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Post by ciaoberto on Dec 1, 2017 19:05:34 GMT
I've been neglecting this sharing experience for too long. A new job closely followed my last post and so it's taken a while for the dust to settle. SO... ...today I resurrect my build thread and catch you wonderful people up on the latest progress!! I'll try to keep things in chronological order. I decided to get in about the wiring harness early, as I was forecasting at least a few iterations of my final wiring route. I started by unravelling the overwhelming mass of snaking cable before plugging it all in to confirm it was still intact...  by Robert McClure, on Flickr Then I started stripping out some of the surplus and unnecessary since there's no longer any need for lots of the MX-5's luxurious features like windscreen wipers and heaters.  20170902_164524 by Robert McClure, on Flickr This was a repettitive process... -cut out redundant wiring -check remaining functionality -repeat ...until I was left with what I think is as little as I need to have the full function of the finished Exocet. then I prematurely wrapped it it back up in blue insulating tape...  Latest exocet by Robert McClure, on Flickr I say prematurely because I'm still not completely satisfied with where and how I've routed the harness. also it appears I've interrupted the signal for the tacho in the dash pod because it's telling me nothing. As far as I understand it, a signal comes from one of the coils?, to the ECU?, then to the dash? Can anybody advise? However, content with the progress I plugged it all back in and tried not to look at it for now. |
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Post by ciaoberto on Dec 1, 2017 19:43:51 GMT
Following that effort, I decided on a DIY wiring tray I fashioned from some aluminium sheet. This entailed changing the location of some important parts of the wiring harness, emphasising the need for me to unravel, adjust and re-wrap my previous efforts....  Latest exocet by Robert McClure, on Flickr I've since fabricated a version of the MEV radiator mounts and plumbed in the Radiator. Meaning I could now run the engine up to temperature and cycle the fan...  20170824_143644 by Robert McClure, on Flickr I've fitted and plumbed in the fuel tank, but I've lost the pictures I took. I'll have to take the rear appart and take some more to show how/what I did. All that was keeping the car from meeting terra firma and moving under it's own power was the brakes. I originally intended to strip, clean and dress the calipers myself...  2017-12-01_07-24-52 by Robert McClure, on Flickr NOPE!!so I sent them to "Bigg Red" for some much needed revitalisation....  2017-12-01_07-24-23 by Robert McClure, on Flickr Very pleased with the results given how horrific they looked they had thier work cut out for them. Turned around in about 8 days. They didn't have the colour I chose first because they started a new range, but I'm very happy with the midnight blue. So together with some EBC discs and pads (yes my budget build is but a distant memory) and some freshly routed brake lines, the car hit the deck, I turned the key, gasped at the noise from the open headers at my hip, dipped the clutch, knocked it into first and dug two trenches in the gravel. Perfect opportunity to mock up the tank cover and nose cone and take some beauty shots....of sorts....  Latest exocet by Robert McClure, on Flickr Oh yes, there's GRP seats on rails and some front lights (in testing/non IVA position) some Freaky Parts 35mm spacers and the old wheels installed too.  Latest exocet by Robert McClure, on Flickr Making big moves now!! Passers by have stopped asking what it is (some thought it was a boat?!!?!!) Next up? Securing that tank cover, adding a fuel filler and wiring in the rear lights which meant attaching the rear cycle wings. |
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Post by ciaoberto on Dec 1, 2017 20:04:25 GMT
So to fit the tank cover, I had to devise my own version of the various fuel fillers I'd admired here on this very forum. I ordered up some of that very popular and super bendy, flexible fuel filler hose to marry the original filler neck (trimmed down to about 2.5 inches long) and the tank, keeping the breather tube I simply trimmed it to fit the new location. I drilled a pilot hole roughly where the filler laid rest under the cover and carved out the size/ shape and position I needed to get the neck mounted using the original bolt pattern. Upon completion I decided it'd have to be temporary because it spoiled the look. I now have my eyes on a gorgeous aluminium aero filler cap. I extended the wiring on the light units and mounted them the only way you can on the wings and then used some mega adhesive to attach them initially. there's fibre glass to some before they're permanent. Not too difficult, other than the weather being an obstacle. I'd take time off to tackle some of the work since it'd been at a stand still for a few weeks. So I HAD TO erect a shelter in the driveway to ensure progress...  