So i have been here a long time. Really, a looooong time.

I wont bore you with the details of what has gone on since i first came here researching the idea of one day completing my goal of building a car from scratch, but here i am.

And heres what i have just bought:





Should have it in my garage for the end of the year. No idea what engine will go in, whether i will go donor car or part accumulation, or really any clue about the IVA (a lot has changed since i last researched things it seems!), so brace for an onslaught of questions!

Nice to be back!

The journey begins
The questions will follow
Enjoy

Get a Mazda mx 5

Welcome back, good luck

quote:

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Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
Get a Mazda mx 5

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Back just in time to join the 10 year club then

Get stuck in, ask away and realise the dream!

Hi,

Have a look at my photo archive.

I built my car with a 1600cc MX5 engine and 5 speed gearbox linked to an Escort Live-axle.

It's not as fast as some on here (not much is) but it's plenty fast enough to get started and there are loads of tuning options

If you want to ask any questions send me a U2U.

quote:

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Originally posted by JAG
Hi,

Have a look at my photo archive.

I built my car with a 1600cc MX5 engine and 5 speed gearbox linked to an Escort Live-axle.

It's not as fast as some on here (not much is) but it's plenty fast enough to get started and there are loads of tuning options

If you want to ask any questions send me a U2U.

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It's still running on the Mazda ECU! I built the mega squirt but haven't fitted it yet. It was pretty easy to get it working. My donor was a 1994 car so the engine management is relatively isolated from the rest of the car's systems.

It's registered on a Q plate - which I think is the best way forward as it reduces the trouble with emissions at MOT.

[Edited on 14/12/12 by JAG]

I see. Have much issues with a car on a Q plate then? I always assumed they were a nightmare to insure and generally frowned upon? Frankly, if its just a stigma over it having the plate, i'll be throwing it on a Q plate!

Perhaps other people consider it a blemish on a cars character - it says 'this car was either built from parts or is of indeterminate age'

I think that's OK because the car was built from parts of varying age and I've no expectation of making a profit or even breaking even when/if I sell the car.

It causes no issues when I insure it.

At MOT time it means no emissions test - just a quick 'look' for visible smoke - and most MOT testers don't really worry about it as they see the Q plate and understand it's a kit car

A few years ago my car passed an MOT when the engine was running so rich that it made the MOT testers eyes water when it was running

The MAF Meter on the inlet was jammed about 75% open and the engine was running really rough - he still passed it

Do a search - the Q plate thing has been discussed many times.

[Edited on 14/12/12 by JAG]

Thanks for that. To be honest, i really dont want to be buying yet another car, even if it is for breaking. At present this chassis will be car number 5 in total. I like the way of being able to trickle funds into this, buying bits as and when as opposed to a full doner at once.

I should actually think about selling one of my others in fact...

[Edited on 14/12/12 by thetankwad]

I had a lucky break and bought my engine and gearbox plus ECU and a few other bits off someone who was modifying their MX5 to carry a Sierra Cosworth engine and gearbox.

Keep an eye on the classifieds here and on Ebay. I'm sure there was someone on the For Sale section of this forum selling a 1.8 MX5 engine quite recently.

Yeah - have a look at this post;

1.8 MX5 Engine, Gearbox and ECU

Oooh, nice one! I'll see what the craic is with that...

Cheers!

Hmm, looks like the OP on that sale thread is MIA.

Stil, its got me on the MX5 track. Before that i was having all manner of strange plans, some involving an Austin A series mated to a midget box and forced induction....

You can get complete donors for under £500 if you spend the time looking! I would definitely go that route.

Still waiting on the chassis arriving. Weather isn't helping...

This morning, i started an epic roadtrip. Not epic due to distance, more epic due to speed....



1.6 8v on a carb. Got knows how many horses are left, but even Tesco arent interested in them. This would also be the first test of my new (old) trailer AND new towbar, all fitted myself. nothing like hitting it running!!

My route took me past the local services at Knockhill.. some nice machines around here...




So after 2 months since putting down the deposit (i hope this hasnt set the pace for this build!!) i got the chassis home. 200 miles in a clapped out Vitara averaging 40 the whole way was a test of patience, but as the sun began to set, i reached the base of operations!!



