I ordered 14" - 9.5" and 12" - 8.5" I'm also using Saturn plans

Is that a full 14" shock or 13" with a 1" extension?

I ordered these -

https://www.rallydesign.co.uk/produc...oducts_id=5242

And -

https://www.rallydesign.co.uk/produc...oducts_id=5240

I then ordered springs from merlinmotorsport

Are you happy with the ride?

It's not on the road yet to be honest, but it all sits well, procomp are said to be the Ines to get if you have the extra cash, but I don't think gaz will be that bad unless you're looking at regular track days etc

Great stuff, thank you, I'll put my order in tomorrow.

Sorry for the slow reply - work got in the way. Mine is an MX5 / Sierra hybrid but the front end is indeed Sierra based. These shocks give 0.5" more travel than the 13" with 1" extension and although my mileage is low on the road it seems fine but it is really excellent on track.

I went for 14 and 12" Protechs in the end in all black. I've also got all my lighting on the way asides from the rear clusters which I've not made my mind up on yet. The clear Caterham units look reasonable but the price is excessive for what they are.

I saw this and found the lights on eBay but I've certain they're not e-marked (but the guys car in the picture passed with them on, I suspect they were overlooked). I would go for them if I was certain they'd pass. £30 a pair too.

#

Has anyone any nice looking suggestions?

Hi guys,

so things have changed at home here and my spare time for the next year or so has now vanished. My project so far has become a burden overnight and its time for me to part ways with it. I've cancelled my order for bodywork with Vmax as well so what I've made and gathered together is available as a job lot.

The chassis has a number from the DVLA and I have a copy of the MX5 V5 from which the engine and other Mazda parts came from.

A lot of parts a new or refurbished and refinished and overall is a sound base and head start from which to continue for a quick finish for the right person with the time and money to do so.

I'll compile am accurate list of parts ad better description soon.

I'm looking for £1650. The car is based in Hampshire.

Norton

That's sad news mate you was cracking on with your build. it will be a great bargain for someone


Gary

Cheers bud, I'm not massively bothered but the time it needs is no longer available so the responsible thing to do is move it on.

More on the cars spec,

The engine is from a mk2 and is a 1.6 and the gearbox came from the matching car. I have removed the sump, rocker, inlet and a few other bits and pieces to have them soda blasted. The rest as been degreased and refinished as necc. All new seals throughout. Coil on plug conversion using Toyota coils. The lower coolant outlet has been reversed to allow more space for a turbo later on. The engine was very low miles and was free of any ailments at all. IT sounded very smooth.

The rear diff was also blasted with the diff carrier powder coated black. New bearings and seals fitted and an ATB type LSD (new).

The brakes were from the same car and were also soda blasted and stove enameled a dark gold colour. New pistons, seals, internals etc fitted, they're as new. New hand brake cables are in there also. All discs are new with EBC pads.

The prop has been shortened and balanced as well. I had a new tank made by JAF fabrications whole you'll find on ebay. This takes the MX5 sender/pump which is fitted and waiting for fuel. Fuel lines have been run also.

The hubs and uprights were blasted/cleaned via electrolysis and painted, new wheel bearings fitted front and rear.

The exhaust was made myself using 3" 304 stainless. There's a 200cell cat included into the system too.

The wheels are the very light 13" team dynamics wheels. The front tyres are legal and balanced but the rears are not so are just on there for build purposes.

Front suspension arms are powdered coated, the rears are painted by me.

I have 5.75 headlights, new and boxed in black from SVC. These are the same as Caterham items. I also have rear led lights, rear fog and revers lights and number plate lights. There is also led front and side repeaters there too. All new and boxed. The seatbelts are fitted too, I forget the name but are a commonly used item and brand new. Everything else you can see from its pics. The brakes are bleed and work as is the clutch.

Steering is done just needing alignment once on its wheels. There is the shortest ratio quick rack I could find in there which is new and as the correct adaptors/extensions on there. All suspension joints are new as well.

There's probably more which I'll type up as I remember.

I'm having second thoughts. Somebody please tell me its ok to leave it in the garage for 12/18 months without doing anything to it :(

Are you going to regret selling it? I left mine for at least 9 months without touching it when we moved into our house.
TBH I'm surprised you've found the time with your little one growing up, I know how they sap all you spare time!

Of course its ok to leave it its a cracking build and it will be waiting paitiently for you on the other end
If you dont need the money leave it where it is.

I did a lot of if whilst she was brewing then had a break during the early months. She spent 6 months in hospital as she had some cardiac and other deformities that needed some serious operations. This car was my distraction as a way of coping. The amount I built and effort exerted was equal to the stress we were going through.

