mx5 based build

[RichardH]

i have a build thread over on the roadster forum but as a finally managed to get registered here i though i better share some pictures

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/locost/image.jpg2.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/locost/image.jpg2.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

started with a talon flatpack kit
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/locost/image.jpg5.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/locost/image.jpg5.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg1_4.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg1_4.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg2_4.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg2_4.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg1_10.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg1_10.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg1_9.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg1_9.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg1_8.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg1_8.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/Mobile%20Uploads/image_3.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_3.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

so i started with one of talons flatpack kits and welded the chassis myself, i am using his wishbones as well, my donor is S reg 1.8 mk2 mx5 , the bodywork i bought from ebay as part of gillhams closing down sale, supposed to be cheap seconds but to be honest most of the stuff could be used as it is.
the chassis is currently sitting in primer and i am busy stripping the donor car

[CTWV50]

so i started with one of talons flatpack kits and welded the chassis myself, i am using his wishbones as well, my donor is S reg 1.8 mk2 mx5 , the bodywork i bought from ebay as part of gillhams closing down sale, supposed to be cheap seconds but to be honest most of the stuff could be used as it is.
the chassis is currently sitting in primer and i am busy stripping the donor car

Nice to see another mx5 build in progess. :)

[TheArf]

Cracking progress, how long have you been building

Arfon

[RichardH]

kit arrived on the 20th march

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg4_3.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg4_3.jpg.html)
donor stripping tonight

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg2_7.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg2_7.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg1_13.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg1_13.jpg.html)

diff fitted

[dubzter]

looking good rich, would be interested to see some more pics of the diff fitted in the chassis ;)

[RichardH]

no problem its all back out for painting i will photograph it all going back in this week

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg3_4.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg3_4.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg4_4.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg4_4.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg6_2.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg6_2.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

diff mounted, bolts need cut and still waiting on oil seals and breather

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg1_16.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg1_16.jpg.html)

[norton]

Well done you. I wish I went for the Talon rear end :(

[dubzter]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg6_2.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg6_2.jpg.html)

That's just the picture I was looking for, cheers Rich.

[JasonL]

I don't mean to hijack your build thread, but I've picked up a Talon chassis and diff cover/housing, but I'm struggling to work out how to get the existing diff housing off.

From what I can see, you have a standard (?) diff, but mine (see attached pic) has inner drive axles that the drive shafts bolt onto, which prevent you from sliding the carrier from the housing.

Does anyone know how to get it off? I've looked though the manuals on the mellens.net site, but no luck. I think I might have an LSD, which I keep reading you shouldn't take apart.

See pic below. Sorry if my question is daft, but any advice (or abuse) welcome.

[RichardH]

i believe once you have unbolted the shafts the drive flanges lever out like any other drive shaft

[JasonL]

Thanks. Tried a crow bar and a little elbow grease but no luck.

Prying one out seems to draw the other one in.

I'm reluctant to put too much force into it in case I damage it.

Where did you hear about it? Do you have a link?

Thanks.

J

[norton]

It helps if you pry the joint awy from the casing evenly with two bars 180o apart. Assertive taps with a hammer to the flange whilst doing this also helps to break it free.

[JasonL]

Thanks Guys, just needed a few hefty blows and came out a treat.

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg3_6.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg3_6.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg5_4.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg5_4.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image.jpg4_5.jpg (http://s297.photobucket.com/user/piper5recovery/media/image.jpg4_5.jpg.html)

[RichardH]

so the rear end is built and fitted, the front end is only loosely, fuel tank has been fitted currently waiting on bearings to allow me to build the steering shafts, struggling to work out the brake pipes as i didnt take a drawing from the donor car

[SteveH]

Just been having a good read of this thread and I'm wondering
How u fitted the diff with the top and bottom bars in place
As I'm at the stage of my build where I'm just about to fitting the diff

Regards
Steve

[JasonL]

It's a tight fit. You need to take the bottom plug and breather off first, gently slide it in from behind (did I just say that?:D). Put the rear bolts in loosely, then fit the side mounting bracket.

[RichardH]

i found if i fitted the diff into its casing then rotate thru 90degrees and pass thru the bars then rotate back again, then bolt everything very loose then tighten.
the mistake i made was where i welded the mounting tabs on, at first i couldnt remove the diff again so i had to redo them so that the diff goes in against the back of them. let me know if you want more pics. there may be more on my build thread on roadster builders

[RichardH]

well after a few months enforced break in the build for a kidney transplant the build is back on track i have reconditioned the calipers all round, fitted new discs and pads all round all the brake pipes, made new stainless flexis/exhaust manifold and decided to order a brand new body from vmax. half the wiring loom is done and wires routed to each relevent place waiting on the bodywork. and roll bar is on order as well. hospital wifi and ebay has a lot to answer for!

[TheArf]

Hey Richard welcome back, glad to see you are on the mend, keep the posts comimg and hopefully you will soon be back to full health and flying through your build

Arfon

[RichardH]

brakes completed tonight just the handbrake cables to replace.
started on the roll bar too, cut to height, need to stick the seats back in to get the harness bar height

[Mking]

Build looks great and good to see a build coming along in my neck of the woods. I look forward to seeing it progress.

