MLR's Bogan cruise ship

[The Bogan]

Just came across this, but in QLD

I start leave again in 2 weeks, if it is still available I might drive up and check it out

Unless, @MBS206 do you live near here????, if so I could hit you up with a finders fee

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/hope-island/auto-body-parts/nc-mx5-factory-hard-top/1328976391

[PranK]

Forgive the potentially silly question but are the vents for bay temps? I've been toying with how to reduce my bay temps because man, it gets HOT in there and a small subtle vent somewhere I think might help.

Or, maybe they're to assist with just the intake temps? 

[The Bogan]

34 minutes ago, PranK said:

Forgive the potentially silly question but are the vents for bay temps? I've been toying with how to reduce my bay temps because man, it gets HOT in there and a small subtle vent somewhere I think might help.

Or, maybe they're to assist with just the intake temps? 

Neither really

Vents, when located in the right place, will lower the engine bay "pressure", as air has a path to escape, thus lowering the engine bay pressure, thus.....improving the efficiency on the coolant stack (read: IC, condenser, radiator)

This is why the Blits vented bonnet on my 33 worked so well, the vent was in the front 1/3 of the bonnet, which put it right after the radiator 

If the vents are to far back toward the windscreen, which is a high pressure zone, it can actually force air into the engine bay, causing higher pressure and effectively loosing efficiency on the cooling stack, like the fab of raising the rear of the bonnet, which does allow heat to escape, but only when the car isn't moving 

There's heaps of cool "fluid dynamics" info out there, but, I'll attach a video of a 'Merican joint that focuses on "Miatas" as I found it when looking into vents for mine, they explain it way better than me

 

[PranK]

Nice, thanks. Thats why I was asking, there'd been a fair bit of discussion in the E90 world about vents and where it makes sense to put one (ie, over the filters is not great as that is inline or slightly behind the struts and in higher pressure area).

I struggle with air flow and pressures. It sill weirds me out that a radiator in the boot can work. 

[Kinkstaah]

He made that comment in my thread - In my case the vents ARE to lower engine heat, when the car is not moving, which is the only scenario I have heat problems with the aircon on, sitting in traffic, on 40C+ days.

I can't imagine a scenario that this NC needs any at this point in time.

I do not know if it will actually make my cooling when the car is MOVING worse, and I sincerely hope that won't be the case. If it does, well, um, f**k.

[The Bogan]

46 minutes ago, Kinkstaah said:

He made that comment in my thread - In my case the vents ARE to lower engine heat, when the car is not moving, which is the only scenario I have heat problems with the aircon on, sitting in traffic, on 40C+ days.

I can't imagine a scenario that this NC needs any at this point in time.

I do not know if it will actually make my cooling when the car is MOVING worse, and I sincerely hope that won't be the case. If it does, well, um, f**k.

If your temps are fine now, you probably won't have any issues with where your vents are as they don't look right up at the windscreens high pressure area, so any differences when giving it the beans for extended happy laps would be minimal, but, they should vent heaps when stuck in traffic 

Much like how that reverse cowl on my SS let "visible" heat out when stationary, but, because it was basically at the windscreen my coolant temps on the Hwy actually raised because air was being fed into it at speed (110kph), to only come back down to around 90° when I got off the Hwy

And your 100% correct about the NC currently not needing vents, but, if I was to add a turbo, and a oil cooler and intercooler in front of the condenserand radiator, and then take it to the track????

It is apparently a recommend requirement if I don't want to worry about coolant or oil temp issues, but, any of the above are possible scenarios, over time

As it sits now, with the triple pass radiator and stock air conditioning system, I have absolutely no issues with either temps or air conditioning efficiency, I've been basically daily driving thie car for the last month, both on the Hwy, and peak hour, bumper to bumper traffic, but, that's pretty much expected from basically a standard engine 

Talking about no issues daily driving, it was 39° the other day and I was sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on the M5 and then M7, with the top down, and with the air conditioning blowing nice cold air on my feet, balls, and face, well, there was one issue, my head and arms got pretty sun burnt

Note to self: leave a hat and sunscreen in the car for such days 🤣

[The Bogan]

I also just ordered some Frankenstein bolts and side mounts to fit a hard top

Just in case I do find one, basically so it doesn't need to be fixed to the car with only the front latch.......and then gaffa tape to keep it in place for the RTN journey from wherever I get it

[Kinkstaah]

Yep, that was one of the things we learned fast in the past with our MX5. When you drive with the top down, you are effectively standing out in the sun, 100% of the time, and not getting in any shade (because roads aren't shaded generally!).

