50 Shades Of Silver / Projekt Oh God What have I bought now?

Subaru bushing update...


these were the cheapest I could find - it's an experimental bushing so not buying expensive!
these are from Autodoc and are a replacement for SUBARU 20257XA000 bushes.

40mm outside diameter.
50mm wide.
12.5mm bore (for a 12mm bolt).


these are a spherical / balljoint / pillowball type but have a rubber dust-boot so look a little like a conventional rubber bush (from a distance anyway)




boot removed, can see the 'ball'


against a wishbone, should have a 10mm spacer each sise for the subframe 'ears'


offered up to the wishbones tube.


inner & outer bushing positions hopefully finalised, just need time to machine some fitting tooling for pressing into tthe tubes as I dont want to damage the bushes or the wishbones

maybe on the weekend......

Rich.

so, not actually done anything Eunos related for a while as work / other life things & hobbies / not being able to scource components and even a dose of Wuflu have shared responsibilities here

I'm back on the components finding now and rear / top wishbones are again available (I refuse to use old items and I'm too lazy to fabricate a set
- why re-invent the wheel?) so will purchase a pair when my bank says yes
another 'want' is a new column stalk unit as the ones I already have are showing their age as well as there being the possibility of fitting an LHD stalk unit to reverse the indicator / wiper switching positions from 'Brittish' to the more common euro placement as it's become 'natural' over the last ~30 years of driving (new genuine Mazda stalks available from mx5parts but not cheap.)

subject of bank, bought another ecu for the collection - damn you evilbay


it was cheap enough!

Emerald K3 ecu, supposedly been used on a Ford duratec v6 so a step up the ladder with another project I've in mind - a Jag 3L v6 in my white 1990 Eunos. now need a Jag aj30 engine and some time.

more to follow...

Rich.

They’re a good reliable ECU Rich, got the same in my Griffith.👍🏻

time to report some psudo-progress


whats in the box (well, bubblewrap anyway!)


a bunch of bananas?


this is a Tony Law Vauxhall XE exhaust manifold, I've been looking for one of these for years (mostly due to the cost and my inability to justify buying one new and their scarcity secondhand )


this is the larger version with 47mm diameter the primary pipes, for over 260 hp


I thought this interesting, the stand-off from the cylinderhead / manifold gasket surface.


so, had to try a pipe or two against the emptyy 'engine' in the car, I've not fitted the tubular subframe yet so it's resting on the standard subframe via some ex-tree offcuts to get a rough position (fore / aft to be finalised when I build the diff but side to sside is close, hight will be lifted slightly)


trying to show fittment for records.


number1 primary hugs the cylinderblock.


another view.


another view.


from the front, just squeezing in between the cylinderblock & standard crossmember, obviously theres 3 more pipes to get in there hence my previous purchase of the tubular subframe - pre-planning actually working?


red line showing the aproximate width gain from the tubular subframe.


trying numbers 2 & 3 primaries in with number 1, obviously a subframe issue...


from above.


rough position, the pipes will not drop low enough (thanks to the subframe issue).


nearly what it will look like when fitted, the flanges are in the aproximate position relative to the gasket face (rested on the cambox)

so, next is to test fit the subframe and play with fitting & probably struggle to loosen the subframe to chassis nuts

Rich.

That wheel will never fit on a '5. Offset is all wrong

Hi Rich
I suspect you know the pillowball bushes will make the suspension a lot more lively due to the fact that the OEM rubber bushes act as torsion bushes.
IE they twist the rubber it does not revolve in the arms and the bolt should clamp the inner tube.
I expect you know all that anyway.
Great work as always and very interesting.

So....

did something


bought a pre-loved pair of Wilwood's Powerlite 4-piston handbrake calipers.


even had hoses & pads


these use levers behind the brakepads to apply the hanbrake force, not a perfect solution but effective if you need an MOT


hopefully this explains the handbrake mecanism, my only concern is that a stone could get between the caliper & wheel-rim then clash with the levers BUT I'll try to be brave

these are made with 1" diameter pistons and have aproximately twice the pad area compared to standard Mx5 setups so hopefully of use...

so, now to find time to make mount-brackets!

Rich.