Chris's new build of an MX5 based car
OK I'm 40 years old and I'm bored! Bought the locost book 10 years ago and 2 years ago I bought the Haynes Roadster book. Always hated fords, sorry ford people, so was put off really, couldn't bare to buy a sierra donor, especially as people seem to think they are a classic these days!:confused: Also I was put off by the welding but I'm a big boy now so I reckon I can do it.:)
Currently in the process of cleaning out my tiny garage, getting rid of loads of junk, practicing welding and dreaming about the build, seriously! I'm serious about doing this project, My last car project went way over budget (VW Corrado G60 2.0 litre 250bhp/235lbft) and when it was finished (read not a challenge anymore) I sold it! I was also skint which helped make the decision. I live 10 minutes from my own I.T. business so walk to work with my dog everyday and so this means I can build a roadster with the money I savve from not running a second car. My other car is a Volvo V50 R-Design 2.0D, lovely car (based on a ford :cough: ) but not too exciting. So here I am and here is my Donor! |
You do realize that Ford owns a major percentage of Mazda?
MX5 is a great donor, fits the concept of the Locost/Roadster/Lotus 7 perfectly. Good luck with your build! Quote:
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All the best with the build CT, its a real shame to pull them apart that is a lovely looking donor but at the end of the day there are many thousands of them and its going to a better home....;)
All the Best....Andrew |
It looks better than it is believe me, sills are about done!:)
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If i wasnt building the roadster i wouldnt give you a tenner for a J reg sierra! |
I have had a fair share of cars and have to say that the sierras have always been the best drivers cars out of all the cars I have owned.
I hated fords until I gog my first sapphy in 1994. Had a Few VAG's and other FWD cars and find the battle of torque steer and axle tramp under acceleration to be a BIG turn off to the FWD idea. ( my daily is a Galaxy and it's sh...t off the line. ) TT |
Yeah FWD VWs and audis, I've had a fair few, not great at getting off the line and not as reliable as people would have you think. Anyway back to the MX5, I can't believe they fitted an aluminium sump and a stainless steel exhaust manifold as standard, such a bonus, engine should be nice and lightweight, bye bye production car understeer!:D
I'm reading a book about the design/development of the MX5, weight was a massive deal, people were threatened if weight wasn't kept to a minimum. They even lightened the crank and flywheel compared to the 323 transverse engine it was based on allowing to rev to 7200rpm. The Donor is a 1.6 1995 model but it isn't the later tweaked 90 bhp engine that was not available to buy till Nov 1995 and had a steel sump. Mines a May 1995 and has a B6 engine code. So if anyones looking to buy a 1995 mx5 check the engine code is the correct for the one your after and seeing as the emission test was tightened up for cars after August 1995 you may want to play safe with the earlier engine. The 90bhp engine code starts with BP. Had another nose under the engine bay today just before dark, the rad fan is only half the size of the radiator and looks like it will be suitable for the roadster if it can be made to attach to the polo radiator. Signed up to mx5oc forum to get a seller thread going when I'm ready to break the car down. Need to get the garage sorted first and get some welding practice in before building the build table. Took some measurement and if I keep the garage clear I should be able to keep the whole car in the garage when finished along with other essential garage belongings. I may need to sort a shed at some point though for the gardening tools. I digress...:rolleyes: That is all goodnight. |
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Alloy sumps almost always weigh more than their pressed steel counterparts. the use much more material.
TT |
Going to list some other details for my own reference as much as anything.
Engine dimensions 620 x 580 x 615 Bore Stroke 78.0 x 83.6 cc 1597 CR 9.4:1 Max Pwr @ 6500 Max Tqr @ 5500 IVO 5˚ BTDC IVC 51˚ ABDC EVO 53˚ BBDC EVC 15˚ ATDC Gearing 1st 3.136 2nd 1.888 3rd 1.330 4th 1.000 5th 0.814 R 3.758 FD 4.3 |
Two pages from the book about compactness and lightness......
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Great to see you've started a build thread, I'll be watching with interest!
