Chris's new build of an MX5 based car

[rpjg1975]

Originally Posted by CTWV50

Let this be a lesson to all of you!



PLAN YOUR WIRING/PANELING CAREFULLY. Took me all day that did!:roll eyes:

edit: used an old filing cabinet. Hence the brown.

Sounds familiar.....my filing cabinet was grey!!!!

[CTWV50]

Originally Posted by rpjg1975

Sounds familiar.....my filing cabinet was grey!!!!

Good strong, yet thin steel!

Originally Posted by CTWV50

update.

After getting the fuse box all sorted and neat and all the wires needed to the front of the car, I discovered I had a popped 20Amp fuse in the (ad) fan location, I stupidly assumed this was the rad fan being tired at around 10:30pm and spent an hour looking for the problem. Couldn't find the issue and went to bed. Spent another hour in the morning looking at it again and then realised it wasn't the cooling fan fuse at all! Just some f***ng random fuse that doesn't appear anywhere in the wiring diagrams and is for the fan if you have Aircon. WTF the car never came with aircon why did they fit a fuse that's some how now pops whenever it's replaced. Bit p***d off about that.

Anyway I ended up checking all my wiring out sort of and couldn't find a single problem which I suppose is good.

Tonight I never got into the garage till 9pm, two hours later i had fully functioning head lamps !

Remember this? No. Well I did. Yesterday I found the problem. Hidden in a wiring rubber boot I found a connector with nothing to plug it into?!? Seems there is a little black wire with little silver bands that comes from the main engine loom. It's just an earth. But it fits perfectly into an unused hole in the fuse box and will quiet neatly earth the unused AD FAN fuse. Confused as to why everything still worked fine without this earth connected up to the front loom section as it should, I discovered that it is just an earth loop in the wiring diagrams. Odd! Anyway at least I know why that fuse was popping.

[CTWV50]

Ordered a CBS dash blank in black GRP, I received a GRP dash blank in various shades/finishes inc scratched, dull and flaky. What the hell is wrong with these companies!!!!

Anyway, I couldn't be arsed sending it back at this late stage so I'll cover or paint it. Sick of these companies I really am.

Good news is it's strong and I don't have to worry about damaging it's perfect finish, and I managed to get it half way fitted fairly easily.

[CTWV50]

Thought it was worth a moan....

"Hello CBS,

I received this item today, on time and well packed. Thank you. Unfortunately the items finish is really bad and is unusable as a finished item with the quality and finish of the gel coat. I was most disappointed. Not wanting to go to the effort of returning it, with it being a large item, but unhappy to accept it in it's current condition. I would consider a partial refund to go towards having it painted or covered by some means. I would accept a £25 partial refund even though this would not fully cover painting it gloss black.

Best Regards"

Reply.....

"Hi Chris, sorry about that. I'm not happy about charging you for that either. Not sure why it was sent not polished, the warehouse guys must be packing with their eyes shut!!!!. Please keep it with my apologies, I have refunded you in full. If you would rather a replacement please let me know.

Matt"

CBS are OK! Like a good company does, they accept their mistakes and rectify them quickly.

[thailoz]

Thats good to hear I am happy it got sorted and CBS are a good company as i will be ordering from them soon

[dubzter]

Originally Posted by CTWV50

Thought it was worth a moan....

"Hello CBS,

I received this item today, on time and well packed. Thank you. Unfortunately the items finish is really bad and is unusable as a finished item with the quality and finish of the gel coat. I was most disappointed. Not wanting to go to the effort of returning it, with it being a large item, but unhappy to accept it in it's current condition. I would consider a partial refund to go towards having it painted or covered by some means. I would accept a £25 partial refund even though this would not fully cover painting it gloss black.

Best Regards"

Reply.....

"Hi Chris, sorry about that. I'm not happy about charging you for that either. Not sure why it was sent not polished, the warehouse guys must be packing with their eyes shut!!!!. Please keep it with my apologies, I have refunded you in full. If you would rather a replacement please let me know.

