Project Lunacy (MX-5 1.8)

[geeksteve]

And so it begins..

[tony g]

Gotta love the mx5 lumps for cheapness and reliability i'll be watching this particularly how you sort the gearbox crossmember. I have a set up ready to drop into something and it nearly went into my failed sprint but Ive given the slant one more chance lol.
There are topics about on getting the gearstick further forward as its a very long box. I'l dig some info out if you like.

Tony

[geeksteve]

Well recognised Have done some basic stripping down today (oh matron).

Here we have the lucky donor (rotted beyond use)


And the willing recipient. Still needs paint doing, but want to finish engine testing etc first so I don't destroy new paint. Spent the past few months welding it up, no filler/niceness done yet!..


Removed old mount and re-threaded all the spare holes on the block. Some of them will be used for the new mounts. Note shape of the sump - probably going to be a challenge.


Same on this side, and power steering removed. All the exhaust heat shield botls, and the lambda sensor came out first time.


This is the challenge. Can shorten by 10cm by doing this http://the-mite.com/mite18.htm but may not be enough for a dolly.


Many challenges ahead including:

Fitting the bloody thing in there
Gear stick position
Sump
Prop
Speedo
Diff ratio
Radiator, and where the hell that goes
Bodywork...

Injuries so far include:

Many cuts
A black eye from the engine crane a few months ago
Splinter in eye (somehow got round goggles)

I'll keep both lists updated..

[iandollysprint]

Hmmm rear bowl engine sump, that might interfere with steering rack. I had to convert to a front bowl sump on my xe conversion. Depends how tall the engine is but i would search out a front bowl sump solution. Ian

[geeksteve]

Rumour has it a Mazda 323 GTX sump is suitable.

[Toledo Man]

You got lucky with the lambda. The last lambda I had to remove (when I had to change the front exhaust sction on the Astra) was a pig of a job but It came out without too much drama.

How about a bit of background on your Dolly and how you came to the decision of fitting the MX5 lump? Didn't somebody else attempt this conversion before? I'll have to add this thread to the list of "modified" theads.

[geeksteve]

My engine and box was getting distinctly ropey so it was going to be swapped anyway. Body needed so much welding it wasn't going to pass another MoT (and from what I've found, shouldn't have passed the last few!). I wanted to make something a little different so I decided an engine swap might perk it up a bit...

Fast forward a few weeks and a friend asks if I want a working MX-5 that's rotten as hell for £350 - rude not to

Steve

[geeksteve]

Tiny bit of progress today:

Split the engine and box apart. I'm hoping this will make the engine easier to manoeuvre for test fitting / mount design etc. Obviously it'll be re-fitted to check mounts are ok and the gearbox isn't in an odd position after. (Yes that is a wood chisel, and a tailors tape measure..)


My amazing photography skills


All safely tucked away for when I need to steal the loom and other bits off it.


The pile of stuff I cleverly placed in front of the Dolly..


Next step is to dangle the engine into the engine bay and roughly hold it in the right place and take some measurements. At that point I'm going to knock up some dummy/temporary engine mounts (roughly tacked together scrap, with oversized bolt holes for adjustment etc). That should let me get the weight of the engine onto the rubbers and make sure everything sits ok. At that point I'll attach the box and drop that in too, bolt the engine to the mounts and then lift the back of the box up and down to find a suitable place to mount the gearbox mount.

How hard can it be?....

Steve

[geeksteve]

Another day, another tiny step... Ignore any paint in these pictures btw, it'll all be coming off when the shell is sorted. Going to become a lovely shade of orange once I've finished chopping it around.

Discovered my engine crane is exactly the wrong width, hits the suspension.. Had to put wheels up on blocks.


Suddenly it's all looking less terrifying!


Andddd then I realise I definitely need that front-bowl sump


However size wise, all good. Depending on the size of the rad I find I can bring it forwards a bit.


From inside looking up the clutch, you can see how much it needs that sump. I think the gearbox will clear once the engine is a bit lower. I've done some measuring and with the 10cm shortening the gearstick will land exactly where the re-enforcing bit is in front of the handbrake.. Lets hope I can nudge it all forwards a bit or there's going to be some metalworking there to re-engineer the floor


All in all, feeling pretty positive though!

[maximus]

Nice pics and write up. Cant wait till its finished

[geeksteve]

"Men should never measure anything - it only leads to disappointment" - Some guy

Made a jig to represent the front engine mounts today, it looked like this... Ooo err.


Alternator, that's something I hadn't seen coming. Still have a few reservations about sumps, but have a gentleman up north digging a suitable one out of his shed so hopefully I should have that at some point to put my mind at ease. As for the alternator... I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I've spent the evening alternately moving between "it's going to fit PERFECTLY" and "Oh god I've made a huge mistake" every 5 minutes or so. May stop looking at it until I get the sump :

Steve

[Carledo]

Its definitely been done before, by Nico who's now running a supercharged MX5 in it. Pretty sure there's a write up in the resto section. The car loks very mundane in a sort of dysentery beige but apparently goes well enough for the axle to be giving problems! It was at Retro Rides Gathering a couple of years ago.

steve

[Carledo]

Its mentioned by Nico in a thread "MX5 Supercharged Dolomite" in the competition section. There are a couple of pics of the car but none of the motor in situ. However there is a reference to another thread by the guy who built it, I haven't found that yet!

Steve

[Pippin]

However size wise, all good. Depending on the size of the rad I find I can bring it forwards a bit.


Lets hope I can nudge it all forwards a bit or there's going to be some metalworking there to re-engineer the floor

It'll have to come forwards a bit if you're thinking of refitting the original heater blower and ducting.

[geeksteve]

However size wise, all good. Depending on the size of the rad I find I can bring it forwards a bit.


Lets hope I can nudge it all forwards a bit or there's going to be some metalworking there to re-engineer the floor

It'll have to come forwards a bit if you're thinking of refitting the original heater blower and ducting.

Not a chance sadly... Any more forwards and the sump is on top of the sub frame and then the bonnet wont shut..

(Unless engine sits low enough for a narrowed duct over the top)