Glad you enjoyed driving it, Jack. :) It's not setup to be the most powerful car in the world, just to address some of the standard Mx5/Eunos/Miata deficiencies. Tech spec as follows for those interested. 1800cc engine (really early one from 1993, prior to the official launch of the 1.8) Megasquirt 2 for fuelling/boost management - USB to TunerStudio on PC MP62 with standard pulleys (makes a gentle 7 psi (0.5 bar) of boost with peak of 190bhp at the wheels) Trackdog racing pulley tensioner Intercooler Bosch EV14 640cc injectors Meister-R Zeta CRD coilovers Refreshed OE bushes and OE anti-roll bars Racing beat exhaust Mx5 Parts 4-2-1 Exhaust Manifold Skidnation Delrin Door Bushings Brake Master Cylinder Brace 15" Rota RB alloys 195/50R15 Yokohama AD08RS tyres Mk2 (NB) Mohair Roof (+ hardtop) Retains original AirCon
I supercharged my 91 MX5, it took about a week of working in the evenings after work. it was a hoot to drive and surprised a lot of "faster" cars. Unfortunately there are some drawbacks. 1) Insurance, it was very difficult and expensive to insure the car afterwards. 2) I was never totally confident that the car was not going to go wrong, I spent a lot of time just listening for strange noises and worrying what it might mean. 3) Clutch needed uprating within a week 🙂
Being an old man has its advantages. This costs me £140 a year to insure. :) Hasn't let me down in 8 years of being supercharged... though I have uprated the clutch. I put that down to not pushing the performance too far. It's only running about 6 psi of boost.
My mate had a focus ST, fully forged, running 600bhp. It cost him less to insure than a standard ST. You’ve just gotta find the right modified specialist insurers.
Hi Jack, the coin on the dash is FIve yen, which reads GOEN meaning good fate, relation, tie, encounter etc. looks like this roadster found the owner with GOEN ! Thanks for the video cheers
Years ago I drove a MK1 BBR Turbo - thought it was a hood little conversion & don’t recall a huge lag, but ultimately it wasn’t special enough - do I waited & bought a K Series Caterham 7 Supersport - WHAT A CAR!!!
I fitted a Megasquirt ECU to my 91 Eunos Roadster which meant that the mechanical airflow meter could be replaced with a piece of PVC pipe, the difference compared to stock was night and day, it was like a different engine. Unfortunately, after doing all the work I sold the car in a moment of madness and regret it to this day.
Really enjoyed that! Lovely little motor. I have to say however that you remain the star of the show mate, your enthusiam is infectious. Keep doing what you're doing and hopefully your following will continue to grow. Good luck.
Nice review. I've had a MK2 1.8s for a decade now and have never wanted to dilute the feel of the car and the enjoyment of wringing it's neck by adding forced induction, however recently I am toying with the idea of supercharging it. Cheers for the video!
I had an mx5 year's ago until it left the road traveling at quite a pace to play hide and seek in some local woodland, obviously it was the poor handling of the chassis and nothing to do with my lack of driving ability 😂🤣👍
That's a very nice little MX 5 Jack, and they look impressive in that BRG colour, it has the "special" tan colour interior that goes well with it. Thanks for the drive.
Great concept - bring up the power without getting ridiculous, and end up with a superbly drivable sportscar. And the BRG/tan leather combination is classic.
I've got a Audi A4 B5 2.4 v6 with a supercharger in it it's also had an LPG conversion which will be great in the current climate of fuel costs. Currently running a mild 250 bhp it's been in storage for the last 3 years following serious illness. Just been advised that I'm allowed to drive again this week. I've got a load of upgrades horded ready for the summer.
A good few years back a good mate of mine bought BBRs Mk3 (NC) 1.8 Supercharged development car, at the time the only one in existence (the black one that featured in a lot of magazines at the time). Had the pleasure of going to Goodwood Festival of Speed in it and the thing was incredible. Recall it being about 240bhp (had a bit more work by BBR following the magazine reviews) and it felt every bit of it and so much more analogue than it would have been had it been turbo'd. A Mk1 with even less weight must be superb!
I drove an early supercharged Miata back in the day -- like 1994. A friend had an NA and was considering doing it, so we found one to drive (don't remember how). It had a claimed 165hp, which was up about 50hp from stock, and a number of suspension mods, etc. It was a lot quicker than Paul's stock example, but it felt crude and buzzy in comparison. My experience may not be representative of a well prepared car, but it put me right off the idea of having one for myself. So I bought a second-gen MR2 Turbo...
Good to see this Jack. Pretty sure I've seen this car crop up in the owners groups. I've had two mk1s and a mk3 and have owned my current 93 Eunos S-limited 1.6 for the last 5 years. Personally I prefer the 1.6 and there's not a lot between them in standard form. There are times when you could do with a bit more power but for the most part these things are quick enough to hoon around on b roads, especially the narrow lanes of Devon where I live. If I was to go down the route of forced induction then supercharging would be the way to go.