Just like standing out in the middle of a field on a sunny 27C day is a bit of a bad plan, so is sitting in a MX5 without sun protection.

[The Bogan]

I ❤️ Matty

I would like to thank Matty for going out his way in securing me a OEM NC detachable hard top for the NC

Matty, your worth your weight in gold, and I cannot say how much I really appreciate your outstanding help

I'll get it colour matched once I pick it up sometime in Dec-Jan 😁

 

[MBS206]

That depends, someone might offer me a good price to resell it Mark...
Ha ha ha!

 

I can get it wrapped in a really nice looking carbon fiber vynil if you want?

[The Bogan]

9 minutes ago, MBS206 said:

That depends, someone might offer me a good price to resell it Mark...
Ha ha ha!

 

I can get it wrapped in a really nice looking carbon fiber vynil if you want?

Please noooooooo 😭

As for wrap, no thank you mate, I've seen and used "carbon fibre" wrap before, and for these hard tops, they look soooo good when colour matched

Like this >>>

[MBS206]

9 minutes ago, The Bogan said:

Please noooooooo 😭

As for wrap, no thank you mate, I've seen and used "carbon fibre" wrap before, and for these hard tops, they look soooo good when colour matched

Like this >>>

Nah, I'm not an a-hole, ha ha!

 

I do like the colour match.

Some of the carbon fibre wraps are quite freaking horrible. There's one a local company I know uses, and it looks damn good! Also very very expensive per metre to buy! ha ha ha

It might be cheaper to respray the roof than use the good CF Wrap, ha ha!

[The Bogan]

7 minutes ago, MBS206 said:

Nah, I'm not an a-hole, ha ha!

 

I do like the colour match.

Some of the carbon fibre wraps are quite freaking horrible. There's one a local company I know uses, and it looks damn good! Also very very expensive per metre to buy! ha ha ha

It might be cheaper to respray the roof than use the good CF Wrap, ha ha!

IMO wrap does have its uses, but like you said, quality wrap, and professional installation, would probably cost want a quality paint job does, but, the paint, if maintained, is basically for life, and much easier to touch up if required 

In other news: it's pissing down here, with thunder, lightning and only some small hail "at this stage", luckily all "my" cars are undercover 

I've also been contacted by a guy in Newcastle about the SS, he said he will come down next weekend for a look, we'll see how that transpires I guess 🫰

[Kinkstaah]

I get into huffs with people when I suggest the MX5 looks so much better as a coupe than it does as convertible. Pretty sure I don't prefer the convertible version of anything. Good job on the hardtop! The next buyer will appreciate.

[The Bogan]

5 hours ago, Kinkstaah said:

I get into huffs with people when I suggest the MX5 looks so much better as a coupe than it does as convertible. Pretty sure I don't prefer the convertible version of anything. Good job on the hardtop! The next buyer will appreciate.

I've been pondering this, I really enjoy the convertible thing, for me, it's like riding a motorbike, without all the issue of riding a motorbike, mainly, my old sore arthritic joints getting beaten up, and, being able to do it in shorts and a T-shirt and not needing a helmet and all the other gear required, especially like wearing jackets and pants in the summer, or needing 6 layers of cloths in the winter, or not having wet weather gear handy when your 100km away from home on the bike when it decides to start raining

As for the hard top and its Coupe look, whilst I do lose all that open top feeling that I really enjoy, from my experience with the NB with a detachable hard top, the cabin is a much nicer place to be, the difference in noise for one, a hard top quietens down the interior, alot, with the soft top up or down it's pretty noisy, which, after 5 or so hours, can get tiring

But, as you stated, the detachable hard top totally changes the look of the car, in a really good way, and for me, the look of a detachable hard top is so much better than the PRHT which looks more like a after thought with its weird bulbous rear roof line

For me, the minimal effort of putting in on, or storing it after removing it, is well worth the time and effort for the look alone

And yes, I'm sure the next owner will be grateful for it as well.......

 

[Duncan]

Hey Mark...sorry to interrupt your career change to hair dressing...

but...did you ever fit the interchiller to the commodore, and if so how was it? And, who made it?

[The Bogan]

37 minutes ago, Duncan said:

Hey Mark...sorry to interrupt your career change to hair dressing...

but...did you ever fit the interchiller to the commodore, and if so how was it? And, who made it?

