Hi All, I took the plunge, parted with my hard-earned and ordered a VortX kit a few weeks back so the 'Busa in the garage is soon to be stripped. Was told about the LB forum at the Donnington show last weekend so I signed up today! Building my own car has been my ambition for over 25 years so can't wait to collect the kit and get building! I live in Iver, Bucks (between Windsor and Uxbridge, near Slough) and wondered if there are any owners/builders near me? Standard of chassis, quality of engineering and competence of Mark and Chris sold me on the MNR.

Congratulations. The Donington show must have been a real hit for you with two Busa Vortices(?) on display.

Nice choice - you'll be finished before me!

Welcome to the nuthouse!! I love the username btw!!



I'm building a pinto-powered vortx at the moment - in Swindon, so a reasonable trek from you but bearable. Marc and Chris are great and very helpful any time I've hit snags in the build so far.

timc and coozer are both partway thru their builds and blogging like me (they're further on than I am) - their urls are http://timsmnrvortx.blogspot.com and
http://mymnrvortx.blogspot.com

There are a couple of other guys who picked up their kits around the same time as I did - millemg and someone else I can't remember. Not sure where they're at currently tho...

All the best with the build, agriv8 (Iain, who you might already have met if you visited MNR), is setting up an owner's club also.

Cheers,


Vince

quote:

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Originally posted by vinny1275
Welcome to the nuthouse!! I love the username btw!!

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Welcome, I'm sure you've made the right choices.

This place will be your golden place for questions and advise when you get stuck in the hard place

Don't blink to search or ask for questions as the answers will flow immediately.

Busa engine? what more could you ask for??

Good luck!
Steve

Welcome. If you are who I think you are then I tried my best to show you the bad side of a BEC, driveline shunt, noise, no windscreen, dodgy clutch etc etc but it didn't seem to put you off! Good luck with the build.

I wondered who it was you took out Derek!

Steve

Hey welcome
Great choice, now hurry up and get stripping
we also popped up to donny, was good to catch up with chris/marc and Agriv8?
sadly no track action.... onday i will get to experience what an MNR and Busa feels like

i'm not that far away, just outside beaconsfield.

[Edited on 18/9/07 by Johneturbo]

Hi Timc, Vinny1275, speedyxjs, Coozer, Jubal, WorX, Johneturbo and all in 'the nuthouse'! You certainly know how to make a nooby feel welcome! Thanks for all the comments and blogs, and particular thanks to Derek for the spin (not literally) in your MK fireblade. It certainly did not put me off, on the contrary......I want to get building all the sooner!!!!

Yours, Clive.

Hi and welcome..!!

Yes, I'm still here, lurking and building (slowly).....I am still mid house move / renovation, and the MNR is at the wrong house at the wrong time I need to do more soon !!! Looks like a winter project now

I'm somewhere here right now :

Ouch Millemg! Sounds like a challenge. I know what it is like to have too many demands on your time. I'm trying to make sure I have a full 12 months with no DIY etc (except the build of course). Not sure I will be able to persuade the missus that we should holiday at home though! Yours, Clive.

Hi Clive good luck with the Build dont forget to join the BEC Owners Club as there is deals that will save you money whilst building.

good to chat with you it it was me who then asked you if you wanted to go a thrash in dereks car

ta chris

Thanks Chris, I was good to chat with you and great to get out with Derek in his flying machine. I have signed up with the BECC so looking forward to enjoying the benefits!

Yours Clive.

Welcome Clive!

I've just got back to building mine after a long extended break for a few reasons. And I can't get enough of it! Not far off now either...

I see you've ordered a Super!? What spec did you go for in the end? And is the Buell yours?

Chris.

Clive,

welcome and a good choice!
I'm over Bracknell way so I'm not too far from you.
Have fun with the build.

Paul

Hey Winston, Chockymonster,

Great to hear from you. Sorry about the delay, I was travelling but got back late yesterday (2nd). I went for the Super to get the chassis as light and stiff as possible. I've gone for Raceleda front suspension and Raceleda brakes all round. Also the Muffett diff, dry sump, and Race Technology dash/logger. (by the way Race Technology are offering 20% off the DASH II this month in Practical Performance Car mag) Its got a full cage as my mate went through a fence sideways a while back and was very lucky to escape uninjured so we both went for the full cage (he's ordered an MNR to replace his written off Tiger). As there are so few donor components required for my spec I decided to go for new ones from MNR and a new reg (one refurbished component allowed which will be the Hayabusa engine/gearbox). MNR have also kindly offered to make me a race nosecone with no grille bars. I've been planning and saving for a long time so it's great to finally place the order and prepare for the build. Oh yeah, and I'm going for a full undertray and diffuser.

