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Newbie MNR info please - be gentle !
Ugg10 - 7/3/14 at 11:19 AM

OK, so I am new to this forum so please be gentle but I have done a search and not found the info I am after.

Here goes - I have previously built a Fisher Fury so I am not new to Kit cas etc., sold this three or four years ago and I am now on the hunt for a new kit for myself and my 17 year old to build. Therefore I have a few questions of this learned community -

The kit that has taken my eye is the MNR Vortex Mazda as I quite like the Se7en type styling but it's a bit difference, the suspension is similar to my Fury which I like and the Mx5 is a fine donor. However, having done the trawling around in scrap years for parts etc. before I am look for a slightly simpler build this time, so...

1) The complete kit advertised on the MNR website - is this incl. donor on excl. donor (I have sent an email but thought I'd as here anyway) and how complete is it ? Anyone gone for this option ?
2) How big is the engine bay, I have a Mazda 2.5l v6 KL which I would like to put in this (can be mated to the MX5 gearbox and has been fitted to a Fury in the past) with ITBs and a megasquirt/canems/emerald etc. which I can sort out before the kit arrives ? Will this engine fit, anyone looked at this option ?
3) What are the company like to deal with, responsiveness, knowledge etc. as this is the reason I bought a Fury having dealt with Mark F there ?
4) What is a realistic budget (depending on the answer to 1) above), is the £7.5k a bottom end figure ?

Many thanks for your answers in advance.

fimi7 - 7/3/14 at 12:15 PM

Not trying to knock MNR or any other seller. But when I bought my kit I went the route of buying the donor parts from the kit seller. The parts I got were in reasonable order, but basically repainted used parts. My suggestion is do one of two things

1. Find a reputable re-manufacturer and buy the parts from that source, cost would be about the same as from MNR (since they want to make a profit on the used parts too)

2. Try eBay for the used parts. I eventually did this and rebuilt the Miata hubs myself. The other big benefit to doing it this way, you learn how the part gets rebuilt as well as absolutely know its in working order. Additionally the cost savings you can use to go towards buying spares.

Ugg10 - 7/3/14 at 12:22 PM

Many thanks, will bear that in mind.

hughpinder - 7/3/14 at 12:48 PM

Here is someone doing something similar to what you want.

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=175336

Search for clairetoo on here for V6 information.
Regards
Hugh

pewe - 7/3/14 at 01:22 PM

Just as a thought.
You mention building it with your 17 year old.
Will he be expecting to drive it on the road once finished?
If so I'd have a long hard look at insurance costs as a 2.5 V6 engined car is likely to be difficult to insure for him.
Maybe better starting out standard 1.6 MX5?
HTH
Cheers, Pewe10

Loggy vv nice one - however ANOther F27 builder (no names, no pack drill) took 17 years - so that'll put him at mid-thirties - scary or what?

[Edited on 7/3/14 by pewe]

loggyboy - 7/3/14 at 01:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by pewe
Just as a thought.
You mention building it with your 17 year old.
Will he be expecting to drive it on the road once finished?
If so I'd have a long hard look at insurance costs as a 2.5 V6 engined car is likely to be difficult to insure for him.
Maybe better starting out standard 1.6 MX5?
HTH
Cheers, Pewe10

Going by the usual build time most of us achieve, he'll be in his mid 20s by the time its finished!

Ugg10 - 7/3/14 at 01:35 PM

Hughpinder - many thanks for the link, I am aware of clairetoo and have emailed her in the past, I've just U2U her for a bit more info. The link is very good thanks.

Pewe - having just put my lad on my wife's insurance I am all to aware of the costs of insurance (ended up going black box !), so I think that his driving will be limited to track days for a while, really about the building as he is looking to do some sort of engineering in the future and as one myself I think he needs to get his hands dirty and he is interested so want to encourage. Sadly, gone are the days when you could buy a cheap car, run it and maintain it yourself very cheaply (my first car was a mk1 escort that I services, changed the engine and sorted out the bodywork, great learning tool !)

Just for info, this engine/car was bought as a bit of a science project, my previous kit car had a zetec with bike carbs and worked very well. The KL has a dizzy but injection (odd I know) so I am trying to put bike carbs on this and have got close, but no cigar. back to a clockwork engine - carbs and dizzy !

Links to pic and video below (that is as good as it got until the immobiliser electrics and air leaks got the better off me, may give it one more go when the weather brightens up !), TBs and ecu is a fall back but probably better in the long run (more practical, more power, smoother running and easier to integrate in a future project).

Video
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uggspics1/sets/72157634029433638/

Pics

Frankenstein engine updates by UggsPics1, on Flickr


Frankenstein engine updates by UggsPics1, on Flickr

Ugg10 - 7/3/14 at 01:37 PM

loggyboy - like the comment, my Fury took me 5 years !! Most of that hunting down bits, getting contractors that went out of business to sort out the loom and me just faffing about, mainly on the bodywork. Hoping a "kit in a box" with a running engine (I can sort that before the kit is bought) and a se7en bodywork will be easier.

big_l - 7/3/14 at 03:48 PM

You won't regret buying an MNR.
Handles like Cheryl cole !

adithorp - 7/3/14 at 04:40 PM

quote:
Originally posted by big_l

Handles like Cheryl cole !


So not quite as sweet in reality as it appears from the publicity...

OP, from what I've seen they're not too bad to put together. Once you deviate from the well travelled path and put your own mark on it though, you'll complicate matters. Certainly simpler than a Fury overall I'd say (whether the end result is as good we'll leave for another debate...)
A cheap donor MX5 with knackered shell shouldn't be too hard to find and as it would be compete would mean no trawling the scrap yards and if you e-bay the bits you don't need, will probably end up almost free.

daniel mason - 7/3/14 at 09:10 PM

if building from scratch i would recommend mnr for sure. great guys up there!
but if it were me i would look for a used westfield or a striker and modify it to suit! no iva,no hasstle with finding parts, and you probably wont lose a penny.(you will lose several on a new build)

Ugg10 - 7/3/14 at 09:51 PM

Many Thanks for the comments, will keep my eyes on the classifieds as well as doing the research on new kits.