I always wanted a Miata. I think it would be like my 79 MG but would not break down every five miles. My dad had an 84 RX-7 with the rotary. Super fun! The torque would roast Cameros all day. Best video yet, Jack! Hope all is well!
I picked one up out of a snowbank in front of a pawnshop for $1000. It had been wrecked. But, it was just a fender, hood, and bumper.... and radiator. Being winter I filled up the leaky radiator and drove it 20 miles home. They're basically indestructible. I bought a parts car that had been rolled/smashed in a horrible wreck. When I got it home I thought I'd try starting it as a lark and it ran like a champ. :)
I got 237bhp (192 whp) out of my 1992 eunos 1.6 V-spec on an M45 supercharger with 4.3 VLSD. Honestly it was a genuinely quick car and sounded mental. If you're at 200bhp you won't be near 190 at the wheels, probably 165-170 at best, but even with that power they're leagues ahead of a stock car and drive how they always should have done!
Enjoyed that Brilliant little cars. I had one in 2007 that replaced a mk4 Spurs TT that cost me money in bills this was a cheap stop gap that I ended up loving . Best cars on roundabouts snd corners just lack power which this probably resolves Mine had the yen too it was an 89 eunos 1.6 with an ace twin cam engine
I found a 5 Yen coin in my 300zx Twin Turbo which I imported from Nagoya back in the early noughties. ☺ Didn't realise it was a good luck thing! It too was under the seat.
Wonderful video! 🔥🔥🔥 I’ve driven a naturally aspirated 1st generation MX-5, about 15 years ago, and I loved it! It provided as much, or more, feedback on driving dynamics as any car I have ever driven! I’d love to own one, but roadsters scare the bejezus out of Herself, and we don’t want that, do we? 😱😂🙂
This and the supercharger conversion which Engineering Explained did, are the best videos on this topic. Be curious if you compare to an ND conversion and which you prefer.
Another advantage of boost… If you live in the peaks or the highlands you won’t suffer as much with power loss at high altitude. I’m not sure whether I could put up with the loss of economy at all revs that supercharging gives you vs. turbocharging where you can stay off boost, especially to only make 200hp from a 1.8. I love the first gen BMW cooper S’s with undersized pulleys on them, but they’re so thirsty.
Economy isn't much of a problem with this setup. The MP62 has a clutch, so there is no parasitic loss off boost. Whilst cruising the economy is actually a touch better than standard. Yes, it will burn fuel when on boost, but you have the choice to drive "sensibly" without any economy loss if you wish.
@@drewwagar That’s awesome... Kinda tempted to get a mk1 project now. I mean I guess for a non chargecooled or intercooled supercharger setup, there’s a balancing act to play between power vs. Parasitic losses, and losses due to charge temps increasing with increased boost, and reaching the limit of the charger. So the owner could be right that 200hp is the right place for that supercharger to run without the intake temps being too high or it hitting its limit at high revs.
@@Jonathan_Doe_ This is my car - so I can tell you anything about it you like. :) It is running an intercooler and slightly overfuelling to keep intake temps down. I have driven it all day long around Curborough, Lydden Hill and Snetterton race tracks without any heat issues at all. I've deliberately not increased the power to ensure longevity. It's running a mere 6 psi of boost, which is very low compared to what the engine could theoretically take. This means both the engine and the supercharger are pretty "relaxed" in terms of tune. It's been in this spec for about 8 years now and has never given me any trouble at all except for a failed clutch master cylinder.
@@drewwagar Cheers man, I’ll drop you a message if I need some pointers. The standard internals on the 1.8’s seem to be able to handle 300hp pretty reliably (if well mapped) so 200hp won’t be taxing it too much. …Currently debating with myself whether to do the litchfield 300hp remap on my GR Yaris, but given that Toyota have redesigned the pistons (to add more oil holes) on the GR Corolla to make 300hp from the same engine, it seems like a bad idea given I want to keep her long term.
Do like the MX5s although not so keen on the latest versions styling but at 6' 2"just not comfortable to drive and struggle to get my knees past the steering wheel
The MX-5 (especially the NA6) is one of those cars that I hate seeing customised. The MX-5 is such a pure little roaster, from NA to ND and everything inbetween, although I do get the yearning for more power.
I have an MX-5 itch, I think I'm going to have to scratch before too much longer. This looked and sounded a great little car. MX-5 soooo underrated by those that don't know...
Great video, looking forward to more MX5 content! A Mk3 with the BBR Super 225 conversion is under consideration as my next vehicle - sounds fantastic with throttle bodies!
Love the ¥5 coin touch. It's true the ¥5 coin is supposed to bring luck in Japanese culture, especially when it comes to relationships. I put a ¥5 coin in my wallet when I first met a lady in Japan 23yrs ago. Been married to her for 15yrs now, and the same coin is still in my wallet...so must be some merit to it.
With the price of petrol the way it is, the gta has not only turned into a summer car, its a summerweekendonly car now! Sometimes I think of selling it and something like this would be the way to go. It would fit in my garage and it's much simpler to work on. Up a country road with 200hp, it would give the alfa a bloody nose!
