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Well, the kit arrived on Saturday, made a good start with the rear suspension transferred from the Mx5. Now frustrated as one of the lower wishbone bolts has siezed onto the bush – event a 14lb sledge hammer wasn’t shifting it grrrrrrrrr……..
Hello Andrew
Welcome to the Healy Enigma clab and best of luck with your build, we would be very interested if you kept us up to date with progress.
Cheers
MikeSomewhat slow progress. I’ve got the subframes attached, so at least the chassis rolls. Currently working on getting brake and fuel lines fixed and fuel tank installed, but have just found out that the standard MX5 tank needs to be modified to fit between the rear chassis, which I wasn’t expecting.
Also been working on getting the engine and gearbox ready for fitting. However, the studs on the exhaust manifolds had been damaged by whoever removed the engine and are proving VERY reluctant to remove.
Fuzz Townsend used a special induction heater when trying to remove a stubborn stud on the rebuild of a Datsun 240Z. It consisted of a coil the surrounded the stud and within a short period, the stud was cherry red and came our very easily. I’ve never seem or heard of these before but it was very impressive
I managed to get the damaged studs out with the slightly lower tech solution of welding a nut on the end (“gas less” MIG welder £99 from Amazon), felt quite pleased with myself, so thought I’d go for a trial fitting of the engine and gearbox…….
Turns out the UZ1FE VVTi motor has slightly wider exhaust manifolds and the inlet manifold is longer than on the non VVTi, so scratching my head again now.
The exhaust manifolds should be solvable with either new custom ones or using the non VVTi ones (although they apparently don’t breathe as well). However, the inlet manifold is a bigger challenge as either the chassis cross member would need modifying unless the whole engine can be mounted about 3″ further forward.
Not written anything for a while, so I thought I’d provide a brief update:
Got the engine in (I would post a photo but can’t actually see how to do that) Once I took the manifolds off it went fairly well. Still need to get the manifolds modified though.
I’m now waiting for my propshaft to be modified and to get the exhaust made up, then I can be sure the engine is finally fitted.
I’ve also just about finished stripping my MX5 and started fitting the dashboard and wiring loom.
I am hoping to make it possible to post photos, in the mean time if you would like to email them to me, I can add them
Cheers
MikeHi Andrew, I am also building a V8 hardtop and spoke to Martin and Malcolm at the classic car show at the NEC, they were going to pass me on your details so that I could contact you. I live near Chesterfield so not a million miles away. I may bombard you with questions every now and then if that’s alright. My chassis is due in December and I have already stripped the MX-5 so refurbing the parts to be re-used at the moment. How far on are you, it looks like you are ready for the body panels soon.
Speak to you soon,
Peter.
Hi Peter – good to hear some else is building a V8. I’m not making quick progress and have currently got to the point where I need to wire up the engine, so trying to source some connectors for the ECU (easier said than done!).
Have you got the engine yet? To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend the VVTi .
Happy to share my experiences.
Cheers
Andrew
Hi Andrew, yes I have a 96 low mileage engine, not vvti I wasn’t sure it would fit. I bought the car from London and drove it back 150 miles faultlessly and then ran it for a couple of weeks to check everything functioned properly before removing everything that I needed. It has only done 50k with full Lexus service history so should be fine. Have you tried eBay for your connectors, there are one or two vvti being broken. Good luck,
Peter.Well I managed to find some ECU connectors on eBay – from a Toyota Avalon (whatever that is!), but being shipped from the US, should be here any day now.
There has been a slight delay on getting my kit over here so I’m hoping for before christmas but realistically expect it in January. Still refurbing parts, new front struts and RX8 springs next now I have the RX8 large discs and calipers sorted out. Front hubs had to be split to get the bigger dust covers on but they are ready now so I’m pacing up and down a bit!
Peter.
Hi Andrew, have you managed to persuade the engine into life? My kit is due next weekend so fingers crossed. I will be at the classic car show next friday so maybe will see you there. Keep busy!
Peter.
Hi Peter, I am afraid to say that I have made no progress on my car over the winter. However, I have just managed to source the last couple of engine loom connectors, so now have no excuse not to get the engine fired up – just some better weather to encourage me into the garage.
Hope your kit has arrived now.
cheers
Andrew
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