Eunos Chump

"Found a big hole in a sill; rear wheel arches dissolved when I attempted to wash them". That's the kind of thing I'd be writing if I'd bought a Spitfire as originally intended. This weekend, all I've had to do was petty tasks like painting the seat runners and fixing down the carpet in the drivers footwell (which involved taking off the sill trim; underneath it was as clean and solid as the day it left Hiroshima). I've booked a trackday at Snetterton next month, that's bound to leave me with some work. Other MX5's are expected (including Team Merlot ) so I'm hoping to pick up some modification tips. Must... go... faster...

This weekend I helped someone; I helped them avoid the heartache and disappointment of buying a computer from PC World. Whatever happens to me in the future, I'll know I made a difference, I made the world a slightly better place. On the car front, today I was reduced to reconditioning the sun visors . Yes, I've completely run out of other work to do. I do want to change the gearbox and diff oil, but that's sunny-day work. I intend to rustproof it thoroughly, but again that requires dry weather. Perhaps I should try driving it a bit more?

I have 2 torque wrenches, called Sunny Torques-worth and Mr Bad Torquey. Mr Bad Torquey is my enforcer, a brutal monster only used on the most obstinate bolts that cannot be reasoned with. It wasn't always this way; once Mr Bad Torquey was good like Sunny, but was changed forever during a tussle with a Peugeot 106 driveshaft nut, and now he no longer knows or cares when enough is enough. He absolutely will not stop, and you either shift or have your head torn off, there is no mercy. Mr Bad Torquey had to be called in during replacement of the front disks and pads on the 5. Nobody has ever defied Mr Bad Torquey so far... and today was no different.

I've nearly completed the list of tasks I drew up to bring the car back to health, it's all a bit worrying and I may soon be at a loose end every evening. Today I've removed the retro-fitted rear foglamp switch, which was a sinister looking thing that I suspect was originally the bomb release on a WW2 bomber. I also tried turning the OS reverse lamp into a fog lamp (so I can remove the fog lamp hanging off the bumper), with a red bulb, but it's not really bright enough though. I'm going to try one of those LED bulbs. Also adjusted the headlamps, fitted the carpet properly, refinished the speaker grilles, and fixed the washers.

That's what the previous tyres felt like compared to the BF Goodrich ones I had fitted today. Been out this evening with the top down, going too damn fast and considering if there is actually any great need for a turbo. It's quick in any gear, and once you hit 5000 rpm all hell breaks loose; I reckon I'd be constantly feeding it gears if I went the forced-induction route, unless the wheel diameters increased too. Took it to Guildford for the first time today, it's not a very pleasant way to commute. Doddering along in the dark, roof up, you quickly become aware of how small, noisy and uncomfortable it is. Can't have everything I suppose, and to be honest it's no different to the Barchetta or X1/9.

This evening I've scrubbed all 4 wheels back to some kind of decency. First I hit them with cellulose thinners applied with a toothbrush (gentle scrub first, then a 2nd more severe one), then it was soapy water and an abrasive sponge thingy, then a rinse. The photo shows a half-completed wheel, the difference is pretty startling. Nothing could be done with the plastic centre caps, so I've slung them into the back of the garage for now. New tyres tomorrow (BF Goodrich Profiler 2), and it's first trip to work so I expect the hairdresser/homo jokes to begin in earnest. How very dare you!

Did a lot of fiddling today but didn't seem to get a great deal done. I've finally washed it, attempted to revive the alloys with a pressure washer (didn't really work), refinished the wiper arms in black satin paint (new looking now), and treated the hood. I had a go at adjusting the ignition timing from 10 degrees BTDC to 14 but the cam angle sensor wouldn't budge, will have to revisit this.