New Builder, longtime lurker

[rv8air]

I’ve previously revealed that I own a 2000 bone stock Miata. After driving it for a couple of years, I wanted to do some upgrades. Along the way I came across a 2000 SE that had already been upgraded with coil overs, shaved head, racing seat, low profile tires, custom wheels, hard top, and roll bar. With the 6 speed and LSD that comes with the SE, it basically had all the mods I was going to do to the Miata I already had. a picture of the donor is attached.  Since now I have two driving Miatas, the one with all mods will evolve to an Exocet.

The Exocet Sport unit should arrive in a couple of months. Since I am retired, I’ll have plenty of time to get the SE torn down. I’m thinking of replacing the 6 speed trans with a 5, and the roll bar will be redundant. Persons interested in excess parts may send PM. Cheers.


BTW I'm in Oakdale CA which is near Modesto.  

[themorgster]

Hello and welcome! My donor was a 2000 Icon (1.8, 6speed, LSD, art vin red), basically the same as your SE. I wanted a 6 speed for 2 reasons: 1) I heard they can handle more power & 2)all 6speeds came with a LSD (you can also fill the oil from the turret, which is handy). I drove it 130 miles today and can honestly say I’m loving the 6speed! If you decide to go with a 5speed, be aware that the LSD’s on the 6speed cars have a different gear ratio than those diffs found on a 5speed car, so mating the two could potentially have unintended consequences.

[rv8air]

Thanks for the tip themorgster. Looks like I'll need to compare the diff ratios. Work on the project officially begins today, as I will "break" the axel nuts loose, just in case I decide to do full sub-frame tear downs when the time comes. There are higher priorities which will keep work to a minimum until tomorrow, when I'll start pulling off the low hanging fruit.

[rv8air]

What a great laugh today.  After pulling off low hanging fruit (front bumper, fenders, seats, steering wheel, instruments, doors) and so forth, I moved on to the interior, hoping to charge on with the dash.  The instructions from EXO was pretty straight forward.  Remove about 7 bolts, a few screws, and pull out the dash.  Easily said, but not so easily done.  Having read several build logs, I knew it wouldn't be that easy.
 
Nevertheless, there's a finite number of tasks.  It'll will get done, eventually, and I've got all spring to build.   

[rv8air]

Here's a great video  - step by step NB dashboard removal. I followed the instructions and was done in less than three hours.
No excess jabber, good lighting, and accuration discriptions.




 Having all the tools at hand, including an impact driver, things went better than I expected.  

[rv8air]

Working on the wiring harness. We are not amused.

[rv8air]

The harness is out, and most of the encumbrances in the engine bay are clear.  After I pull the rad and drain the fuel, the disconnects underneath the car can be tended to.  What remains then will be to pull off the body.  

[hutchey]

Nice going, keep at it

[rv8air]

Work is progressing nicely. The body is off, and the skate is stripped of excess bits and bobs. The PPF was missing a bolt at the diff, and the forward bolts were not torqued. That got sorted with used bits from Ebay. De-powering the steering rank went as expected, and the holes have been neatly plugged with worm screws. In the process of stripping the skate, I managed to pop one of the end links apart - ball came out of the socket - and I didn't want to just jam it back together, so I've ordered new links for the front. Donor came with nice coil-overs, but the boots were trashed. Others have said the boots are superfluous, but I like 'em, so baby's getting a new set of boots. I'm at the point where I wish the frame was here, but having a break in the build is probably a good thing. I'm basically forced to slow down and think things through.

[rv8air]

[rv8air]

It's always something, isn't it? The end links I bought do not have the 5mm socket bolts I need. My fault actually, as I should have paid closer attention to the pictures, and less attention to the description which said they's fit my unit.

I just got done reading through Hutchey's great build. My mind is completely boggled. The bar is set pretty high.

[rv8air]

After looking at several build threads, trying to figure out what I could have done differently, I've decided to ask the experts.  When I was stripping my donor, I really buggered up my throttle cable. Or more accurately, i buggered up the  fitting affixed to the cable where it attaches to the firewall.  After not being able to get it off working alone, I got larger hammers and larger screwdrivers, until I beat the thing into submission.  Before then, I had pre-determined that the worst case scenario was a replacement cable, so I didn't have much to lose. I wasn't going to lose to a simple cable.  

I know there's a specialty tool you can buy, but they're not always handy. So now I've got a new cable ordered and on its way, but who, besides myself, had their day with that stupid cable, and what did you do? Maybe posting your successful method on the board in the tech section might help the next person to be successful where I failed so miserably

[rv8air]

I learn something new about this build, with just about every builder's log I read.  Setting tire pressures at 12 in front and 18 in back, for instance.  It makes sense considering the car is so light, but when you're used to putting 28 in the daily driver, and 50 in the tow vehicle, well, putting 12 in front seems to be insufficient - but I'm willing to give it a go.

Since I learn something new with almost every log I read, and I can't remember much of it,  I've created a "tips and tricks" spreadsheet, which is divided into technical groups.  The purpose is to keep ideas organized for my personal reference.  When I get to a specific step of my build, say, "tires" for instance, I will be able to go to that section of the spreadsheet, and find out which tires and pressures have been beneficial to more experienced builders than myself.  

[craig1]

Sounds like your strip down of the mx-5 is coming along, i have only just started my tear down by taking the seats out so far, hoping to get some more done this week

[wishful4444]

Good day rv8air

Your comments about tyre pressures was interesting. A couple of weeks ago I asked about tyre pressures for my Sonic. It appears the conclusion from a facebook chat forum was 18 psi all round or 16 psi front and 18 psi rear.

The Sonic is rear engine. Given that the Exocet is front engine I am surprised the front is so low as 12 psi.

It will be interesting what you think of the pressures when you get to drive it.