New car, new project!

[Shmed]

That's a good idea. I'll get there eventually.

All in all, a very slow weekend this weekend, which is a shame as I now only have one weekend between now and mapping on 3rd Nov

Managed to loosely make the seat frame, and I think it will work too. Then my drill bit went blunt, Jason was right, 12mm thick mild steel is quite tough to work with. Need some new bits, then I can get the frame welded up and the seat fitted.

Think the passenger seat will have to wait, don't want to chop the existing one up in case I run out of time.

Didn't do anything else at all, not even fit the relays

[Shmed]

and I know,

But I can't find the battery to my shed based camera!

[Shmed]

Sadly, I got carried away trying to get the engine ready for a single track day when I should've focussed on the bigger picture. Have wasted days of effort and silly little bits of cash for essentially a stop gap.

Note to anyone planning to undertake a project, the key is PLANNING

Sort out exactly what you want to achieve, don't set yourself silly timescales either.

Annoyingly, I only needed to get a screamer pipe made and refit a seat and it would 'probably' be ok, but then I haven't factored in that I need road tax and the cost of mapping for a single track day. After that, I would be taking the car off the road for a full rebuild and hence remap.

Oh well, live and learn (hopefully).

Going to get my engine built for me at Banned Trader Developments as time is not something I have any more.

EDITED as I am in a less pessimistic mood

The trackday is no longer an ominous day creeping up on me. Next Spring is the target, lets all enjoy the Winter!

[GTS GAV]

Hey dude only just seen this thread! awsome work so far looking foward to see how it progresses over the winter im sure its goin to be epic in its own rite

Sorry to here you didnt make your track day, but look at me i started building mine in the winter of 2009 and only finshed around autmn of this year nearly got it run in and hello winter weather lol.

And i agree with you about planning but sometimes its easyr to plan some and then go with the flow i say, as trying to be on top of everything all the time and setting yourself deadlines as its enough to send you insane trust me iv been there, youv got all winter just dont do what i did, ow while im at it irl just get..... because it will never end

and charge that camera

[Shmed]

Cheers Gav, to be honest my last post on this thread was born out of complete frustration. I've calmed down more than a little now and am thinking a lot more rationally.

I was most annoyed with myself, like i said before, for spending probably close to £750 buying in bits just to get it on the road for that track day. Then, what with tax and mapping, I'd be well over 1k only to take it all to bits again


I am still going to get the engine built elsewhere as I just don't have the time/tools/experience to do it in my shed (the door to which isn't wide enough for my engine stand )

Patience isn't one of my virtues so I get carried away easily, but I'm set on a more realistic date of next Spring/Summer, focussing on 1 car bit at a time.

Engine is first (including gearbox recon) - the 2nd one I bought is really notchy into 2nd
Bucket seat(s) 2nd
Suspension 3rd

And that should do for this winter.

I can't find the camera charger anywhere, I'll start using the iPhone I think, but it has no flash.

just dont do what i did, ow while im at it irl just get..... because it will never end

That is spot on! I've been doing the same. Trying to plan everything that needs doing while it's convenient - like, while the engine's out, I can....... and 'if I need to pop the driveshafts out, I might as well change the suspension, and brakes......'

[Shmed]

Here's a picture to cheer me up:



My bottom end forgies, water pump, oil pump and gasket set about to leave the Newfoundland, destined for greatness across the pond!!!!

[Shmed]

Cam choice has now changed to 264's and I am changing to a rev 3 head. The parts are starting to come together now what with the new found optimism.

Just need valve springs and cam gears and I have all the bits

[Shmed]

Thought it was about time to do a quick update on the thread - including the title, as I am no longer going to try and 'do it all myself in my shed' as it is cold, cramped and lonely

So I now have possession of my CP pistons, Eagle Rods, new water and oil pump, ARP bolts, ACL race bearings, OS Giken fly/clutch and alloy crank pulley (the topic of much debate), along with a complete cometic bottom end gasket set.

The block is going to get machined, balanced and assembled at MJA Engineering, not an MR2 specialist, but seems to know what he is talking about, and has been doing it for 20 something years (not to mention the fact that he doesn't charge the earth).

I also have in my possession a Rev 3 head, Rev 3 valves,Piper valve springs (on their way), unbranded Vernier pulleys in Blue, Piper 264 high lift cams - designed for an NA, but apparently if I set them to 110 degrees with the vernier pulleys, they are essentially the same as the Turbo cams.

I'm going to do the head myself. Already stripped it, need to clean up the exhaust valves as some of them have some hard xxxx all over them, and I'm going to try and polish up the throats. Then replace the valve stem seals, refit the valves and new springs before shimming it up. A lick of paint on the cam cover - an essential and that's ready for refitting.

Then I'll removing the old engine, send the gearbox off for a refurb (not sure where yet, but 2nd gear is too sticky and I don't trust 2nd hand gearboxes any more).

Then need to fit the engine back together, fabricate my screamer re-routing pipe (back into the exhaust) and refit the lot to the car!

Hopefully I'll have some cash spare for some coil-overs which I can fit whilst the engine is out of the car, and do some polybushing, overhaul the calipers and that should do for this Winter/Spring.

Cheers to all for the support, stopped me just jacking it in !

[Shmed]

Taking my time over the build now. What's the rush when the weather is soo bad?! Some of the pics are still uploading to my web server.

Anyway, here are some pics:

Here is the new rev 3 head as bought:






Here it is with the valves and springs out and after a bit of a clean (not finished yet):





Some pics of the 'new' head bits - Piper Cams and springs, and some unbranded pulleys:


Here is a picture of the bottom end bits before they go off to get balanced and fitted:











And here is a picture of what is left of the friction plates on my 2nd hand OS Giken twin plate.