You want to get signed up on the mx5nutz.com forum too, the OC forum is a bit of a graveyard nowadays... |
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Main fuse arrived today! Got it started and warmed up on the drive, sounded great, alt. belt is very loose but took it for a spin on the neighbours farm track. It goes it stops and it made be smile, but it still has to die for my build!:D
Brakes were rubbish but it had been sat for two years, engine was fine other than the alt. belt, gearbox felt great, no whines or unusual noises so my mind is at ease! |
OK I have rebuilt a new and improved workbench at the back of the garage with old fire-doors (my preferred method of building workbenches) vice is very handy and well lit, sealed the garage floor as the concrete is crappy and by 6pm on Sunday night I had started knocked up a new and improved shopping basket and walking stick attachment for my old dads mobility scooter which I finished at about 10:30pm, he was well impressed. My welding technique is improving but I now understand the importance of jigging and weld magnets, oh and big gas bottles! I bought a big hacksaw, new wire-brush and a round file today too. I want to paint the garage floor grey this week and get more practice in but on 25mm SHS.:) Oh and put up some halogens over the bench.
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The last 24hrs have proved useful, discovered my hoard of retro gaming paraphernalia is worth a bob or two and will fund a good part of the build, it was cluttering up the garage! 2 birds, 1 stone, springs to mind. Just got to test and list the lot, which I'm not looking forward to.
This morning I went over to a steel fabrication company we do some IT work for and had a chat with owner and he's going to supply the steel and allow me to use some of their equipment for bending and cutting, he also gave me some great advice on cutting angles in steel using a mini-grinder, and using co2 rather than argon due to cost, argon only really necessary for stainless steel apparently. Got some 3mm 40mm SHS, 3mm plate and 5mm channel to mess around with, Might even have a go at the wishbones with their help. Very Happy!:D |
Sounds like you are making some great progress towards the grand build start day :) :cool:
Ebay is certainly a great place to help top up the build pot. Pleased to read that all is well with your donor, I know what a relief that must be :) Eager to follow your progress :cool: |
Cheers bonzo, determined to do this right, involve the kids and keep the financial cost impact on daily living to minimum. My other family pastime is horse riding and that does a good job of emptying the current account regularly!
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That takes me back a bit, it's been a good few years since I was last on a horse .... Mind you, much the same as my motor cycle days, spent more time off em than on em :o :o :D |
Nice to meet a fellow rider on here, I love riding horses the thrill at a gallop on the beach or jumping them cross country or even show jumping, it really does fill a void in my life. Motor bikes I have steered clear of because if I hadn't I doubt I'd be here to type this.:rolleyes:
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horse.!mmm tasty!!
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Even more tasty than Roo :D :D |
Roo just like beef just a bit stronger in flavour.:eek:
Apparently Australia the only country to eat the animal that is its national emblem!!!!!???????? |
The french will eat anything!
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Horse rider here too, had 2 of my own a few years ago, well 1 for me & 1 for the wife, hers was a good little , what I would call a "plodder" , a Welsh section "D", cracking "in Hand" show horse...
My own was a 16 hand Thoroughbred chestnut mare, & wow was she "flighty" :eek: a great show jumper, higher the better, she was great, used to turn her into the jump, she,d see it & her ears twitched as if to say "I see it, here we go" :eek: , i,d "give" her the reign & she,d jump it perfectly :cool: , tho I then would "take" the reign in mid flight, as otherwise we,d be off like a speed train once she,d landed :D . I used to spend more money on horse shoes in a year than I,ve spent on shoes for myself in my lifetime LOL. Tho, must agree, its a great feeling galloping flat out along a beach, its hard to describe, but , wow, took my breath away. I also dabbled with motorbikes....used to race them for a team....ouch. cheers andy |
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I know if i had ever got into bikes I'd of taken one too many risks as my confidence grew and would of ended up dead or in a wheel chair so I steer well clear.:eek: Back to the build, I have sold a large portion of my retro gaming stuff in one sale and should have £500 cash burning a hole in my pocket by tomorrow morning. I have decided it will buy the steel for the chassis pay for a larger gas bottle and the build table and some much needed tools. So tempted to buy the chassis precut but doing a mazda (saturn design) build I have to wait for the drawings for the diff/tunnel sections. |
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Chassis will be rolling today with engine in and mounted, will also put up some new pics. I've spent a fair bit of time cadding it up this week but have a bit of a headache getting upto speed with google sketchup. Nearly there though. Will have the flat pack chassis kits ready soon as well as everything else. Regards....Andrew |
95% of Saturn's MX5 chassis is identical to the book.
