutour membership fees (which have notincreased for several years),advertising rates and so on, to make surewe are covering our costs.Further than that, though, a subcommitteeof some very clever people ispreparing a business plan for the Clubto work out where we want to go overthe next three years and how we wantto get there. This will take a little time todevelop, and will probably involve a callto all Club members for thoughts andsuggestions.This is the first time to my knowledgethat the Club has undertaken such formalforward planning, and I’m excited to seewhat comes out of it.Finally, a note of housekeeping: one ofour Club sponsors, the MX5 Centre, hasmoved to a new address and is now partof Revolution Racegear in Kensington.MX5 Centre’s updated advertisement ison page 23, and we will have a profile ontheir business and what they offer in theMarch edition of .Until next time, look up, stay back!MurrayFor your diary …See the full calendar for detailsFebruary20 Bendigo run27 Al & Rodney’s Reefton runMarch6 President’s run (rescheduled)12-14 Bienniel SA-Vic jointweekend away: Mt Gambier13 Karting morning19-20 North Tassie overnighter20 N-E Vic: Yackandandah run24 New Members’ Night (see p6)April3 Dave’s Burger Run22-25 Easter26 Anzac Day (in lieu)May7 Campbells’ run8 Mother’s Day17-19 Mid-week adventure runJune5 Searls’ run13 Queen’s Birthday19 DECA driver training,Shepparton

Motor Sport Torque■ Robert Downes – Club Captain - Motor SportWith no motor sporthappening in January, thisreport is “short and sweet”.Motor Sport ChampionshipBy the time you read this, the 6 FebruarySandown round of the Championshipwill be “done and dusted”. Run underthe control of the HSV Owners Club ofVictoria and supported by entries fromJCCV, FPV Club of Victoria and ourselves,we trust that the weather was favourableand the event ran smoothly. Details andwrap up next month.Thereafter the next round is at Winton on6 March, preceded on the Saturday by the“Racecraft” training day.Annual Motor SportMeeting - City Mazda,Friday, 8 April, 2011.Please let me know if you will beattending. It is important to tell me inadvance if you wish to have an item/issue discussed so I can include iton the agenda.As mentioned in last month’s Torque,a small team is reviewing our MotorSport Championship Rules with the viewof having a “proposal” available to allstakeholders by mid-March in readinessfor that meeting.Motor Sport opportunitiesoutside our ChampionshipI will email the motor sport groupmembers details of meetings conductedby the MSCA, WRX Club and the MazdaMX-5 Club of NSW that may interestthose in doing additional race meetingsto our Club Championship.New Members’ NightIt would be great if the Motor Sport Teamcould be well represented at this functionas a lot of new members have expressedan interest in motor sport.Until next month ...“drive responsibly at all times”Robert #26Motor sportcalendarSee the full calendar for detailsMarch5 Racecraft training, Winton6 Rd 6: Sprints, WintonApril3 Rd 7: Sprints, Phillip Island8 Annual motor sport meeting,City MazdaMay1 Rd 8: Hillclimb, Haunted Hills(TBC)June12 Rd 9: Sprints, SandownJuly2010-2011 season2 Rd 1: Sprints, Phillip IslandAugust6 Racecraft training, Winton7 Rd 2: Sprints, WintonSeptember18 Rd 3: Sprints, SandownWho needs a ute??Leon Wilson of the Ballarat Chapter writes ...I went to the hardware store on the weekend tograb some wood and other bits and pieces tomake a vegie patch.Turns out, the MX can hold quite a lot.I was able to get thefollowing in the car:»» 6 treated pinesleepers»» 1 bag ofslow releasefertiliser»» 4 iron starpickets»» 8 metres ofchicken wire»» 4 woodenblocks and»» a few tools ...Free tickets!Phillip Island ClassicThe Victorian HistoricRacing Register hasgiven the Club two freetickets to next month’sthree-day annual PhilipIsland Classic Festivalof Motorsport, which takes place on18-20 March.VHRR expects around 500 classicand historic sports cars to take part in the display and historicracing events.Along with its “celebration of sports cars”, the meeting willalso mark the 40th anniversary of the iconic Falcon XY GT-HO,with around 20 examples on display.Full details of the event can be found on the VHRR website, atwww.vhrr.com/phillip_island.htmIf you’re interested, the tickets – worth $70 each – areavailable on a strict first-come-best-dressed basis. Pleasee-mail president@mx5vic.org.au and try your luck.5

Membership■ Will Campbell – Membership OfficerA bumper month with 11 new members and four renewals!I wish the following folk all the very best for a fruitful andenjoyable time in our Club:»»Neil Adams1999 Silver NB»»James Belsar1994 Classic Red NA»»Chris Davies1993 White NA»»Stephen Downes1997 Red NA»»David Gordon & Kim Lehmann 1989 White NA»»Alex Hailstone1995 White NA»»Rhys Hynam2010 True Red NC»»Robert Purse2001 Silver NB»»Rudy Vanderelst1993 Classic Red NA»»Darren Wallace2000 Silver NBI also welcome Barrie and Carole Gibson, and Graeme Gollerback into the fold after prolonged absences.Finally, I apologise to Peter and Anita Silva for incorrectlyspelling their surname in last month’s report. My surname isoccasionally misspelt and I know it’s annoying!See you out and about ...WillCurrentmembershipcount:432Your invitationNew Members’ Night: 24 March, 2011NEW and “used”members areall welcome tothe 2011 NewMembers’ Night.It’s an eveningwhere, traditionally,both new andold members takethe opportunityto share a chatwith like-minded enthusiasts and anopportunity for our newer friends to learn more about all theClub has to offer.It will be a casual get-together at the popular Garage Café at221 Berkeley Street, Carlton.ALL Club members, especially those new to the Club, are invited tojoin us for dinner (own cost) on Thursday, 24 March – gathering at6:30pm. (Check out their website to see the available menu andlocation map: www.garagecafe.com.au) Get there early enoughand you can take advantage of the Garage’s off-street parking!Please call Judy (0408 568 345) to book your spot.autObarn Eltham... is proud to offer all members of theMazda MX-5 Club of Victoria a big discount(up to 15%) off their full range of merchandise.For info or orders, contact Peter Rutherford at:autobarn-enquiries@mx5vic.org.auPhone: 0414 630 024 or 9439 1466 (ah)Please ensure that you identify yourself as a memberof the Mazda MX-5 Club to get your discount.This offer is exclusive to Autobarn Eltham.…is proud to offer all members of theMazda MX-5 Club of Victoria a bigdiscount (up to 15%) off their full rangeof merchandise.For info or orders, contact Peter Rutherford at:autobarn-enquiries@mx5vic.org.auphone: 0414 630 024 or 9439 1466 (ah)Please ensure that you identify yourself as amember of the MX-5 Club to get your discount.This offer is exclusive to Autobarn Eltham.Autobarn Eltham9/256 Bolton St(corner Brougham St)Eltham 3095(NB: Only Peter Rutherford orHayden Dally are authorised togive club discounts in-store.)embers of theVictoria a bigtheir full rangeAutobarn Autobarn Eltham Elthamer Rutherford at: 9/256 Bolton St (cnr 9/256 Brougham Bolton St) St Eltham 3095x5vic.org.au (NB: only Peter Rutherford or Hayden Dally are authorised(corner Brougham St)9439 1466 (ah)to give Club discounts in-store.)Eltham 3095tify yourself as aet your discount.barn Eltham.6(NB: Only Peter Rutherford orHayden Dally are authorised togive club discounts in-store.)

