Another build thread

[sven8t4]

looks good to me ;o)

[skov]

Woo hoo - Saturn have just released their MX5 build guide
Just been looking through it, and it doesn't look like my build has deviated from their design too much!

They've also got the MX5 parts on their webstore too now. Just ordered myself a set of wishbones

[CTWV50]

Oh yeah! Oh yeah! So happy!

[poshguy]

can you link to saturns build guide as i cant seem to see it cheers

[PorkChop]

Originally Posted by poshguy

can you link to saturns build guide as i cant seem to see it cheers

It's due to be posted up on Saturn's site early next week apparently, although you can email Andrew to get it this weekend.

[skov]

Have at this thread for details, post #149

http://www.haynes.co.uk/forums/showt...t=5753&page=15

[skov]

I've been suffering from a severe case of the man-flu for the past week so haven't done much on the build...
I managed to brave a few hours in the garage today though and have (possibly) finalised my steering design.
After lots of playing around I've decided to keep it much the same as my first attempt, but have managed to drop the height of the steering wheel by an inch or so. Ideally I would have liked it lower still (and possibly a couple of inches futher forward) but I can't easily acheive that without cutting a big hole in TR9, or going above TR8 which would mean taking a rather tortuous path through the engine bay.
So basically all I've done is cut the top rail of my column support off and welded a new one in slightly lower, getting rid of the gap I had previously left between TR9 and the column, so the column just touches it.

Whilst I was at it I also added a little plate to TR9 so I can bolt a 38mm exhaust clamp to it to add additional support for the column (I shamlessly nicked this idea from Westfield who do something similar on their MX5 based 7):




I've been wondering for a while how to link the mazda column to the escort rack and had a bit of a brainwave this weekend. It's possibly a silly idea, and a waste of a perfectly good sierra column, but...
I started off with the MX5 steering rack linkage, which I cut down on one end:



I then dug out a Sierra colmn I had lying around, chopped it in half and mated the two together:



So the Mazda end mates with the lower part of the MX5 column, and the Ford end mates with the steering rack using one of RallyDesign's Sierra-to-escort linkages:



It all seems to fit nicely, and feels great watching the rack move when I turn the steering wheel. Can't wait to get it rolling now!

[skov]

Some more pics (damn the 4 pics per post limit!)

[skov]

And Skov said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And Skov saw the light, and it was good.

After several months of working in a dimly lit garage I finally pulled my finger out and did something about it today.
Previously the roof of my garage (or hanger as it was once called) was crammed full of model aircraft and assorted sh!t, and light was supplied by a couple of badly placed 60W bulbs:



All that junk has now been replaced by a couple of strip lights.
Cost of lights: £25.98
Being able to see what I'm doing: priceless

Made a huge difference, can't believe it I didn't do it months ago!
Slightly miffed to find my squadron was full of hundreds of tiny burn holes when I removed them

[CTWV50]

It's always nice to be able to see what your doing, as I realised when I bought a new auto dimming welding mask!!