Random Updates #1

Odd stuff that doesn’t require it’s own post

1. Security (and not Through Obscurity – it didn’t work for Cisco)

Instead of hauling a 6 kg fire extinguisher around in a car where you’ve been over every nut and bolt to see what doesn’t make it stop, turn, slow down – and keeps you alive, seems like a pretty dumb idea. Still, having one within easy reach seems like a good idea so when I stumbled over the Fire Suppression Systems 100, that was pretty much a no brainer:

and it weighs in at a whopping 550 g.

An hour of Doodling in Fusion 360 and Bob’s Your Uncle:

Fingers crossed I’ll never have to test it, but nice to have it readily available (I’ll print another set of clips so I can keep it in the trunk if I have to park the car unattended.)

2. Progress on mounting the hardtop

Still haven’t as much as test fitted the old blue hardtop I bought ages ago. 1: There’s been no need for it yet. 2: I’m a lazy and procrastinating bastard. 3: I Need to get the latches sorted*. 4: The strikers doesn’t fit because of the rollbar.

Now I’m no metal artist but think I did ok on cutting down the strikers for the latches so they don’t interfere with the rollbar:

One out of 4 issues solved.

*One of the latches were missing a pin – quick email to Andreas from Au2fast for getting me one in less than 48 hours! Once again to the rescue.

3. Speaking of rollbars – replacement with eyes for door bars also in place.

Got a replacement rollbar. Even though I ordered it with the door bars (because racecar), Cybul managed to ship the Roll Bar X without the eyes the door bars bolts to. Was given a couple options. They could send me a set of eyes and I could have someone local weld them one. They would also give a mighty discount on my purchase – or they could send me the correct rollbar and I do the fitting myself. Since I’d already done it once, that was a no-brainer. Since they agreed to arrange for pickup of the “wrong” one, that was just the cherry on top. Huge Thank you to William from Jocks.dk for getting this sorted. (Option one was never eve considered. Getting a discount is all good, but then having to clean up the area where it’s going to be welded, and not just clean up, remove powder coat etc. Then finding someone local to trust with the welding – not happening. And it would never look as good again.)

Anyway – much ado for a set of eyes:

How I managed to get the old one in and secured using a 17mm spanner on a 16mm bolt we’ll never know. I do know that it didn’t come out with that combo #Facepalm

4. Out and About for the second time:

This Sunday I did an 80 km, ehhh—, blast is probably too strong a word, a bit more Spirited than last time then, drive. I am finally falling madly in love with this car because 1. It handles just like I was hoping it would, and 2. once more nothing fell off or caught fire (had the fire extinguisher this time though!) or exploded and killed me while doing so. Took the BIL for a spin (of course he got to drive) and he said, unprovoked, that it feels like a completely different car from the wallowing Sunday drive cruiser we took for a spin when we first went to see it – Thank you Kind Sir because: 1. That was the idea – and 2. I did this – all by myself.<- there is no sarcasm in there!

Such a pretty little car (rear fender will be cut shorter shortly.)

Snatching Defeat pt. 2. // F’ing Finally!

I can hardly believe it myself, but the MX5 is finally outside after sitting (not neglected, mind you) for the best part of a year. IIRC, I think it arrived home on the 6th of October 2020.

Do notice that the black coating on the brake disc is gone – yes, it’s been driven! ( :

Anyway – Since I managed to Snatch Defeat from the Jaws of Victory, life got in the way. 6 booked weekends with family stuff. Almost a full week away from home doing work stuff, extended w/e away from home for Mom and Dads 50s Anniversary. Countless evenings spend planning some light entertainment for said anniversary and even more evenings doing a sign for it. Note:1

Still – this Friday, despite not feeling all that great, I managed to get the new housing for the water pump installed, got the prettied up subframe mounted (I honestly can’t believe I didn’t take a single picture of that) and got the new center console delete piece with switches for the power windows installed: Note:2

Odds on that part coming out again any time soon to be prettied up and color coded?. Slim to none most likely. The fit is ok and most importantly, the windows work. Go me!