An open letter ...to SteveColquhoun,The AgeDear Steve,I would like to register mystrong negative reaction to thecomparison between an MX-5 anda Mini Cooper which you pennedin the 17-18 December edition ofDrive published in The Age.To be specific you compareda Mini Cooper S Cabrio with aMazda MX-5 Soft-top Touring.I’m wondering what on earthinspired you to make such acomparison given that the twomodels are designed for quitedifferent market segments.Minor differences such as fourseats in the Mini and two in theMX-5 may have stopped eventhe most uninterested car driverfrom considering a seriouscomparison.But, let’s get down to detail andhave a look at the argumentswhich you saw in favour of theMini. Under Value which youticked in favour of the Mini yousaw cloth seats as superior toleather (I can think of one MX-5 driverwho might agree) and you rated a singledisk CD player (un-named brand) with sixspeakers as superior to a six-stack Bosesystem with seven speakers. What seemedto work in favour of the Mini was therain-sensing wipers, auto headlights andrear parking sensors (only God knows whythey would be helpful in such a small car).So, that only leaves an extra 17kW and52 Nm which you claimed to justify theMini’s cost premium in excess of $4000over the MX-5. Given that Mazda havenever put engine power in their top threeobjectives for the car, you have to wonderabout the relevance – especially as youhave admitted later in the comparisonthat the MX-5 is better than the Mini inyour How it Drives category.Back to your other categories ofcomparison. In the Engine critique youhave compared the Mini’s 1.6 litre turbochargedmotor with the MX-5’s 2 litrenon-turbocharged motor. Is it any wondertherefore that you noted the Mini’sacceleration was “peakier” and more“punchy” than the Mazda? In spite of thefact that you thought the manual in theMini was a little sloppy (in stark contrastto the MX-5) and it struggled to keeppace on the hills, you still gave the tick infavour of the Mini. Interesting!I think it would be fair to say that you “gotit” in the How it Drives comparison, sowell done.Now to the Fun Factor, which the Minialso won. Having “got it” you clearly “lostit” again in this comparison. In fact yougot caught up in what personally appealsto you by way of car appearance – thefunky retro look etc etc. This seems to bemore important to you than the “racerlikeseating position” which “adds to thefeeling that you’re a part of the car” andyour acceptance that the MX-5 is “for thedriver who simply loves corners and canexcuse the frumpier interior”.In the Safety comparison you notedthat the hard-top Mini had a five-starEuroNCAP crash-safety rating in the hardtopmodel whereas the MX-5 gained afour-star rating in the same test. Hang ona minute, aren’t we comparing the Cabriohere? So what is the EuroNCAP rating forthe Cabrio? Is there one or were you toolazy to find out? I’ll admitthat I’m too lazy too, because at this pointI really started to wonder about bias andunfair comparisons.So, in the final verdict you gave it to theMini. Given your moving criteria, whowouldn’t? Was it a fair comparison,did it make sense, am I convinced ofyour verdict? Well, let me first checkthe dictionary meaning for the word“compare” (I couldn’t find head to head).In the Concise Oxford Dictionary theytalk about the estimation of similarity ordissimilarity in quality and/or quantityaround defined criteria. It seems tome your criteria changed both withinand between categories, depending onthe car. Well, I guess it’s like computerinformation: rubbish in = rubbish out.On the upside, though, you did manageto fill half a page of The Age whichwould have made them happy. Pity youcompletely missed the point about theMX-5 and, in the process, picked onpositives for the Mini which even myMini-loving mate thought odd.Don Nicoll7

Speed cameras, Gran Turismo 5, electric■ Words & photos: Brendan BeavisFor the best part of 2010 BrendanBeavis has done a great jobmarshalling reports from trackevents organised by our motor sportenthusiasts. Unfortunately workcommitments will prevent himcontinuing the role in 2011. As alast hurrah, Brendan volunteeredthe following commentary on speedcameras, computer games, electriccars and yes ... how to encourage us(or is it him) to pay speeding fines.Recently a video game was released for a game consolethat some of the older folk in the world would call “thatX-Playbox station thingy”.The game is Gran Turismo 5. Like most things these days, this game wasmarketed with advertising and fancy slogans. However, unlike most things,it wasn’t sex that sold Gran Turismo 5.You see, the marketing folk for GT5 chose to advertise the game as “The RealDriving Simulator”, no doubt targeting the diehard car fan. This is of coursea lie. You do not drive cars in GT5. There is no “Sunday cruise along thecoast” option. Nor is there a “mass commute to work via the Monash” gamemode. In GT5 you do not drive cars – you race them.To achieve success in GT5, you must learn precise car control, racing linesand braking techniques. Without these you cannot win. Think weighttransfer, left foot braking, matching revs on downshifts. This is how preciseGT5 requires you to be or you will fail. All these things can be learnt andpracticed in your home, at any time of day, and without any concern for thepolice.Of course, if the police could, they’d likely try installing speed cameras invideo games. Naturally not to slow us down, but as a way to raise revenue.Sure, that may be a low blow to the speed camera chaps but, when thefacts show only 2% of fatalities are caused by speeding vehicles yet speedcameras are cropping up more and more, it seems justified to argue againstthem. I could ramble on about speed camera facts and figures all day. Thefact is it’s unlikely to change the minds of the cheese eaters that install, runand profit from the cameras. (Ed: hey, I love cheese and hate speed cameras sowhere do I fit in this sentence?)“But I don’t care for video games and speed cameras,” you say. Well, perhapsyou may be interested in a little item known as the Tesla Roadster, anAmerican conversion of the Lotus Elise that’s been electrified. Internalcombustion engine removed, electric motor installed. That means 100%torque from a standstill, instant power and supercar performance. This is8