I ran an FFS super charger for many years and I’ve owned/worked on a few rare Ubercharged cars too. While the power and the whine is nice, they definitely add complications, heat and general worry. Nothing beats the simplicity of NA as it turns out.
Wise words perhaps. I built a lotus 7 style kit years ago as a 1.6, it was a scream I could drive as hard as i liked and it never failed. I spent a fortune putting in a highly tuned engine. It was a scream some of the time but broken the rest. I ended up not using it as I could not trust it.
This is why I've left mine with only 6 PSI of boost. It doesn't need that much more power. It's been running for about 8 years in this setup and I've never had any problems. Just keep it serviced as per normal. It's been totally reliable.
Hi Jack, next time try a proper roadster. The Honda S2000 has more power as standard from NA engine. Great gearbox, great handling (driven properly) and a fantastic sounding engine in VTEC. Puts the MX5 in the shade. (Where it belongs)
I have the Mk1 MX-5. I've uprated the induction, suspension and exhaust system. It sticks like shit to a blanket. I don't need a turbo, or I'd probably kill myself. Glad you're a fellow admirer Number 27
Perfect day for it! Even though it's not my thing, always interested to understand complexity/cost of mods like these...be interesting to compare with an MR2 turbo?
The entire thing (including the car) has cost me around £6k. £1800 for the car, the supercharger kit was cobbled together for about £1500. Meister-Rs around £800, brakes £400. Yokohama AD08RS tyres £500. Spannering done mostly by my son and I, so not much labour involved. Supercharger was installed and mapped (megasquirt 2) by Skuzzle Motorsports in Winchester - sadly no longer trading.
@@alberthammond838 They are EBC cross drilled and grooved discs with yellow stuff pads. The brake stopper in the vid that braces the master cylinder is an essential mod for brake feel. :)
@@smorris12 no idea, it was a relatively light Coyote V8, he did not keep it long. I do remember doing engine transplants in the past though that we regretted,
I have a low miles Mk1 and seriously considering the Rocketeer or just leaving it stock and getting an Alpine but the Supercharger may be a middle ground of more fun for less cost than the Rocketeer...
My car cost me about £6k for everything you see in the video. The rocketeer that's coming would eat it for breakfast... but do check out the price comparison! ;)
Harry Metcalfe was testing his XJ Coupé V12 on these roads just recently, really giving it some stick. Watching this, I became worried Jack might meet him coming the other way - sideways.
A great car they are super and you really enjoyed it on a beautiful day it be nice to see you do a review on the other makes like the fiat X 19 and barchatta and 124 spider to see co
Thank you for video. I own an MX5.., 1993 1.6 115bhp, with no ABS. I like it as it is. It's fun, cheap as chips to maintain.., until of course the necessity to address rust issues rears it's head. The 1.6 engine is said to be slightly sweeter than the 1.8, and revs out more willingly. Did you have it long enough to notice what the supercharging did to the fuel consumption ? Mine is 30 - 32 mpg in general driving..., 40 is the best I ever achieved ( steady 60 on a motorway ). As you said, great on B roads.
One of the big benefits of the MP62 is that there is no parasitic loss when off boost, so when you're cruising you get the same mpg as before. Of course, on boost is a bit of a different story. ;)
Only reason the 1.6 feels like it revs nicer on a stock MX5 is because it has a smaller clutch and the early cars (till 95 or so) have a shorter ratio diff then the 1.8 cars. Do the same mods on a 1.8 and its far superior.
@@RicSupra The 2 things you mention are actually irelevant to what I said, they're side issues. The reason why the 1.6 revs out more willingly is that the 1.8 is a longer stroke than the 1.6. You get the advantages that tend to go with 'more cubes', but all other things being equal, the downside is that the bigger engine is slightly less willing. The flywheel on the 1.6 is also lighter than that on the 1.8. ( Which I assume to be related to the clutch size ). The lighter flywheel means that you can rev up and down more quickly.., it's a separate issue to how well the engines revs out. As I said in my original comment, I like my 1.6 MX5 as it is.
@@andrewpreston4127 While thats true the shorter diff plays a bigger role in this IMO. It brings the engine in a better range. You can feel this in an euro NB 1.6 (jdm nb 1.6 has the same ratio as the early NAs), it feels completely different and really gutless. The 1.6 flywheel and clutch combo itself isn’t really lighter, but alot of the weight is closer to the centre. Its fine that you like the 1.6 im not bashing it/yours ;)
Totally needs more power,even the latest anniversary edition could do with another 50 bhp.That one is a beauty Jack.Love the supercharger whine and the seat and body colour combo it’s Anglo-Japanese looking 👍
@@Number27 I've just bought one and collecting on Monday. Well won the auction anyway and just hoping it's 'as described' and not a rusty old turd! It has literally just been MOT'd so would like to think it's relatively solid and MOT history is as good as it gets. If I buy it, you're more than welcome to borrow it once I've put a few miles on it. It was only £ 1350 so it could potentially be a bit of a bargain. 😉
Meh supercharger is not the way to go imo. It adds alot of unnecessary complicated stuff (double thottle bodies, extra pulleys, another belt onto a crankpulley that already can have problems on its own etc.). The modern turbo setups that i've seen didn't have any noticeable lag, if you want power thats the way to go. But myself i rather go ITB's (And currently doing that on my NA), it suits the car alot more.