Uncle Duncan

Yeap, FI Interchiller 

Works well, normal IAT's cruising with the WTA only went from 50°c+ to 25-30°c with the interchiller 

Before, when on it hard, the IAT would see 80-90°c, now, the highest has been was around 38°c IIRC

IAT is measured under the blower hat

I recommend it for the street or strip where your only on it hard for 10 or so seconds, but it wouldn't be efficient for sustained track use as it would heat soak from the AC turning off or whatever it does during WOT to protect the compressor

It really needs the AC running for it to not heat soak and keep the WTA coolant chilled

My WTA coolant temps when just cruising is around 2°c

[Kinkstaah]

3 hours ago, The Bogan said:

I've been pondering this, I really enjoy the convertible thing, for me, it's like riding a motorbike, without all the issue of riding a motorbike, mainly, my old sore arthritic joints getting beaten up, and, being able to do it in shorts and a T-shirt and not needing a helmet and all the other gear required, especially like wearing jackets and pants in the summer, or needing 6 layers of cloths in the winter, or not having wet weather gear handy when your 100km away from home on the bike when it decides to start raining

As for the hard top and its Coupe look, whilst I do lose all that open top feeling that I really enjoy, from my experience with the NB with a detachable hard top, the cabin is a much nicer place to be, the difference in noise for one, a hard top quietens down the interior, alot, with the soft top up or down it's pretty noisy, which, after 5 or so hours, can get tiring

But, as you stated, the detachable hard top totally changes the look of the car, in a really good way, and for me, the look of a detachable hard top is so much better than the PRHT which looks more like a after thought with its weird bulbous rear roof line

For me, the minimal effort of putting in on, or storing it after removing it, is well worth the time and effort for the look alone

And yes, I'm sure the next owner will be grateful for it as well.......

 

So, when are you trying the new GR86 or BRZ?

[The Bogan]

7 hours ago, Kinkstaah said:

So, when are you trying the new GR86 or BRZ?

Already looked at a few prior to getting the MX5, really nice car, had all the mod cons, but I wasn't really sold on the new "look"

I did miss my 2017 Limited, and I personally prefer the "look" of the older car over the new model, but, when pondering I kept going back looking at MX5's

But it was same same for the new ND's, I wasn't sold on the new "look", especially the RF with its weird roof, which only half goes down, like a targa top sort of thing

As I stated before, I did look at NC's, but the cars I looked at were PRHT's, but I didn't like their roof line "look" of the PRHT, until I saw the soft top version, (someone on SAU posted a for sale ad for one with a soft top that caught my attention, you can blame them for my choice.....🤣) and.... that old style detachable hard tops were available for them, which keeps the old MX5 more smoother flowing roof line, and the more rounded body style, similar to the NA-NB, to me, the arse end of the ND looks to "modern"

Much like how I prefer the NC1 front bar, over the later models

How long will I keep this car for is unknown, but currently, there's nothing else out there that "floats my boat" for a small, fun, little "sports car", that I can play with and enjoy looking at and driving

But, who knows what the future holds, and going off current new car styling, if I replace it, it will be a older model something something 

 

 

 

[MBS206]

1 hour ago, The Bogan said:

Already looked at a few prior to getting the MX5, really nice car, had all the mod cons, but I wasn't really sold on the new "look"

I did miss my 2017 Limited, and I personally prefer the "look" of the older car over the new model, but, when pondering I kept going back looking at MX5's

But it was same same for the new ND's, I wasn't sold on the new "look", especially the RF with its weird roof, which only half goes down, like a targa top sort of thing

As I stated before, I did look at NC's, but the cars I looked at were PRHT's, but I didn't like their roof line "look" of the PRHT, until I saw the soft top version, (someone on SAU posted a for sale ad for one with a soft top that caught my attention, you can blame them for my choice.....🤣) and.... that old style detachable hard tops were available for them, which keeps the old MX5 more smoother flowing roof line, and the more rounded body style, similar to the NA-NB, to me, the arse end of the ND looks to "modern"

Much like how I prefer the NC1 front bar, over the later models

How long will I keep this car for is unknown, but currently, there's nothing else out there that "floats my boat" for a small, fun, little "sports car", that I can play with and enjoy looking at and driving

But, who knows what the future holds, and going off current new car styling, if I replace it, it will be a older model something something 

 

 

 

I'd say one thing that may make you sell is the same reason the guy with the hard top roof sold his. He got old, and his back was giving him too much grief stopping him getting in and out...

Old guy said he was 73! He looked and sounded younger than 73 to me! Or maybe I'm just aligning with old people more...