I started with one of Handy's standard flat pack kits, and have only had to change/replace a few parts for the MX5 version. I'm sure if you talk to Handy nicely, he'll come up with a plan to get you started - he's been a great help for me :cool: It'll save you countless hours starting with a pre-cut kit - well worth the small premium! |
Great news Andrew, are your flat packs seamless tube or ERW? Don't want to sound dramatic but I'm putting my sons life in this car and I want to do the best by him. If bike frames are made with seamless surely a car frame should be made with seamless, or does the mount of steel used in conjunction with triangulation resolve this. Sorry just a bit worried about frame strength. Some one at the local suppliers said it would be a good idea to tig weld it for strength while someone else has suggested purging the tubes with inert gas to improve the internal weld strength. I'm sure some of the above is unnecessary but just need some reassurance really as to the details. The saying "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing!" springs to mind.
HELP!:o Matt, I am so tempted to I really am. Can't imagine my son being to keen to help cut steel by hand/grinder. |
OK so I gather seamless is pretty much unavailable after speaking to a few companies so I guess ERW is the only and a safe option. I guess the book meant "seamless" as in, you can't distinguish the seam externally? :shruggs:
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Hi Chris,
Just seen your post, had visitors for last 2 hours - comes with the sun i suppose.....:) The car is designed around ERW box section and as you say the triangulation gives it its strength. What HandyAndy does is to cut and put together the chassis packs in 2mm walled box, unless otherwise asked, which gives the frame a lot more strength and stiffness for not a great deal of extra weight. Andrew |
Thanks for the reply Andrew. I have decided that taking a chassis kit from HandyAndy would be my best option, it's a great price he's selling at considering how expensive steel is and the cost of equipment and time to cut it.
I have built my build table after flat planing many bent bits of scant and discovering quite how out of level my garage floor is.:rolleyes: So after many hours being quite particular I now have a perfectly flat and painted build table. I started marking out but then stopped as I decided it would be easier to do when the steel has arrived although I did manage to get BR5, 6, 11, and 12 marked out and after checking diagonally I was maybe 0.6 mm out iirc! Which I thought was quite good. I have spent most of the weekend either asleep or in the garage, that build table started to look very comfortable and inviting.:) Oh also this weekend I managed to knock the passenger side wing mirror off of my donor by letting the build table fall on it!:D Oooops! |
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Cheers for your kind words, with the amount of steel that I purchase it helps to keep the costs down :cool: Nice work on marking out your build table so well, 0.6mm is barely the thickness of a fine tipped marker pen ;) , the time taken at the early stages will really benefit the build later on. I,ll reply to your PM :) cheers andy |
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These tools helped, iphone apps for your haynes build! |
Well I never! Never buy those disposable 60 liter (950cc @60bar) halfords bottles of weld gas they are such a rip off! I have only bought one and it ran out very quickly. After a little bit of brain power I have worked out that you get.....wait for it.....at a gas flow of 10 liters/min.... a total of..............6 whole minutes of weld time!!!! I couldn't believe it! No wonder you can just throw away the bottles! Jesus!
Just got myself a 2,420 litre bottle (10.5 liter@230bar) with a proper reg and some 2 mm walled box for practice. Should keep me busy with 4 hours of trigger time! :) |
This weekend I've managed to mark out my entire table, all modesty blocked out and decided to involve the children aged 4 and 7 by jacking up the mx5 on axle stands and removing all the wheels for cleaning, obviously I ended up finishing the job and my eldest decided he wanted the wheels painted gold, not my first choice for a red car but hey-ho!:D
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Today I finished the house re-pointing (a nasty boring job) and other odd outstanding jobs. Don't want anything slowing me down once my steel arrives!!:cool:
Oh and found a dead half eaten rat in the garage! Now it's all clean and nice I guess they thought they'd have a bloody party! Literally! B'stard things!:mad: |
One successfully 450mm narrowed mx5 seat. Once I'm happy with the recline angle, I'll remove the adjuster and use it as a template to make a 3mm plate bracket instead. Bit baggy on the base but hey it was free!:D Oh and it weighs only 9.5kg without all the extra brackets and gubbins.
DSC00002 by CTWV50, on Flickr |
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