New round here but what a great forum!

I was planning to build an Exocet so I have a fully stripped down 1.8 Mx5 in the garage. Then I went to Stoneleigh and decided that the Exocet was not for me.

Not really having a plan beyond the Exocet I took a wander round looking for MX5 based kits. Found the MNR which I liked and also found the GBS Zero that I really liked, esp the wider GT version. So now I want to build of those two... but on Exocet money, so "there will be cutbacks!"

As I am almost as far south as you can get without falling into the sea neither builder is exactly local - I was wondering if there is any one around with either car in Hampshire or if any owners are taking theirs to Castle Combe on the 25th June so that I can take another look ?

If you're on the isle of white then service will be critical. That's where Mnr are good.if you need anything etc they will get it to you ASAP which is always nice.
I can't comment on gbs as I've never had one but they look to have improved a lot since the Robin Hood days!
But not sure if it's improved enough to get it to Mnr levels of quality which is a. Good chassis. The only downside I can see is that I'd imagine it will cost more to build

MNR chassis is second to none, properly designed and built. The quality of the GRP is excellent. Spares are easily available and backed up with top service and knowledge. They have been developed through racing and also involved in enough racing accidents to prove how safe and strong they are if the worse happens. Marc is a top bloke, very skilled and knows his stuff inside out!!! There is an active owners club and FB group thats always on hand for extra help and meets and shows etc. Then there is the race team currently competing in The 750MC RGB series, we are always very accommodating if you come along to a race weekend to enjoy the racing and atmosphere around the camp.

I wouldnt look at anything else. :-)

I'm hoping to be in my Zero (albeit far from a GBS standard kit lol) at Castle Combe as will a couple other Zero owners, search out the Rhocar stand

GBS were there last year too as well and I can't remember if MNR were but I am guessing there may potentially be an owners club there, or at least some MNRs hidden among other clubs

Personally I didn't have a great time with GBS but there were a number of factors primarily focused around being one of the first through their Mazda build as a customer and being ahead of them most the way finding issues before they did. Cost wise they are expensive and will always tell you "the way it was designed" i.e. throttle bodies, aftermarket ECU, buying everything from them at top dollar. I also know the 1.8 MX5 has an issue with the standard intake manifold clashing on one of the cross bars in the engine bay (may be different on the GT but will require the bar cutting and rewelding in lower (many have done this with no issue).

From the sounds of it MNR service is much better than GBS, however as you are finding now, there are plenty of people with experience and opinions who will always be happy to share and help

I built a 1.8 mx5 zero and had no problems with the intake manifold on the cross bar but I made my engine mounts so can't speak for factory ones. Gbs were not very helpful with things like telling me what length dampers to buy (just buy theirs they say). Their service really wasn't bad but I just like to do things my way and they seemed to expect customers to buy every part from them

You've made the right choice already IMO stepping away from the MEV rubbish

I'm going to buck the trend here. I started to build an MNR and now I'm not. This was down to a number of issues which they had more than 1 opportunity to rectify and failed to do so.

The mx5 build manual is a joke. It's got nothing to do with an mx5 based car at all. Also the well renowned service was shocking, I had parts go missing, taking much longer than promised, I could write an essay.

I formed an opinion ( and a few other current builders agree ) that MNRs priority lied with the race cars, then the BEC cars and the mx5 kits a distant last.

I would also look at the westfield mx5 kit. It's not that much difference to the mnr price wise, will hold its value and everything's available off the shelf.

I think all kit car manufacturers have bad days.

Plenty of people on the Westfield forum that get issues too!

And 'everything available off the shelf' is Deffo not correct after reading a few people's build threads on the forum

I've read a few threads on here of the MNR MX5 kit having parts that needed adapting to make the MNR/MX5 bits fit together, so I'd suggest things aren't always as rosey in the MNR camp as many of their supporters would have you think.

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Originally posted by CosKev3
I think all kit car manufacturers have bad days.

Plenty of people on the Westfield forum that get issues too!

And 'everything available off the shelf' is Deffo not correct after reading a few people's build threads on the forum

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i would vote for MNR!!

