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Post by seakiwi on Apr 19, 2012 9:17:11 GMT
First let me introduce myself. My name is ian and I live in a tiny out the way place called Stillwater overlooking the wade River just outside of Auckland, New Zealand. I'm your "older" (read crazy) male who has owned 3 MX5's and is now converting the 4th to an Exocet. I will get the second kit out of the jig in NZ and I am very excited to have my donor in the garage and hear the rattle of air tools in the evening. I am so thankful to all of you who have posted your builds along the way, hopefully I can learn enough to help when its my turn. I have an NA series import from Japan, almost rust free so taking it apart so far has been easy. Any north shore locals thinking of doing their own build let me know as I'd be happy to share the journey.
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Post by nzexo on Apr 19, 2012 10:06:50 GMT
Hi Ian, Great to see you have started your journey. I look forward to following your progress in person as well as on this forum. Speak soon, Tom
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Post by bauer on Apr 21, 2012 0:12:25 GMT
Great to see the process starting. Keep us up to date with the build. I think it is terrific to have some builds going on in our part of the world. I look forward to seeing an Aussie build take place as it wont be me going first. I have my "donor" but I use "" as it is the car I drive to work every day Maybe one day. good luck with it all Ian
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 21, 2012 5:07:18 GMT
Well one night and a morning later I have a good collection of parts ready to sell. So far the process has been pretty straight forward but the dash doesn't seem to want to come out. I'll hunt for that bolt I missed tomorrow. All the back of the car has the wiring stripped now working on the front
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 21, 2012 22:21:02 GMT
The rest of the car looks a bit more sad. My first problem is the right side center spring block, everything wants to turn. I figure there must be a tool for this.
Wires everywhere but I have a system. I have a log book broken up for each area, each wire/plug is tagged and numbers and written into the log and number corss checked to wiring diagram which is blue tacked to the wall. All redundant wires and plugs and tagged in red. Hopefully it will be easy when it comes time to reassemble, time will tell. However it lets my wife help which isnt a bad thing as I think I will be spending more time with the donor than her over the enxt couple of weeks.
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 21, 2012 22:23:46 GMT
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 22, 2012 8:13:40 GMT
End of weekend, it was great to sort out issue with the dash (dummy me forgot the heater control cables) and drop out the dash, steering column and wheel. The pile of wiring is growing, everything labeled and disconnected except for one feed under the brake master cyclinder. If I can get the nuts loose tomorrow (lines seem forzen in very badly) then all the wiring is out. Hope to be lifting the body by next weekend.
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 25, 2012 6:47:08 GMT
Great news, got a confirmed date for the frame build so cracking on with the teardown. Roll on May 19th.
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 25, 2012 6:52:41 GMT
My nephew andrew came and gave me a hand today to sperate the body from the engine, PDF and rear. First we finished off stripping out the loom, note the nice clean tub. Then a long bar helped with those tight bolts holding it all together Rolled it outside and hooked up the engine hoist I learnt leaving the speedo cable attached didnt work! But once we freed that up and reset the hoist we started to make progress (even if we got a little lop sided)
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 25, 2012 7:01:22 GMT
And as the engine hoist got jamed wheels in the block paving we used our backs to pull the car out from under Untill the rolling unit could be moved free. We even took time out to tie up the brake cables Success at last! And rolled into the garage time for a well earnt beer and a time to goof off ;D
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 25, 2012 7:07:50 GMT
Safe on the trailer, waiting a good home (or a car crusher)
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Post by John B on Apr 25, 2012 14:22:31 GMT
Good work there pal. Nice colour donor, the same as mine! Bet the weather there is a lot better than in the UK though, I can't get much done at all.
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 26, 2012 6:49:26 GMT
Thanks and yes we can still work outside, around 20 C today and turning to rain for the weekend. At least now I can work in the garage as the heavy stuff is done for a bit.
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 27, 2012 23:20:55 GMT
Delivery for my kit is around May 18th so next week will get busy stripped and getting powder coating done. Now if I could only sort out what happened to the bushing kit I ordered from the USA! Hopefully it will turn up next week as well. For NZ followers that are keen to try this it has been good to bounce ideas off Tom and he's very helpful. Still working out wheel combos and other bits but the sale of bits on Trademe (similar to eBay) is going well and a net donor of under $1000 NZD is looking pretty good about now.
Switching out the older engine which has done 220,000Kms for one with around 80K on it as it worked out much cheaper than a rebuild.
Targeting September to be on the road in time for NZ spring. Tear down of the donor was around 16 hours so far with suspension overhaul to go. Thankfully in NZ rust isn't a major problem so even items line brake lines look clean and rust free.
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Post by seakiwi on Apr 30, 2012 3:08:46 GMT
Now that the body was off I took the weekend off to spend with my wife. But she has gone out so the first day of my holiday saw me back on the tools. First part was to split the front and rear. Pretty easy job that just involved unplugging the rest of the wire, removing the speedo cable as it goes through the PDF and unbolting the PDF. All the bolts came out nice and easy. Soon had the rear assembly ready to unbolt. Not sure I choose the right order but being able to flip it using the PDF frame as a lever made the first part straight forward. Diff is then easy to remove as well. Still wondering if I should get it overhauled while it is out. The only issue I have had is getting the long bolt out of the lower arm. Tried the vice and 10lb hammer on a punch, just does not seem to want to move. also the shocks had been replaced and the inner nut was a nightmare but got it in the end. Will take the frame in to get it pressed if need be.
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