Cheers to Francis.
Francis came into my life a few years ago, and has kept me occupied for a few years in which I restored and brought out the beauty in this timeless classic.
Francis is actually a 1991 MX5 Eunos roadster, with Botswana registration. She was named Francis due to the fact that she was registered in Francistown Botswana.
I bought her off a dour Scotsman, Dave Rough. This was a deal that would have made Richard Rawlings of Gas Monkeys look like an amateur.
It went down like this. " Hey Dave how about I offer you R30,000 for your Eunos? "
He replied "How about giving me R20,000 cash and you can take it! "
" OK its a deal ! " I`m thinking ,doesn`t this Scotsman know the art of negotiation ? I offer 30K, he should counter with 35K and then we negotiate in between.






So deal done, I picked her up and then started the restoring episode, about 2 years worth.
I had her for about three months, and the old Dave passed away, leaving me in a quandary, because I could not transfer Francis into my name.
Why are old cars stored under pine trees?
Why do rats nest in said cars stored under pine trees ?
Restoration was mainly cosmetic, steam cleaning, re-upholstery of seats and panels, dashboard restoring, original wheels restored, and relaced the soft top.



I watched the U-tube where they remove and replace the soft top in 2 hours, no way, it took me a weekend, 6 on Saturday and 4 on Sunday, 10 hours in total.

soft top start

Soft top, very hot work, so jumped in pool.

Replacement parts for soft top, rain guard in the back,competely rebuilt with duct tape.

Old soft-top removed, ready for new one!

Dashboard before restoration

Console restored and Nardi steering and gear lever added.

Seats and panels were pretty bad,looking much better now, back to original.

Before original wheels restored, looks better than this!

Stared the clean-up, looking better

First Arrival back home, so the work begins

Using the Hardtop from my silver MK2 waiting for soft-top replacement

New battery, Cam belt, water pump, radiator and after market  radio, completed most of the restoration. So in my humble opinion, Francis is a true Classic car, 26 years old, and going very well.
So in part of my downscaling I had to sell her off.
Sold her today, to Chris and I know she will be well cared for.
Cheers Francis

All done, isn`t She lovely?

MX5 Valentines Run to Ludwigs Roses - 12 February 2017

MX5 Valentines Run to Ludwigs Roses
12 February 2017


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MX5 Breakfast run 15.1.2017- Grand Central, Melrose Arch.

                                     

Grand Central – Breakfast Run 15.1.2017

The MX5 owners club first run for 2017. Originally run to Salvation Café on 44 Stanley, but after being told in November that we could book in January after the holiday season,

I was disappointed when confirming this in January, that this was not possible so, c`est la vie, maybe some other time.

Few of us met at Marks Park in Emmarentia, for a short,but exhilarating run to Melrose Arch. 

Also welcome to newbies Neil & Charlotte who joined us on the run to Melrose Arch.

The rest of the sleepy heads ambled their way to Grand central.

Grand Central, Melrose Arch was the alternative and very accommodating venue, and definitely an excellent choice breakfast menu, Highly recommended choice had to be the “Eggs Benedict”,

however, my choice was one of the gourmet burgers.

I think we must have ordered all different meals of the menu, and nobody was disappointed.

The generous portions, the freshness and quality ofthe meals were excellent.

The service was good, with all meals being served simultaneously. 

The breakfast overflowed into an early lunch,with most of us lingering on and consuming 

copious amount of beverages,with management not rushing us at all.

 Neil decided as a newbie, to foot the bill for the first round of drinks, thanks Neil, highly appreciated.

   

Back o` the Moon - Year end function

Subject: Back of the moon -MX5 Owners Club - Year end function

Back of the Moon.

The venue for the MX5 owners club year end function. Excellent venue choice, 

well done Annatjie. This venue along with the theme, 1920’s Gatsby and polka 

dots worked well.

The glamour and glitz provided by most members really set the scene for a 

truly enjoyable night on the town. Thanks to all for getting into the swing of 

things, the costumes certainly turned a lot of heads and looked like a scene 

straight out of “Jollywood”

The menu provided enough variety so satisfy everyone, The food well presented 

with all the courses being served at a reasonable tempo, with no lengthy waits 

and also not served so rapidly so as one never felt rushed at all.

 Back of the Moon, appropriately situated at Gold Reef City, with the adjacent 

theme park village, a living monument to the gold mining industry,in it`s Heydays

in the early 1900’s quite aptly reminding us of the gold rush era.