cars and speeding fines ...the first electric car with performanceflair in a mass-produced consumermarket. Sure you’ll need to plug it inevery few days, and it’s probably not aslight as the petrol equivalent thanks tothe batteries. But it’s a unique piece ofelectronic/automotive genius. Will thischange motoring? Not just yet; at themoment there’s still room for fossil fuelsin this world.No doubt the Tesla is a move towardan even greater marriage between theelectronic and mechanical industries.Perhaps this is a sign of things to come.Of course if you don’t have the $100,000+funds to grab a Tesla Roadster for yourself,you could perhaps give it a go on GT5.While you’re there you could take amoment to have a look at some of theautomotive imagery that GT5 is ableto create. Photo-realistic cars in photorealisticenvironments.Stunning lighting effects generated froma computer and projected on to yourscreen.Sure it’s all impressive computerisedwitchcraft, but it’s not real. So get outthere, take your real car to a real trackand give it a go.And consider this: perhaps if the speed cameras could produce photos of our cars asbeautifully as the images out of GT5, we’d all be a littlemore inclinedto pay the fines …Ed: Totally unrelated but, if youwould like to see a Skyline tryingto follow Brendan’s NA aroundPhillip Island last December, take alook at his video on youtube:www.youtube.com/user/BEAVISHSV#p/a/u/1/gvZRijtr8-Y■ Steve Dunlop, MerchandiseClub merchandiseLadies’ summer polos – short-sleeve or 3/4 sleeveModern fit, 210gsm, 96% cotton/4% elastane, pique knit,with knitted rib “Y” front placket and knitted cuff, topstitchedshoulders and armholes, side splits with matchingtwill tape.Available Colours: pink, white, sand, spring blue,French blue, navy, purple, red or black with contrasting“Mazda MX-5 Club” embroidery.Size: 6 8 10 12 14 16 18Half Chest (cm):44 46.5 49 51.5 54 56.5 59Get them while they’re hot! Contact ClubMerchandise Officer Steve Dunlop:merchandise@mx5vic.org.au ...9

I’ve always had a softspot for British cars.When my parents left Britain in theshadow of the ‘cold war’ in 1965 theybrought with them a little corner ofEngland. My childhood involved food,turns of phrase, humour and traditionsoften more from there than here, andalthough Ford Falcons were somethingever-present through our Australianmotoring history, a series of Britishmarques also passed through our garages.Austins, Humbers, Daimlers, Jaguarsand Triumphs all had time with us andprospered in my father’s capable hands.Like most teenagers I always hadsomething better to do than to learn theskills of automotive maintenance andrepair, but my first car – a $240, 1962Hillman Minx – needed work. Cars cameand went, including Austin 1800s and aLeyland P76, and looking back this wastruly quality time with my father.After many years of practical family carsI bought the MX-5 and immediately it rekindledmy interest in cars, and especiallythe lightweight British sports cars ofwhich it is so reminiscent.When my father fell ill in mid-2010 itbecame clear that time was running outfor he and I to have that quality time. Idecided that the perfect way to do thatwas to find a Spitfire, MG or somethingand restore it together, with me doingthe physical stuff while he oversaw theprocess. Initially Dad was less than keenbut a few nicely placed editions of JustCars and Unique Cars sowed the seed andhe warmed at the prospect.Unfortunately his health failed a lot fasterthan expected and he passed away lastOctober. It was a terrible shock to all.During the following months JohnWaldock and I talked about the originalidea and he offered to buy a half sharein a car with me so we best friends couldrestore it together. Dad had left me hislarge array of tools and it occurred tome that buying an old British sportscar would give those 1/2 and 9/16 AFspanners and sockets a new lease on life– the MX-5 and its stable mates beingmetric all the way.Eventually John and I found a 1962 Mk 2AAustin Healey Sprite – perfect by no meansand needing some TLC, but after all thatwas the whole point.Already it has been a special experienceto use those same tools and Dad’s voiceis always there helping to remind us ofthe ‘right way to do it’. In a way we arespending that quality time together.A name for the Sprite was needed, andit was easy: CW after my father – ColinWilliam Pryer.~ Allan Pryer10Meet ‘CW’... the MX-5’s■ Words & photos: John Waldock and Allan Pryer, Hobart ChapterSo, here are some thoughts andcomments on the similarity anddifferences between the Sprite and ourMX-5 NAs. We have only owned the littleguy for two months and neither of us fullyhas the “feel” of the car yet, so bear withus if we seem a little tentative on someaspects of its performance.The Sprite was always meant to be thesports car for the Man in the Street. Inessence, like the MX-5, it was intendedto give a sporty feel without raw power;a lightweight car that is nimble and fun.The Mark IIA Sprite has an 1100cc engine,based on the A series motor whichpowered monsters like ... the MorrisMinor and Morris Mini.The motor is simple and luckily, parts arereadily available. So, like the MX-5, theSprite is relatively low-powered (in thiscase 56 HP) but, due to its low weight(around 710kg), it has a nimble feel onthe road. Having a small motor the Spritedoes have good fuel economy, around 40mpg in old speak (about 7 litres/100km).This compares very favourably to theMX-5 but, considering the poweradvantage the MX-5 has, it highlights theadvances in engine technology that haveoccurred since the early 1950s when theA series motor first appeared.The car’s weight is distributed 52/48 frontto rear, which produces good balance andallows the car to come alive on a windingroad. The Sprite boasts front disc brakesand rear drums, but no power assist, sobraking in the Sprite is very much aboutusing the down shift as an assistant.The gear box is four-speed, with nosyncromesh in first gear, which makes cityMore photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/mx5hobart/2010Healey#driving very interesting!So to outward appearances, the Spritekind of looks like the MX-5’s grandfather.They both share a two-seat, open-toplayout, front-engined rear-wheel drive.But look more closely and you will spotthe difference that 27 years can make.The Sprite has no seat belts – thepreferred option if the car began toroll was to jump out! The seats arelow bucket seats and, while quitecomfortable, offer no head protection atall. Anyone for whiplash?The dashboard is quite simple, and itlooks like designers of the MX-5 and theSprite shared the same philosophy: onlygive the driver what he/she needs. Thereare no extraneous ‘bells and whistles’on either dash. A quirky feature on theSprite’s dash is the indicator, operated bya single switch located in the centre ofthe dash, so if your co pilot is bored youcan get them to do the indicating! Noautomatic re-centering of the indicatoreither, so don’t go to sleep or carsfollowing will be very confused.The rear vision mirror is mounted on topof the dash, which also gives the Spritea feeling of age and tradition. It soundsdifferent, but doesn’t take much gettingused to. CW is started by a pull-outbutton, kind of an early version of thestart button that seems to be appearing