Mine doesn't have a double throttle body, I didn't find it necessary. It's not an extra belt, it's just a longer one (runs alongside the AC pulley). I could revert the engine to standard in about an hour if I wished for the future too. No additional oil plumbing required like a turbo setup either. It's extremely simple.
@@malcolmhardwick4258 Not one bit. I have a strong suspicion the guy I got to map the car did a shit job on it. Headache and stress that I don't need 😂
@@malcolmhardwick4258 Well if it isn't, used engines still aren't too expensive luckily. Might be a good excuse to go forged anyway. Just wish it happened over the winter and not the middle of the summer when I wanted to actually enjoy the car 😂
@@S-Ltd1000 cheers John, I been thinking of buying a mk3.5 (I have long legs), I used to get cramp in my Mk2 on longer journeys, think I just have to test drive and see.
it is very interesting to see how these kits are experienced.. just to bad it is basically impossible to get hold of the mp62-kits.. since they went out of production a long time ago.. =( .. it is almost like saying "everybody should go to visit the moon, the view is awesome there!"..
Sadly soon all combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN & TEBBVEN law)
I fancy that a supercharger could be a good option also for the naturallly aspirated inline 6 engines of older generation BMWs, especially the versions with smaller displacement , which do deliver about enough power hp-wise but sadly fail in terms of torque and pulling power @ low revs ,
In all honesty why would you fluff around with a Ferrari , all its expensive hassles, when you can have an open air blast in one of these. The smile on his face says it all compared to the look of worry and apprehension when hes try to figure out, WHATS WRONG NOW, with the RED DEVIL:
Small car Co on Gold Coast au used to make mx5 converted bullet roadster about 10 years ago 4 litre lexus v8 motor supercharged deadset weapon.keith hamilton
Glad you enjoyed driving it, Jack. :) It's not setup to be the most powerful car in the world, just to address some of the standard Mx5/Eunos/Miata deficiencies. Tech spec as follows for those interested.
1800cc engine (really early one from 1993, prior to the official launch of the 1.8)
Megasquirt 2 for fuelling/boost management - USB to TunerStudio on PC
MP62 with standard pulleys (makes a gentle 7 psi (0.5 bar) of boost with peak of 190bhp at the wheels)
Trackdog racing pulley tensioner
Intercooler
Bosch EV14 640cc injectors
Meister-R Zeta CRD coilovers
Refreshed OE bushes and OE anti-roll bars
Racing beat exhaust
Mx5 Parts 4-2-1 Exhaust Manifold
Skidnation Delrin Door Bushings
Brake Master Cylinder Brace
15" Rota RB alloys
195/50R15 Yokohama AD08RS tyres
Mk2 (NB) Mohair Roof (+ hardtop)
Retains original AirCon
Thanks for the shopping list.
I've been wanting to do the same to my 2001 for the same reasons, mad max and the nature of turbos.
Awesome car, and thanks for the spec list. Am considering supercharging my NA MX5. Supercharging seems appropriate (vs turbo), imho.
I supercharged my 91 MX5, it took about a week of working in the evenings after work. it was a hoot to drive and surprised a lot of "faster" cars. Unfortunately there are some drawbacks. 1) Insurance, it was very difficult and expensive to insure the car afterwards. 2) I was never totally confident that the car was not going to go wrong, I spent a lot of time just listening for strange noises and worrying what it might mean. 3) Clutch needed uprating within a week 🙂
Being an old man has its advantages. This costs me £140 a year to insure. :) Hasn't let me down in 8 years of being supercharged... though I have uprated the clutch. I put that down to not pushing the performance too far. It's only running about 6 psi of boost.
My mate had a focus ST, fully forged, running 600bhp. It cost him less to insure than a standard ST. You’ve just gotta find the right modified specialist insurers.
Number 3 is just the car telling you that too much fun is being had.
@@SoupDragon63 Adrian Flux, 3k miles per year.
Hi Jack, the coin on the dash is FIve yen, which reads GOEN meaning good fate, relation, tie, encounter etc. looks like this roadster found the owner with GOEN ! Thanks for the video cheers
Years ago I drove a MK1 BBR Turbo - thought it was a hood little conversion & don’t recall a huge lag, but ultimately it
wasn’t special enough - do I waited & bought a K Series Caterham 7 Supersport - WHAT A CAR!!!
I fitted a Megasquirt ECU to my 91 Eunos Roadster which meant that the mechanical airflow meter could be replaced with a piece of PVC pipe, the difference compared to stock was night and day, it was like a different engine. Unfortunately, after doing all the work I sold the car in a moment of madness and regret it to this day.
Really enjoyed that! Lovely little motor. I have to say however that you remain the star of the show mate, your enthusiam is infectious. Keep doing what you're doing and hopefully your following will continue to grow. Good luck.
