Scott Reid's Eunos Roadster (NA MX-5) 1.8 Mazdaspeed B-Spec Rebuild
Eunos Roadster (1.8)
Photo: Eunos Roadster (1.8)A neglected Eunos Roadster Mazdaspeed B-Spec rebuilt into a daily driver
Scott Reid bought a drift-damaged Eunos Roadster (NA MX-5) 1.8 Mazdaspeed B-Spec Stage II in 2017 and spent years fixing its body, interior and mechanicals to get it road legal and usable. The thread covers an engine swap after emissions failure, suspension and brake refreshes, interior restoration, and ongoing chassis stiffening and exhaust changes.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- Standard 1.8 unit fitted after original Mazdaspeed engine failed emissions
- Suspension
- HSD Adjustable Coilovers
- Roll cage
- Bolt in Roll Cage w/ Spreader Plates
- Steering wheel
- Nardi Steering Wheel w/ D1-Spec Quick Release
- Air intake
- Randall style air intake with ARC chamber
- Exhaust
- Stainless MX5Parts 4-2-1 manifold with M2 Motorsport de-cat
- Wheels
- 14x6 ET40 Panasports, later Rota Grid 15x7J ET15 (glitter bronze)
- Brakes
- Roddison pads, Goodridge braided lines, DOT4 fluid, replacement front calipers
- Seats
- Cobra Clubman bucket seats with GSM adapter brackets
- Gauges
- Revlimiter Alpha gauges with red needles and white LEDs
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Fuel & Ignition 3
- Randall style air intake
Performance intake, later paired with ARC chamber
In the shops
NB Randall Cowl Intake V2 ↗
Flyin' Miata· $125.00 USD
NA Randall Cowl Intake V2 ↗Flyin' Miata· $125.00 USD - Cobalt exhaust with RSR 4-1 manifold
Original performance exhaust setup
- MX5Parts 4-2-1 exhaust manifold
Replacement manifold matching 2.25 inch system after stainless copy manifold issues
Gearbox & Drivetrain 3
- Moss short shifter
Fitted to improve shift feel over rebuilt OEM shifter
In the shops
Short Shifter by Cobalt ↗
Moss Miata· $204.99 USD
Short Shifter Kit by Cobalt ↗Moss Miata· $173.75 USD
CravenSpeed Short Throw Shifter (ND) ↗Flyin' Miata· $359.00 USD - Jass top rubber
Fitted alongside short shifter
In the shops
Surrey Top (Hard Top) Rubber Bush ↗
TRGB· £3.25 GBP - Diff void fillers
Fitted to reduce axle tramp
In the shops
Bush Set, differential mounting/void fillers, rear, polyurethane ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £63.50 GBP
Suspension & Steering 2
- HSD Adjustable Coilovers
Fitted for adjustable suspension, later preload backed off from solid to stock softness
In the shops
Adjustable Coilover Spanner Wrench ↗Flyin' Miata· $14.99 USD - Jass Performance heavy duty frame rails
Fitted to reduce scuttle shake, combined with roll bar and inner wing stiffeners
In the shops
Cobalt Frame Rail Braces ↗Moss Miata· $215.04 USD
ACT Heavy Duty Pressure Plate ↗
MiataSpeed· $311.99 USD
Tow Strap by Jass Performance ↗Moss Miata· $26.75 USD
Brakes 1
- Roddison pads and Goodridge braided lines
Front brake rebuild with new hardware and calipers
In the shops
Goodridge Stainless Braided Clutch Lines ↗Moss Miata· $31.75 USD
Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided Brake Line Kit - MX5 MK3 NC ↗
MazSpec MX-5 Spares & Accessories· £199.45 GBP
Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided Brake Line Kit - MX5 MK4 ND/RF ↗MazSpec MX-5 Spares & Accessories· £199.45 GBP
Wheels & Tyres 2
- 14x6 ET40 Panasports with Avon tyres
Lightweight wheel set fitted to reduce unsprung weight
In the shops
Avon Turbospeed CR28 Tyre 185/60-13 ↗West Wales Rally Spares· £183.60
1959-1964 Chevy Corvair 14x6 Panasport Z-Lite Wheel ↗
Sports & Classics· $419.94 USD
Datsun Roadster Fairlady 14x6 Panasport Z-Light Wheel ↗Sports & Classics· $395.94 USD - Rota Grid 15x7J ET15 wheels
Second hand replacement wheels, later colour changed to glitter bronze
Body & Trim 3
- Bolt-in roll cage with spreader plates
Chassis stiffening and safety addition
In the shops
Roll Cage Padding 1m x 3" ↗
C Bradley Motorsport· £14.00 GBPDifferential Cage Roll Pin ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $1.74 USD
OMP Roll Cage Padding 490mm ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £27.80 GBP - Hardtop spoiler
Fitted from a Facebook group source for styling
- R-Package lip and Project M tow hooks
Front splitter and tow hook fitted, previously painted stone chip by prior owner
In the shops
ND Rear Tow Hook ↗Flyin' Miata· $69.99 USD
Tow Hooks (Bronze) ↗Moss Miata· $57.99 USD
Rear Tow Hook by AWR ↗Moss Miata· $39.99 USD
Interior 3
- Nardi steering wheel with D1-Spec quick release
Replacement steering wheel
In the shops
Nardi Wooden Steering Wheel with Airbag (Used) ↗
MX5 City· $197.54 USD
Shock Tower Brace Quick Release Kit (Whiteline) ↗Moss Miata· $34.75 USD