Thanks everyone for the input!
MNR certainly get a lot of kudos round here.

Regards cost it is pretty difficult to get a clear idea as the starter kits are all missing bits that then only appear in a separate list of bits bundled with stuff I can't afford. I have asked Marc for clarification on some individual prices (the GBS stuff is on the Kitspares site).

With a bit of guessing if you add and subtract various items from the closely priced starter kits of the two the result is about £450 more for the GBS for the base pack - eg MNR powder coat theirs, GBS charge £380. GBS include the tunnel cover, pedal box and lights - all extra from MNR, but the MNR does not need drive shaft mods. etc.

However, I would need to add £500 for the extra GT width of the Zero - but that's not an MNR option - the main worry for me as the MNR cockpit is even narrower than the standard GBS - I am not especially large but I just don't like my elbows sticking out of the car!

This is going to be a bare bones build as both these cars are 2-3 x the price of an Exocet, so no fancy fuel system, no ECU upgrade, re use the wiring loom (not that the GBS one works with the VVT engine anyway) and instruments , re furb the nice MX5 wheels I have etc.

Thanks for chipping in Waller - read your build blog start to finish! In fact the 1.8 throttle body thing put me right off (a GBS design issue but their solution was for the customer to dump 2K into ITBs etc!?) , but when I asked GBS said they could just leave that bit of bracing off.

sdh2903 - thanks for your input too, I've read a number of your posts on here right up to the point "too many problems". I looked at the Westfield but their brochure states 1.6 Mk1 only. I have a 146bhp standard 1.8VVT from the Mk2.5, that along with the fact that the budget is already on the edge means it's not going to fly.

MNR are not at Castle Combe in person but hopefully there will be a car!

Plenty of Westfields use the 1.8 and there's a wealth of experience and free support from the WSCC (club) with examples of everything from basic 1.6 mx5 based cars to turbos and supercharged ones.

As has been said there's also a huge range of after market goodies made specifically for them too. I built zetec one with a basic kit designed for a pinto and I sourced items mostly from forums, eBay and other suppliers - so while you can get everything from the factory it's not necessary.

If the factory specify a 1.6, that will be as a full kit, but nothing stopping you getting a starter kit and filling in the blanks!

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The If the factory specify a 1.6, that will be as a full kit

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Here's a build blog for a Westy with a Mk 2.5 mx5 donor.

www.markswesty.weebly.com

You just tell the factory what you are using and they will advise if it's possible. But with a little work anything is possible! One builder is putting in a 5.3 Chevy v8 and others fitted rx7 engines so it can be done.

[Edited on 20/5/16 by kingster996]

That's a very interesting read, as it is exactly what I have the VVT 1.8. Not sure if he has the LSD though - Or if it matters much anyway. I really don't want to be modifying the chassis as that’s the bit I am paying for in the main.

Going to take a closer look at the Westfield - still think it will be out of my budget but worth doing the numbers.

Thanks!

So no MNR at Castle Combe but I did get to see and sit in a very nicely sorted Zero and had a helpful chat with the owner on the RHO stand (sorry I missed your name but the Imperial Blue one). Also had a good chat with Richard from GBS, who was a bit more open to my budget ambitions than they had been previously!

Westfield is just too expensive comparing like with like (ie all to the same level) even just the starter kit is 1K more than the MNR and £510 more than the GBS. Though when you look at the manual that Westfield supply you can see what you are paying for!

I did eventually get something back on the SR2 but no stage build just 1 lump of cash and I didn't get that warm feeling of them wanting my business - which being so far away is important.

So now leaning towards the MNR but I need to find one to check out that is not 290 miles away!

Sooo I went a little off piste and bought a UVA Fugitive sandrail to get running and enjoy, then drop a bigger engine in, rebuild the suspension, change the brakes...
There just happened to be one on the island to take a look at and have a ride in, absolutely loved it and went ahead with the one I had found on eBay - now to get it back here off from S London before Cowes week!

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Originally posted by miskit
I did eventually get something back on the SR2 but no stage build just 1 lump of cash and I didn't get that warm feeling of them wanting my business - which being so far away is important.

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