MadaboutKitcars

hi Jones coilovers all-round is next job then attempt the headlining

holiday time

So I didn't get time to bond the car on fully before my deaf line due to rain delays and life happening. However I did manage to do some odd jobs prior to departure on holiday.

Finally got on and tackled the bonnet vents focusing on the 'U' part of each one and will tidy the top line when I get back. Following that I looked at the mouth of the bonnet and trimmed accordingly. I trimmed the side vents to their final size too.



I have now bonded in the boot panel too.

All baby steps to the big show but getting there importantly one step at a time.

Oh this is the 520bhp V8 beast I am driving for the next few weeks...

My wife wanted my kit car to look like the red mustang but an mx5 cant pull off the look as it does'nt come with the v6/v8 rumble. The z3 might be able to pull it off

Don't get me wrong I do like muscle cars eg bumble bee on transformers but it needs a big burbly engine.

Someone I know who lives two streets away from me has a 3.5 V8 mk1 mx5 . It sounds lovely , he says it's not that fast but has loads of torque .

Easy transplant too.

Hows the transplant work? Does it keep the gearbox or just the shafts to the back wheels. How bout a v6. Some would allow for 30mpg with enough valves and a nice rumble.

Jones - Enjoy your holiday.

The front looks "mean" now that the three vents have been cut out.

Good luck, Paul.

He used rover engine and box, carb version so need for fancy ecu . The diff may need changing or modifying too.

The MX5 with the Mazda (Ford probe 24v) engine that I went out for a spin in at Stoneleigh left a big impression on me. Lighter than the 4banger, impressive exhaust bark and super performance. Used the standard gearbox as well. Just needed some tweaking of the induction system from transverse to inline.

hi Jones just found these ebay item no 251894129024 thought they might be of interest as the GTO s roof i believe is based on the hardtop it might be easier than bending the ally to fit

Zagmad - I agree with you, I had seen somewhere an MX5 Mustang based kit before this isn't the one but its the only one I could find now.. http://m1stang.tripod.com/index.html however without the V8 what is the point plus the windscreen looks so out of place.

Drummajor - Easy transplant? from the research I have done no-one has ever labelled it as easy yet. Depending on how much I enjoy the finished article I was looking at the V8 kit from the USA that come complete with a new subframe etc.

Paul - Thanks, I was so frustrated at missing my anniversary of kit purchase completion date deadline I hd set myself as a deadline I wanted to at least do someting that made it look a step closer no matter how superficial! It appears I missed the obligatory 10 day Indian summer whilst I was away and I have returned to cold wet Blighty! but as soon as there is a break in the weather I will be bonding on the car and getting it MOT'd

IanA - Do you know anymore about that build? it must have been a pain to fit the probe was front wheel drive.. thinking about it what about the MX-6 that had a V6 unit in it and I would assume it would be a pain to fit as from memory wasn't it front wheel drive?

Ned Thanks so much for the link - I am still thinking on this as I want a chrome effect classic look and it stops short on the back section. I think I will be looking at your solution initially.

Oh so on my trip I got a slow puncture on the Camaro whilst blasting through the Smoky mountains so I took it to the rental place and rather than wait for it to be fixed and knowing that I was driving into the storm of Joaquim I exchanged it for another classic americana muscle. Here are some snaps...





So we drove the Shenandoah, Blue Ridge and Smoky mountains and because of the storm the roads were empty - some of the best driving roads I have experienced - mainly because the police and Park ranger police were all busy flitting about due to some wind and rain!

Shame you couldn't have driven those roads in a real car. Possibly a little unfair, American cars have probably come on a bit since I drove some- I believe they now use radial tyres...

WRT the Mazda V6- it fits straight onto the MX-5 gearbox. Apparently it's best to source an auto (Xedos 6 ?) because they have a limiter and won't have been thrashed- need the flywheel and clutch as well as the MX-5 gearbox then. Also needs a small alternator. It is lighter than the 4banger. Nothing was said about the transverse-ness of the original installation- the car had done the Stelvio Pass a few times so presumably oil starvation wasn't a problem. The main mods required relate to the intake system- that is wrongly located for the MX-5. The one I was driven in had throttle bodies but I'm sure the original could be adapted- might need some cut and shut alloy welding to get everything pointing the right way.
A neighbour has a half-share in an MX-5 that is used for track days- he was at Hullavington the other week and came back saying that he'd like a little more power... He probably meant torque- of which the V6 has buckets...

