xcarguy Posted May 12, 2014 Share Posted May 12, 2014 No, you're not being too picky, and I do appreciate an alternate view. I think a better solution would be to have more than 2 attach points. Maybe I'll add a glob of silicone where the fuse block sits near the frame rail. I'm not sufficiently anal to add a 3rd mounting lug with another bolt to the chassis. Doing stuff like that is how I got to have 4000 building hours on my airplane project and it's still not flying. (that project also got slowed down by my making my own post lights made of rubber for forehead smashing during a crash, designing my own bar graph EGT monitor, changing engine cooling from updraft to downdraft, etc, etc) The mounting ears look like they may be a hinge point subject to vibration failure. I would expect the wiring would provide some dampening, but more flat surface under the ears would spread the load. (I hope I'm not being too picky) The bottom of the fuse block looks as though it may already be resting on/against the edge of the bracket itself and providing some additional support and protection against vibration. However, :iagree: large diameter flat washers placed above and beneath each mounting ear :bigear: may help spread the load. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVP66S Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 (edited) Been workin' on the throttle cable. WF sent a cable that needs some extra bits, and the Flyin' Miata build diary used a modified Miata cable. So I had a decision to make and I decided to do it a 3rd way. I modified the WF pedal box to take an unmodified Miata cable. I figure if I'm in Lower Slobovia and need a cable, the Miata part will be easier to get. why the paranoia? because I dumped my motorcycle when I was 17 and didn't notice I had bent the clutch lever and it was tightly grabbing the cable end fitting. About 100 shifts later, the cable tore. getting home without the clutch was OK except for the stop signs. The first photo is the outline for the rectangular pedal box cutout. Second photo is after drilling 5 pilot holes for the Dremel. The brush on the left is the shop vac that sucking up most of the grit. The 3rd photo shows the mod to the throttle pedal ( as sent from WF it was a single small hole). And the 4th photo is the installed cable. The yellow and black bits nearest to the pedal make up the spherical bearing that's supposed to keep the wire from flexing. Edited May 14, 2014 by NVP66S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lg2k Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 (edited) Looking at the picture it looks like you haven't moved the clutch master location up to fix the pedal ratio. It's mentioned here in Flyin Miata's build: https://flyinmiata.com/westfield/Torgan/index.php?UID=20 This is one of gotchas of the Westie MX-5 build. Another that comes to mind was that my steering wheel location was not centered in relation to the seat and yet another was putting the steering column parts together. I had to buy a welder and learn to weld to fix all those issues. Fun! Nevermind the fact that one of the first things mentioned in the Westfield manual (I use this term loosely) is that a welder is not needed. lol Actually, looking at the picture again, it looks to me like you did move it up. My bad. Looks great! Carry on... Edited May 16, 2014 by lg2k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVP66S Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Yes, the clutch master was moved up 1 inch so that the force and stroke match the slave. The half of the forward plate that holds the clutch master (not the brake half) was removed and a new plate welded in. Then all was powder coated to hide the rework. And speaking of welding, the WF kit came with the exhaust downstream of the Mazda header, but there's no O2 sensor bung. So I added that. The second photo is the EGR blank-off plates. I was planning to keep the EGR valve but it just didn't fit. It does very little for emissions control, but it does increase highway gas mileage a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVP66S Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 This is one of gotchas of the Westie MX-5 build. Another that comes to mind was that my steering wheel location was not centered in relation to the seat and yet another was putting the steering column parts together. I had to buy a welder and learn to weld to fix all those issues. Fun! Nevermind the fact that one of the first things mentioned in the Westfield manual (I use this term loosely) is that a welder is not needed. lol.. I assume the manual is intended for RHD (as it claims it is) and there are a few problems building a LHD car. Here's my solution to the steering column puzzle. I use the bandsaw/grinder/lathe at my disposal and hire out the welding to an expert. In this case, I bought a pair of 5/8 rod end bearings and invented a bracket to hold them. This design maintains the telescoping function of the steering column in case my front end gets a foot closer to me. That's a safety feature I really want to keep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcarguy Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Very nice. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffee break Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 :iagree: Having fun in the fab shop! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVP66S Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 :iagree: Having fun in the fab shop! Yes, I admit, I like building stuff. The Westie is turning out to be a bigger project than I initially thought (when has that ever happened before? ). I've now passed the 400 hour mark. That's 130 on dismantling and overhauling the donor and 270 building the new car. I'm likely slower than average. For example I studied the Mazda schematics and labeled every wire on every connector before starting surgery. That probably added 30 hours, but it started and ran the first time I turned the key. Also witness the cleanup and airbrush painting of stuff like the brake calipers, and my unique induction manifold with lathe-turned parts. The good feature to balance that is the price. I've been keeping a folder with expenses and so far it's $25,400 including the good condition 1997 Miata. I expect the total to get to $27k on the road with the planned MegaSquirt. So now I'll go out on a limb and estimate that if you buy a refreshed donor pallet from Flyin' Miata, you'll probably spend $2k more and spend 100 hours less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lg2k Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Did you shorten the oil pan? I wasn't going to until I put the car on the ground and noticed how little clearance there was. Now that I have there is about 3" between it and the ground. I didn't widen it to makeup for the loss of oil like others have done. I did measure the volume loss at the time and it wasn't much. Then again, the Miata doesn't take that much oil to begin with so every bit counts. While I had the oil pan out I added a bung for a oil return line in case I add a turbo in the future. I also added another bung for a oil temperature sensor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVP66S Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 Did you shorten the oil pan? Not yet. I got a spare oil pan from Flyin' Miata but I haven't done anything with it yet. I haven't reserved the time in my schedule yet. I did add two 1/4 inch spacers to the motor mounts, so mine should have 1/2" more than stock clearance. I'm sure that if you offered them for sale you would get multiple takers. I would much prefer to buy one than design and make one by myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 I've been running the stock oil pan for 23k miles. It has about 2.25" clearance when I am in the car. I raised the engine as far as I could and still clear the nosecone and bonnet. I am very careful when I drive it to avoid road debris. A friend smacked it a hard one on a speed bump. From the sound I expected at least a crack if not a chunk missing but inspection revealed no cracks or holes and a little of the fins around the drain had lost some aluminum. I looked into a dry sump but for $2,500+ it gained less than 3/4" clearance so I decided to stay with the stock one. I can change out any number of oil pans for that much and if the engine blew a good used one isn't that expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lg2k Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Good to know the oil pans are sturdy. One great thing about the Miata is how plentiful and inexpensive the engines are. I have a 1.8 from a 97 in mine but would love the extra torque of a later engine with VVT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVP66S Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Some more little jobs. I posted photos of the induction elbow before welding, so here it is after welding, paint, and installation. Second, I wondered how to determine where the hole goes in the bodywork for the exhaust. So I cut a hole in a piece of plywood just big enough for the pipe. Then I used a pair of wire clamps to locate the plywood after fitting the body. Hey, it might work. And the third little job is making and installing a blankoff plate for the inertia reel seat belts. I'm putting in 4 point harnesses and won't be using those holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 If in the future you are planning on adding a turbo you should consider where the exhaust will exit. It will be coming from a different area of the engine and may require a different hole in the body. My Caterham came with a pre-cut hole for the four pipes of a Zetec header. When I installed the Miata engine and turbo the turbo turbine outlet was several inches further back than the hole for the headers. I had to design and have fabricated a down pipe that came out the back of the turbo, dropped down and forward before exiting through the existing hole. http://www.britishv8.org/Other/SkipCannon/SkipCannon-BA.jpg http://www.britishv8.org/Other/SkipCannon/SkipCannon-BB.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVP66S Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Nice tidy installation you have there. :driving: Who signed the pedal box cover? Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lg2k Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Is that Peter Egan? I first learned about Westfields when I read about his XI build. Always loved to read his columns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 Nice tidy installation you have there. :driving: Who signed the pedal box cover? Dan The lower left is Peter Egan, the middle is Emerson Fittipaldi. On the near side is Alain de Cadenet and not visible on the far side is Peter Darley. They were guests at LOG27 held in Aspen, CO. I took the cover off and through the autograph line although Peter signed it when it was back on the car. He seemed puzzled that I would want his autograph. I offered him an opportunity to drive my car either on the street or during the track event but he politely declined. The Seven he built long ago was at the event and he knew instantly that it was his former car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2k7 Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 How much power you projecting on that Miata turbo engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 How much power you projecting on that Miata turbo engine? Are you asking about my engine or the OP's engine? The last dyno on my car came out at 301 RWHP and 265 torque. I turned down the boost for the GBB and I estimate it is putting out about 275 at this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 One of my favorite 7s here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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