Nice review. I've had a MK2 1.8s for a decade now and have never wanted to dilute the feel of the car and the enjoyment of wringing it's neck by adding forced induction, however recently I am toying with the idea of supercharging it. Cheers for the video!
Did you end up doing it
@@Izard-wn6cc No, I spent £12,000 on a full restoration instead as it was a total death-trap once I dug into it.
I worked with a guy who had one. I thought his was a 1.6L here in the U.S. He did supercharge his and it really turned it into a joy.
I had an mx5 year's ago until it left the road traveling at quite a pace to play hide and seek in some local woodland, obviously it was the poor handling of the chassis and nothing to do with my lack of driving ability 😂🤣👍
That's a very nice little MX 5 Jack, and they look impressive in that BRG colour, it has the "special" tan colour interior that goes well with it. Thanks for the drive.
Great concept - bring up the power without getting ridiculous, and end up with a superbly drivable sportscar. And the BRG/tan leather combination is classic.
This was the exact intention. :)
I've got a Audi A4 B5 2.4 v6 with a supercharger in it it's also had an LPG conversion which will be great in the current climate of fuel costs. Currently running a mild 250 bhp it's been in storage for the last 3 years following serious illness. Just been advised that I'm allowed to drive again this week. I've got a load of upgrades horded ready for the summer.
Ive had my R LTD for 22 years now.... Love it
A good few years back a good mate of mine bought BBRs Mk3 (NC) 1.8 Supercharged development car, at the time the only one in existence (the black one that featured in a lot of magazines at the time). Had the pleasure of going to Goodwood Festival of Speed in it and the thing was incredible. Recall it being about 240bhp (had a bit more work by BBR following the magazine reviews) and it felt every bit of it and so much more analogue than it would have been had it been turbo'd.
A Mk1 with even less weight must be superb!
Fun little car that he's made even better including the interior, can't argue with that Jack.
I had a ‘95 with a Jackson Racing supercharger kit (now I’m on my fourth NA). It was a blast!
I drove an early supercharged Miata back in the day -- like 1994. A friend had an NA and was considering doing it, so we found one to drive (don't remember how). It had a claimed 165hp, which was up about 50hp from stock, and a number of suspension mods, etc. It was a lot quicker than Paul's stock example, but it felt crude and buzzy in comparison. My experience may not be representative of a well prepared car, but it put me right off the idea of having one for myself. So I bought a second-gen MR2 Turbo...
Good to see this Jack. Pretty sure I've seen this car crop up in the owners groups. I've had two mk1s and a mk3 and have owned my current 93 Eunos S-limited 1.6 for the last 5 years. Personally I prefer the 1.6 and there's not a lot between them in standard form. There are times when you could do with a bit more power but for the most part these things are quick enough to hoon around on b roads, especially the narrow lanes of Devon where I live. If I was to go down the route of forced induction then supercharging would be the way to go.
Checkout my install video ,where I fit a mini copper s S/C to my mx5...go to danzcars....cheers
Really interesting about the coin story.I bought an imported Eunos in 2002 and found a yen coin in the glovebox and never gave it a second thought!
What a fantastic upgrade. It's beautiful
I always wanted a Miata. I think it would be like my 79 MG but would not break down every five miles. My dad had an 84 RX-7 with the rotary. Super fun! The torque would roast Cameros all day. Best video yet, Jack! Hope all is well!
I picked one up out of a snowbank in front of a pawnshop for $1000. It had been wrecked. But, it was just a fender, hood, and bumper.... and radiator. Being winter I filled up the leaky radiator and drove it 20 miles home. They're basically indestructible. I bought a parts car that had been rolled/smashed in a horrible wreck. When I got it home I thought I'd try starting it as a lark and it ran like a champ. :)
I got 237bhp (192 whp) out of my 1992 eunos 1.6 V-spec on an M45 supercharger with 4.3 VLSD. Honestly it was a genuinely quick car and sounded mental. If you're at 200bhp you won't be near 190 at the wheels, probably 165-170 at best, but even with that power they're leagues ahead of a stock car and drive how they always should have done!
The car is dynoed at 190 rwhp. No idea what the crank is other than its north of 200.
Lovely specification and looks like a lot of fun.
Had a 1990 H reg, mk1 eunos v spec in BRG in 2008. Had to sell but now have a mk2 nb and been thinking about doing this as I have the 1.8.
Enjoyed that
Brilliant little cars. I had one in 2007 that replaced a mk4 Spurs TT that cost me money in bills this was a cheap stop gap that I ended up loving . Best cars on roundabouts snd corners just lack power which this probably resolves
Mine had the yen too it was an 89 eunos 1.6 with an ace twin cam engine
No way!, me too, I always wanted to supercharged one of my future cars since I saw Mad Max when I was a kid in the eighties.
I found a 5 Yen coin in my 300zx Twin Turbo which I imported from Nagoya back in the early noughties. ☺ Didn't realise it was a good luck thing! It too was under the seat.