[RichardH]

cheers matt need to catch up sometime, i am just over the bridge in dalgety bay.
there is a completed car in balerno, i asked the guy for a look/run in the car but he never replied after that.

[rpjg1975]

Word of warning.....before fully welding the cross bar it might be worth bolting the roll bar down...I tacked mine then removed it to fully weld and found it had warped....

[RichardH]

yep i bolted the plates down, welded the hopp to the plates, then welded the harness bar in place. removed it then to weld the threaded bits for the harness and it still moved a bit, only a couple of mm though so not too bad

[Mking]

cheers matt need to catch up sometime, i am just over the bridge in dalgety bay.
there is a completed car in balerno, i asked the guy for a look/run in the car but he never replied after that.

Great, I look forward to it.

[RichardH]

seats and roll bar in today, need to figure out the two diagonals now
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image_14.jpeg

[RichardH]

well i did a few hours on the wiring loom last night, i can now turn the key and get milage on the dash and crank the engine over, very tempted to go get some fuel but i will resist as theres welding to be done around the tank area yet.

[garyout]

Hi Richard good to see your recovering well from op and your cracking on with your build. The one thing I'm not looking forward to doing is the wiring

Gary

[Dave F]

seats and roll bar in today, need to figure out the two diagonals now
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image_14.jpeg

Where did you get your seats?

[RichardH]

the seats came from ebay, kitbitdirect i think, just search kit car seats

[Dave F]

the seats came from ebay, kitbitdirect i think, just search kit car seats

Thanks For that.

[RichardH]

so mucho progresso. wiring is almost all figured out, i have bulbs on the ends of the loom all working except the reverse light which i need to test the switch.
the engine cranks over and gives me sparks, i have fuel pump etc to. all the coolant pipes are on and polo expansion tank fitted, i will through time replace the hoses with silicone ones bu thats £50 i dont need to spend just now. timing belt replaced , the belt was ok but the two idlers were shot. clutch hydraulics have been in for a while but never filled with fluid so i bled that and boy was i cheesed off , i used the 0.7 master per saturn and the pedal is proper heavy. so a 0.625 master is on order. i presume its a miss match with the slave as pedal geometry and master size matches my defender 110, i will update on that one.
sports cat arrived today £70 ebay and the rest of the exhaust arrives tomorrow from mij again on ebay, silencer/hangers/pipe/iva tail/bends £106

[RichardH]

It lives , put some fuel in , exhaust sitting on axles stands, let the pump prime and it cough unit life first time , so happy big milestone

[garyt]

nice one , its a great feeling of relief and satisfaction when you get to start her up, well done

[flyerncle]

Pedal pressure could be down to the fact there is no servo assistance to boost pressure,try driving your daily and try brakes with engine off you will see the difference it makes and for legal reasons do it off the road.:D

[RichardH]

Pedal pressure could be down to the fact there is no servo assistance to boost pressure,try driving your daily and try brakes with engine off you will see the difference it makes and for legal reasons do it off the road.:D

think you mis read i was talking about the clutch. 0.625 master now fitted and it seems a lot better, as for trying brakes without servo i recently did in my defender, downhill offroad my servo split at just the right moment. new boxer shorts required.

[flyerncle]

I did,my humble heartfelt appolagies.:p

[RichardH]

oh well after my joy of starting first time yesterday down with a bump today. fuel tank has a tiny pinhole in the alloy weld so i will need to remove the tank and have that welded, and it look slike my ecu has given up.
my donor had a swimming pool in the floor when i got it and the ecu plugs were about 2 inches under water. i cleaned the plugs and connections with contact cleaner and all was well and before i fired the car i had been testing the circuits and occasionally had to spray contact cleaner in one ecu plug. now today i cannot get it to go at all no ignition lights. tried contact cleaner again no joy this time, i took the ecu to bits and cleaned inside resoldered every pin and tested for continuity from the wires through the plugs to the pcb itself all good and i think i have 12v everywhere required, it once gave me ignition lights when i moved the pcb or plugs, so looks like new ecu/imobiliser/keys

[K4KEV]

Richard.....drain the tank then clean the area where the pinhole is with thinners then a dollop of JB weld over it....had one on my tank, did this and it has never leaked in nearly 3 years of having fuel in it.

[Dave F]

Richard.....drain the tank then clean the area where the pinhole is with thinners then a dollop of JB weld over it....had one on my tank, did this and it has never leaked in nearly 3 years of having fuel in it.

I'll second JB weld, that stuff is fintastic, I had a chain go through my engine casing on my dirt bike, a dollop of JB Weld and 2 years later still holding. The secret is in the preparation.

[RichardH]

thanks guys i have used this before, not sure how the iva man would view it though?

[K4KEV]

Did mine before IVA and he made no comment about it (he did spot it)

[RichardH]

replacement ecu arrived today instant fix thankfully

[RichardH]

moved under its own power for the first time
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm217/piper5recovery/image_19.jpeg

[RichardH]

going to need more fuel soon, cant resist starting it every time i go in the garage:D