Post by tommyb on Jun 4, 2017 19:29:37 GMT
So I've owned a couple of 5's in the past, have started build threads on them then always forgot to take photos of what I was doing and therefore failed to ever update them.
This one, i'm hoping will be different!
My first Eunos was an NA6, 1992 model which I bought as my first RWD car, and a base to learn to drift in. I owned the car for roughly 18 months before buying an S14 200SX and breaking the Eunos for spares. I put a lot into this car, ended up with a JR supercharger conversion and a host of other bits.
I then moved on to a PS13 Silvia, and 2 Toyota Soarers before selling up to put money towards buying a house. I ended up with another MX5 as a cheap toy to keep me intrested at the weekends. This later evolved into something more serious when I ended up turbocharging it. Some may recognise this car from a few events last year.
A job change last summer prompted me to sell the car for something that was more suited to commuting and had better fuel economy. Me and my other half also bought a house around this time so I needed all the spare cash I could get my hands on!
Fast forward to the start of this year and I had a spare bit of money burning a hole, so decided to buy another project. I picked up my current car quite local for a good price. The seller was a bit shady on details of the car, and didn't know much about it at all, but I could see from the state of the engine bay that it must have had, or currently has a pretty bad water leak. Upon test driving it and getting it upto temperature I could see straight away that the waterpump was knackered. Water was pissing out the front of the block and down to the crank pulley. We negotiated and he knocked a fair chunk off the asking price.
I got the car home, then set about tidying it up and getting it more road worthy. It hadn't been stored very well and had green moss growing all around the window edges, seals, softop etc.
It cleaned up not bad, interior had a good scrub as it was covered in fag ash and old sweets. I then set about sorting the water pump out.
New cambelt and pulleys was fitted at the same time, as well as new HT leads, plugs, oil etc.
Now the car was running much better I set about starting to turn it into what I've decided to build. As I now have the space for 2 cars I wanted to build a track/weekend car that was still road legal, but could still be driven fair distances to events etc without being deaf and feeling like a cripple.
I've decided to stay N-A on this car, as I think this is what they are best suited to. I always find them more enjoyable to drive when you have to work the car hard, the F-I cars were fun, but I always felt it took away from what these little cars are about (In my opinion of course!)
I once again forgot to take photos of most the work that i've done so far, but have started to make sure I have my phone with me when in the garage from now on so I can remember to take pictures!
I replaced the tired suspension with some Meister R's, bought some Team Dynamics wheels for it (15x7 ET30), some 195/50/15 Nankang NS2R's, and a Motordrive bucket seat then took it to Castle Combe for Spring action day. Upon returning I realised how tired the old brakes were, so set about changing these for new discs and pads, with new fluid.
Next on the list was a rollbar, I opted for a GCFabrications GCR1, and fitted it with a 3'' 4-point TRS harness I had left over from a previous car.
I retrimmed the door cars (removed standard armrest/grab handle) as it gives much more room to steer when driving the car hard.
Next I removed the air-con and fitted an aluminium radiator. I also bought a Garage Vary replica lip and removed the rear spoiler.
I've deleted the power steering and converted the rack to a manual setup (welded the pinion up, turned down the rack, welded up unions).
I picked up a MK2 1.8 engine (BP4W head with VICS) to start rebuilding to swap into the car later in the year. I intend to keep it quite a simple engine build, for reliability and also to keep costs reasonable. I'm going to swap it into the car with megasquirt, then when money allows get some throttle bodies for the engine.
I'm looking at changing the cams, skimming the cylinder head, changing the valvetrain to lighter items and shim under bucket, some mild porting and new bearings and bolts throughout the bottom end.
I began the strip down over the past couple of weeks. Things seem to be in good shape visually so far, looks like the engine has been apart before as lots of sealant around sump/oil pump housing and water pump that isn't factory.
That takes us up to where I am today basically. I made a radio delete panel, and removed the speakers etc from the cockpit, I also changed gearbox oil, diff oil and aligned PPF to try and quieten the backlash in the drivetrain this weekend.
I also painted my wheels this week, they were black which looked too dark so I painted them white. It didn't look that great so settled with a gunmetal colour in the end.