grandfather?in some modern vehicles nowadays.Everything old is new again perhaps?The Sprite has a normal sized sparewheel, 13” diameter rim with fairlynarrow tyres. The tyres provide enoughgrip, but compared to the MX-5 the Spritefeels a little light in the rear end, perhapsa little twitchy at times, which is morethan likely due to the live rear axle andquarter elliptical springs. Adequate, butnot as sure-footed as the MX-5 with itsdouble wishbone suspension.The Sprite has a soft top like the MX-5,and also a tonneau which can be fittedto save erecting the soft top. Raising thesoft top is not like the 10-second job wehave with our MX-5s ... you have to erect asupport bar which runs behind the seats,then clip the rear of the top to the reardeck, then attach the eyelets along eachside and across the top of the wind shield.It takes about five minutes, which is fine,but it does mean planning ahead if yousee dark clouds in the sky. Word of mouthsays that the top is also not very weatherproof(not words to inspire confidence in aTasmanian!).CW does not have a conventionalwindscreen, as a previous owner removedthe windscreen (which is in the shed!)and fitted two small air shields whichgive the Sprite the feeling of a ’30s car,but don’t provide much protectionfrom the wind. Even on nice days thedriver does get a bit of a buffeting whendriving over 70 km/h, which can be abracing experience. We might have toget ourselves some driving goggles tokeep the wind out of our eyes. The Mk 2Sprite doesn’t have wind-up windows,instead having two aluminium frameswith perspex windows which slide toopen. These two frames are attached tothe car with two large bolts, which allowthe frames to be removed when required.It’s interesting to note that reports fromthe time say that when the Mk 3 cameout with wind-up windows, some Englishpurists felt it was no longer a propersports car.Finally, we will mention maintenance.Like all senior citizens, lots of thingsneed care and monitoring in the Sprite.Oil needs to be watched carefully, as theengine is pretty unforgiving when levelsare low. Under the bonnet, there is a lotmore space thanin the MX-5 andthe systemsare mucheasier to followvisually. There iscertainly a lotless electronicsunder there. Thecar has threefuses overall,which gives yousome idea ofhow simple theelectronics are.Our Sprite hasbeen resprayed at some point and has asmall amount of rust, which is on the ‘todo’ list for our repairs. The Sprite was notoriginally given modern rust proofingand English versions are very likely tohave mild to serious rust unless they havebeen restored or carefully maintained.Luckily our car was assembled in Australiaand hasn’t seen the same salted roads ashis English cousins.Currently, the engine and gearbox areout of CW as he was blowing some smokeand there was a small problem withthe exhaust manifold. We have decidedto take the block to a Mini specialist,perhaps to have it rebored if needed, butat least to look at the bottom end and thepistons/rings. The engine was relativelysimple to remove, though we don’t wantto suggest its an easy job – just straightforward.We also wanted to have a really good lookat the gearbox, as there is a tendency tojump out of first gear when revved. Wewill likely replace the clutch plate andlook at thrust bearings etc since it’s easyto do with the gearbox out of the car.CW is also having problems withoverheating, and so we will be checkingthe cooling system ... mainly things likethe cooling channels in the engine as theradiator doesn’t look too bad. We alsohave to change the steering boots andcheck the rack and pinion, as there isalso some wear in that area. And we willbe checking the brake lines and the reardrums as there is some errant fluid inthat area as well ...Living with a Sprite will be quite differentfrom the MX-5. The MX-5 is very mucha jump-in-and-go car, and over the fiveyears that Allan and I have each owned anNA we have had a few normal mechanicalissues – but nothing outstanding – and,considering its age, we have found theMX-5 to be a remarkably reliable car toAllan Pryer with “CW”ownand drive daily.The Sprite does seem to have more of amind of its own. You do need to warm upthe engine and give the carburettors timeto get working properly. The engine willwear more quickly – that’s just the waythey are – so we will be more mindful ofengine revs when driving, as well as theuse of the clutch and brakes. Given CW’sage, we will have to keep a close eye oneverything to do with the Sprite. However,having now pulled out the engine andgearbox, our general impression is thatwhile more ongoing maintenance willoccur than for our MX-5s, it is easier toaccess the motor and some tasks arevery doable for the amateur mechanic(with the right instruction manuals, anda friend at the end of the phone whenthings go wrong!).Overall, the Sprite does the same task asan MX-5. It’s a lot of fun to drive – justlooking at the car brings a smile to ourfaces every time, even if it’s a chuckleabout how small it looks compared to theMX-5 (comments from family and friendsabout pedal cars are still being bandiedabout).It’s a much simpler car mechanically anddriving it does make us feel connected tothe “glory days” of European light sportscars. The gauges are all cable-driven, sohave that old-fashioned doubt abouttheir accuracy which helps to create thefeeling of another time and place. It ismore work to drive the Sprite than theMX-5, the driver having to be more alertas the brakes are not quite as sharp as inits “grandson”. It’s not overpowered, soin a sense the challenge is about beingsmooth and accurate when the car isdriven on a winding road, timing thebraking and gear changes to keep theengine revving and the car under somekind of momentum. ■11