Quick Release Steering Arm Bolt Assembly (Pair) ↗C Bradley Motorsport· £43.80 GBP - Revlimiter Alpha gauges
Replacement gauge set with red needles and white LEDs, fitted per Revlimiter tutorial
In the shops
Gauge Face, jnc, RevLimiter ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £150.25 GBP
Gauge Face, zen, RevLimiter ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £150.25 GBP
Gauge Face, jnc, RevLimiter ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £150.25 GBP - Cobra Clubman bucket seats
Second hand buckets fitted with GSM adapter brackets, improved cornering support
Electrical 1
- MX5MODS carbon fibre rear view mirror
Fitted to improve rear visibility over stock mirror
In the shopsStainless Steel Rear View Mirror ↗bpnorthwest.com· $54.16 USDSuction Cup for Rear View Mirror ↗bpnorthwest.com· $11.40 USD
Range Rover 2002 - 2009 Mirror Assembly Right Hand (RH) - Rear View Outer - Flat Glass - Less Puddle/Approach | Genuine Land Rover CRB000782PUY ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $258.00 USD
Other 2
- M2 Motorsport unsilenced de-cat
Fitted after silenced de-cat became too short for new manifold
- MX5Parts dual exit cat-back exhaust
Fitted after single exit exhaust was sold due to rattling
In the shops
Cobra Sport Dual Exit Cat Back Performance Exhaust (Resonated) - MX-5 MK4/ND ↗MazSpec MX-5 Spares & Accessories· £827.98 GBP
Cobra Sport Dual Exit Cat Back Performance Exhaust (Non Resonated) - MX-5 MK4/ND ↗MazSpec MX-5 Spares & Accessories· £820.00 GBP
Cobalt Stainless Steel Cat-Back Exhaust with Dual Tip Muffler ↗Moss Miata· $595.50 USD
Photos
97 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from Eunos Roadster (1.8). A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
scotty dugg · 2018-01-29T10:32:44-0500 9this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2018-01-30T03:41:48-0500 1this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2018-02-06T06:05:36-0500 8this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2018-04-26T10:45:52-0400 5this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2018-06-07T03:47:50-0400 7this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2018-06-11T04:49:38-0400 5this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2018-08-07T08:53:38-0400 16this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2019-06-14T07:26:16-0400 15this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2019-07-03T06:40:40-0400 5this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2019-09-10T10:05:57-0400 16this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
scotty dugg · 2020-02-18T04:33:33-0500 10this post at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
How it was done
Starting condition
The car arrived in 2017 as a drift-damaged Eunos Roadster Mazdaspeed B-Spec Stage II, with a damaged door, wings, front bumper, roof and sills, and a missing interior, though the underlying structure was solid.
Engine trouble and swap
After the car began emitting thick white smoke and failed an MOT on emissions, the Mazdaspeed engine was pulled and replaced with a standard 1.8 unit, with starter, alternator, fuel lines, hoses and seals renewed in the process.
Getting it on the road
After the swap passed MOT, a new roof was fitted, coilover preload adjusted, and wheels and tyres sourced, before the first drive in April 2018, roughly a year after purchase.
Interior and detail work
Door cards, gear knob, HVAC knobs, gauge surrounds, head unit and microphone, short shifter and pedal rubbers were fitted, alongside charcoal canister deletion and window switch upgrades.
Chassis and brakes
Alignment issues traced to excessive toe and seized rear camber bolts were partly addressed, along with front caliper and brake line rebuilds, Jass frame rails, diff void fillers, and underside rust treatment.
Exterior and exhaust changes
Various second-hand body parts including a hardtop spoiler, R-Package lip, Jass headlights and LED lighting were fitted, while the exhaust system went through several manifold and back-box combinations.
Progress so far
By 2020 the car was a running daily driver with ongoing fettling, a planned sill repair, and the owner still considering forced induction for the future.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at Eunos Roadster (1.8) ↗
Worth knowing
- Get the wheel alignment checked, as excessive toe-in made the car unstable in standing water
- A cheap ARC chamber addition is worth trying for a smoother exhaust note
- Frame rails combined with a roll bar and inner wing stiffeners noticeably reduce scuttle shake