So another Saturday away from home and then:

one MX5 leaving the garage under power, it’s own even, on Sunday the 26th:

Not sure why SWMBO decided to film in potato quality ( :

I’m a huge fan of loud pipes. Bikes, cars: something fast passing me on the highway doing illegal km/h makes my hair stand up. And the old saying: “Loud pipes save lives” – I’m a fan. Now the Japspeed 2½” stainless cat-back system is borderline ridiculous though. I don’t think it’s any louder than the stock, but has a bit of a burble that the stock one misses. I’m ok with it though. It doesn’t attract attention and it will definitely help give that vital good first impression come inspection date.

Anyway: I must have done something right because it feels awesome, it really does. I think the word I’m looking for is “tight”. Everything feels somehow solid and connected and not nearly and harsh as I had feared/expected with the HSD COs with 12 and 9kg springs (stock is 8/6). Mind you, they’re set to the softest position as they should be according to the manual for the first couple of hundred km but I was still expecting a much harder ride when adding 25% to the springs. It’s in no way plush like the stock MX5 (and no comparison with our VW up! at all) but I’m still surprised how it feels going over imperfections in the road.

Combined with the 3kg saved pr. corner going from 17″ to 15″, new spark plugs and spark plug wires, it also feels quite a bit sprightlier than before.

More plus: I really think my alignment is better than just ballpark. It tracks completely straight. Going left or right feels exactly the same – except opposite. When hitting the brakes hard with no hands on the wheel (you know what I mean), it doesn’t deviate. Just goes straight. Yes, the brakes are awesome too ( :

Only issue after the initial test drive to see if it would kill me or catch fire, or both, was the t-clamp on the top coolant hose that needed 1½ turn to stop the coolant pissing out. Refill and all was well.

And I did it all by myself – I could not be happier!

Note:1 I don’t do standard, so my take on a sign for a 50th Anniversary looks like this:

Note:2 I’ll get to the center console delete piece with the switches soon. Also Note:2 – if you want to take pictures of parts on the underside of your lowered car, do it while it’s sitting on 35cm tall blocks – not when it’s on the ground. Truth Fact!

If you didn’t know better, you’d think some schmuck put in a roll bar, slapped on some 15″ wheels and dropped it 25mm… (that’s exactly what I did, more or less)

The Plan…

Kento’s track prepped NB.

Updated 2021-08-25

Convert the more or less stock MX5 to something resembling Kento’s supercharged NB worthy of taking to the Nürburgring, on a budget (which was looked at, considered, and then almost immediately thrown out the window)

The list started as:

  1. Wheels / Tires
  2. Coil overs
  3. Bushings all around
  4. Rollbar (because race car)
  5. Retro 3 spoke steering wheel (because race car)
  6. Bucket seats (because race car)
  7. Basic refresh (hoses, plugs, fluids, pads)

and then throw away anything that didn’t make it stop, turn or go – all while keeping it street legal. The Nürburgring is a public road, so unless it’s a closed track day, your car has to be registered and inspected. Also, the Ring is about 750 km from our garage door and we still need to get there.

But as I’m a “Can’t leave well enough alone” and “While I’m there” kinda guy, that list, of course, turned out to be more than a bit short. So what started as a quick do-up turned into the car being on stands for 10 months.

Eventually, there’ll be a post summarizing things – no idea when this will happen.

2021-08-25: One thing I need to point out, apart from prepping this for the Ring so it doesn’t actually kill me when we get there: It’s also a chance to learn something new, so I will be, to the best of my abilities, doing everything myself. If I get lost or my flabber gets completely ghasted along the way, I hope Google or YouTube will be able to sort me. I’ve done plenty of work on bikes, but this will be my first rodeo in the car world (This is also not true, I’ve changed pads and discs on the up!)

References:

Mama I’m Coming Home….

At least she’s in one piece…

First picture after having returned home. 170km in pissing rain with dad in the support vehicle (our VW up!) bringing up the rear. Looking back, she’s more than a little sad looking. Wheels too big. Ride height like a truck. Yellowed headlights – the list is long. Still, she’s fairly healthy, plenty of bills for maintenance, so should be a good starting point.

This post was backdated!