From the ashes... What did you do to your roadster today?

evel · Post by **evel** » Sun May 31, 2015 1:28 am

Them

Those

And both of these

jtsoldier · Post by **jtsoldier** » Sun May 31, 2015 8:09 am

same engine mounts... you get them from Fab9?

how you find that NVH?!

evel · Post by **evel** » Sun May 31, 2015 1:15 pm

Got them from 949. I dont mind the NVH, at about 1100 RPM its probably at its worst. Kinda growls at me

jtsoldier · Post by **jtsoldier** » Sun May 31, 2015 5:31 pm

Yeah, that idle is so much fun.

I'm at about 3500km on them at the moment since Christmas (when they went in). The idle vibration is almost all gone (or all the nuts and bolt heads that were loose enough to vibrate have now vibrated all the way out...??), but the shifter (and therefore the transmission and engine!?) is still very rigid when it'd normally be torquing.

The 3000km of suffering is finally paying off.

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Mon Jun 01, 2015 11:24 pm

I feel so jipped that my frog arms never came powdercoated.

evel · Post by **evel** » Tue Jun 02, 2015 10:31 pm

yea thats rats as

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:02 pm

New flange to suit my new turbo plus crankcase vent to exhaust, NB front suspension & hubs, NB front sway-bar.

brownie · Post by **brownie** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 5:21 pm

Angreal wrote:I feel so jipped that my frog arms never came powdercoated.

Can i asked what you paid landed here in NZ ?

evel · Post by **evel** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 8:13 pm

mine were $250 USD plus about $80 kiwi to ship them here.
They came in with some other stuff so Im kinda guessing the shipping. Plus ~$50 in tax

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:07 pm

brownie wrote:
Angreal wrote:I feel so jipped that my frog arms never came powdercoated.
Can i asked what you paid landed here in NZ ?

Wouldn't have a clue. Bought them from Flyin Miata.

Hmm. My car hasn't had much love lately but she's got stuff coming. Autokonexion are super slow but the fastback is finally coming! It's the full fastback, not the shell only that they've started doing for the foreseeable future (with tints). Also the itbs turned up in nz. I may have miscounted the number of trumpets I need

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:18 pm

Well this is probably the biggest update this car has seen in some time. I've got a deadline for our new location and a large package recently arrived with a bunch of stuff in it...

Started with the last few parts from the motor. The coilpack bracket is apparently a pain in the ass to get at with the motor in the car and the coils are reknowned for failing so I've decided to notch the bottom of the bracket so I can just lift/lower it as required.

Pretty easy job luckily. Handy dandy dremel to the rescue

IMAG0714 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0715 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

The next problem was that this is the bracket that came off the sad motor so it was covered in 25 years of oil. Nothing a bit of brakekleen won't solve.

IMAG0718 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0719 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

A lick of paint later and we're away.

IMAG0740 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0728 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0729 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0730 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0738 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0739 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Next thing to tackle was the suspension that's been sitting around for ages. I had a bit of a saga with the Moog upper ball joints I was trying to get and resigned myself to get V8 roadster ones. Luckily I tracked some down last minute and they arrived. Pressed in and ready for some love.

IMAG0731 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0737 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Also had my steering rack converted to manual professional by a place called Panorama Power Steering. For anyone in NZ would highly recommend them.

IMAG0742 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0746 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0745 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0743 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

And finally.. A few more goodies arrived. Radiator overflow from summit racing for behind the bumper.

IMAG0752 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

New horns, hella supertones.

IMAG0751 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

And a waterpump and new slave.

IMAG0747 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

I ordered the waterpump from 949 racing. From what I read there were some reports on the internet of OEM and cheap pumps having their impeller blades tack welded and failing. Obviously this was less than ideal so I went to my local autoparts shop and sure enough, tack welded. Gates USA stuff to the rescue with their cast one piece impeller.

IMAG0748 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:32 pm

And I forgot this..

IMAG0733 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0735 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

jtsoldier · Post by **jtsoldier** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 7:19 pm

How hard is master/slave replacement? Currently having clutch issues, and suspect that might be it, so now doing the research...

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 7:25 pm

Pretend the motor is in the car, undo the clutch line to it and wrap a rag around it so it doesn't drip. Unbolt the nut on it you can see. Inside the car on the firewall is another nut on the threaded rod that is attached to it (Undoing this one is the hardest part). Take it off, put the new one on. Reverse the above. Clutch slave is harder in my opinion as you'll likely have more grease and shit on it. Then bleed the clutch.

One of the easiest jobs on my car so far.

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Mon Jun 29, 2015 7:33 pm

My Dad shot past today while I was at work and got the ball joint boots pressed on, exact same method I was trying but with a 2mm bigger ID pipe (40mm for anyone struggling with the same issue, Moog problem solvers

). No pics as he's still got the arms but that means other than the knuckles the below means my front suspension is 100% ready to go. Still have the drive shaft, PPF to clean up though...