Driving Calder …■ Words & photos: Lachlan StoryI will preface this piece bystating that I have neverdriven an MX-5 aroundCalder, something I hope toremedy soon.I have, however, punted various othervehicles around this excellent track,varying from an Austin A 30 to a sevenlitreV12 Lister Jaguar. It is a fast and, ifdriven properly, safe and exciting track. Iam not a professional driver, but I drivefor fun and I have picked up a bit fromsome seriously good drivers.Calder is so named because if it is goingto be cold, it will be colder there thananywhere else on the planet, with thepossible exception of Ballarat and thesub-Antarctic continent. Also if it is goingto rain it will rain there. I can recall anumber of events where rain was drivensideways by a demonic wind.Navigating the track depends on whatvehicle you are driving. I can say withabsolute authority that driving an AustinA 30 (803cc’s of raw power) around Calderis somewhat different from drivingthat V12 Jaguar on that same track. (Noless exciting ... maybe more so!) I havea photograph of my A 30 entering themain straight with the driver’s frontwheel inches off the ground and thedrink-driving “You’re a bloody idiot”advertisement in the background.I have also raced a Moke which, whileit performed well on the tight Wintontrack, was hopelessly outclassed at Calderwhere it failed to take a corner andended up beside the track looking like aruptured ferret. (Notice I said “it”, not “I”.Terminology is SO important in puntingaround a track!)I love Calder because you can go fastenough to know how fast your car is and,at the same time, find out how well yourcar handles in tight circumstances.The secret to this track is to be smooth.It is great to accelerate hard and brakehard but on this track it will cost youtime. If you brake at the right place andtherefore take the corner faster youroverall times will improve. Simple (yeahright, simple if you know how!). I lovewatching the really good drivers who allseem to be driving slower than anyoneelse but it is “smooth” not “slow” andtheir times are invariably faster.Enough of that for now. I will cruise youthrough the track and explain (in myopinion) the best way to maximise –safely – your car’s the abilities. I say in myopinion because you can always learnmore from other drivers. There are nohard and fast rules – only guidelines.Right from the start, the aim is to get fromthe start/finish line to the start/finish linewith your car in one piece and your sanityintact ... and hopefully with a respectabletime to your credit.From the start grid, halfway down thefront or “main” straight, we drive flat outto the first turn. Some treat this 180°sweeper as two turns, but it should betreated as a single sweeping turn if youare to take full advantage of it. For thisturn, as you come over a slight rise inthe straight, you are about 200 metresfrom the turn. Depending on the car youshould start braking here. Enter the curvelater and exit later, thus enabling you totreat it as one corner rather than two,washing off less speed and exiting muchfaster and better placed for the followingturn. Remember: the more speed you lose,the harder you have to pedal to it make up.After the late apex on Turn 1, youaccelerate up a short flat straight. Staywide, and enter Turn 2 late so that youcan stay wide for the left-hander thatleads into a short uphill section known asJane’s Hill. (Bob Jane had to buy a wholerace track to have a hill named after him!)Crest his rise in the middle and on thedownhill run, move left in anticipation ofthe approaching right/left chicane.As you crest Jane’s Hill you are enteringthe right/left chicane. This is known as“The Kink” (or “Oh S—t” Corner). I like to12

Drag stripMain straightBack straightPit areaStart/finishTheKinkwait until I can see “between the legs” (ordaylight) before clipping the two apexes.This gives you more momentum as youfly into the back straight.It is important here not to give the carfull power too early because, with thecombination of centrifugal force and thecamber, you can drift too much to theright and end up with your right wheelson the grass. This can end in disasterfollowing one’s automatic over-correctionand the possibility of spinning off andhitting the wall to the left. I can assureyou that it does not matter how hard youhit this wall ... it will not shift! Actually,this is no joke, as I have seen some veryexperienced drivers come unstuck hereand hit that wall very, very hard. Hittingthat wall, even slightly, will always end intears. The lesson here? Keep your wheelson the black stuff! More than once I havefelt all the weight come off the springs ofmy black Jaguar track car, and that feelingof weightlessness and lack of controlis cause for the feeling that you maybe about to make an involuntary bodymotion.Once out of the “kink” it is pedal-to-themetaldown the back straight leadingup to the right hand turn. Stay high onthe track for the left hander to followand allow the car to drift out into theright hand curve leading into the mainGrandstandThunderdomeJane’s HillRiseRun0offTurn Onestraight. I can remember being flaggedin these corners when in my A 30. “DoNot Overtake in Turns”. Like, just who wasI going to overtake?? At the point whenthe right-hand curve meets the frontstraight and you are already acceleratingfast, it is wise to remember that you areentering the straight about half wayalong the drag strip. The problem withthis is that, if it is wet or even damp, theblack sticky stuff they use on the track fordrags takes on the properties of black iceand you can immediately lose tractionwith the “G” forces trying to make yourbum overtake your nose. I have personallyconducted pirouettes on this corner thatthe Russian Ballet would be proud of. Thisis OK if you spin towards the grass butcan be somewhat unfortunate if you spintowards the wall. Obviously no spin at allis the preferred outcome.As this is a tightening radius righthander,allow the car to drift to theoutside of the straight then, once safelyback on the front straight, it is flat-strapagain past the start/finish line and do itall over again. Stay a little left of centreand as you approach the rise again thenallow the car to drift a little more to theleft. The main straight is a long one andyou will undoubtedly want to build up asmuch speed as you can. Just rememberthat there is a corner at the end ...If you feel that you cannot make thecorner there is a “run off” at the end ofthe straight but it is gated and I haveonly seen the gate open once. Not a goodoption. I entered this corner in the A 30trying to wash off speed from 75mph (nota bad effort for the little car, bouncingvalves in top, and not just a bit scary) andfound that I had brake-fade on the firstapplication and no brakes on the second.She went round the 180, but I am blowedif I know how.Now to gearing. As I have never had anMX-5 on Calder I cannot say 3rd hereor 4th there, but what I can say is thatwherever possible keep your revs up tothe point where the car will respond atits quickest. I would suggest 3200 to 3500(in a stock standard five-speed manualMX-5) going into a corner so you have theability to accelerate fast out of it. If youfind that your revs are dropping, selecta lower gear to bring you back into thatpower band. If you maintain this you willhave much more control over your car.Remember that if you do have to changedown, do it before you commence yourturn as there is nothing worse thanstruggling with the selector, having nopower and trying to navigate the cornerat the same time. After a few laps you willknow instinctively what gear you shouldbe in and how many revs you should bemaintaining.To summarise, try to drive the trackwithin these guidelines and then adaptthem to what suits your style of driving.What I have described is how the fasterdrivers approach this track. I feel thatif they are faster than me then maybeI should watch what they do and thenemulate it. It is so easy to get off on theadrenalin and push too hard (I shouldknow, I am an adrenalin junkie). Be awareof your limitations and those of your carand then let the endorphins go.If you are trying this, or any other track,for the first time, find someone who hasexperience on the track and have themtalk you round it from the passengerseat. I can assure you they are only toohappy to assist if asked. This is one of thebest ways I know of finding out what youreally can do.I guess that this track is one you can learnin an hour and take a lifetime to master.As they say, you will never, never know ifyou don’t give it a go! ■13

