I should be starting the donor strip soon, and I have one initial question. From what I can tell, if the subframes are unbolted from the chassis , the
engine, gearbox, propshaft, diff etc will just drop to the floor (probably with some force). But I've seen two videos that go against this.
The first is the engine etc was propped up on wood, so when the shell came off the base didn't move. But that doesn't help. The second is
the MEV video, where they lift the body off but the subframes don't move. I can't see any means of support, but the base looks like it could
move.
What does Mr Mills do to keep the chassis 'rolling'?
Ideally I'd like to remove the body, then roll the rest of it into the garage to keep it safe until I have more time to finish the strip.
[Edited on 29/7/13 by Slimy38]
The MEV video is a very staged 'show'; - just as a promo. Dont take anything it shows as 100% fact.
quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
The MEV video is a very staged 'show'; - just as a promo. Dont take anything it shows as 100% fact.
The two subframes are connected together on the MX5 so while I doubt you could wheel it around they shouldn't just drop onto the floor.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2010/klm/2010-Mazda-MX-5-Engine-Chassis-1280x960.jpg
You should be able to leave the PPF connected to the front and rear subframes and remove the body.
quote:
Originally posted by iank
The two subframes are connected together on the MX5 so while I doubt you could wheel it around they shouldn't just drop onto the floor.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2010/klm/2010-Mazda-MX-5-Engine-Chassis-1280x960.jpg
I dissmantled 2 mx5s both early mk1s, both had the centre truss
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
quote:
Originally posted by iank
The two subframes are connected together on the MX5 so while I doubt you could wheel it around they shouldn't just drop onto the floor.
http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2010/klm/2010-Mazda-MX-5-Engine-Chassis-1280x960.jpg
I think that picture is of a late model cars running gear and that earlier models do not have the Center truss
[Edited on 29/7/13 by Mr Whippy]
Yes you can lift the body off it was shown in car mechanics magazine done by I think road runner racing, they were doing an article of using it as a
kit donor.
As far as I can remember as I dont have the magazine to hand what you need to do is something like the following
Disconnect the wiring between the engine and the body/fuse box
Disconnect the fuel hoses to the engine, and to the fuel tank. (I think you leave the fuel tank connected but posible remove the fuel filter and drain
it)
Drain the coolant and disconnect the radiator/expansions tank, heetc.
Disconnect the brake flexis from the hard pipes and drain the fluid.
Take off the exhaust
Disconnect the steering rack from the column/extension and power steering fluid tank
Disconnect the speedo drive cable (If mechanical)
Disconnect the rear wiring (Around the battery in boot)
Disconnect the clutch slave from the engine/box or remove flexi and drain
unbolt the top of the suspension struts (Not the central one the 2 or 3 nuts from the top plates)
Insert some pieces of tubing between the lower wishbones and subframes to stop the suspension collapsing and keep it rolling.
remove the bolts from the subframes and lift the body off using a crane and I believe the seat mounting bolt holes. (i.e. drivers front outside one
and passengers rear outside one and it should balance if the tank is drained.
There may be more to do but thats what I can remember off the top of my head from the article and from stripping an MX5 last year.
And the PPF (truss) thing is in all the models as far as Im aware, it connects to the gearbox at the front and to the diff at the rear. Mine was a
1990 and it definately had one
[Edited on 29/7/13 by chrism]
quote:
Originally posted by chrism
Insert some pieces of tubing between the lower wishbones and subframes to stop the suspension collapsing and keep it rolling.
Would spare lengths of 1 inch square section do the job?
Also, does anyone know what the PPF is made of? I was wondering whether I could chop off the last foot or so, and weld it to my chassis to be a front diff mounting?
quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
Also, does anyone know what the PPF is made of? I was wondering whether I could chop off the last foot or so, and weld it to my chassis to be a front diff mounting?
quote:
Originally posted by iank
quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
Also, does anyone know what the PPF is made of? I was wondering whether I could chop off the last foot or so, and weld it to my chassis to be a front diff mounting?
Aluminium I'm afraid.
I 'borrowed' a scaffold pipe from the local building site and chopped it into 4. Slotted where there suspension went between the top and bottom wishbones and it held it in place fine.
What does PPF stand for?
Power Plant Frame
quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
I was wondering whether I could chop off the last foot or so, and weld it to my chassis to be a front diff mounting?
quote:
Originally posted by atm92484
quote:
Originally posted by Slimy38
I was wondering whether I could chop off the last foot or so, and weld it to my chassis to be a front diff mounting?
Be careful hard mounting the front of the Miata differential and not the other two points. Several guys in the US did this and had the front mount fail catastrophically; since it ends up being the stiffest of the three it ends up carrying all of the load. If you build a mount that incorporates a rubber bushing it eliminates this issue.