The ugly bits that needed cleaning. Wire wheel on my drill and a dremel ftw.

IMAG0756 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0759 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

After attacking the sway bar end links with the dremel.

IMAG0760 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

The inside of them was still full of 200k worth of bushess so hit that with a different attachment.

IMAG0762 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0765 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

P/S rack plates. The Nolathane bushes are on their way, didn't realise my kit didn't come with them. Dirty vs clean.

IMAG0764 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

And the hard part.

IMAG0766 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

marcellarius · Post by **marcellarius** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 9:39 am

Snapfrozen: does the 1.6 coilpack use the bracket as a ground path? Painting the mating surfaces might prevent continuity.

marcellarius · Post by **marcellarius** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 9:50 am

Actually it should be fine; I didn't see the third wire in your picture at first.

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Tue Jun 30, 2015 1:38 pm

Thanks all the same. Will be building a couple of big new earth's into my loom all the same.

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Wed Jul 01, 2015 9:03 pm

So these turned up today. I had a laugh to myself thinking, who needs a resealable bag for their power steering bushes? Saves them going off if you look at them but don't install them for a while?

IMAG0768 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Sorry about lighting on some of these pics. Brackets are also painted and dry

IMAG0769 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Sitting where they should be.

IMAG0770 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0771 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0772 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0775 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

I also got the sway bar end link bushes pressed in using my vice. One of them caught quite badly but didn't tear so I'm quite impressed.

IMAG0776 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Also got my knuckles and calipers apart so I can recoat the knuckles and decide what to do with the brakes... I can go straight to my 1.8 setup now but need to buy pads, or I can go back to the 1.6 but they're fucked and messy... Think this is a pretty obvious decision considering how fussy I am..

IMAG0777 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0778 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0779 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

And because dirt freaks me out. Here's something clean. Assembled this little fella.

IMAG0780 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

GRUVBB · Post by **GRUVBB** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 8:40 am

Good work Snapfrozen. ... thats going to be one tidy tight ride once you finish. You will surely reap the rewards of all this hard time consuming work.

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:23 pm

Thanks mate. Hopefully yeh, unfortunately it doesn't feel that way at the moment!

So hit the knuckles up a bit further today and did some deciding about a few things. The dust shields are a prick to get off, the 3 bolts came off easy but they're between the hub and knuckle so I decided to cut them seeing as I won't need them going forward.

IMAG0784 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0781 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

This is where I'm trying to split them to remove them, unfortunately this is also the point I put a screwdriver under my fingernail.

IMAG0785 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

After getting my calipers apart I'm pretty confident I'll be buying remanufactured units that are pressure tested. They're $55 USD each, compared to $30 for a rebuild kit and my pistons are looking a bit iffy too. I can sell the brackets from these for about $50-100 NZD as I already have brackets so it actually works out cheaper.

evel · Post by **evel** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:47 pm

Snapfrozen wrote: unfortunately this is also the point I put a screwdriver under my fingernail.

Just like that first time you stab the multimeter probe into your thumb. Good times!

jtsoldier · Post by **jtsoldier** » Sat Jul 04, 2015 2:43 pm

There's a reason the owner's manual says the NB foglights should be replaced by Mazda... broke one of the replacements... what a pain in the ass.

Snapfrozen · Post by **Snapfrozen** » Sun Jul 05, 2015 8:38 pm

Managed to cut the dust/heat shields off. They're a nightmare but the 2nd one only took me about 5 mins with my new dremel attachment

IMAG0795 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Got their EZlock unit. Basically you just push it down and you can swap cutting disks on the fly. Real easy.

IMAG0812 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Then I was left with this...

IMAG0794 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0798 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

And naturally, dirt is not acceptable..

IMAG0800 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0801 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0811 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

Also cleaned the garage. This is my work space - excuse the iron - it's a 100 year old door stop now

IMAG0796 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

IMAG0797 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

And my feral beast cleaning herself... because uglycat

IMAG0808 by Jarred McLachlan, on Flickr

CordedBowl · Post by **CordedBowl** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 6:07 pm

Today I did the most baddass, most ocd clean, detail, wax & vacuum on the '5 ever, then I swapped some NB seats in to replace the mank old ones I spilled Nanas crock pot of soup on.

New vs. Old

Dat soupstain doe

Seats installed, that wasn't so bad! Perfect fit on NA rails.

Went to go take the seats for a test drive around the neighborhood kaCLUNK CLUNK CLUNKChhhhhhhh, I literally had driven 5 meters and the gearbox shat itself... ¯\(°_o)/¯

Soooo now she's sitting pretty in the garage with new seats I've never driven on until I figure out the next step, at least this is a good excuse to go 6spd!

Ps: at this stage I'm pretty it's the gbox, but I could be wrong when it comes to see what has actually happened (gotta love not having a garage big enough to work in! yayuhh)

From the ashes... What did you do to your roadster today?

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