The mx5 Rv8,.. thing!

[topcatcustom]

Well..... the engine and gearbox went in on sunday

Got to lift them out, weld up the mounts, then should go back in for good with any luck- then its fitting the brake pipes, fuel line, water pipes and all the electrickery I enjoy basic wiring but not sure how I'm going to do the speedo yet- it might be a case of pulling the existing console out and making a new one to take old smiths gauges, the only reason I'm not over keen is I dont want to fit el cheap cheapo ones but new gauges aren't cheap!!!

[gelmonkey]

Hey Tom
That is looking so sweet.
Keep going
Cheers
P

[bones]

Looking good TC. How many gauges do you plan on using?? rich

[topcatcustom]

Was tempted to go with as many as I can fit in but decided against it now! Will be speedo, rev counter, water temp, oil pressure and boost, maybe voltage too. Dont think I'll worry about oil temp etc as I'm not intending on stressing the engine for every bhp anyway! Just want some fun and not worrying any more that I already am about melting the pistons

[bones]

have alook on the real steel site, forget melting pistons, more like melting rear tyres

[topcatcustom]

Couldn't resist putting a poor quality pic of the engine in the car up! Obviously no blower yet- I'm saving it til the engine is in properly!!!

[mx5v8]

I've been wondering how this was going, looks good and you've done some work on the bay as well.
I've used the SD1 speedo cable it actually fits on okay, I seem to remember I had to take a sleeve off, but it slid on and works fine. I'm using a speedometer from a 1.8 because that shows up to 140mph, the original only went up to 110mph. Checking against the sat-nav it's quite accurate as well.
Careful how you take the cowl off, the plastic lugs break easily, you have to pull it straight towards you, gently.
Andy

[kiwicar]

Hi Tom
Have you got a charge cooler going into that inlet manifold?
Best regards
Mike

[topcatcustom]

Mike- no charge cooler- it would be even taller! I'm assuming it would be an imported item from the States, and either dry ice or water? More money

p.s. that heat issue was why I was originally planning on fitting nitrous...

[kiwicar]

Hi Tom
the charge cooler can be connected to a radiator like an oil cooler matrix and an eletric pump. The matix below super charger probably only needs to be about 1.5" thick, again it could be another oil cooler matrix.
Anyway if it put the top of the supercharger above the roof line it would look dead cool
Mike

[topcatcustom]

A few more pics-
my reason for the dilema on how to get my o/s exhaust out of the damn engine bay!


...and from underneath- very limited room for exhaust between clutch slave cylinder and starter


So a bit of chopping...


And a bit more chopping and welding gives me a good 15mm more room all round




So hopefully when I put the lump back in this week I will be pleasantly suprised at just how much room for the exhaust manifolds there is

[chodjinn]

Good work there TC. I have a very large Pace chargecooler lying around waiting for a home, as you do, if you ever shall need one . . . needs a new end tank like but it's good for silly HP, like 600bhp . . .

[topcatcustom]

No good Olly- unless it is made for a blower! There's not plumbing like with a turbo as I'm going old skool...

[chodjinn]

What you doing for a propshaft and rear diff? Or have i missed that?!

[topcatcustom]

Should be a pic of the rear diff, was very happy with that- its a 7 1/2" cossy LSD with cossy drive shafts now in the original mazda IRS subframe I'm gonna be searching for a prop today- it is just shy of 1m and needs to have a slider built in...