This Is Why You Must Supercharge Your MK1 Mazda MX5 ! 

Glad you enjoyed driving it, Jack. :) It's not setup to be the most powerful car in the world, just to address some of the standard Mx5/Eunos/Miata deficiencies. Tech spec as follows for those interested. 1800cc engine (really early one from 1993, prior to the official launch of the 1.8) Megasquirt 2 for fuelling/boost management - USB to TunerStudio on PC MP62 with standard pulleys (makes a gentle 7 psi (0.5 bar) of boost with peak of 190bhp at the wheels) Trackdog racing pulley tensioner Intercooler Bosch EV14 640cc injectors Meister-R Zeta CRD coilovers Refreshed OE bushes and OE anti-roll bars Racing beat exhaust Mx5 Parts 4-2-1 Exhaust Manifold Skidnation Delrin Door Bushings Brake Master Cylinder Brace 15" Rota RB alloys 195/50R15 Yokohama AD08RS tyres Mk2 (NB) Mohair Roof (+ hardtop) Retains original AirCon

I supercharged my 91 MX5, it took about a week of working in the evenings after work. it was a hoot to drive and surprised a lot of "faster" cars. Unfortunately there are some drawbacks. 1) Insurance, it was very difficult and expensive to insure the car afterwards. 2) I was never totally confident that the car was not going to go wrong, I spent a lot of time just listening for strange noises and worrying what it might mean. 3) Clutch needed uprating within a week 🙂

Really enjoyed that! Lovely little motor. I have to say however that you remain the star of the show mate, your enthusiam is infectious. Keep doing what you're doing and hopefully your following will continue to grow. Good luck.

I fitted a Megasquirt ECU to my 91 Eunos Roadster which meant that the mechanical airflow meter could be replaced with a piece of PVC pipe, the difference compared to stock was night and day, it was like a different engine. Unfortunately, after doing all the work I sold the car in a moment of madness and regret it to this day.

That's a very nice little MX 5 Jack, and they look impressive in that BRG colour, it has the "special" tan colour interior that goes well with it. Thanks for the drive.

Hi Jack, the coin on the dash is FIve yen, which reads GOEN meaning good fate, relation, tie, encounter etc. looks like this roadster found the owner with GOEN ! Thanks for the video cheers

I had an mx5 year's ago until it left the road traveling at quite a pace to play hide and seek in some local woodland, obviously it was the poor handling of the chassis and nothing to do with my lack of driving ability 😂🤣👍

Great video, looking forward to more MX5 content! A Mk3 with the BBR Super 225 conversion is under consideration as my next vehicle - sounds fantastic with throttle bodies!

Lovely specification and looks like a lot of fun.

Great concept - bring up the power without getting ridiculous, and end up with a superbly drivable sportscar. And the BRG/tan leather combination is classic.

Enjoyed that Brilliant little cars. I had one in 2007 that replaced a mk4 Spurs TT that cost me money in bills this was a cheap stop gap that I ended up loving . Best cars on roundabouts snd corners just lack power which this probably resolves Mine had the yen too it was an 89 eunos 1.6 with an ace twin cam engine

Years ago I drove a MK1 BBR Turbo - thought it was a hood little conversion & don’t recall a huge lag, but ultimately it wasn’t special enough - do I waited & bought a K Series Caterham 7 Supersport - WHAT A CAR!!!

Love an MX5, a riot for the money, great too see, thanks guys 👍🏁👏

What a fantastic upgrade. It's beautiful

Wonderful video! 🔥🔥🔥 I’ve driven a naturally aspirated 1st generation MX-5, about 15 years ago, and I loved it! It provided as much, or more, feedback on driving dynamics as any car I have ever driven! I’d love to own one, but roadsters scare the bejezus out of Herself, and we don’t want that, do we? 😱😂🙂

I worked with a guy who had one. I thought his was a 1.6L here in the U.S. He did supercharge his and it really turned it into a joy.

Fun little car that he's made even better including the interior, can't argue with that Jack.

What a fantastic little car! Would love to do this to my Mk3.5

I always wanted a Miata. I think it would be like my 79 MG but would not break down every five miles. My dad had an 84 RX-7 with the rotary. Super fun! The torque would roast Cameros all day. Best video yet, Jack! Hope all is well!

A good few years back a good mate of mine bought BBRs Mk3 (NC) 1.8 Supercharged development car, at the time the only one in existence (the black one that featured in a lot of magazines at the time). Had the pleasure of going to Goodwood Festival of Speed in it and the thing was incredible. Recall it being about 240bhp (had a bit more work by BBR following the magazine reviews) and it felt every bit of it and so much more analogue than it would have been had it been turbo'd. A Mk1 with even less weight must be superb!

Ive had my R LTD for 22 years now.... Love it

Sounds great 👍

I had a ‘95 with a Jackson Racing supercharger kit (now I’m on my fourth NA). It was a blast!