Shannons – supporting motoring enthusiasts■ Club sponsor’s editorialIn the early 1970s, the late Robert Shannonhad a great idea – insurance for motoringenthusiasts that recognised and rewardedtheir passion instead of treating everyone as anumber.It was a brave new concept that introduced a number of ‘firsts’,such as agreed value cover, choice of repairer, lifetime no-claimbonuses, free annual windscreen cover and the ability to pay bythe month instead of by the year.Today, some 40 years on, Shannons is Australia’s largestspecialist vehicle insurer, the country’s leading classic vehicleauction specialist and the major supporter of car club activitiesand events around the nation.All of Shannons 200 dedicated employees located in all States,plus the Northern Territory and the ACT, share the same passionas their customers. Most own classic vehicles and are car clubmembers, giving them an understanding of their customers thatis the envy of other insurers.While Shannons initially specialised in Classic car insurance,the company today has broadened its focus to recognise thateveryone who cares for their vehicle – whether it be a showwinning or club-spec MX-5, or the CX7 they drive daily – is amotoring enthusiast and therefore deserves special attention.The portfolio of insurance products has also broadenedconsiderably and Shannons now also offer home insurance thatincludes $10,000 of enthusiasts’ cover for items in your garage atno extra cost.Shannons has been a strong supporter of the Australian car clubmovement, sponsoring and attending more than 800 separatemotoring events Australia-wide each year.Please support Shannons like they support the Mazda MX-5Club of Victoria.14

Chapter news ...The Presidential Tour of Northern Tasmania~ 21-22.1.2011 | Northern Tassie■ Words: Ken & Ruth Beaton ■ Run organiser: Ken Beaton ■ Photos: Bruce Harvey, Rob Bryan, Alyssa FinlayOn Friday, 21 January, the Club President, MurrayFinlay and the First Lady Alyssa arrived by air intoDevonport where they were met by the Governor(sorry, Convenor), Ken Beaton and the Lady Ruth.After some initial confusion theproper protocol was observedand the official party set off for aquick tour of Devonport on theway to Beaton House, the officialresidence of the Governor (sorryagain … Convenor).A drive led by Lyn Dunham andKen, accompanied by Bruce andCheryl, was organised to visitsome of the back blocks of NWTasmania. The little group of threeMX-5s set off to drive the roads ofthe Nook, Preston and Ulverstone,finishing at the Forth Hotel twohours later. Here they were metby Ruth, Keith and Sandra Tillack,Malcolm and Rita Eastley and KenDunham (who had had to earn aliving, it was Friday after all). Theroads were in only fair conditionwith some of our favourite areasdamaged by floods and somebridges washed away. We all hada big evening meal and retiredback to Beaton House for officialdiscussions on future plans for theClub.Saturday, 22 January turned outto be a glorious summer’s day aswe left Devonport just after 9amheading to Deloraine by the backroads. The route took in some ofour favourite roads which wasalso appreciated by a couple ofour local members who had nottravelled on them before.We arrived at the “50s Diner” inDeloraine, a little late but full ofexcitement as we just had sucha wonderful drive. The Diner is amust-see in Deloraine, not just forthe great hot chocolate and coffee,but the terrific craftsmanship ofthe owner Carl who builds “HotRods”. He was kind enough toopen his work shed to show offhis current project. Also he hasone car on display in the Dineramongst his ’50s collection ofmemorabilia. Even the “loos” arean experience!After breakfast we headed off toLongford to collect a couple moreMX-5s and gathered for a shortchat. Rob and Trish Bryan lead 14MX-5s out of Longford on the backway to Campbell Town, wherewe regrouped before taking aleisurely drive to Ross. On arrivalwe parked along the river lookingonto the famous Ross Bridge.We were joined by the two Johnsfrom Hobart who had arrived toexchange prisoners … er, I meancollect the President and hismissus.After a picnic lunch by the river, itwas time to farewell the Presidentas he joined the southern Chapterto head south to Hobart. Fromhere we travelled independently.Tim Manion and Bruce Harveytook the long way home toGeorgetown and Launceston viathe east coast. These guys just loveto drive their cars. Ken Beaton ledanother six MX-5s on a quick tripthe back way to Longford wherewe relaxed with coffee and drinksout the front of the famous TassieLongford Bakery.A great day was had by theNorthern Chapter as becameevident from the commentsaround the table. ■16

