Sharkriders Eunos Roadster

[sharkrider]

actually not that far from me! BUT I have a tame mechanic who lives in the next village, and he does any work I cant handle (I wont be changing the clutch, he will! lol)

 

I would love to see details of your supercharged 5 Colin (member on here) had a supercharged 5 , it went very well ! do you have a link to any details?

[keithw]

Hello Sharkrider

 

I wrote an article for the December 2012 Soft Top Hard Top mag & I'm in the process of compiling an update

for STHT.  I do have some pictures of the S/C installation.  You are welcome to view, but I've never mastered

the art of posting pictures on any forum!! I could email info to you.

Is private email available on the Briskoda site?

 

Cheers

 

Keith

[sharkrider]

^^^ yes please

 

just been in it for the first time since september, as it was dry and sunny today, and the cover had holed all over the place, cheap rubbish!

 

to my horror, all the leather inside was growing mould! cleaned all that up.... went to start... no power. the battery is buggered, (jump started it, started easy, a little rattly until the oil got to the valves , but thats normal for these.... did 8 miles, and it wouldn't even turn over!) time to dump the old gel pack battery (it is VERY old!) and get a new one... the listed batteries just dont seem to be the right size though! :(

 

gonna have to remove it and get down my local europarts!

 

the breathable cover is back on...

 

lesson learned, dont leave it so long, and get the passenger window fixed to try and make it airtight! no pics, forgot in my green mould horror!

[sharkrider]

new battery, confused all the people at TMC motorspares, but we got there,,,, bigger, beeyer, and stronger! ggrrr,

 

(and slightly taller, and the terminals are the wrong way round.......) but I WILL make it fit! lol...

 

[softscoop]

As long as you don't resort to this to make it fit Dave

 

[lfc958]

Ok, seeing that battery does not look right, as i got the battery out to give a top up charge as it was a tad sluggish starting after 6 weeks sitting in the garage & it is still the original Panasonic Gel battery that came with the car.( 12 years old), Still struggles to start if left for a couple of weeks.

 

That is not a lead acid one is it ? 

 

Car had MOT along with requesting a full service , drop in the sport panel filter i got free when i picked up a replacement NSF headlamp unit, which they also swapped for me, the did a drop test on the battery & it is not so keen, so been advised to replace, Also had winter fluid check & requested the LSD oil is checked & topped up.  1 Advisory on MOT, slight rust spotted but will get that sorted in summer. Will also look for another Gel battery to replace this one, main advice on forums is to try to get a replacement Panasonic one as these last longer, If i can get 12 years out of anothe one of these then that will be decent value for money.

 

Hard top was put on late november, and the driving difference is noticable, but looking forward to spring to bag the hardtop up.  

[skomaz]

The Panny batteries are far better than the replacement Westco's - I speak from experience - my Panny lasted 13 years, the Wescto about 2...

 

However, I've now replaced mine with a standard Lead Acid one - not as 'fragile' (so can;t be wrecked by the wrong charging regime), easier to charge when it goes flat (doesn;t need to be trickle charged with an AGM charger), bigger capacity and has the terminals the right way round so easy to fit (albeit with a slighly longer threaded bar to hold it in place.  As it's lead scid it needs to be properly vented through the floor but no real issues and has been great since it was purchased.

 

It's a Varta Blue Dynamic B33 in mine – it’s a little taller but has a 50% greater capacity, is easier to look after and was less than half the price of a gel battery (£53 all in compared to around £100).

Edited 2 February, 2015 by skomaz

[lfc958]

I have a very old charger which will only do trickle charge anyway, which i did with the current battery.

 

How did you vent it, cut slots into the floor of the battery box  ?

 

Would be interesting to hear if anyone has got more than 6 years out of a Lead/Acid replacement,  

[Toxicvrs]

I have a very old charger which will only do trickle charge anyway, which i did with the current battery.

How did you vent it, cut slots into the floor of the battery box ?

Would be interesting to hear if anyone has got more than 6 years out of a Lead/Acid replacement,

Do same as Fabia with a flange and pipe to breath

[sharkrider]

its lead acid, and exactly the same dimensions apart from being about 2 mm taller! I went into TMS with my old battery, and said "get me a cheap one of those" it has better capacity, and cost £44 whereas the "proper" replacement is something mad like £110 ! car only cost £600.....

