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Locost - MX5 exhausts
FFMan - 18/10/21 at 10:29 AM

I'm mid way through upgrading my MX5 based 1.6 locost to 1.8 and wondered what people had done about exhausts.

The 1.6 was fine, but the 1.8 spacing is different, and the standard manifold is sportier with larger diameter tubes.

Just wondered if there was anything available, or people could advise as to how they did theirs ?


JAG - 18/10/21 at 02:46 PM

I bought a second hand, stainless steel, tubular manifold off a Caterham owner and then cut-n-shut that to fit.

My welding is not the best but it works perfectly


FFMan - 18/10/21 at 02:55 PM

quote:
Originally posted by JAG
I bought a second hand, stainless steel, tubular manifold off a Caterham owner and then cut-n-shut that to fit.

My welding is not the best but it works perfectly


yeah i was think along those lines - not rocket science is it ?


hellbent345 - 18/10/21 at 08:56 PM

There’s one available from GBS / kitspares https://kitspares.co.uk/collections/exhaust/products/standard-zero-mazda-1-8-exhaust-manifold

I’m going to be using the stock mx5 manifold as it’s already tubular and I only need to have something that works until I go turbo. Does depend what cutouts you’ve already got if you don’t want to muck about with bodywork


FFMan - 18/10/21 at 09:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by hellbent345
There’s one available from GBS / kitspares https://kitspares.co.uk/collections/exhaust/products/standard-zero-mazda-1-8-exhaust-manifold

I’m going to be using the stock mx5 manifold as it’s already tubular and I only need to have something that works until I go turbo. Does depend what cutouts you’ve already got if you don’t want to muck about with bodywork


that's interesting though the picture isn't terribly helpful. i'll give them a call tomorrow.

cheers


FFMan - 15/12/21 at 03:11 PM

Just as a follow up might be useful to others. I bought the exhaust manifold from GBS (very helpful they were too) and it fits just about perfectly. The only thing i added was a spacer on the head, bought off ebay as an exhaust manifold flange part to weld pipes to. i just bolted it up to space the manifold out 10mm to give it more clearance on the chassis, other than that practically made for the locost.

The individual pipes exit above the chassis as shown here (https://www.greatbritishsportscars.com/aftersales) on the red car, so does require a bonnet cut out, but it looks good and looks like it would flow nicely.

We added a heat shield over the pipes.

hope this helps someone