The Buell is mine and the picture is of me charging 'round Lyden Hill on it. It's a much modified '01 X1 Lightning with undertray, carbon fairing, trim and belt guards, forcewinder air intake and filter, RRC rear sets, crossroads bars, CND rear hangers and pegs, and screeming eagle race ECU and exhaust. It has stonking torque and will pretty much ride round anything on the corners but tends to lose out to the riceburners on medium or long straights.

Good to hear you're back on the build Winston, and that you are so close in Bracknell Chocky! johneturbo is in Beaconsfield and vinny1275 is in Swindon so we may have the makings of the Southern 'chapter' of an MNR Club!

Clive.

Holy Crap - NICE SPEC!!!

That sure isn't a Locost!!

Anything but locost hehehee

As it should end up with around 410 BHP per Ton and weigh no more than 420KG it should out-drag Ferraris and drive 'round Lamborghinis so from that perspective I reckon it is a real bargain!

Whatjareckon? Can I stay in the gang? Or am I to be exiled to wander in the tintop desert for eternity?

You can be in my gang as long as I get a passenger ride! Should be an awesome machine!

You've got a deal TimC! It might be a while though as i don't collect the bits until mid November!

quote:

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Originally posted by sucksqueezebangblow
As it should end up with around 410 BHP per Ton and weigh no more than 420KG it should out-drag Ferraris and drive 'round Lamborghinis so from that perspective I reckon it is a real bargain!

Whatjareckon? Can I stay in the gang? Or am I to be exiled to wander in the tintop desert for eternity?

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Phew, that was close, thought I was to be exiled to the mediocrity of production line consumer transport for the rest of my sorry days!! Pass the spanner!

Sh*t a brick! You don't do things by halves do you!?

I'd be interested to see how that Muffet diff performs. Great to know there's people out there at both ends of the MNR cost scale... ;P

Would be very interesting to see the difference in performance between the bog of the bog, being my R1 RT and the Super dooper trooper VortX with Busa! I'm Bristol way and my folks live in Reading so I go across that way a fair amount. We'll have to sort out a day at Keevil, Hullavington or Thruxton or similar...

Lovely Buell spec too! I've got a VFR800 that gets used and abused 50 miles a day, day in day out. Can't get enough of two wheels...

Take it easy,

Chris.

Hey Chris,

Sounds like a great idea, I look forward to it. I'm building the car for trackdays so I will certainly take every opportunity to track it once it is finished.

My slightly warped logic was that by the time I sourced a diff, a reverse box, and an ATB limited slip I was a long way towards the price of a Muffet which also has the advantage of drop gears to swap final drive ratios, and comes with drive shafts. I'd also heard that reverse boxes weren't reliable (although I've later heard that this is when they don't have a proper breather tank).

I don't believe there will be a great advantage over a decent diff/lsd/reverse box setup except perhaps less friction (no separate reverse box) and final drive ratios that can be swapped for accelleration or top speed or to better suit a particular track.

Clive.

Got the engine out of the bike last night but noticed that the sprocket cover will block the propshaft (see my post on BEC section). Just need to finish stripping the bike and sell the surplus parts, and clean up the engine. Feels like things are starting to happen. I'm working next weekend so my next free weekend will be when I collect the bits from MNR (Chris tells me my shiny new chassis is finished!). I feel like a kid before Christmas, is that normal or am I a bit wierd? ;-)

quote:

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Originally posted by sucksqueezebangblow
I feel like a kid before Christmas, is that normal or am I a bit wierd? ;-)

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quote:

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Originally posted by sucksqueezebangblow
I feel like a kid before Christmas, is that normal or am I a bit wierd? ;-)

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Nice choice. But there is one thing you are doing wrong! You should use the ZX9R!! The busa is way to slow!!

Oh yeh WELCOME.

Hey Matt,

So you must have gone the supercharger and nitrous route then??!!;-)

Joking aside a 9R should be PDQ!!!

Finally, the day arrived! I picked up my VortX kit last weekend! Lots of shiny new bits. They've taken up a lot more space than I expected but the wife has kindly donated space in the family room for the Buell and 'glass parts so I got it all in. Not done much building yet but have started trimming the driver's footwell bulkhead to fit 'round the gear change bracket. I'll hopefully get stuck in properly at the weekend!:

Piccies please - this must be the highest spec'd VortX to-date, so don't keep it all to yourself.

Not much to see just yet as there are not many outward signs that it is a T45 chassis. Will be more to see as the build progresses so will post updates with piccies when it gets more interesting. Just the Chassis on stands at the moment!

Posted a piccie but not sure where it went!?? Perhaps to the photo albums?

[Edited on 27/11/07 by sucksqueezebangblow]

Wasn't in photo albums either so I have uploaded it to my photo album. Still don't know what happened to the attachment!

[Edited on 27/11/07 by sucksqueezebangblow]

looks good already!!!