 

my car has vents with tubes attatched through the floor near the battery tray.....

[skomaz]

Re venting mine is the same as Sharkriders - they should all have a vent in the boot floor just in front of the battery with tubes attached.

 

Also in terms of the original Panny - you can't drop test them like you would a normal battery - as they'll show as bad. It may be gone (and the drop test won't have helped) but if you are trying to trickle charge it can take the best part of a week...   I've always been told to think of them as an onion, they take charge from the middle but re charge from the outside and it's got a lot of layers to get through!

 

I'd go lead acid - and Varta - the one in my Fabia lasted about 9 years and was still going strong when I sold it and likewise my mums Fezza before then.  OK the Mazda one isn't that old yet but I'd wager it'l last as long.

[sharkrider]

ok... battery installation day !

 

I knew the terminals were the wrong way round... cable wont reach....

 

 

sooo, I had to remove a plastic clip that clipped the wiring loom to the side of the boot, this gave me an extra inch or so  (fnar fnar)

 

 

One of the vents incidentally, opens up through the boot under the car.... I have taken the plastic tray out too, due to the batteries slightly bigger size....

 

 

now this battery is a little higher too, so the bracket wont fit...... one of the most useful tools in the world , the plastic cable tie

 

 

tied it through where the original bracket would go, then hooked the bracket in the loop....

 

 

braket bolts up tight, all done and fitted, absolutely no slack, tight in

 

 

job done!

[sharkrider]

its alive! started first time, love the sound from the exhaust wish I could get a vid of it "popping" on gear changes!

 

 

did 40 km in it today, with no issues at all! (after standing for months!)

 

 

 

 

RWD..... LSD.... gravel.... BEHAVE! lol...

 

[Wardy]

Good to hear Dave! 

[skomaz]

Dave - that battery area looks like its been subject to a leak at some stage - I'd wash it out with some bicarb of soda solution to neutralise any remaining acid before it rots any further then treat it to some new paint.  That is the reason the plastic tray is in there to retain any leaks and stop that sort of thing happening - so I'd pop it back in if I were you - just in case.

 

Also did you remember to put the rubber vent tubes back on between the battery vents and the boot floor (can't see them in the piccie) otherwise it'll be venting fumes into the boot and will rot it further.

 

Finally (and I know I'm pedantic) but I wouldn't trust a cable tie to hold a battery - it may even be an MOT fail and could wear through if the plate it is attached to is sharp edged - if I were you I'd ask my local battery supplier for a longer hook or make one up from some threaded bar from B&Q for a couple of quid.  Will make it all far more secure.  The plate at the back of the battery location should also have a couple of holes in it to accommodate different height batteries but if not just bend the hook end of the clamp a bit to suit.

[sharkrider]

Dave - that battery area looks like its been subject to a leak at some stage - I'd wash it out with some bicarb of soda solution to neutralise any remaining acid before it rots any further then treat it to some new paint.  That is the reason the plastic tray is in there to retain any leaks and stop that sort of thing happening - so I'd pop it back in if I were you - just in case.

 

Also did you remember to put the rubber vent tubes back on between the battery vents and the boot floor (can't see them in the piccie) otherwise it'll be venting fumes into the boot and will rot it further.

 

Finally (and I know I'm pedantic) but I wouldn't trust a cable tie to hold a battery - it may even be an MOT fail and could wear through if the plate it is attached to is sharp edged - if I were you I'd ask my local battery supplier for a longer hook or make one up from some threaded bar from B&Q for a couple of quid.  Will make it all far more secure.  The plate at the back of the battery location should also have a couple of holes in it to accommodate different height batteries but if not just bend the hook end of the clamp a bit to suit.

there were a couple of holes , and none were big enough, hence the plastic tie to increase height! lol....

 

you are not being pedantic skomaz, this is why forums are so good, people with knowledge (or opinions) can help !

 

I will look into the MOT thing, it wasnt even secured when I bought the car (hence the dents in the wing!) first job I did was to buy the proper battery securing stuff, but obviosly now I dont have a proper battery! lol....

