gjb
Newbie
Posts: 7
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Post by gjb on Apr 10, 2024 15:27:07 GMT
I have been meaning to post a build thread on here for a while - Have started the project already so this is going to be catch up ! Took the bonnet off the donor 28th Jan .... Car is now stripped down, parts sold, thing I need I hope I kept! Bags with labels, wiring with labels ... As my son said the other day... Where has the car gone.... well usual story of the strip down - Rusty bolts, more rusty bolts, penetrating oil buy the bucket, breaker bars, impact wrenches, heat etc etc and it all came apart. Patience and a slow approach was best. Subframes, suspension arms went off to powder coat and are now back... Brakes have been completely stripped and rebuilt, painted etc. Diff side seals out and a lick of paint PPF etch primed ready to paint Gearbox and engine split, gearbox etch primed ready to paint Engine on stand and being refurbished / painted - Cam cover, inlet manifold split and cleaned, new seals, gaskets, water pump, belts, VVT rebuild etc etc as usual... Power steering deleted - inner ring off, pipe connections filled with JB Weld New rear disks, pads all round, new rear and front bearings, All the usual skate strip and rebuild... recondition where can, new parts where appropriate ... Collected the KIT from Stewart yesterday and hopefully very soon skate will be back together and the actual build can start... Interestingly Stewart and the chaps at MEV are only 7 miles from me so I can pop in and annoy them easily  This Group and the blogs, Facebook Group and YouTube have been a wonderful source of information, advice and inspiration... I will try and keep things updated now we are about to actually start building the car ...                   |
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Post by o55ie18 on Apr 11, 2024 6:10:17 GMT
Welcome to the group Gareth. Iv also found the forum and facebook groups such a help throughout the build.
Very fortunate to be so close to MEV, I had to travel a decent distance but they are very helpful and no doubt you will be able to get this build back together quickly!
Enjoy everything, take your time and just take pics pics pics and more pics, they come in so helpful when rebuilding
Jay
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gjb
Newbie
Posts: 7
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Post by gjb on Apr 11, 2024 7:09:51 GMT
Thanks Jay!
Yes lots of pictures have been taken ! but being able to pop in and see things on a real car will be helpful ... I am very lucky!
There will no doubt be many questions I have ... some are already forming in my head... more around options for things on the actual fabrication and build of the kit... the MX5 parts are fairly straight forward ... so far anyway !
Hopefully get my rear wheel bearings and hubs back today from the local small garage chap who is pressing them in for me...
We have a local Car and Classic show 1st September ... even if its trailered there (not road legal) I hope to get it along.. so that's my goal ATM...
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Post by o55ie18 on Apr 11, 2024 7:43:40 GMT
Thanks Jay! Yes lots of pictures have been taken ! but being able to pop in and see things on a real car will be helpful ... I am very lucky! There will no doubt be many questions I have ... some are already forming in my head... more around options for things on the actual fabrication and build of the kit... the MX5 parts are fairly straight forward ... so far anyway ! Hopefully get my rear wheel bearings and hubs back today from the local small garage chap who is pressing them in for me... We have a local Car and Classic show 1st September ... even if its trailered there (not road legal) I hope to get it along.. so that's my goal ATM... If you're putting the time in and things go together easily then its certainly doable to get it there on a trailer. Good luck and fingers crossed it will be good to go. May struggle to get it road legal by then (not because of your build speed but because of the IVA wait times etc). Very handy being close, and having a good local garage is also beneficial. I was fortunate that I could bring my bearings to work to press them back in otherwise would have also been going to garages lol. keep the pictures and updates coming mate and any questions, everyone will be quick and happy to help |
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Post by hutchey on Apr 23, 2024 10:06:52 GMT
Welcome Gareth
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phaeton
Full
Thinking of Supercharging
Posts: 139
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Post by phaeton on Apr 23, 2024 10:42:22 GMT
Just a couple of tips to consider, I bought a couple of of saw horses from Screwfix they were only £25 rated at 250Kgs each, I then extended the width of them with some 3x2 timber made things a lot easier in the initial stages to have it up in the air & save your back. You can do all the fuel, brake pipes, wiring, floors, tunnel, firewall, wiring tray etc. whilst it's on them. Two people can lift the frame up onto them & flip it over when needed.
With regards to the firewall & tunnel, both my Exocets were earlier models & the firewall & tunnel fit is now supposed to be better, but I would suggest that unlike the instructions you tackle both them first before you do the floor, you have far more access that way.
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gjb
Newbie
Posts: 7
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Post by gjb on Apr 24, 2024 8:07:45 GMT
Just a couple of tips to consider, I bought a couple of of saw horses from Screwfix they were only £25 rated at 250Kgs each, I then extended the width of them with some 3x2 timber made things a lot easier in the initial stages to have it up in the air & save your back. You can do all the fuel, brake pipes, wiring, floors, tunnel, firewall, wiring tray etc. whilst it's on them. Two people can lift the frame up onto them & flip it over when needed. With regards to the firewall & tunnel, both my Exocets were earlier models & the firewall & tunnel fit is now supposed to be better, but I would suggest that unlike the instructions you tackle both them first before you do the floor, you have far more access that way. Thanks for the advice! The chassis is currently in one side of the workshop on two stands already! once skate is rebuilt I will set it on some wheel dolly's I have bought - plan is the whole car will be easier to shift about / put to one side when complete ... and then I can move the chassis in to the wider space to do the fit out ... will def attack the firewall and tunnel first! I was thinking of painting the underside of the floor with something thick and protective - E-Tech do a chassis paint ... good idea or dont bother ? Rear end is rebuilt (not torqued yet) - front in progress and then complete engine and gearbox refurb and put skate back together ....   |
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gjb
Newbie
Posts: 7
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Post by gjb on Apr 24, 2024 8:08:32 GMT
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phaeton
Full
Thinking of Supercharging
Posts: 139
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Post by phaeton on Apr 24, 2024 8:33:47 GMT
When you do come to drop the frame onto the skate, lift the skate up to the frame, (depending if you are on your own) undo the PPF at the gearbox & diff end, there needs to be a bit of wiggle room
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gjb
Newbie
Posts: 7
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Post by gjb on Apr 24, 2024 15:17:04 GMT
When you do come to drop the frame onto the skate, lift the skate up to the frame, (depending if you are on your own) undo the PPF at the gearbox & diff end, there needs to be a bit of wiggle room Thanks for the heads up ... I am sure when I get there I will have a zillion q's! Just need to crack on with the engine / gearbox... |
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Post by hutchey on May 1, 2024 15:21:45 GMT
You'll want to take the coil pack off the back of the engine too before lowering the frame onto the pdf, as it get in the way. That 10mm bolt head is a bitch in the way.
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