Apologies for cross-posting but this is relevant to this thread as well if you're thinking of engine mods...

Info about the V6 conversion I was driven around in at Stoneleigh - here or for some turbo gear on your Mk1 check here .

Firstly apologies for the delay in responding IanA many thanks for the links and info, I suppose the first target should be getting the car on the road. Then I will move on to the next stage - Performance!

I only got a few hours on the car this weekend due to having to do some husband duties and some furniture re-arrangement followed by having to do some work on the better halfs Mini. I had to replace the rocker cover gasket and spark plug tube gaskets as I had noticed the old one weeping. I have to say BMW had crammed it all in I had to remove quite a bit to get at some of the nuts, however no big deal until I noticed the dreaded power steering issues that the mini is still oh so famous for in BMW hands although admittedly not quite so much as the batch of minis they did have now graced her car.

Any way this is a Kitcar forum so back on topic...

having been thwarted by the weather I am still on the same project as before - getting the car ready for final bonding. If you remember I was all gung ho to get the car bonded before I first anniversary that happened to tie in with my departure for my holidays. Well I could have bonded the rear on if I wanted as soon as I got back but since then I have reflected and want to do a go job as opposed to make it look good but a pain in the a**e to do anything to after be it maintenance or style tweeks etc.

With the above in mind and thus knowing that the rear has to come off again to do boot lid properly (I am still pursuing the internal hinge option but trying to make it as practical as possible for access. I decided it was time to tackle the number plate lamps - not a difficult task but one I had put off for more interesting bigger jobs. The units I had purchased only came with a live wire so first job was to remove rubber cover and solder an earth wire to the body and thread it through the cover on the other end I attached the relevant half of the quick release clips. I then went outside and attached the clips to the appropriate wires on the wiring loom. All works?? NO damn battery was flat yet 5 weeks ago I put a fully juiced up battery on, not even enough current to make the immobiliser LED flash. So as the only butchery that has taken place thus far to the wiring has been to the lighting system that is was the obvious place to start. Just a few minutes later I found the cause, with all the lighting on quick release clips I was confident that they would not be the issue - I was right. in my haste to put the car back together and under wraps for the holiday I hadn't reconnected the side repeaters and the positive wire was touching the metalwork. I am guessing this was the issue as a chick check around the car and no other loose wires.

After this I jumped the car and it started on the first turn - still amazes me how easily it starts even though it has been driven for over a year now. With juice now flowing I checked the lights all worked and they did - Result!

Next up was to fit them. The units are wider than the area I wanted to mount them on by just a few millimetres. Rather than just sanding the local area to get it to sit flat and the desire to make it look right I went on the hunt for something that the right curve profile I wanted and got sanding along the whole edge so it all matched. I removed the chrome shroud and used some double sided tape to offer it up first and see what looked best. After that drew the mid line to work off and the rest as they say is history.

The top two are mock ups of the options and the bottom one is all complete.



*** please note this number plate in the pictures is under sized and a retro full sized square plate will be used once complete with a new reg no.

Short term pain, long term gain.

Even if you didn't bond the shell on within a year, you will still manage this task a few years quicker than I did.

Good luck, Paul.

Hello,

just a quick question : what size is the recess area for the rear plate ?

Gerardo

Gerado sincere apologies in the delay in responding. I have just got home this evening after being away Tomorrow when there is daylight I'll get the tape measure out for you.

I have two urgent jobs that need doing before the first frost/freeze. I need to replace the radiator and at the same time due to a small oil leak from what I believe is from the CAS o-ring I need to replace the heater hoses. I thought just in case I'll replace the rocker gasket too just for good luck. I'll be up in Norfolk this weekend complete the laying of a new floor in my mothers kitchen and utility room that I started a couple of weekends ago by fitting new skirting. Then my time is back to being mine before my wifes birthday the following week!