Steve

[img][/img]

Nice - chassis looks deeper at the front, possibly to avoid the bodywork having to be shimmed? Also perhaps extends slightly further forward possibly to allow direct mounting of rad and and fan assembly? Looks like additional cross-bracing at the front also. Actually, looking again, it's a whole lot squarer at the front full-stop.

Look forward to following the build.


[Edited on 28/11/07 by TimC]

Forgot to ask, have you got the rear diffuser?

Cheers

TC

Good news that you've got your kit clive

looks the same as mine at the front, i guess it would be!
edited to say erm no i dont have the extra bracing behind that front cross section doh
next time i'll look like both eyes open!

i've found on mine the nose needs trimming on the inside to get the chassis inside, either that or i've done something wrong!
ps you've got far to many kids or bikes

[Edited on 28/11/07 by Johneturbo]

Hey TC, I havn't got the diffuser yet. Marc tried aluminium but the result was too heavy so they have made it in 'glass. It is finished but Marc is hanging on to it a little longer to get a mould made from it. So I imagine diffusers will be available to retro fit very soon!

Hi John, Just two kids, but very expensive ones! How's your build? You must be flying if you have got to the nosecone already! I have only just got the bulkhead panels Clecod on!

Steve, What's the trick to getting photo's to show in a post? When I tried it as an attachment it vanished somewhere!

[Edited on 29/11/07 by sucksqueezebangblow]

Hi All,

Brief update. Not getting stuff done as fast as I expected but I'm taking my time to try to get everything right with my first build. Had to remake a few brake lines as some were slightly too short (probably differences in the T45 chassis) but the last one is almost in. The fuel lines are in as are the bulkhead panels although the drivers side needed considerable fettling, and a series of moves that would have made a chinese puzzle proud, to get it into position! This was due to the position of the 'Busa gear change bracket which cannot go anywhere else on the chassis. The aluminium panel that goes above the scuttle is cleko'd on and I have fabricated and fitted 11 brackets to hold the front undertray which I will fit after the body with rubber nuts. The loom is also fitted as far as the front bulkhead but I was waiting for some bigger P clips for the thickest section of the loom and some grommet strip for the holes throught the front transmission tunnel top and the panel above the scuttle.

Once these odds and ends are finished I'll fabricate and fit the battery tray, fit the scuttle top, pedal box and start thinking about getting the diff bolted and shimmed.

Has anyone fitted the hydraulic clutch line for the 'Busa engine? What is the best route for the copper/nickle pipe and where do you recommend to terminate it for a flexible hose? Unless of course the copper/nickle pipe can run all the way? I assume not even though the engine is bolted solidly to the chassis.

Kind regards, Clive.

Hi Clive, are you starting a build diary? or have you enough to do??

Happy new year,
Steve

Hi Steve,

I'm taking photos, keeping notes and receipts as I go along for the build diary for SVA (apparently it is very important to have comprehensive proof of a self build as I'm told a manufacturer was presenting professional build as self build and got caught so SVA are really hot on it)

I hadn't planned an online diary and am not sure if I have the wherewithall (software etc) to create one.

Yours, Clive.

hi clive good luck with the build if you need any help u2u me

your right about the SVA I have numerous cars waiting now due to having to send pics and receipts

quote:

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Originally posted by sucksqueezebangblow
I hadn't planned an online diary and am not sure if I have the wherewithall (software etc) to create one.

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We need more pics Clive
i was also told to do a build diary for dvla.
i'm going to do a flick book style one, blink and you miss the build
i need to do an update with my photo archive, i had her running over xmas, which was a relief as the engine came from the usa

[Edited on 4/1/08 by Johneturbo]

Wow John, you're really shifting with your build! Have you got a day job?

Thanks Tim, I'll take a look at blogspot as you suggest!

Yours, Clive.

Yes i do Clive i'm just good at being in 2 places at the same time
i've uploaded some more pics, but can't seem to upload them all.
but the build has come to a halt due to life threatening man flu!

Hi All, I've finally worked out how to post images. This is the chassis, upturned, with the brackets fitted to mount the undertray. Having made and fitted them I'm beginning to think they may be just the thing for fitting the transmission tunnel and rear diffuser!

[img][/img]

And this is the bracket before bending to the curve of the chassis tube. They are made from 25mm anodised aluminium angle from B&Q. They are 60mm long. The outer two mounting holes are 10mm in from each end and 12.5 mm in from the side. The additional central mounting hole is 6mm from the edge. On the other face is the central pilot hole which will ultimately be drilled out to 12mm to take the rubber nut. I have left it at 3mm for the moment to take a Cleko fastner. The rubber nut expands as the aluminium bolt is tightened in it, holding evertthing in place. However, unlike rivnuts it retracts when losened and can then be removed.

[img][/img]

And this is it curved and fitted to the chassis with Sikaflex and 3 x 3.5mm pop-rivets. It will ultimately be drilled out to 12mm for the rubber nut and M6 aluminium bolt.

[img][/img]