My reasons for putting it on hold are due to the lack of child car. The only person we felt comfortable with looking after her (as there is still risk she could become unwell or, due to her corrections choke very easily) whilst my wife and I worked was my mum but she had to do 2 hours of travelling to come to us and it became too much so my wife switched jobs. We're both nurses and work long days, 7am to 9pm and work alternate days to cover being at home. Now I have zero time available for the car unless I use some of my annual leave to carry out the occasional job on it. I hate the idea of it sat there for extended periods and not moving forward hence the sale.

God thats tough going its not nice when they are not well i recently found out my little one has type 1 diabetes i know its not on the same scale but god its hard to see and deal with.
As regards to the car there are plenty of stories on here of people who have left there car for 5 years even longer.
But at the end of the day its up to you and if i wasnt in ireland i would of bought it by now.

My vote would be to keep it. My latest is my fourth car and the third had to go about 40 years ago for similar reasons to yours. I always regretted it and promised myself 'one day....'. For me that day has taken over 40 years to come around - if you have to leave it a year and can maybe go and visit it for 10 minutes or so occasionally that will be fine. It's an excellent looking build and if I hadn't already got a car built (and am preparing for a Midlana build as well) I would have snapped your car up in an instant.

let it sit a while - things will change sometime in the future :)

I know your pain Steve, I hope the little one receives the care and support you need to help manage their diagnosis.

I think it needs to stay. It's tearing me up thinking about someone taking it away and seeing an empty space after. It's helped me through some horribly painful times and it's clear to me now I'm very attached to it. It's a keeper, it's going nowhere.

I personally think you are making the right decision. You will always look at it and think that it got me through the toughest times.
Good luck with the rest of the build. The Iva at Southampton wasn't as bad as you think and the guys were really good

I hope you do decide keep your build.
Sounds like you will be gutted to see it go, as Steve said, you'll probably end up with many regrets.

My builds have not seen the light of day for over 3 years due to health issues.
Yes, makes me sad that they are abandoned but I know I would regret parting with them.

I will regret it for sure. I've sold two valve amplifiers I built and regret those, time to learn from multiple mistakes. I will wrap it up and tuck it away though soon. It'd be nice to complete the available work though with the parts I have. I have a week of in a month. I'd like to get some rear arches fitted, complete the tonneau cover and fit all the lights. I'd feel good about that.

I have some rear arches on the way next week courtesy of vmax. I need to order some riv nuts or collapsible type nuts along with piping. I'd like it here ready for their arrival. Can anyone link me to what you get used so I can get ordering please?

I havnt fitted my arches yet but i have used m6 aluminium rivnuts for the stuff i have fitted as i already had them
Where do u want the piping for

Thanks dude. I wanted 'P' profile piping to go between the arch and side panel like caterham do.

Oh right dont plan on doing that.
But what i am going to do is cut some ali the shape of the lip that the bolts go through and put it on the inside to make it stronger so the bolts dont pull through the fibreglass if that makes sense

I was going to use penny washers with rubber washers to dissipate the load as best as possible.

Here's my most recent pics of the car so far.

I'm assured to have some rear arches by next weekend so I'm looking forward to getting those on.

I have some carbon front arches arrive Tuesday as well and I've planned my wing stays that should be both minimal whilst a bit interesting to look at too.

Norton


That is looking awesome I bet your glad you kept it?
What have you used to trim the tops of chassis by seats?

I'm hoping to collect my body work in the next 3-4 weeks I'm desperate to crack on as im slowly falling out of love with my build.

Where you getting your arches from?

Gary

Yes, every time I look at it feels like the right thing to keep it.

The arches are coming from Vmax. Its been a while but I understand we're moving forward now.

That black trim is this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tinksky-L-s...3D197K0CYB47GP as I had some left over from baby proofing some bits. Its not the best, I just tried it for the sake of it.

Could anyone kindly measure the length of their shocks when sat on the ground at normal road height?

I need to make some dummy shocks at these lengths you see.

Norton

Cheers for link is it up to the job or are you going to try something different?

Sorry I ment carbon arches does help if I put that doh

Gary

It'll do the job but it looks cheap. I was going to use some ally angle that is then upholstered to do it properly. I have some parts accrued to make a roller to form some angle into a curve for the bits over the arches.

looking nice mate, keep cracking on and you will be on the road in no time

Thanks buddy, I'll keep at it, the excitement for it is still very much alive and kicking. Any updates on yours?

Can anyone point me towards a supplier of rivets with extra large flange black rivets for my front arches?

car builders cat. page 383 14mm dia. ?

Try you local ford dealer. They use black plastic coated rivets on the some of their cars