Had a MK1 back in the day, very nippy but always felt it needed more power. The tin worm loved as well tho 😱
Wonderful video! 🔥🔥🔥 I’ve driven a naturally aspirated 1st generation MX-5, about 15 years ago, and I loved it! It provided as much, or more, feedback on driving dynamics as any car I have ever driven! I’d love to own one, but roadsters scare the bejezus out of Herself, and we don’t want that, do we? 😱😂🙂
This and the supercharger conversion which Engineering Explained did, are the best videos on this topic. Be curious if you compare to an ND conversion and which you prefer.
Another advantage of boost… If you live in the peaks or the highlands you won’t suffer as much with power loss at high altitude.
I’m not sure whether I could put up with the loss of economy at all revs that supercharging gives you vs. turbocharging where you can stay off boost, especially to only make 200hp from
a 1.8.
I love the first gen BMW cooper S’s with undersized pulleys on them, but they’re so thirsty.
Economy isn't much of a problem with this setup. The MP62 has a clutch, so there is no parasitic loss off boost. Whilst cruising the economy is actually a touch better than standard. Yes, it will burn fuel when on boost, but you have the choice to drive "sensibly" without any economy loss if you wish.
@@drewwagar That’s awesome... Kinda tempted to get a mk1 project now.
I mean I guess for a non chargecooled or intercooled supercharger setup, there’s a balancing act to play between power vs. Parasitic losses, and losses due to charge temps increasing with increased boost, and reaching the limit of the charger.
So the owner could be right that 200hp is the right place for that supercharger to run without the intake temps being too high or it hitting its limit at high revs.
@@Jonathan_Doe_ This is my car - so I can tell you anything about it you like. :) It is running an intercooler and slightly overfuelling to keep intake temps down. I have driven it all day long around Curborough, Lydden Hill and Snetterton race tracks without any heat issues at all. I've deliberately not increased the power to ensure longevity. It's running a mere 6 psi of boost, which is very low compared to what the engine could theoretically take. This means both the engine and the supercharger are pretty "relaxed" in terms of tune. It's been in this spec for about 8 years now and has never given me any trouble at all except for a failed clutch master cylinder.
@@drewwagar Cheers man, I’ll drop you a message if I need some pointers. The standard internals on the 1.8’s seem to be able to handle 300hp pretty reliably (if well mapped) so 200hp won’t be taxing it too much.
…Currently debating with myself whether to do the litchfield 300hp remap on my GR Yaris, but given that Toyota have redesigned the pistons (to add more oil holes) on the GR Corolla to make 300hp from the same engine, it seems like a bad idea given I want to keep her long term.
Do like the MX5s although not so keen on the latest versions styling but at 6' 2"just not comfortable to drive and struggle to get my knees past the steering wheel
The MX-5 (especially the NA6) is one of those cars that I hate seeing customised. The MX-5 is such a pure little roaster, from NA to ND and everything inbetween, although I do get the yearning for more power.
What a fantastic little car! Would love to do this to my Mk3.5
I have an MX-5 itch, I think I'm going to have to scratch before too much longer. This looked and sounded a great little car. MX-5 soooo underrated by those that don't know...
Don't expect to drive it on the highway and keep up with traffic...
@@CommercialVehicle That's what the supercharger is for. :) It now keeps mid-range Porsche Boxsters honest.
How would VW 2.0 TSFI used in Golf GTI work in this chassis?
Forget superchargers and v6s the 13b swap is on another level
Hiw much would a 13B swap cost in 2024?
Love an MX5, a riot for the money, great too see, thanks guys 👍🏁👏
Great video, looking forward to more MX5 content! A Mk3 with the BBR Super 225 conversion is under consideration as my next vehicle - sounds fantastic with throttle bodies!
Great vid and fun little car. Those seats look like Porsche clones.
looking forward to the rest of the mx5 videos..
Loving this channel. What a great video! Think the mk1 mx5 tops the Peugeot 205 GTI for some weekend B-Road fun?
ive got the exact same car! not supercharged though but i wouldnt half mind one bolted up to my block
Love the ¥5 coin touch. It's true the ¥5 coin is supposed to bring luck in Japanese culture, especially when it comes to relationships. I put a ¥5 coin in my wallet when I first met a lady in Japan 23yrs ago. Been married to her for 15yrs now, and the same coin is still in my wallet...so must be some merit to it.
Thanks Jack, seems a good option, will be interesting to see what you think v the rocketeer version, which is best & value for money etc. 🙏
With the price of petrol the way it is, the gta has not only turned into a summer car, its a summerweekendonly car now! Sometimes I think of selling it and something like this would be the way to go. It would fit in my garage and it's much simpler to work on. Up a country road with 200hp, it would give the alfa a bloody nose!
I love my Eunos Roadster, one day maybe I’ll give it a little more power and this could be a good way about it.
My sprint & Hillclimb MX5 was supercharged but was never that quick. It’s now turbocharged & is significantly faster.
I think I bought your old supercharger kit from you!
I ran an FFS super charger for many years and I’ve owned/worked on a few rare Ubercharged cars too. While the power and the whine is nice, they definitely add complications, heat and general worry. Nothing beats the simplicity of NA as it turns out.
