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Post by marmot0 on Feb 4, 2015 11:29:35 GMT
Hi. I fitted a non return valve to the exit on top where the charcoal canister attached. This equalises the pressure on the tank as well as sealing should you roll over I put my filler to one side in the dip beside the passenger side wheel arch. This means I can fill the tank full and also not break my back when filling up from a jerry can. Thanks
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Post by spudman on Sept 7, 2015 22:48:52 GMT
IVA date is fast approaching, 16 Sep, and I only have about a month's worth of work left to do, so I'm going well! Getting the test booked has certainly been a great way to focus my mind on the essentials, although has led to serious neglect of lawns, housework, wife, etc. A major part of the work in the last weeks has been sorting out the dash, there were a few problems related to me having removed sections of the wiring loom what I shouldn't ort to have done. Nothing too serious though: backlighting wasn't working, I think there's an optional backlight dimmer, in my vehicle it was a plug connector with 2 pins connected by a bit of metal. I had clipped that off not noticing the connector, but fortunately hadn't thrown it out yet. All good when that was reinstated. Tachometer didn't work initially, don't know how but I managed to orphan one of those wires completely, but it was easy enough to run another one directly from the ECU. I made the (ambitious, with hindsight) decision to reuse the MX5 dials, but take them out of the cluster and redistribute/rewire. This meant rewiring warning lights as well, the charge light needs a resistor connected (taken from the cluster), but apart from that the dials and lights all worked wired in directly. I've gone for LED indicators and backlighting (amber), so careful attention to polarity required, but happy with the result (although the blue beam indicator is blindingly bright and will need something to damp it down). Dials were attached to some 6mm perspex using m3 spacers, the original rings around dials cut out of the cluster and sprayed silver, and 3 mm aluminium panels cut out of some salvaged instrument housing at work, then a bit of effort with wet and dry for a brushed look. Very happy with the result, some people may not be happy with my amateur upholstery, but it's not too bad I reckon (and I'm not changing it now). Seat heaters wired in (thanks to a suggestion from another forum member, can't remember who but thanks - great idea). £30 well spent (ebay). I also have wiring in place for front and rear cameras, the snout is very very long and will protrude well into some intersections before the driver sees anything. The fog recesses seem to make a nice location for the cameras. Need to sort out some domes to cover these, that'll be post IVA. Silencer mounted behind passenger seat, fibreglass tape wrapped, and aluminium heat shield to protect fuel tank. At present it exits under the vehicle, but if time permits it'll come out the side just in front of left hand rear wheel. The fuel filler is going to sit in the top left corner of the boot, this may be a point of discussion with inspector, the filler will sit in a tray with a drain at the bottom and hose to lead spillage away from silencer, so I think it'll be ok, bigger issue may be having it mounted inside a compartment, but I have a cunning plan... Pleased with my grill, not quite authentic, but easier than welding for me. Solid horizontal aluminium rod, passing through aluminium tube (rail from roller blind). I'm using keyed bonnet catches, 2 for £15 off ebay, 3 on the bonnet and the last one is the lock for the boot - works well, and no sharp edges. Quite happy also with the number plate mount I made with another section of 3mm aluminium, have searched the IVA manual and see no mention of front number plate - is it actually required? I'd like to use a stick-on type on the bonnet if possible, but I suppose a few cable ties will suffice to hold the rigid one in place if it's necessary. More to follow, Cheers Spud
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Post by R2S on Sept 8, 2015 7:59:53 GMT
Some great ideas there Spud, particularly like the chrome light rings and the retro (deco) look dash. Suppose thats the great thing about self build cars they are all different.
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Post by spudman on Sept 16, 2015 9:45:56 GMT
So the test is underway, comments all good so far, but I'm not allowed to stay in for it, will find out soon enough I guess. The drive up to the test centre was magic on a typical northern Irish morning... All the work has been totally worthwhile just to have that drive. More to follow...
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Post by Stiggy on Sept 16, 2015 15:03:54 GMT
no news is good news right?