Matt"

CBS are OK! Like a good company does, they accept their mistakes and rectify them quickly.

Good customer service.

[CTWV50]

Bit more done....now I can see my dials. Ordered some perspex and some fittings for dash today. Might move on to the rear lights this weekend.


Oh and I ordered some 3D carbon wrap!

[CTWV50]

This weekend I spent the time I had with the car out the garage sorting out the rear wheel geometry, then replacing all the nuts with nylock nuts. I also discovered a problem with both rear callipers. Both weren't allowing the piston to return to the fully retracted position after disengaging the handbrake. One of these callipers I had refurbed but the handbrake pin was really stiff so I replaced the calliper with a good used one I had from the 1.8 mx5 I stripped. This one was worse as there just wasn't enough adjustment or space for the new pads and discs.

So I removed this one and made some space with a metal file. The other one on the right side appeared to have a weak return spring. I dug out a better one from my brake spares box and that one now works ok. After a bit of research I discovered all the rear callipers I have had (four) are all chinese copies. If I experience any more issues I might just have to buy some genuine mazda ones. I hope I don't have to.

I also got the dash screwed in place, I'm just waiting for some new hazard/fog switches and some perspex to turn up and then I can wrap it and do the rubber edge trim.

Re reading the IVA manual I can't be sure my upper harness mounts will pass, as once again the manual is ambiguous and fails to specify what is considered "thick" walled tube. My 7/16 UNF upper harness mount nuts are welded inside a length of 2mm walled 25x25mm box which is fully welded onto the top of the rear backrest top rail. I may order some unf bushes and weld them to the side of a piece of 40x40x3mm SHS and make a harness bar and bolt it into place instead of the roll bar I have made.

[Davidbolam]

Originally Posted by CTWV50

This weekend I spent the time I had with the car out the garage sorting out the rear wheel geometry, then replacing all the nuts with nylock nuts. I also discovered a problem with both rear callipers. Both weren't allowing the piston to return to the fully retracted position after disengaging the handbrake. One of these callipers I had refurbed but the handbrake pin was really stiff so I replaced the calliper with a good used one I had from the 1.8 mx5 I stripped. This one was worse as there just wasn't enough adjustment or space for the new pads and discs.

So I removed this one and made some space with a metal file. The other one on the right side appeared to have a weak return spring. I dug out a better one from my brake spares box and that one now works ok. After a bit of research I discovered all the rear callipers I have had (four) are all chinese copies. If I experience any more issues I might just have to buy some genuine mazda ones. I hope I don't have to.

I also got the dash screwed in place, I'm just waiting for some new hazard/fog switches and some perspex to turn up and then I can wrap it and do the rubber edge trim.

Re reading the IVA manual I can't be sure my upper harness mounts will pass, as once again the manual is ambiguous and fails to specify what is considered "thick" walled tube. My 7/16 UNF upper harness mount nuts are welded inside a length of 2mm walled 25x25mm box which is fully welded onto the top of the rear backrest top rail. I may order some unf bushes and weld them to the side of a piece of 40x40x3mm SHS and make a harness bar and bolt it into place instead of the roll bar I have made.

The handbrake on the mx5 has a bolt on the side (about 14mm) which you need to remove and then use a 4mm allen key to retract/adjust the piston when you replace the pads etc.

I bought a new set as I thought my old ones were bust but then i worked out how to adjust them

David

[CTWV50]

Originally Posted by Davidbolam

The handbrake on the mx5 has a bolt on the side (about 14mm) which you need to remove and then use a 4mm allen key to retract/adjust the piston when you replace the pads etc.

I bought a new set as I thought my old ones were bust but then i worked out how to adjust them

David

Thanks Dave but no this calliper just wouldn't retract the piston far enough using the adjuster behind the 14mm bolt.