Another build thread

[CTWV50]

Originally Posted by skov

My thoughts exactly on the MX5 clocks. I like them in the 5, but I think they'd look a bit gash in the roadster, and would be a pain the proverbial to fit!

I was going to use individual after-market gauges and warning lights, and was browsing ebay for some when I saw the mini clocks.
It would have been easier taking that route, but I like a challenge, and it gives me an excuse to design some electrickery

That's right about the Mk2 speed sensor. Although it doesn't appear to go into the ECU on my wiring diagram, maybe they only did that for later models?

Do you mean 'odometer' on the LCD? I'm not sure if you need one or not to be honest I can't remember seeing anything about it in the IVA manual.
I do want one though, and I'm pretty sure I can get it displayed on the LCD with a bit of work.

Yeah it's wierd on my 95 mx5 the speedo runs off of a cog driven cable but then there is a speed sensor in the clocks that feeds the speed back to the ecu! god know why, I can't believe the ecu is working out what gear your in and adjusting engine parameters based on that and if so why are they using a cog driven speedo?? It's wierd!

Yes sorry Odometer. Wouldn't there be some sort of protection against clocking a modern mini. Do the clocks store the mileage or is that the mini ecu's job?

[skov]

Originally Posted by CTWV50

Yes sorry Odometer. Wouldn't there be some sort of protection against clocking a modern mini. Do the clocks store the mileage or is that the mini ecu's job?

I'm not sure how the mini works at the moment.
I've been playing around with clusters from current model Korean cars for a client recently and they're nice and basic - the odometer is stored in a little EEPROM in the cluster (which incidentally you can change quite easily!)
The mini is rather more complicated. From reading up on them, you cant just swap clusters from one car to another as they are coded to each individual vehicle. Apparently you have to get a replacement cluster reprogrammed by BMW before it will work in your car.
A bit more research required I think!

[skov]

That's enough of electrickery for now... Back to the metal bashing!
This week I have mostly been sorting out my seat mounting.
I won these on ebay a few weeks back for the princely sum of £27 each:



After nearly a month of excuses from the seller they finally arrived (much to my joy and surprise!).
In the meantime I'd been trying to win some cheap runners, after many failed attempts I finally bit the bullet and bought some new ones from kitparts direct.
Again, they took ages to arrive, but not nearly as long as the seats thankfully (why is it so hard to stick something in the post once you've sold it???).
The mounting holes in the runners were well off where I needed them, but a spot of drilling soon fixed that.



I had originally intended to weld 50mmx3mm flat strips into the chassis to mount the runners on and had them cut to length ready.
As it happened I couldn't mount the runners flat on the floor as the adjusters got in the way so I used 25x25mm box section instead:



I'm actually glad I didn't mount them as I had planned as after fitting the seats I popped my scuttle on top of the chassis.
I didn't realise quite how high it sat - if the seats were any lower I doubt I could see over it, and as it is it's going to be marginal. Might have to borrow one of the kids booster seats.

The seats themselves are a very tight fit in the chassis.
They only just squeeze between the rails, and I think I may have to trim a little off them once I've added the ally panels to the tranny tunnel.
One potential issue with using the MX5 for a donor is that you have to flare the back of the tranny tunnel out as the input to the diff is offset.
This means my seats won't go all the way to the seatbacks, stopping a few inches short.
Luckily for me I'm a bit, erm, vertically challenged, so not a problem.
I suspect most of my mates are going to struggle to drive it though. Nevermind!

[skov]

Another pic:

[CTWV50]

I think I won't bother with seats then! Nice progress post, inspiring.

[skov]

More progress tonight.
I've been studying Saturns build pics and shamlessly knicked their idea for how to do the steering wheel/column support.
It feels great having seats and a wheel in the chassis, it makes sitting in it and going brum brum very satisfying indeed





Ideally I would have liked the steering wheel a bit lower, but that blooming TR9 gets in the way.
I tried putting the column below it first, but then there was no room for my knees

[CTWV50]

Looks good where did you get the bearing from?

[MarkB]

Skov, The rhs you have got to mount the seats on will need crush tubes through the rhs so the bolts can't crush the tube..I'm sure IVA will want evidence of it even if it's only a photo while the chassis is being made.

Mark

[skov]

Thanks Mark, didn't think of that.
Any idea how thick the walls of the crush tubes need to be?

[AshG]

skov i cant belevie you scrapped your donor in that state. the roof/wings bumpers and boot lid would have netted you another £400 then the lights and loom plus the subframes another £250 odd. your a mad man!