Summer in the southern climes~ 22-23.1.2011 | Hobart■ Words: John Waldock ■ Run organiser: John Waldock ■ Photos: John Waldock & Alyssa FinlayJanuary has been a prettyactive month for the HobartChapter.We had our normal January twilightrun, which entailed a later start. Wedrove in a loop via Grass Tree Hill andRichmond, returning via Sorell fordinner down at Mures on the wharf.This was a much more social run, agood opportunity to catch up after themadness of Christmas and begin tomake some plans for the Chapter for2011.Two weeks later saw us meetingup with Murray and Alyssa and theNorthern Tasmania Chapter at Ross,inthe centre of the eastern side of ourstate. The weather really was out ofthe box, and lunching by the riverwas lovely, surrounded by a superbselection of MX-5s. Its always nice tomeet up with the Northern members,a very friendly and interesting group ofpeople for sure. After lunch and a quicklook around Ross we gathered up Mrand Mrs President for the drive downto Hobart, via the east coast (Swansea)and Orford. It was a lovely afternoon forit, clear skies and a good winding roadallowed us to enjoy the cars and thescenery.We arrived in Hobart for dinner at myplace. We had MX-5 models on thetable and some nice Tasmanian wineto go with our dinner. It was really niceto be able to spend some time withMurray and Alyssa and have some timeto chat.On Sunday we were up pretty early andoff for the drive to Cygnet, as featuredin the Club’s “20 Roads for 20 Years”book. This drive is special because itfeatures a lot of coastal roads, finishingup with a drive up into the mountainsbefore returning to Hobart. I won’tdescribe it more ... you will have to buythe book!I would like to finish by thankingMurray and Alyssa for coming downand visiting our Chapter. While I amsure they had an enjoyable time, weall appreciated their patience, as theymust have driven about 700km in twodays. I think Murray was getting a littlewhite line fever by the end of the trip! ■17

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What’s stopping you ... ?■ Words: Robert Downes, Club Captain - Motor Sport, with contributions from Matt KingtechalkA vehicle’s brakesystem is an extremelyimportant element of itsprimary safety systems.It is essential that the brakingsystem performance is maintainedat the highest level, irrespective ofhow hard you drive the car, or theage of the vehicle.In this article we will be discussingall things brake related, withparticular emphasis on the NA andNB models of the MX-5.The brake system works bytransmitting the driver’s footpressure on the brake pedal,through the master cylinder to thebrake calipers, in order to clamp thefriction material on the brake padsagainst the metal brake disc rotors.The foot pressure is multiplied bythe mechanical pedal ratio andthe hydraulic ratio of the mastercylinder and booster and the brakecaliper pistons. Essentially themoving vehicle’s kinetic energy isconverted into heat energy in thebrake rotors.Brake Rotor DiscsDespite the 50% front/rear weightdistribution of the MX-5, the weighttransfer to the front under braking meansthat those brakes do more work then therears. Hence front rotor diameter, weightand brake pad surface area are larger thanon the rear.All MX-5s are fitted with what are called“ventilated” front rotors and with solid rearunits. Ventilated rotors by virtue of theirdesign induce air to flow out through theopening on the perimeter of the rotor togreatly assist cooling.Each front rotor on an NA8/NB8A weighs5kg and the rear units weigh 3kg. The NA6used smaller rotors, and the NB8B useslarger rotors, and the high mass helpsminimise the temperature rise whenbraking.Nevertheless it is easily possible to generatesome extremely high rotor temperaturesunder heavy braking. A 1070kg MX-5 canexpect the following rotor temperaturerise from an initial braking event, buttemperatures will be considerably higheron subsequent stops because of theelevated starting temperature.“Ventilated” front brake rotors greatly assist coolingStartingSpeed(kmh)FinalSpeed(kmh)Temp.Rise(°C)160 120 70160 100 100160 80 120160 60 140160 40 150160 0 160Aftermarket “slotted” ventilated rotors areused by some in our motor sport program.The slots are designed to scrape off waterand debris that would prevent the padsclamping the rotor cleanly. They aretypically not necessary for cars that do notsee the track and indeed are not essentialon any lightly modified track MX-5.Rotor discs wear out and must be replacedperiodically. The minimum allowablethickness is usually stamped or cast on therotor. Discs are made of cast iron and thereare few if any direct-replacement “upgrade”rotors available – most do the same job.Brake PadsBrake pads are a key element of the brakesystem, and must be chosen carefully forthe intended application. Some selectionconsiderations are: maximum operatingtemperature, co-efficient of friction whenboth cold and hot, wear rate, rotor wear,dust generation and cost, amongst others.Standard pads like the factory ones canoverheat if used at the track – whenoverheated, the coefficient of friction dropsdramatically. This results in a hard pedalfeel, but the car does not slow down!Beware that some high performance padsneed to be “warm” to operate and areless than effective on the first or secondapplication – not so good for public roaduse. Race pads also typically cause therotors to wear much faster when cold, say ifused on the road.Which brake pads to use?There is a vast range of pads available,and each is a compromise for a particularpurpose. No one pad is suitable for allapplications. The pads supplied by Mazdadealers as part of your routine serviceprogram or through the Spare Parts Dept.will meet all public road use requirementsand light track use, as will pads from19