Good to see this Jack. Pretty sure I've seen this car crop up in the owners groups. I've had two mk1s and a mk3 and have owned my current 93 Eunos S-limited 1.6 for the last 5 years. Personally I prefer the 1.6 and there's not a lot between them in standard form. There are times when you could do with a bit more power but for the most part these things are quick enough to hoon around on b roads, especially the narrow lanes of Devon where I live. If I was to go down the route of forced induction then supercharging would be the way to go.

Nice review. I've had a MK2 1.8s for a decade now and have never wanted to dilute the feel of the car and the enjoyment of wringing it's neck by adding forced induction, however recently I am toying with the idea of supercharging it. Cheers for the video!

Great vid and fun little car. Those seats look like Porsche clones.

I've got a Audi A4 B5 2.4 v6 with a supercharger in it it's also had an LPG conversion which will be great in the current climate of fuel costs. Currently running a mild 250 bhp it's been in storage for the last 3 years following serious illness. Just been advised that I'm allowed to drive again this week. I've got a load of upgrades horded ready for the summer.

Thanks Jack, seems a good option, will be interesting to see what you think v the rocketeer version, which is best & value for money etc. 🙏

looking forward to the rest of the mx5 videos..

Loving this channel. What a great video! Think the mk1 mx5 tops the Peugeot 205 GTI for some weekend B-Road fun?

A great car they are super and you really enjoyed it on a beautiful day it be nice to see you do a review on the other makes like the fiat X 19 and barchatta and 124 spider to see co

Really interesting about the coin story.I bought an imported Eunos in 2002 and found a yen coin in the glovebox and never gave it a second thought!

Had a MK1 back in the day, very nippy but always felt it needed more power. The tin worm loved as well tho 😱

Had a 1990 H reg, mk1 eunos v spec in BRG in 2008. Had to sell but now have a mk2 nb and been thinking about doing this as I have the 1.8.

another nice little vid. , keep up the good work when you were in the bath, how many of your fleet did you imagine with a supercharger.....

I drove an early supercharged Miata back in the day -- like 1994. A friend had an NA and was considering doing it, so we found one to drive (don't remember how). It had a claimed 165hp, which was up about 50hp from stock, and a number of suspension mods, etc. It was a lot quicker than Paul's stock example, but it felt crude and buzzy in comparison. My experience may not be representative of a well prepared car, but it put me right off the idea of having one for myself. So I bought a second-gen MR2 Turbo...

Cool review of Drew's Miata! His books are as good as that car too... maybe better! ;-)

I love my Eunos Roadster, one day maybe I’ll give it a little more power and this could be a good way about it.

No way!, me too, I always wanted to supercharged one of my future cars since I saw Mad Max when I was a kid in the eighties.

I found a 5 Yen coin in my 300zx Twin Turbo which I imported from Nagoya back in the early noughties. ☺ Didn't realise it was a good luck thing! It too was under the seat.

Forget superchargers and v6s the 13b swap is on another level

This and the supercharger conversion which Engineering Explained did, are the best videos on this topic. Be curious if you compare to an ND conversion and which you prefer.

I have an MX-5 itch, I think I'm going to have to scratch before too much longer. This looked and sounded a great little car. MX-5 soooo underrated by those that don't know...

ive got the exact same car! not supercharged though but i wouldnt half mind one bolted up to my block

Do like the MX5s although not so keen on the latest versions styling but at 6' 2"just not comfortable to drive and struggle to get my knees past the steering wheel

The MX-5 (especially the NA6) is one of those cars that I hate seeing customised. The MX-5 is such a pure little roaster, from NA to ND and everything inbetween, although I do get the yearning for more power.

I got 237bhp (192 whp) out of my 1992 eunos 1.6 V-spec on an M45 supercharger with 4.3 VLSD. Honestly it was a genuinely quick car and sounded mental. If you're at 200bhp you won't be near 190 at the wheels, probably 165-170 at best, but even with that power they're leagues ahead of a stock car and drive how they always should have done!

Great video, how about a track comparison?

Love them. Great idea. Practical car also. But I don't fit in it :(

Lovely little car...on the inside. Trouble is at some point you have to look at it.

That’s what Alex from car throttle did, threw a jag v6 in his mx5. He never looked back.

I have the Mk1 MX-5. I've uprated the induction, suspension and exhaust system. It sticks like shit to a blanket. I don't need a turbo, or I'd probably kill myself. Glad you're a fellow admirer Number 27

Of course you need to try a turbo one now 😁

Perfect day for it! Even though it's not my thing, always interested to understand complexity/cost of mods like these...be interesting to compare with an MR2 turbo?

