Another build thread

[CTWV50]

Ahaha! Now I can catch up! Congratulations!

[skov]

Thank Handy, Kev, and Chris!

No worries Kev, looking forward to receiving that nice shiny tank from you,
almost as much as I was looking forward to the shiny new baby

I was thinking earlier I hadn't heard from you for a while Chris. How's the build going? Don't work too hard

[CTWV50]

It's coming along slowly, I only get about 6 hrs a week at weekends in the garage, but I have spent ages measuring, checking and getting the rear diff cage suspension bracket etc in the right place. This weekend I'll test fit the diff and finish up on the back end less the rear tub mounting as I think I've changed my mind and go with a fibreglass tub. Then do some more full welding and put it on it's wheels, then I'll do the steering supports and spray the whole frame with weldthrough zinc primer......hmm this is turning into a build thread post...cont.

[poshguy]

Congrats on the new addition mate

[skov]

Thanks posh!

[skov]

My bonnet and nose cone had been on loan to James3004, he bought them back last night, and as I've currently got the engine in the chassis I thought we may as well check the bonnet would fit over it.
Slightly dissapointed to report that it doesn't
The bonnet is one of Saturn's wide scoop ones, and it interferes with the inlet manifold (I'll try to get some pics later).
Comparing pics of the 1.6 and 1.8 engines it looks like the inlet manifold sits a lot higher on the 1.6 then the 1.8
Not sure what to do now, I can't drop my engine any more as it already sits 40mm below the bottom rails.
I guess my options are to make a new manifold, which is probably beyond my skill set, or modify the bonnet, which is going to look a bit poo if I do it...
There's plenty of room to move the engine over towards the passenger side by a couple of inches, and I recon the bonnet would fit if I did that. I don't know if the UJ's in the prop shaft could cope with that though?

[adrianreeve]

Can you not fit the 1.8 inlet manifold?

Cheers

Adrian

[skov]

Sadly not - the 1.8 isn't just a bored out 1.6, it's stretched out lengthways, so the inlet and exhaust manifolds aren't interchangeable.

[spud69]

Hi Skov,

That's a shame with the bonnet and clearance, we did a trial fit with the body work a couple of weeks ago and the bonnet cleared the engine and manifold okay. We may have our engine slightly lower but not significantly, didn't realise though that there was a difference between the 2 engine sizes. There are plenty of 1.8 manifolds on ebay from £25 so that is always an option, if you would rather move the engine towards the passenger side the propshaft UJ's will take up the angle okay. After all that's is what they are designed to do.

The engine could always be lowered with the sump shortened as the original sierra installation for the roadster but we were hoping that this could be avoided with the mx5 engine and wide scoop bonnet combination. I think that in most cases it can be avoided plus it would be a shame to modify the mx5 sump as you have a good substantial cast Ali sump.

Congratulations as well by the way.

Regards......AndyH

[Big Vern]

Originally Posted by spud69

Hi Skov,

That's a shame with the bonnet and clearance, we did a trial fit with the body work a couple of weeks ago and the bonnet cleared the engine and manifold okay. We may have our engine slightly lower but not significantly, didn't realise though that there was a difference between the 2 engine sizes. There are plenty of 1.8 manifolds on ebay from £25 so that is always an option, if you would rather move the engine towards the passenger side the propshaft UJ's will take up the angle okay. After all that's is what they are designed to do.

The engine could always be lowered with the sump shortened as the original sierra installation for the roadster but we were hoping that this could be avoided with the mx5 engine and wide scoop bonnet combination. I think that in most cases it can be avoided plus it would be a shame to modify the mx5 sump as you have a good substantial cast Ali sump.

Congratulations as well by the way.

Regards......AndyH

When changing MX-5 intakes you need to be aware that the 1.6l intake will not fit a 1.8l and the 1.8l will not fit the 1.6l as the cylinder spacings are different.

Regards BV.