It doesn't look like much, but then I haven't seen a brand new one?!

[Shmed]

Christmas done, time to get back on the project.

I am hoping to be ready for May 22nd (the 2nd round of the TSS), as I can't make the first round due to other commitments.

Moved the car to my mates house over the hols as he has a workshop and 2 post lift.

Not the easiest as my car was too wide for the trailer. Had to fit the space saver to the front, and a front wheel on the back, even then I only had about 5mm clearance on either side.

Got the car to his, tried to start it, and the effin thing started (which it wouldn't do when it was at my house - it wouldn't even turn over).

It took about 40 seconds of cranking to start, and then after about a minute or so of running, it dumped loads of petrol smelling oily stuff on the floor.

My mate said it was because I'd flooded the piston with fuel, which then went into the crank case and leaked from the turbo return, but I'm dubious of this.

Still, no matter, the old engine is out on Saturday so the post mortem should reveal more.

I have the block and the head built and wrapped in cling film (until I can get a rocker cover), and I need the old engine out so I can transplant some of the boring bits to the new block (end plates, baffles etc etc).

[Shmed]

Made some progress, and later, I might just upload some photos

Engine is out, rear suspension is off, High & Tight bushes have arrived.

Split the engine and box and sent the box off for a refurb.

There's some scoring in the pistons, but nothing too major. Not sure what went wrong there, but not to worry, will get the block checked later.

Rev 2 head is off and in a pile to sell.

Oil pickup and sump baffle both transferred to the new block.

New oil pump fitted

New water pump fitted

TRD thermostat in.

Sump pan on (hiding away the forged goodness)

Rev 2 hoses from hell reconnected. Have found the bracket that fouls the head (as someone advised me I would) - deal with that later.

Head on, note to self & others, ARP washers need to be put into the head BEFORE the head goes on, otherwise they don't fit.

Head will be off again as I forgot the guide dowels (on order from Mr T)

New Cam Idler (rev 2 for the block)

New upper cam idler and tensioner from rev 3 (new)

Transfer teh oil cooler and brackets from the old engine - need a cleanup and a few new gaskets and O rings.

I decided to replace the coolant hoses from the hoses from hell to the oil cooler and from the oil cooler to the water pump housing as one of the stsuds had sheared off. I was going to just cap off the coolant pipes to the oil cooler as I have a relocation kit, but decided it might cause some issues with flow through the block.

Rev 3 Cam belt cover plates required - rev 2 are different

Next steps:

Properly fit oil cooler
Torque head
Fit cam belt
degree cams
Get ancilliary bits cleaned, painted and refitted (alternator bracket, driveshaft support thingy)
Going to get the cam cover powder coated blue, and the inlet manifold and throttle body done in black I think. Should look good with my black full race bits (if I ever buy them).

I'll try and upload pics later

[GTS GAV]

Top bloody work buddy look foward to seing these pics keep it up

[Shmed]

I hate FTP, and Fasthosts! Anyway, thought my pics were uploading but they weren't. The pictures aren't great off my iPhone anyway but I will get them up tomorrow for definite. My mate took a few with his iPhone 4, so they'll be better quality. Still can't find the charger for my old camera, if anyone has a charger from an Olympus mju digital that they don't want I'll gladly take it off your hands.

I also found a video of my car on the rolling road when Ryan was mapping it, only made 221 fbhp but had a boost leak. Ryan reckoned it would do 280fbhp withoutthe leak, but never got it back to the rr. Anyway pics tomorrow!

[Shmed]

Change of plan on my posting on the project thread. I've moved to my website (as I've been paying for the hosting forever whilst only using it for photo's).

www.shmedz.com if you're interested. Build pages have some photos at the minute, I'll be updating there instead - keeps it easier for me.

[Shmed]

Here's a pic of my progress on the engine side of things....

[Shmed]

Oops - double post...

[Shmed]

Been really busy over the winter and haven't made as good progress as I would've liked. Haven't even found time to update the build site. Anyway, found a spare few minutes tonightso here is an update:

Charge cooler fitted - replaced AC pipes with CC hoses and used loads of blue things. Felt a bit like a plumber....



























Pics of my bust pieces of gearbox. It didn't ever feel that bad though, so I hope the overhauled one is like new!



















Engine on it's side ready for OS Giken twin plate clutch









Shiny new gearbox







Shiny new turbo







All new engine



















Tein coilovers all round and Whiteline ARBs, and poly bushed







Oil cooler will go here, between the exhaust cans













Engine is back in. Still doesn't run, but progress nonetheless!

[ashley]

Where are you up to on this now buddy?

[Shmed]

I've moved house over the summer and so the car has taken a bit of a back seat in both the time and the finance departments Ash. Started back up on it a couple of weeks ago as I am booked in at Oulton for the 4th November.

There's just all the little cr@ppy jobs to do like fir the oil relocator & cooler, get the wideband bung welded on, custom pipework from the turbo to the chargecooler.

I was doing it today, but I'm not really set up for working on it at the minute. Most of my tools are in a mates garage and I have forgotten where most of the bolts go..... I have fitted a proper side mount bucket on a bride rail now, but annoyingly, the seat won't go all the way back because of the harness eyelet where the seatbel socket lives. Nothing is going easily.

Sadly decided to give up doing the last bits myself, so it's off to a garage for the finishing touches.

Happily, I should have it on the road by the end of October ready for a blast around a track....

Is yours running now?

[ashley]

I'm glad you're still moving forwards with it mate, looking forwards to seeing how you get on

Mine's not going yet, slowly slowly and all that...I'll be shouting about it as soon as I manage to get a map on her though!