And as the car currently sits,
I have some spacers to fit and arches to roll before JDM Combe this weekend coming!
This one, i'm hoping will be different!
My first Eunos was an NA6, 1992 model which I bought as my first RWD car, and a base to learn to drift in. I owned the car for roughly 18 months before buying an S14 200SX and breaking the Eunos for spares. I put a lot into this car, ended up with a JR supercharger conversion and a host of other bits.
I then moved on to a PS13 Silvia, and 2 Toyota Soarers before selling up to put money towards buying a house. I ended up with another MX5 as a cheap toy to keep me intrested at the weekends. This later evolved into something more serious when I ended up turbocharging it. Some may recognise this car from a few events last year.
A job change last summer prompted me to sell the car for something that was more suited to commuting and had better fuel economy. Me and my other half also bought a house around this time so I needed all the spare cash I could get my hands on!
Fast forward to the start of this year and I had a spare bit of money burning a hole, so decided to buy another project. I picked up my current car quite local for a good price. The seller was a bit shady on details of the car, and didn't know much about it at all, but I could see from the state of the engine bay that it must have had, or currently has a pretty bad water leak. Upon test driving it and getting it upto temperature I could see straight away that the waterpump was knackered. Water was pissing out the front of the block and down to the crank pulley. We negotiated and he knocked a fair chunk off the asking price.
I got the car home, then set about tidying it up and getting it more road worthy. It hadn't been stored very well and had green moss growing all around the window edges, seals, softop etc.
It cleaned up not bad, interior had a good scrub as it was covered in fag ash and old sweets. I then set about sorting the water pump out.
New cambelt and pulleys was fitted at the same time, as well as new HT leads, plugs, oil etc.
Now the car was running much better I set about starting to turn it into what I've decided to build. As I now have the space for 2 cars I wanted to build a track/weekend car that was still road legal, but could still be driven fair distances to events etc without being deaf and feeling like a cripple.
I've decided to stay N-A on this car, as I think this is what they are best suited to. I always find them more enjoyable to drive when you have to work the car hard, the F-I cars were fun, but I always felt it took away from what these little cars are about (In my opinion of course!)
I once again forgot to take photos of most the work that i've done so far, but have started to make sure I have my phone with me when in the garage from now on so I can remember to take pictures!
I replaced the tired suspension with some Meister R's, bought some Team Dynamics wheels for it (15x7 ET30), some 195/50/15 Nankang NS2R's, and a Motordrive bucket seat then took it to Castle Combe for Spring action day. Upon returning I realised how tired the old brakes were, so set about changing these for new discs and pads, with new fluid.
Next on the list was a rollbar, I opted for a GCFabrications GCR1, and fitted it with a 3'' 4-point TRS harness I had left over from a previous car.
I retrimmed the door cars (removed standard armrest/grab handle) as it gives much more room to steer when driving the car hard.
Next I removed the air-con and fitted an aluminium radiator. I also bought a Garage Vary replica lip and removed the rear spoiler.
I've deleted the power steering and converted the rack to a manual setup (welded the pinion up, turned down the rack, welded up unions).
I picked up a MK2 1.8 engine (BP4W head with VICS) to start rebuilding to swap into the car later in the year. I intend to keep it quite a simple engine build, for reliability and also to keep costs reasonable. I'm going to swap it into the car with megasquirt, then when money allows get some throttle bodies for the engine.
I'm looking at changing the cams, skimming the cylinder head, changing the valvetrain to lighter items and shim under bucket, some mild porting and new bearings and bolts throughout the bottom end.
I began the strip down over the past couple of weeks. Things seem to be in good shape visually so far, looks like the engine has been apart before as lots of sealant around sump/oil pump housing and water pump that isn't factory.
That takes us up to where I am today basically. I made a radio delete panel, and removed the speakers etc from the cockpit, I also changed gearbox oil, diff oil and aligned PPF to try and quieten the backlash in the drivetrain this weekend.
I also painted my wheels this week, they were black which looked too dark so I painted them white. It didn't look that great so settled with a gunmetal colour in the end.
And as the car currently sits,
I have some spacers to fit and arches to roll before JDM Combe this weekend coming!
le sigh