Eunos Chump

MX5 went back on the road yesterday. My first impression was 'why is it necessary for a car to make this much noise at 60mph?' While it does have a wonderful tactile feel, must it really be this loud? And rattly? Was it a cement mixer in a previous life? I worry that at some point in the future, I will suddenly grow up after just such an experience and jack in my heaps for a shiny diesel Volvo on finance. So a note to my future self - STOP! DO NOT TURN TO THE DARK SIDE! I left the car outside last night, just in time for the worst storm in months. The passenger side was soaked this morning, a new hood is now critical. That didn't stop me going for my first topless ride of the year though, it was as good as a bath in warm ice cream with Girls Aloud my lovely missus.

Tired? Lacking boosty goodness? That'll be a big leaky turbo flange then. I suspected all was not right in this area so I took the turbo off to investigate, turns out one of the manifold threads is bent so despite it being bolted down tightly, there was a gap at the flange. That would explain the erratic running and horrible fuel consumption, but it's odd that it didn't blow when stationary - must only have been when the engine was shifting about. I've fitted a replacement rear lamp cluster (£20), now it needs some tyres. I'm going for 195/50R14s, up from 185/65. That's the only suitable size the Toyos come in, though annoyingly the 15" version is £20 a corner cheaper! I have kept an eye out for replacment 15" wheels but nothing decent has appeared, and I don't want to buy new. I have to leave some cash for the intercooler.

I watched 'The Thirties in Colour' on t' TV this morning, which persuaded me to go out and take some photos of the lovely permafrost. I've only got about 6 decent photos though, which isn't enough for my planned project, 'The Noughties in Heavily-Compressed JPEG'.

The door was put back onto the MX5 today, and it's almost perfect. Almost . It's going to have to do though, because it took 4 attempts to get it on and Mrs B had the unpleasant job of holding the door in position while I tried to bolt it up. I don't remember coming that close to divorce in some years. A car demolished the street sign at the end of the road yesterday, it suffered a handbrake failure and followed the same path as the Mazda did. Some kind of handbrake patrol needs to be put in place, staffed by local busybodies. I checked my handbrake today, at last, and it was just woefully out of adjustment. Also changed the plugs, and got a free set of manifold studs from National Tyres - how very nice! Now I need tyres, oil change, and a rear lamp cluster before it can be returned to the road.