Latest exocet by Robert McClure, on Flickr I reinstalled the exhaust too. It's definitely seen better days and probably needs the cat-silencer section replaced. the hanger on that section fouled my frame too, so I lopped it off with the angle grinder. So now all the lights at the rear are installed, I put each of them to the test. Just one or two issues need resolved: 1.The hazards flash only if the sidelights/headlights switch is OFF - turn signals function correctly regardless 2.The donor was an import, so doesn't have fog light wiring - what do people with more knowledge usually do there?  Latest exocet by Robert McClure, on Flickr Another job off the list...  Latest exocet by Robert McClure, on Flickr |
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Post by buildercg on Dec 2, 2017 16:15:59 GMT
I spent 3 months wiring and rewiring my Exocet and had, at one point, a similar issue regarding the hazards. In my case, it was a missing ground (and I'd swear after the first week that I didn't miss one). I wrapped and rewrapped the harness repeatedly before I finally gave up and uhnwrapped everything, got all components working, and then finally made it clean.
I don't have fog lights and they're not required where I live but if the wiring is missing it should be fairly easy to add a fuse protected circuit to handle the load.
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Post by gwnwar on Dec 2, 2017 18:56:54 GMT
FYI.. Your front tires are on the wrong side..Switch them L>R so the point of the V is pointed forward on the top of tire like the rear ones..
So to let water out of tread.. Did you fill the shift turret with fluid before installing shifter.. holds 90cc..
Nice build like the colors..
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Post by browno on Dec 5, 2017 14:10:29 GMT
Wow - great progress there - and all on the drive too!
Good to see it all coming together! I keep getting distracted by other projects, which has delayed me a little, but I am hopefully on track to be on the road in the spring - it looks like you are going to be done before me so long as the Scottish weather plays ball, although I'm sure your shelter has made a big difference!
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Post by ciaoberto on Feb 26, 2018 20:44:27 GMT
So the new job has slowed progress a bit. However I have moved forward some what since December.  Exocet Progress Feb 2018 by Robert McClure, on Flickr I've mounted the nose cone. I bought some aero catches for what I call the 'top' of the bonnet. I've always appreciated the look of them and they seemed like a relatively simple solution. The lower front of the nose is attached to brackets I've extended from the radiator mounts (a lot like the MEV ones, just not as neat and tidy) to give it a hinge. I have an issue where the nose cone doesn't quite fit around the bottom of the radiator when I open it on my hinge. The sides bind on the outer edge.  Exocet Progress Feb 2018 by Robert McClure, on Flickr Still to fit the mesh to finish off the front end. I haven't quite finished my front brake line brackets, they are attached but I'm not quite convinced they allow enough slack at full lock. Can anybody define how much play you need in the flexible part of the line?  Exocet Progress Feb 2018 by Robert McClure, on Flickr Got the front wings on too, and painted my old wheels (which turned into a disaster for two of them). But the looks have been improved for a grand total of around £14!!  Exocet Progress Feb 2018 by Robert McClure, on Flickr Transmission tunnel is fitted, after a days worth of fettling. Planning some vinyl wrap for the 'interior' panels. I'm now officially past my intended finish date. Optimistically hoping it'll be on the road for summer. Still enjoying the build process and I recently totted up my invoices to a total LESS than I was expecting. Next steps will be wrapping the loom in split conduit, the rest of the interior panels, wing mirrors, improving the aesthetic of the fuel filler cap (donor cap doesn't appeal to me) without compromising the vent pipe (I'm yet to find a reasonably priced fuel filler cap with a vent pipe on it). |
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Post by davetherave on Feb 26, 2018 21:57:41 GMT
looks good
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