Mazda MX5 Owners Club Gauteng

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?