Hi Jack, next time try a proper roadster. The Honda S2000 has more power as standard from NA engine. Great gearbox, great handling (driven properly) and a fantastic sounding engine in VTEC. Puts the MX5 in the shade. (Where it belongs)

Love the ¥5 coin touch. It's true the ¥5 coin is supposed to bring luck in Japanese culture, especially when it comes to relationships. I put a ¥5 coin in my wallet when I first met a lady in Japan 23yrs ago. Been married to her for 15yrs now, and the same coin is still in my wallet...so must be some merit to it.

How would VW 2.0 TSFI used in Golf GTI work in this chassis?

My sprint & Hillclimb MX5 was supercharged but was never that quick. It’s now turbocharged & is significantly faster.

With the price of petrol the way it is, the gta has not only turned into a summer car, its a summerweekendonly car now! Sometimes I think of selling it and something like this would be the way to go. It would fit in my garage and it's much simpler to work on. Up a country road with 200hp, it would give the alfa a bloody nose!

BTW maybe that could be a project for the Influenzo . . .

I have a low miles Mk1 and seriously considering the Rocketeer or just leaving it stock and getting an Alpine but the Supercharger may be a middle ground of more fun for less cost than the Rocketeer...

A great car

Harry Metcalfe was testing his XJ Coupé V12 on these roads just recently, really giving it some stick. Watching this, I became worried Jack might meet him coming the other way - sideways.

I ran an FFS super charger for many years and I’ve owned/worked on a few rare Ubercharged cars too. While the power and the whine is nice, they definitely add complications, heat and general worry. Nothing beats the simplicity of NA as it turns out.

Another advantage of boost… If you live in the peaks or the highlands you won’t suffer as much with power loss at high altitude. I’m not sure whether I could put up with the loss of economy at all revs that supercharging gives you vs. turbocharging where you can stay off boost, especially to only make 200hp from a 1.8. I love the first gen BMW cooper S’s with undersized pulleys on them, but they’re so thirsty.

A friend had an MX5 with a litre Ford V8, he did not keep it long, I suspect that the smaller boosted engine is a better conversion.

Loooooove my 1990 mx5 turbo. Wouldn't sell it for the world

Love a super charger !

👍

Thank you for video. I own an MX5.., 1993 1.6 115bhp, with no ABS. I like it as it is. It's fun, cheap as chips to maintain.., until of course the necessity to address rust issues rears it's head. The 1.6 engine is said to be slightly sweeter than the 1.8, and revs out more willingly. Did you have it long enough to notice what the supercharging did to the fuel consumption ? Mine is 30 - 32 mpg in general driving..., 40 is the best I ever achieved ( steady 60 on a motorway ). As you said, great on B roads.

Have you driven an MK3 yet Jack?

I'm just waiting for Oxfordshire council to slap a 40 limit on this bit of road...

It sounds so quiet. I know sebring chargers on mx5’s scream like hell.

The Mx5 is kind of the real 90's Elan. The Elan Lotus made is an abomination because of the FWD in my opinion.

Totally needs more power,even the latest anniversary edition could do with another 50 bhp.That one is a beauty Jack.Love the supercharger whine and the seat and body colour combo it’s Anglo-Japanese looking 👍

Parts list? 😎😇👍

Meh supercharger is not the way to go imo. It adds alot of unnecessary complicated stuff (double thottle bodies, extra pulleys, another belt onto a crankpulley that already can have problems on its own etc.). The modern turbo setups that i've seen didn't have any noticeable lag, if you want power thats the way to go. But myself i rather go ITB's (And currently doing that on my NA), it suits the car alot more.

I owned one . Needs a serious overdrive trans. Too slow on highway. Dangerously slow.

This is quite painful for me, my turbo'd MX5 just melted a spark plug and destroyed the head yesterday.

Tell him to get a proper roll bar in there that style bar is doing nothing in a crash 😅

Mx5 week and you didn't want to drive mine 😱

You do not have to supercharge your mx5, it works good as it is

it is very interesting to see how these kits are experienced.. just to bad it is basically impossible to get hold of the mp62-kits.. since they went out of production a long time ago.. =( .. it is almost like saying "everybody should go to visit the moon, the view is awesome there!"..

How much torque?

Or a supercharger! lol

Its Interesting how such a British car, is Japanese

Anyone with mk1 or mk2 moved to a Mk3 and are happy?

LS Swop. Off the shelf kit to do it as well.

Sadly soon all combustion cars including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN & TEBBVEN law)

Fart gas pure fart gas

In all honesty why would you fluff around with a Ferrari , all its expensive hassles, when you can have an open air blast in one of these. The smile on his face says it all compared to the look of worry and apprehension when hes try to figure out, WHATS WRONG NOW, with the RED DEVIL:

It an na not amk1

Small car Co on Gold Coast au used to make mx5 converted bullet roadster about 10 years ago 4 litre lexus v8 motor supercharged deadset weapon.keith hamilton