Kugawestie's MX5 SDV Build Thread - Now An Upgrade Thread

[KugaWestie]

I spent some time at the rear of the car today.

This mornings task was the spare wheel carrier/number plate holder and light

All wired in and spiral wrapped. Just need to fit some u-trim around the number plate carrier

This afternoon I started on the rear lights. As with most things, I had to fettle the housings to get them to the right angle for the rear wheel arches.

The stop/tail/indicator fittings are now all mounted, wired in using waterproof connectors, but not tested.

[KugaWestie]

Following on from some advice in the techie section that fitting LED's will cause hyperflash, and the fact that I am using LED rear lights and LED button indicators on the cycle wings, I decided to do the flasher relay mod.

Firstly, I removed the covers from the relay to expose the magic parts

Then I identified the resistor that needed to be changed on the circuit board, desoldered and removed it

The new resistor (1Meg Ohm) ready to be fitted - 26 pence from Maplins!!

All done

[Captain Colonial]

Who's a clever clogs then? . Nice one!

[KugaWestie]

Who's a clever clogs then? . Nice one!

Me I hope - not tested it yet though

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Me I hope - not tested it yet though

If it doesn't work we can all blame Dean

[KugaWestie]

If it doesn't work we can all blame Dean

Sounds like a plan!

Fitted the reverse light tonight as well

[KugaWestie]

I fitted the rear foglight tonight, so thats the rear lights complete now.

I also decided to fit some rubber u-trim to the light surrounds to please Mr IVA. They have also covered slight deviations in my trimming and given a nice snug fit against the body

Next up - front lights

[Dommo]

Don't forget the reflectors

[KugaWestie]

Don't forget the reflectors

They are in a box in the garage - just got to stick them on

[KugaWestie]

Reflectors done

Also I have started a completion list, fixed to a whiteboard on the back of the garage door

[TIG Brother]

Have you checked the reflector height to the IVA manual? One of mine was lined up with the body work, but where the body work is uneven one of them was just below the required height. Luckily I got away with it as he said I would just need to jack up the suspension on that side or move it up. I just moved it.

[TIG Brother]

Min 250 mm from floor

[KugaWestie]

Thanks for the tip off Rick, I will check it. After the sump goes back on this weekend I will be putting it back down on the floor, so will measure it then

[KugaWestie]

I fitted the grille into the nosecone tonight using cable tie mounts superglued into the cone and then cable tied the grille into position.

I like the nice clean line it leaves on the nosecone, no fixings visible.

[KugaWestie]

Today was the day for refitting the shortened sump - not the nicest/easiest of jobs. Most of the threaded holes in it had got muck in them from the blasting process, so lots of work was required cleaning them out with a tap and a modified bolt.

Anyway, the sump is now back on the car, and the car is back on the ground. It looks very low as it has been up in the air by about a foot for weeks!

As Dad had bought up his massive trolley jack so that we could get the car right up in the air to do the sump, I took advantage of Dads presence and we bled the brakes the old fashioned two man style. The result is now a nice firm pedal.

I then attacked the engine bay and rear of the car with convoluted tubing, and have got most of this done now.

When I started this morning at about 8.30, it was -10 degrees C