Wise words perhaps. I built a lotus 7 style kit years ago as a 1.6, it was a scream I could drive as hard as i liked and it never failed. I spent a fortune putting in a highly tuned engine. It was a scream some of the time but broken the rest. I ended up not using it as I could not trust it.
This is why I've left mine with only 6 PSI of boost. It doesn't need that much more power. It's been running for about 8 years in this setup and I've never had any problems. Just keep it serviced as per normal. It's been totally reliable.
Hi Jack, next time try a proper roadster. The Honda S2000 has more power as standard from NA engine. Great gearbox, great handling (driven properly) and a fantastic sounding engine in VTEC.
Puts the MX5 in the shade. (Where it belongs)
and a helluva lot more expensive in most markets.
I have the Mk1 MX-5. I've uprated the induction, suspension and exhaust system. It sticks like shit to a blanket.
I don't need a turbo, or I'd probably kill myself.
Glad you're a fellow admirer Number 27
Lovely little car...on the inside. Trouble is at some point you have to look at it.
Perfect day for it! Even though it's not my thing, always interested to understand complexity/cost of mods like these...be interesting to compare with an MR2 turbo?
The entire thing (including the car) has cost me around £6k. £1800 for the car, the supercharger kit was cobbled together for about £1500. Meister-Rs around £800, brakes £400. Yokohama AD08RS tyres £500. Spannering done mostly by my son and I, so not much labour involved. Supercharger was installed and mapped (megasquirt 2) by Skuzzle Motorsports in Winchester - sadly no longer trading.
@@drewwagar Thanks a lot, Drew! Can't ask for more than that! You've built a pocket rocket for a song, IMO. Cheers
Hi Drew, what brakes did you fit as Jack was quick to praise them. Looking to upgrade my 1.6 eunos brakes soon. Cheers
@@alberthammond838 They are EBC cross drilled and grooved discs with yellow stuff pads. The brake stopper in the vid that braces the master cylinder is an essential mod for brake feel. :)
Great video, how about a track comparison?
A friend had an MX5 with a litre Ford V8, he did not keep it long, I suspect that the smaller boosted engine is a better conversion.
Perhaps a bit nose heavy!
@@smorris12 no idea, it was a relatively light Coyote V8, he did not keep it long. I do remember doing engine transplants in the past though that we regretted,
That’s what Alex from car throttle did, threw a jag v6 in his mx5. He never looked back.
Pretty sure it was a Porsche engine 😂
@@alxgu198 no it was a v6 jag engine he threw in it
I have a low miles Mk1 and seriously considering the Rocketeer or just leaving it stock and getting an Alpine but the Supercharger may be a middle ground of more fun for less cost than the Rocketeer...
Checkout my install video ,where I fit a mini copper s S/C to my mx5...go to danzcars....cheers
My car cost me about £6k for everything you see in the video. The rocketeer that's coming would eat it for breakfast... but do check out the price comparison! ;)
another nice little vid. , keep up the good work
when you were in the bath, how many of your fleet did you imagine with a supercharger.....
Harry Metcalfe was testing his XJ Coupé V12 on these roads just recently, really giving it some stick. Watching this, I became worried Jack might meet him coming the other way - sideways.
For information it's the B4437 to the West of Charlbury in Oxfordshire, lovely stretch of road.
@@mikeclifton7778 Indeed. I live not far away and have driven it a few times.
Sounds great 👍
BTW maybe that could be a project for the Influenzo . . .
A great car they are super and you really enjoyed it on a beautiful day it be nice to see you do a review on the other makes like the fiat X 19 and barchatta and 124 spider to see co
Thank you for video.
I own an MX5.., 1993 1.6 115bhp, with no ABS. I like it as it is. It's fun, cheap as chips to maintain.., until of course the necessity to address rust issues rears it's head. The 1.6 engine is said to be slightly sweeter than the 1.8, and revs out more willingly. Did you have it long enough to notice what the supercharging did to the fuel consumption ? Mine is 30 - 32 mpg in general driving..., 40 is the best I ever achieved ( steady 60 on a motorway ). As you said, great on B roads.
One of the big benefits of the MP62 is that there is no parasitic loss when off boost, so when you're cruising you get the same mpg as before. Of course, on boost is a bit of a different story. ;)
Only reason the 1.6 feels like it revs nicer on a stock MX5 is because it has a smaller clutch and the early cars (till 95 or so) have a shorter ratio diff then the 1.8 cars. Do the same mods on a 1.8 and its far superior.
@@RicSupra The 2 things you mention are actually irelevant to what I said, they're side issues. The reason why the 1.6 revs out more willingly is that the 1.8 is a longer stroke than the 1.6. You get the advantages that tend to go with 'more cubes', but all other things being equal, the downside is that the bigger engine is slightly less willing. The flywheel on the 1.6 is also lighter than that on the 1.8. ( Which I assume to be related to the clutch size ). The lighter flywheel means that you can rev up and down more quickly.., it's a separate issue to how well the engines revs out.
As I said in my original comment, I like my 1.6 MX5 as it is.
@@andrewpreston4127 While thats true the shorter diff plays a bigger role in this IMO. It brings the engine in a better range. You can feel this in an euro NB 1.6 (jdm nb 1.6 has the same ratio as the early NAs), it feels completely different and really gutless.