 

I also just said to swmbo, "why didn't I take the time to treat the battery area, and cure the corrosion, and paint it safe before the new battery?! " because I wanted to go drive today! lol....

 

BUT I will treat and make good the battery base this summer.... this is a rolling resotation to OE spec, I WILL pay attention to detail..... in the end I think thats what makes a good price at sale time....

 

this summer , (once the clutch is in!) is bodywork time.......

 

I will include a treatment for the battery area

 

cheers!

[sharkrider]

ok.. insurance renewal time..... my current insurer has gone up by £10 ! (why do they always do tis?!)

 

anyway, I will be joining another insurer, and the mx5 o/c as it costs £35 but will knock £50 off my insurance....

 

cost of premium? a whopping and eye watering £105!!!! brilliant....

 

and you know what ? for £35 I can have it insured for 3 track days this year too! why cant my vRS insurance do this?!

 

funny my insurance is £105, and yet my tax on it is £230 a year..... here to popping unburned fuel out the exhaust on gear changes!

[ChrisRs]

Did you mention bodywork this summer? :p  :sun:

[sharkrider]

Did you mention bodywork this summer? :p  :sun:

yup... had  a quote to wrap it... can you believe £1000?! Its a TINY car without a roof! I bet I can get it resprayed for half that.

 

have to sort it all first... 2 new front wings, reshape rear arches, (they have all been badly "rolled" ) sort one sill (doesn't need welding, but needs grinding and treating) reshape the sill thats been welded..... so some filler may be in order!

 

(edit: I have a new front bumper, nicely reprayed it original black!)

[sharkrider]

ok... insurance renewed I have upped the mileage to 5,000 , fully comp classic policy, me only to drive, no commuting, no mods, £113 the ACTUAL policy costs before legal protection ect is £80!!! made cheaper by being a member of the mx5 owners club

[James I]

Will we see the Mazda at How Fast or will you be in the Fabia?

[sharkrider]

wouldn't be fast lol! it will be the skoda, IF I get time off!

[sharkrider]

been out in the sun today, car started fine with its new battery, I had the solar charger on, but its been a few weeks since it moved... I still don't like the rattle from the top of the engine as you wait for the oil to get there! but apparently its normal, as soon as the oil pressure hits, it goes quiet....

 

sale fell in the backgroud

 

 

car perfermormed brilliant as always, never ceases to amaze how good this old thing is to drive! water had leaked in the roof though collecting in the carpet behind the drivers seat (where my welding repairs are :( ) and the boot leaked a bit..... I need to get some work done on this car over the summer!

 

[lfc958]

Ours had a full service / MOT, & replaced NSF light cluster just before end of Jan,  1 advisory @ MOT, slight rust showing on body panel close suspension, will find & sort, a small job to sort i hope.

Runs absolutely brilliantly

 

Tin top came off 2 weeks ago and a run in the sun, heated seats on, hot air blowing into footwell, cow wind through what is left of my hair   

 

On a slightly different note, watched the TG review on the new MX5, & read TG online - not to everyones taste, i actually quite like it, & looking round, looks like it will be just a soft top version, unlike current where you have a choice, soft or folding tin.

Wondering whether to see about PCP for 3 years with v low miles - & test drive the 1.5 / 1.8. 

[skomaz]

 

On a slightly different note, watched the TG review on the new MX5, & read TG online - not to everyones taste, i actually quite like it, & looking round, looks like it will be just a soft top version, unlike current where you have a choice, soft or folding tin.

Wondering whether to see about PCP for 3 years with v low miles - & test drive the 1.5 / 1.8. 

 

MIne's still tucked up in the garage at my mums house as I'm still repairing the garage at our new house (it's taken a slide at some stage in it's 50 year life!)

 

Watched the Top Gear review myself last night – seems like it has gone back to the original Mk1 ethos of lightness, balance, handling and just enough power rather than growing ever fatter (from memory the weight for the new one at about 1,000kg isn’t far off that of the original at about 950kg).

 

Trouble is, like Hammond, I still can’t get my head round those headlights – I said when I first saw the pictures of the new one that they were too small and squinty and I still think the same – may be a mid-life refresh in a couple of years will help…