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Post by spudman on Sept 16, 2015 19:07:06 GMT
Sadly no, but I'd call it a good fail. I have a short list of minor things to sort out, mostly edges that I thought were rounded, but evidently weren't rounded enough, my gear stick needs a hood, there are sharp protrusions in the footwell areas (ie behind the dash), that a person's knees/feet might possibly contact, and my exhaust rattled loose on its first drive. The only really substantial point was that my battery behind the passenger seat was not in a battery box, and although the positive had a rubber boot over it, there wasn't much to prevent a short if something metallic fell behind the seat. Fair cop.
Other builders may be interested to know that the bullet style mirrors were compliant - barely. These came fitted with concave (convex?) mirrors, which didn't allow quite enough adjustment, so I put a tapered bead of chrome trim around the edge between the mirror and rim, to hold the mirror at a greater angle.
I unaccountably became lost on the way home, and ended up taking quite a circuitous route. 50 mph feels like 100 when you're that close to the road with the wind roaring past, sheer exhilaration.
Hopefully get a retest in a couple of weeks. Cheers Spud
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Post by Stiggy on Sept 16, 2015 19:10:42 GMT
Sorry to hear that but as you say, a good fail. I have never fitted a battery box though, weird.
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Post by R2S on Sept 16, 2015 22:30:47 GMT
Useful feedback Spud, picking up Stuarts point sounds like a lack of tester consistency (probably to be expected) although i do think a battery box is probably best practise and plan to fit one.
Good luck with the retest.
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Post by spudman on May 31, 2016 22:38:05 GMT
A long time since I posted, but to summarise, the retest was fine, and the wait for registration excruciating, but I was on the road in November, and managed to get quite a few miles in over the winter. With the heated seats turned up full the car is extremely comfortable even on a frosty day, and now that I have proper wheel arches I don't get misted with road film every time I go through a puddle. Arches were made from 1.5 mm polypropylene, starting with a cardboard template. I was intending to screw through the rebate on the shell into a rivnut in the polypro, but it was just too difficult to get the shape right and line everything up. In the end I made little aluminium tags that screwed to the arch and could be bent easily to the right position, then the polypro was lined up, drilled and riveted. I've been working away at some of the other tasks as well, my sewing skills have a long way to go before I tackle leather seats like the gorgeous creations in the racing replicar, but I am quite pleased with my tonneau and very pleased with my canvas cover (photos to follow). The cover was originally intended to keep the cat off the car (feline sixth sense for where is the most annoying place to walk with muddy paws), but is so nice I now want a cover to protect the cover, damn the animal. Last weekend was my best yet with the car, finished the side vents recently and am pleased (although I will be toning them down a bit with some black paint on the mesh), but the car now looks properly finished. Took a late drive and ended up at Spelgia dam in the Mournes where I got this shot: But Sunday was even better, at a family function I spent an ecstatic hour or two taking kids (little and big) for blats around the block, and felt like the coolest uncle/cousin/in law in the whole of Acton village, possibly even Poyntzpass as well! Smiles all around. The guy who was sadly missing would have loved it. Thanks Stuart for a marvellous creation.
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Post by spudman on Jul 30, 2017 10:50:20 GMT
Decided to try the yellow lipstick, so got hold of some vinyl wrap and a product called "wrapcut pro", like a fineline tape with a cutting filament in it. This was my first attempt at using wrap so it's not perfect, but fine unless you look up close. Have plenty more left so one day I'll have another go. If anyone wants some of the wrap and wrapcut let me know, I got way more than I need. There was a mixed reaction at home to the new look, but I like it, and the car was certainly centre of attention at our local show.
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Post by R2S on Jul 31, 2017 9:47:34 GMT
No idea how I've missed your last two posts.
Like the solution on the wheelchair inners, a must for me here in the Peaks as it rains (summer snow winter) most of the time.
Cant see the yellow lipstick clearly on the final picture and wouldnt load from photobucket. I plan to have yellow front but broader banding but im still many months away from body work.
Looking forward to the photos of the tonneau and cover.
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