The 1.6 flywheel and clutch combo itself isn’t really lighter, but alot of the weight is closer to the centre.
Its fine that you like the 1.6 im not bashing it/yours ;)
Loooooove my 1990 mx5 turbo. Wouldn't sell it for the world
Cool review of Drew's Miata! His books are as good as that car too... maybe better! ;-)
Of course you need to try a turbo one now 😁
I'm just waiting for Oxfordshire council to slap a 40 limit on this bit of road...
Why?
The Mx5 is kind of the real 90's Elan. The Elan Lotus made is an abomination because of the FWD in my opinion.
Totally needs more power,even the latest anniversary edition could do with another 50 bhp.That one is a beauty Jack.Love the supercharger whine and the seat and body colour combo it’s Anglo-Japanese looking 👍
It sounds so quiet. I know sebring chargers on mx5’s scream like hell.
Have you driven an MK3 yet Jack?
Not yet..
@@Number27 I've just bought one and collecting on Monday. Well won the auction anyway and just hoping it's 'as described' and not a rusty old turd! It has literally just been MOT'd so would like to think it's relatively solid and MOT history is as good as it gets. If I buy it, you're more than welcome to borrow it once I've put a few miles on it. It was only £ 1350 so it could potentially be a bit of a bargain. 😉
Meh supercharger is not the way to go imo. It adds alot of unnecessary complicated stuff (double thottle bodies, extra pulleys, another belt onto a crankpulley that already can have problems on its own etc.).
The modern turbo setups that i've seen didn't have any noticeable lag, if you want power thats the way to go.
But myself i rather go ITB's (And currently doing that on my NA), it suits the car alot more.
Mine doesn't have a double throttle body, I didn't find it necessary. It's not an extra belt, it's just a longer one (runs alongside the AC pulley). I could revert the engine to standard in about an hour if I wished for the future too. No additional oil plumbing required like a turbo setup either. It's extremely simple.
What is ITB's?
Individual throttle body
This is quite painful for me, my turbo'd MX5 just melted a spark plug and destroyed the head yesterday.
Not good.
@@malcolmhardwick4258 Not one bit. I have a strong suspicion the guy I got to map the car did a shit job on it. Headache and stress that I don't need 😂
@@MrManBuzz Just hope the block etc is still good.
@@malcolmhardwick4258 Well if it isn't, used engines still aren't too expensive luckily. Might be a good excuse to go forged anyway. Just wish it happened over the winter and not the middle of the summer when I wanted to actually enjoy the car 😂
@@MrManBuzz Could imagine but its nicer to work on a car in the summer than the winter. Unless you got a garage.
I owned one . Needs a serious overdrive trans. Too slow on highway. Dangerously slow.
Exactly
Parts list? 😎😇👍
Look a bit further down in the comments. I've listed it out. :)
@@drewwagar Had a 2000 SE with matching hard top.. bought it new... Never should have parted with it ;-(
@@drewwagar and THANK YOU!
Love a super charger !
Checkout my install video ,where I fit a mini copper s S/C to my mx5...go to danzcars....cheers
@@danielthomas8507 I did the same with my 924, that Jack did a video on
You do not have to supercharge your mx5, it works good as it is
LS Swop. Off the shelf kit to do it as well.
Tell him to get a proper roll bar in there that style bar is doing nothing in a crash 😅
👍
Anyone with mk1 or mk2 moved to a Mk3 and are happy?
I moved from a MK3 to a Mk1.👍 To be fair the mk3 is a more usable daily.
@@S-Ltd1000 cheers John, I been thinking of buying a mk3.5 (I have long legs), I used to get cramp in my Mk2 on longer journeys, think I just have to test drive and see.
it is very interesting to see how these kits are experienced.. just to bad it is basically impossible to get hold of the mp62-kits.. since they went out of production a long time ago.. =( .. it is almost like saying "everybody should go to visit the moon, the view is awesome there!"..
A great car
Its Interesting how such a British car, is Japanese
Sadly soon all combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-(
In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025
on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN & TEBBVEN law)
Yeh but we're in the UK NOT in the EU so nothing changes
How much torque?
Hi, it has about 160 lbft between 2,500 and 6,500 rpm.
I fancy that a supercharger could be a good option also for the naturallly aspirated inline 6 engines of older generation BMWs, especially the versions with smaller displacement , which do deliver about enough power hp-wise but sadly fail in terms of torque and pulling power @ low revs ,
Mx5 week and you didn't want to drive mine 😱
Or a supercharger! lol
In all honesty why would you fluff around with a Ferrari , all its expensive hassles, when you can have an open air blast in one of these. The smile on his face says it all compared to the look of worry and apprehension when hes try to figure out, WHATS WRONG NOW, with the RED DEVIL:
Fart gas pure fart gas
Again!
It an na not amk1
Small car Co on Gold Coast au used to make mx5 converted bullet roadster about 10 years ago 4 litre lexus v8 motor supercharged deadset weapon.keith hamilton