t echalkWhat’s stopping you?Bendix and other manufacturers. Onour race car we use either QFM A1R1 orHawke HP+, which are also suitable forsome road use.Due to their small size and weight, brakepads are ideal to purchase over theinternet from the USA. You can discusspad selection with members of the Club.Brake FluidBrake fluid is possibly the most neglectedcomponent of any car maintenanceprogram. When fresh, all brake fluids arevirtually incompressible and the systemworks as its mechanical and hydraulicdesign allows. However, there are acouple of important issues.(a) Overheated brake fluid can (andwill) boil in the caliper and as withany boiling fluid, gas bubbles areproduced. This gas is compressibleand leads to a “soft” brake pedalwith long travel and ineffectivebrakes. We have already noted thatsubstantial rotor temperatureincreases can be generated from asingle brake application.(b) All brake fluids absorb moisturefrom the atmosphere relativelyquickly regardless of use and thisdramatically reduces the boilingpoint of the brake fluid. As watercontent in the fluid increases sothe boiling point decreases, withthe increased likelihood of creatingvapour in the caliper and wheelcylinder and hence ineffectivebrakes.Brake fluids are classified by the USADepartment of Transport as DOT 3 orDOT 4.In comparing various brake fluids, the DryBoiling Point at 0% water content and theWet Boiling Point at 3.7% are commonlyused. The table below shows the“MINIMUM” dry and wet boiling points.DOT 3 DOT 4Dry BP (°C) 205 230Wet BP (°C) 140 155DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluids arecompatible with each other and may beinterchanged or mixed with no ill effects.DOT 5 fluid is silicone based and notcompatible with the brake system of theMX-5. Some fluids are labelled DOT 5.1and these are compatible, however thewhole system should be flushed, not justtopped up before using DOT 5.1 fluid.The following table shows the typicalBrake Fluid Boiling Point (BP) vs % WaterContent for both DOT 3 and DOT 4 brakefluid.MoistureContentDOT 3BPDOT 4BP0% 252 2761% 218 2372% 182 2043% 160 1804% 137 1635% 129 1496% 126 1387% 121 135Field tests in the USA show that theaverage 12 months old car has 2%moisture. Furthermore, there was anaverage water content of 2.6% in carswith an average age of eight years –indeed 25% of these had over 4%.Brake fluid is corrosive to paint, so takecare handling it and, if you spill any, washit off immediately (but don’t let water getinto the system!).Which Brake Fluid to Use?For normal use any DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluidshould be suitable provided it is replacedevery 12 months. Only buy the small500mL containers. Beware – some brakefluids are obscenely expensive. On theThe brake calipersclamp the pad tothe rotorrace car, we use Penrite SIN brake fluid($20 for 500mL at Repco) with Dry BP of310°C and Wet BP of 198°C.Just remember, that no matter how goodthe brake fluid is, it will absorb moistureand require regular replacement. Howregular will depend upon the use ofyour car (road, road and track, track) andthe feel of the brake pedal under heavybraking.Brake CalipersThe calipers are the “claws” over the rotor– they hold the pads in place and have ahydraulic cylinder that clamps the pad tothe rotor.The MX-5 uses a “single piston” caliperdesign, which pushes the inside pad ontothe rotor. The caliper is mounted on sliderpins, which allow the caliper to move,causing the “claws” to pull the outsidepad onto the rotor also.If the slider pins are not well lubricated,brake performance will be reducedbecause the outside pad will not bepulled in properly – the inside pad willdo all the work, will wear faster than theoutside pad, and can possibly overheatand fade.The rear caliper also contains a specialself-adjusting mechanism for thehandbrake that compensates for padwear. You need to manually wind thismechanism back when installing new,thicker, brake pads. This mechanism canoccasionally fail, resulting in ineffectiverear brakes and difficulty changing pads.Brake ProportioningBecause weight transfers to the frontunder deceleration, the front brakesneed to do morework than therears. How muchmore dependson how fastyou decelerate.To prevent therear brakes fromlocking up (whichresults in anuncontrollableskid), the brakeforce going tothem must beprogressivelyreduced theharder you brake.This is called20

t echalkproportioning. For optimum brakingperformance, both the front and rearbrakes should be at the limit of lockup,but this varies depending on the amountof grip you have on the road.Next to the brake master cylinder (ofnon-ABS cars) is a small valve called aproportioning valve. This progressivelyreduces the hydraulic pressure to therear brakes as you brake harder. This valverarely has problems. ABS-equipped carsdo not use mechanical proportioning;they rely on the electronics of the ABSsystem to limit the rear pressure asrequired.ABSABS stands for “anti-lock braking system”and has been fitted standard to all MX-5sfrom and including the 2000 NB8B model.Sensors on each wheel detect when thatwheel is about to stop rotating and amicroprocessor tells the brakes to ease offand re-apply several times each secondto achieve optimum braking. The drivercan simply “jam on the brakes” withoutfear of locking up the wheels, even ifthe wheels are on different surfaces.Importantly, it enables the driver tostill steer the car unlike when the frontbrakes/wheels are “locked up”. WhenABS activates, it causes a rapid pulsingsensation through the brake pedal – thisis normal, and you should not ease off thepedal if you feel this!Brake Lines andCaliper SealsWith some MX-5s already celebratingtheir 21st birthday and many being over10 years old it may be time to considerreplacing the flexible brake lines andshouting your car a new set of caliperseals. Our race car has ADR-compliant”braided brake lines” and new brakecaliper seals fitted, not for a performanceadvantage but to ensure the systemworks efficiently and for “peace of mind”.Bedding InBedding in is the process of conformingnew pads and/or rotors to each other.This must be done correctly and carefullyas braking performance will not beoptimal until the process is completed.Typically the process involves heating upthe pads progressively with a number ofslow-downs, followed by a cooling downperiod.New pads usually come with instructionson bedding in; otherwise you should referto the manufacturer or your mechanicfor advice. Be aware that brakes that havenot been bedded in may fade suddenly ifoverheated!UpgradesThe brake systems on NA and NB modelsare interchangeable as a complete set,so if you have an early car and want toupgrade you can install the calipers,mounting brackets, and rotors from alater model. The NC uses different brakesthat are not interchangeable.The proportioning valve can be upgradedto later model variants that have morerear bias, or aftermarket adjustableversions, to make the best use of the rearbrakes.Many other aftermarket upgrades arepossible, the limit is only your wallet! Anybrake system changes should be testedcarefully to ensure correct operation.DIY Brakes ???Unless you are sure of your ability towork on brake systems, this work is bestleft to your “professional mechanicalservice provider”.Brake System Faults andTroubleshootingThere are a few common faults on theMX-5’s brake system. Fortunately none isreally serious, but as your brakes are soimportant you or your mechanic shouldinvestigate ASAP.Here are some tips for finding commonbrake problems:SYMPTOM POSSIBLE CAUSE SOLUTIONLoud squealingHard pedal feel, but poorbraking (on track)Soft, spongy pedal, goesto floorWarning light ( ! )on dashboard is onRear pad(s) worn quickly/ rear brake stuck on /dragging / overheatingInside pad wears fasterthan outside pad, poorbraking performanceCannot retract rear caliperBrake pads are fully wornand the squealer bracket isrubbing on the rotor.Pads overheated.Fluid overheated / boiling.Handbrake is on.Brake fluid level is low.Handbrake adjustermechanism inside rearcaliper is jammed.Slider pins are seizing.You cannot push thepiston back like on thefront brakes.Replace brake pads.Use a higher temperaturepad.Replace brake fluid.Check handbrake is off.Check and top up mastercylinder reservoir, inspectbrake system for leaks.Rebuild or replace rearcalipers.Clean and lubricate sliderswith high temperaturegrease.Find and remove theshort, unidentified bolt onthe inside of the caliper.Retract the caliper using a4mm hex key in the hole.Brakes shudder “Warped” or uneven rotors. Have rotors “skimmed” bya professional brake repairshop. Bed in properly.DO NOT apply handbrakewhen parking after a tracksession.Flat spot on tyre.Replace damaged tyre.Rotate flat-spotted tyre torear axle.21

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