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Post by john on Sept 14, 2015 21:13:52 GMT
Hello,
This is kind of an introduction of myself at the same time, petrolhead but not a mechanic or engineer so going to be taking my time and no doubt be asking lots of questions along the path (long path knowing me)
Saw the red replicar briefly at CPOP in the summer parked up and struck a cord with me. I love how the mx5 drives but realise the image some people attach to them. Best of both words mx5 mechanicals and britsh sports car retro mod styling.
So after a quick call to MEV one lunchtime I headed off to Legoland for the weekend with the family, while at Legoland I fired up eBay and bought a 1999 1.8 mk2 (legoland bit was unrelated except proving to my wife she can never drop her guard)
Picked it up from wales and drove it back to Manchester, no issues good solid car.
I then parked it up and turned the good solid car into a good pile of bits.
Pics to follow.......
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Post by john on Sept 14, 2015 21:17:42 GMT
Attention seeking shot of the driveway (wife relegated to the road, for a few days) My black mx5 mk1 daily, the silver mx5 to be stripped and my monaro 5.7 litre V8. I use the monaro to help global warming and bring the British sun out, must be working as was a lovely sunny day .
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Post by john on Sept 14, 2015 21:20:30 GMT
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Post by john on Sept 14, 2015 21:27:17 GMT
Loom finally out and laid out hoping to label and figure it all out in my head. In the end the only figuring out I did was I figured I was lost so put it all in a big tub instead. I have labelled everything.......famous last words. All I need to do now is finish stripping the chassis, just fuel lines, brake lines and battery cable is a rough list which I need the car up off the floor for really. Then lift it off. Easy when I say it quickly. I guess I also need to actually go to MEV and see a car properly and order one as at the minute I've done all this based on seeing one parked up for a few minutes and a 5 minute chat with Stuart on the phone months ago.
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Post by john on Sept 14, 2015 21:34:10 GMT
Advice and tips welcome I need to have a good think about questions I have, this donor has abs and pas which I think I would like to keep (no a/c) but will need to check the chassis takes these mounts.
I also picked up some 2007 mini one steel wheels (thanks to the build thread who mentioned them) and I bought some cobra classic bucket seats.
I know I jumped the gun with wheels and seats but I just got a bit excited and ahead of myself. Just noticed a hammer and bottle of Perino in one of the pics ha ha
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Post by gwnwar on Sept 15, 2015 3:58:05 GMT
If you are planning on taking the rear sub frame and control arms off loosen the large nut on the rer axles now while you still have weight to hold rear wheels. Push battery cable through floor leave on PPF till later.. Ground strap left rear of engine to body..E brake cables and exhaust hangers loose the donuts..Drain fuel tank under left front of tank..
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Post by R2S on Sept 15, 2015 22:48:20 GMT
Dont remove the the ppf (front to rear beam) from the diff unless you really have to I had a real problem with mine (98 1.8 donor), oh and Id suggest not leaving it too long before fitting parts to new chassis. Been two years since I started and Im now struggling to remember where things go (but that could just be old age). Im reasonably local to you so happy to help if I can.
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Post by john on Sept 17, 2015 15:05:43 GMT
Thanks guys good advice and thanks for the offer. Am about to throw myself into the build threads and take some notes. Today just going to fit a hose looping the water pipes where the heater matrix once lived.
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Post by brettlawrence on Sept 21, 2015 20:25:11 GMT
Advice and tips welcome I need to have a good think about questions I have, this donor has abs and pas which I think I would like to keep (no a/c) but will need to check the chassis takes these mounts. I don't think there is an option from MEV for the chassis to mount these, but there is a completed thread on here somewhere where someone has, and I've got p/s and abs fitted to my in-progress build (hampshire build is the thread title). p/s just requires a mount for the reservoir and cooler, abs needs the controller and pump mounting, and brake lines are more complicated. Oh ABS sensor wires need routing as well.
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Post by R2S on Sept 21, 2015 22:50:18 GMT
Removed abs (new master cylinder required) and de-powered my rack on the basis that the car will weigh so little neither was really required.
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Post by john on Oct 1, 2015 14:45:44 GMT
Thanks very much, since last update I've removed the PAS reservoir, pipes and pump and reused a section of the hose to loop the feed and return pipes where it comes out the rack using a dremel to cut the pipes.
Looped my coolant at the back of the block now the heater matrix has gone.
Cut all the brake lines out from my ABS plan is to go none ABS route as well with new master cylinder looks a simpler build.
Bought new radiator today and fitted fan assembly to that as my original one looked one its way out.
Apart from some issues with a handbrake bracket I can't seem to remove I'm ready for body off.
Once that's done return some chassis bits and decide on a color for frame and car, trip to MEV before Christmas I hope.
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Post by john on Nov 15, 2015 19:35:34 GMT
Order placed, grey powder coat chassis and the new green body and yellow lipstick.
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Post by john on Nov 19, 2015 20:57:41 GMT
Until I get some friends round to lift off the body I've cut out chassis and Vin plates and been thinking about the dash and ordered some 90mm, 45mm and 15mm hole saws to start mocking up a dash layout. Use original binnacle behind with holes cut out the dash panel with a perspex cover.
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Post by john on Nov 25, 2015 13:10:43 GMT
Well got the body off, bit of a struggle without an engine crane but its done now. Removed the fuel tank , need to start tidying up the chassis and running gear now. Also need to cut up the shell and get rid of it using a van before the wife kills me for making the drive look like a scrap yard.
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Post by john on Dec 1, 2015 22:14:11 GMT
Was going to cut it up but managed to drag it down the drive using a trolley jack and a hernia. Local scrap guy came out but I had to give him £20 how things have changed. The price of scrap now when you factor in their costs of collection etc I'm just glad to get rid.
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