The car will still need some sorting after Foofighter takes delivery of it, so don't be pestering him for ripper videos or anything yet. Much as it pains me to say, i am NOT delivering the car in anything resembling driveable condition, but the hard work is done and all (almost all) the sins of the previous shops/owners has been corrected. We just ran out of time, money and skill/equipment (in 2 of the parts.)
Things that still need to be sorted, and i will be helping him with as i can, so if anyone here has input on how to handle some/all of them, that would be awesome. Would make both our lives easier.
1) Rear brake hard lines need to be replaced. I didn't mess with figuring out a mounting solution for the junction block back there since the lines would be replaced anyways. Does anyone else have pictures of how they handled the junction block with the Pierce subframe?
2) Cooling system. As outlined in a previous post, the previous shop didn't understand how cooling systems worked, which is why the motor blew. Currently i didn't fix any of it, because imo the easiest way to add a functional pressure vent to the system is to weld/tap a nipple at the filler pipe between the heads, and run a pressure cap at that location. I don't have the tools/skills necessary to do that in a way that i'd feel comfortable with. Otherwise, i'd be cobbling together a new expansion/filler tank with a pressure cap, running to a standard overflow. This would involve figuring out new radiator hoses, and that point i'd just as soon put a different radiator in this car as well. This could easily cost $400-500, whereas adding a vent should cost $50 or less. Anyone have input? Or anecdotes regarding running the Neon radiator this car seems to have?
3) Rear swaybar: Needs Energy suspension 9.5156 or 9.5124 installed. I've already talked with Foofighter and i'll be making a trip down to his place in the future to handle this.
4) Front and rear swaybars: Didn't find out until last night that the car has MX3 swaybars on it. This is neat, but.... means the endlinks we all had put together for use with Pierce arms don't work. I'll have to do some research and put together something that works. I suspect some of the shorter Miata endlinks will work, but i'll have to do some digging. Will install during future visit.
5) Front 4pt tie brace: I could put this on now, but it hangs low and i've got to get this thing on a trailer today or tomorrow. Will install during future visit.
6) Alignment: This thing is going to be so far out of alignment it isn't funny. Even if the setup was ok-ish from the Escort (It wasn't, the alignment shop i paid for setup screwed me), this car has different subframes and is slightly bent in seemingly different ways from the Escort.
7) Battery: King6Fab upper trans mount doesn't have provision for battery tray. Car either needs a relocation or (my recommendation), a LiPo batter from Advance for about $140, weighs under 2lbs, will crank the car hard, and can be strapped on the frame rail behind the overflow tank. Lighter and easier than a relocation.
Less Pressing:
1) Figure out how to get a working speedo in the car. Suspect it'll just be jamming all mechanical speedo stuff in the MX3 trans.
2) Get tach to be accurate. I suggested a Dakota Digital unit
Overall, this is going to be a cool car when it's sorted.
Next "victim"
20170515_170801 by concealer404, on Flickr
Things that still need to be sorted, and i will be helping him with as i can, so if anyone here has input on how to handle some/all of them, that would be awesome. Would make both our lives easier.
1) Rear brake hard lines need to be replaced. I didn't mess with figuring out a mounting solution for the junction block back there since the lines would be replaced anyways. Does anyone else have pictures of how they handled the junction block with the Pierce subframe?
2) Cooling system. As outlined in a previous post, the previous shop didn't understand how cooling systems worked, which is why the motor blew. Currently i didn't fix any of it, because imo the easiest way to add a functional pressure vent to the system is to weld/tap a nipple at the filler pipe between the heads, and run a pressure cap at that location. I don't have the tools/skills necessary to do that in a way that i'd feel comfortable with. Otherwise, i'd be cobbling together a new expansion/filler tank with a pressure cap, running to a standard overflow. This would involve figuring out new radiator hoses, and that point i'd just as soon put a different radiator in this car as well. This could easily cost $400-500, whereas adding a vent should cost $50 or less. Anyone have input? Or anecdotes regarding running the Neon radiator this car seems to have?
3) Rear swaybar: Needs Energy suspension 9.5156 or 9.5124 installed. I've already talked with Foofighter and i'll be making a trip down to his place in the future to handle this.
4) Front and rear swaybars: Didn't find out until last night that the car has MX3 swaybars on it. This is neat, but.... means the endlinks we all had put together for use with Pierce arms don't work. I'll have to do some research and put together something that works. I suspect some of the shorter Miata endlinks will work, but i'll have to do some digging. Will install during future visit.
5) Front 4pt tie brace: I could put this on now, but it hangs low and i've got to get this thing on a trailer today or tomorrow. Will install during future visit.
6) Alignment: This thing is going to be so far out of alignment it isn't funny. Even if the setup was ok-ish from the Escort (It wasn't, the alignment shop i paid for setup screwed me), this car has different subframes and is slightly bent in seemingly different ways from the Escort.
7) Battery: King6Fab upper trans mount doesn't have provision for battery tray. Car either needs a relocation or (my recommendation), a LiPo batter from Advance for about $140, weighs under 2lbs, will crank the car hard, and can be strapped on the frame rail behind the overflow tank. Lighter and easier than a relocation.
Less Pressing:
1) Figure out how to get a working speedo in the car. Suspect it'll just be jamming all mechanical speedo stuff in the MX3 trans.
2) Get tach to be accurate. I suggested a Dakota Digital unit
Overall, this is going to be a cool car when it's sorted.
Next "victim"
20170515_170801 by concealer404, on Flickr
Comment