Hauled out of the trailer myself (these chassis' really are light!!) and placed it on the creeper. It fits the pokey lean-to!



One brief tidy later and we're tucked up for the night.




Now the big task... What to put in it!!!???

Got the chassis properly planted on some stands last night. Once that was done, and i gave the garage a proper tidy, it was time for "that" pic....




Might think about widening it..... or losing weight

[Edited on 18/2/13 by thetankwad]

Wee bit of progress, picked this up yesterday!



£450, ticket till November, does start but loses a charge quick (probable alternator fault).

Going to service it and throw the Mrs the keys for 6 months. give me time to service it properly and make sure everything works as it should. Its pretty scabby so i don't think I'll push to get a new MOT on it, so the engine technically arrives in November!

In the meantime, at least i know i'm definitely going MX5. Time to start chopping the chassis for IRS!

So as promised, the angle grinder came out... and more!

First off, i had to clean the MX5. Mrs Overdrive is going to use it until the MOT is out in November, giving me time to build a garage and modify the chassis. I alos checked out a noisy bearing that had been grumbling. Turns out the front bearing just needed a nip up. Still, one to keep an eye on....

I couldnt resist a wee side by side picture....



Moving on, i have an original "Chapman" chassis that is designed for a live axle. As such, there are strengthening spars that are incorrect and useless for IRS. These are the 2 lower bars below...



(Angle grinder itching to go!!) I didnt take all of these out to begin with, as they do help with the triangulation of the rear of the car. Instead, i started fabricating the lower diff frame and lower wishbone point for the chassis.



Dont worry, no welding was done on the battery! I was just using it for alignment.... Once cut, it was time to tack into place



Then final weld....



I missed a few pictures showing my cunning techniques for alignment, but long story short, the open part of the frame was welded to the lower chassis leg at the seat backs...



...and 2 support spars put between the diff carrier and the rear of the chassis....



This is a slight deviation from the Haynes design, but i feel it "looks" better than a horizontal spar



Still to clean up the welds, but not bad progress for my first day of project 7up!

You have made a really good start there. If you are modifying the book chassis for MX5 IRS it would be worth having a look at some of the work Talon has done with recasing the MX5 diff for the Haynes Roadster. The MX5 diff can be tricky to locate but when it is recased it fits just like a Sierra diff.

Is Talon a user on here?

I have a plan for locating the diff but it would be good to compare notes.

Rear of the car now fully welded in place, it was time to lop out the remaining supports...





..and angle in where the new lower diff carrier will meet the rear seat wall...


Which takes us to todays ebay arrival!



So handy for welding at right angles...



Some penetration shots (stop laughing)



and the uprights are in!




Really content just plodding away with a section a night. Keeps it entertaining and stops me rushing and making it wrong. Up next, upper wishbone supports and diff mounts...

More progress last night. Welded in the top bar to hold the uprights in place.



Using the magnetic angles I aligned up a bar to see where the other side of the upper wishbone mounts would join the seat backs. Here is another clear difference from the Haynes and the Chapman versions...



I knew some angle work would be needed, but I hadn't banked on the cross bar being so far out. Some creative thinking was needed...



Better! A direct strut welded in that I can butt against on my wishbone mounts.



Bang on target now....



...and repeated on the other side. It always bugs me that the chassis looks so quint in the pics. Its honestly degree perfect in real life....

So a wee cheeky effort tonight. First off, I had a wee play with my new tool...



which has improved the accuracy of my angle cutting no end!

Without boring you all with loads of pictures, I got the rear cage finalised:



...but without a diff to trial in there it may be a bit slow progress with the diff mounts. The suspension mounts will be different though...



got my upper and lower bars for wishbone mounts made, so I can weld up my wishbone mounts. I only made a quick start to this tonight:



4mm plate mild steel. Got the bends in, will need to do the cutting and drilling later. to be honest, i'll probably make them all up with bends first then look onto drilling to make sure the geometry matches...

No real progress on this lately, apart from recycling the steel bar used to tamp down the concrete base from my newly build garage:



into this:



which makes shuffling the frame around to get things in and out a whole lot easier.



Retaining tabs with room for movement...