Afternoon all!

I am currently weighing up some options of what to do with my car next, and one that I would like to find out about the pinto to mx5 swap.

My car is currently running a Pinto with a type 9 box.

So if I was to get hold of an MX5 that is already running with a turbo conversion, what issues would I have to contend with if I were to drop the engine and gearbox into my MK? And what else would be needed from the MX5? Would you have to get a custom drive shaft that fits to the existing sierra diff etc or would you replace that with the mazda one etc etc?

Rather vague I know!

Thanks in advance

ash_hammond did this conversion to his mac#1. Might be worth a pm

I am doing a pinto to turbo Zetec in an mk Indy.

There is a good build diary on here of a turbo mx5 Haynes.

Temperature management seems to be the main challenge.

So if your running your pinto on a carb (carbs) first job is fuel return. This is a pain in the arse in an already panelled trans tunnel.
Next, turbo engines really don’t like running lean especially when on boost. So you may need to look at your tank is it sumped or adding a swirl pot, and that means a lift pump.

I took this opportunity to change all the copper brake lines for copper nickel.

Next new engine and trans mounts. This is just time consuming. In out in out in out.

New prop or get yours modified.

Getting the turbo high up seems to suit a 7 well. Custom manifold, oil feed and return.

And back to my first statement, temperature management. Don’t expect to get an intercooler under the nose with out chopping the hell out of it. I wish I had stuck to my original plan of air to water. But I bough the air to air coolex pack that may or as it seems may not ne upto the job.

I planned on doing it in six months, I am now a year in and much poorer but the summer has been crap any way.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=211615&page=1

Why not speak to MK - this is exactly what they’re doing at the moment with their RX-5 turbo.