Gerado - a bit later than expected but today was the first chance I could get to venture towards the car. the measurements are 340mm width 210mm height. I hope that helps.

I got an opportunity to start the the urgent jobs needed for the winter prep - today I replaced the rocker cover gasket and the CAS O-ring. I tell you what that damn coil pack lower bolt is an absolute B*TCH to remove but plain sailing after that. (for anyone completing the same task I recommend either removing the windscreen wash bottle or the CAS for better access) I appreciate most people who have carried out this task leave the bolt off but I couldn't bring myself to do that so back on it went after I completed the job. The rain came down heavy during this so with cover off a swift push of the car to get the whole nose at least into the garage prevented any pictures being taken.

That was part 1 of the job and that is actually to facilitate the replacement of the radiator and heater hoses, however once complete it will be done and not looked at again for years to come... fingers crossed!

thanks !!!

Gerardo

So I have done it, I have purchased a shed big enough to fit the garage rubbish in so it truly can be used appropriately - car stuff only :-)

Annoyingly though I am away this weekend , next week we are having new windows and doors fitted then shed delivered but it's that time of the year when it's wife's birthday... no car stuff all weekend.

Ah well at least it will be in the garage soon all dry to work on, the new spring deadline is looking safe.

Whereabouts in the Midlands are you? I'm thinking of buying a kit, and would like to see one in the flesh

Jones - Great news on the shed/garage.

It got very cold this afternoon & I hear the weekend will be worse.

Good luck, Paul.

Thanks PAUL

Not much to report of late, although the shed was quite an ordeal, living on what is the worst clay ground I have had the pleasure of digging and living on ground that is quite a nice gradient meant some good exercise shifting dirt to get a level platform to lay the slabs. Eventually by last weekend the shed was up and water tight - this is 8'x6'.

With shed built great enthusiasm ensued and 3 trips to the tip and a now very full garden shed there appeared to be enough space for the car. I removed the cover one last time jumped the car and drove it in... as I got it close to the workbench along the back wall I slowed to a crawl until a carefully place sheet of cardboard moved signally me to hit the brakes. there I was sat there in the car all smiles thinking this is the corner that now the project will turn into high gear went to open the door - barely enough space for me to even get out. not to worry I thought I can make do. moved round to the rear and I was still too far out for the door to close! This car is much longer than it looks and wider, I had the donor in the garage when I first got it and thought there would be a luxurious amount of space, how wrong can one man be!?!?

This weekend - more trips to the tip and will dismantle the work bench for now and see if that solves the problem. If it does I will build a folding bench. Fingers crossed I can crack on a bit, the immediate to do list:

1. I need to drain the coolant and fit some new pipes and a new radiator
2. bond new inner boot skin to outer whilst mounting the shortened boot hinges
3. be brave and cut the bonnet hinges mount to inner bonnet skin and bond the two layers together when happy
4. Bond the rear clam to body
5. rub, fill, sand and repeat process for a few hundred hours until happy
6. fabricate exhaust (never done this before but hey why not give it a try?)
7. welcome the first day of spring by taking to MOT centre for its first MOT since it came off the road in November 2014
8. drive it for a bit and smile
9. PAINT
10. complete interior touches
11. DONE

Jones- Sorry, I seemed to have missed the news that your car doesn't fit in your garage.

I also know what a pain it is to work with heavy clay, this was the mess I was in building my Summer House base.



Good luck, Paul.

So I thought the thread might be overdue an update, so here it is.

Since Christmas I have managed to grab very little spare time but managed to fit the new radiator and hoses. At the same time I managed to fit the outstanding front lowering springs too.

Today I managed a few hours and it was final mock up of the rear for marking out the holes to be drilled for rivets and self tapping bolts. Then proceeded to strip the rear lights out and then whilst I had good access did a fiddly job I didn't fancy doing once the long overdue bonding has been completed, that was to trim the boot lip for the seal to sit nice and snug.

No pictures of the afternoons antics other than the first kit car based wound... Well I know compared to others on this forum it's not major plus scars add character apparently.