1969 Viva HB Patina wagon. Now with matching retro caravan..

[rizzo]

Great work going on there, always interesting reading your threads, i like the idea of the storage area in the rear, the Mazda seats look just right for the job, i had considered these for mine, now i see them fitted i'm mulling it over again,
I wish i could get my wife to apply herself with my build, i'd get a thick ear if i took her to the breakers yard the best i can do is a cup of tea.
Keep up the good work

[jpsmit]

Loving the updates! I think <think> that the springs for the GT are the same as the HB - so should be able to carry more weight appropriately than just a comparable to the original engine

[lord13]

However... I am in the uk for a month so I'm looking about for cheap boxes and frieght to suit.

The MX5 boxes are relatively cheap here, I've seen basic 5 speeds go for around £30
Here are a couple of examples...


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-MX5-EUNOS-MK1-1989-1997-1-6-1-8-5-SPEED-MANUAL-GEARBOX/162660800144

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-MX5-NB-Mk2-5-MK2-1999-2005-Five-speed-gearbox/332512998147

God only knows what the shipping costs are though

[1972nail]

Those are NA and NB gearboxes. It's the NC gearbox that bolts straight on and it is a bit more expensive.

[lord13]

Ahhh ok ... thought it was too good to be true I must do more research before opening my big mouth

[yoeddynz]

Yeah 72nail is correct. But even so.. Even the na and nb boxes are much cheaper here! There's just so many mx5s here in the UK. That old scales of economy /supply and demand thing...

Maybe it's also a case of the cars rotting out here so more parts on offer as rusty mx5s are not so common in nz.

[yoeddynz]

Oh hey - hi people of Viva world
Bit of a sad update on my little wagon. Its soon going to a new home I'll miss this wee car. Its been great fun, tootles along fine, goes hard for what it is and has been bloody reliable too. However I have not been using much due to a slutty little minx of a Hillman Imp taking my fancy. Now if I had to choose one car that was to be the only car to keep for ever and we didn't have the old hiace van then I would probably keep the Viva, modify the fark out of it as I had planned and make the most of its usability.

But I have a van for usability and little Impy the minx is just such a hoot to drive on twisty roads (and will hopefully soon be very much more so but that is another story....) so the wagon has to go - because I am not Barry enough to be a car hoarder and I don't like seeing cars fester.

So the wagon found a new home quite quickly. Its going to a fella up north who has just retired from being a fireman (funny that - because my other Viva went to a Fireman and I am also a 'part time' fireman...)

The fella getting it already has a few Vivas so he knows them well. Wagons are a pretty rare thing so not surprised it got snapped up quick.

Anyway. I stole the Turbos from it. I have been eyeing them up since the Imp came to me with my old widened Viva steels that didn't actually fit the imp properly. So a plan was hatched way back then. I re-painted the steels and had the tyres from the turbos swapped over. I had a spare set of stainless hubcaps I have been saving. On with them and wow ! I reckon it looks bloody superb but then I always did love the widened steels on my other Viva. I also nicked the Recaros from the Viva because they really suit the Imp better (little spoilt brat of a car) and the Mx5 seats were bolted back into the Viva.

Its been a fantastic journey and I'm sure the story has entertained many of you along the way. But we only have one life and well... things move on. I do really hope that the next owner looks after this little wagon and it continues on being good at what it is- an unpretentious useful little daily classic











Alex

[Kraken]

You did some amazing work on that car. It looks great with the steel wheels, they really suit it. I notice in the 4th picture you appear to have left a tiny bench on the roof, hope you charged the new owner extra for that!

[jpsmit]

sorry to see it go and yes, you did such cool stuff with it! Please though keep us posted on Retrorides! cheers

[cooperman]

A fantastic read this, thanks for sharing your story