Seat dimensions

Parts needed for restarting build and OCD

I've decided that i have OCD. Can't stop thinking about it so i went on the net and found tips and tricks to help and one of them was to write everything out to get the thoughts out there. So the reason for turning back to the blog, not sure if anyone is still reading it though, never mind. Its a good tool for me though, but i hope people get something out of it.

I really don't want to make the front, or the rear wishbones for the car. I might have to buy them. You still can get them from a few places for the MX5 build. Maybe the rear wishbones i'll have to make myself as the plans for the rear end is a Voodou design and i dont think they are around any more. Brilliant design though still compared to the other ideas out there. Although they are more readily used, probably because they have been proven and the design im using wasn't around for long. Good thing i still have to old laptop with all the files still there.

I really need to buy different seats for the car as well. I was going to use the seats from the donor car but after fiddling with the chassis to try and make them fit, they still don't fit properly. I'm going to have to buy some Cobra Roadster 7 seats. A hell of a lot thinner at the base where i was having lots of problems fitting the Mazda ones. These are going to be pretty expensive though. I'm looking at about $695 each. And then $95 each for the runners to mount them.

Cost update

It's also been 2 years since i've spent any money on the clubman. But to keep the records going carried over from last update i had spent $2120.80. Since then -

Sold MX5 hard cover   $350
        MX5 chassis         $1,000

So again for the maths haters out there i am now back to $770.80. Not bad really. All about the right place and right time.

Long time no anything

Bless me internet, for it has been almost 2 years since my last blog post. In that time i have moved to the other side of the country, changed jobs, travelled, got engaged to an amazing woman and basically changed everything for a while. ALTHOUGH........

I think about the Clubman every, and i mean EVERY single day. It is a massive obsession.......... Well the time has almost come to get back to the build. A few things are happening soon hopefully. Fingers crossed i get made redundant from my current job. And with that comes the move back to NSW, back to friends and family and back to the build. Other things in line with the move back, i'm looking into starting my own business. Not sure how it will go so it will be a part time thing while it gets off the ground and will mean i'll have to have a job to make ends meet in the meantime.

So the business will be CNC plasma cutting. I am looking into investing about $18k into the CNC table and have come down to a Torchmate unit from the states. Should be pretty awesome. It will also help with the build and along with my build will help with a friend building a '32 coupe hotrod.

All in all i can't wait to get back to the east coast and get on with life. I cant think of anything more satisfying than being able to complete the clubman.

Time for a parts sell off

Up for sale is the body and the hard top of the MX5. So i'll post pictures here so i can post them on other websites.

Wishbones, pain, sheetin and scuttle

No i havent started the wishbones. I wish i had actually, i'm really excited to give them a go. Trouble i'm having at the moment is sourcing the chromoly tube. I've been to 5 different places and no one stocks or cannot get stocks of 25 x 3mm tube.

I have found a place in Sydney though. Going to cost me about $330 delivered for just the 25mm tubing. The rest can be sourced from the Newcastle area and it will be about $150 delivered.

BUT this weekend the frame is getting welded. I've inherited some 2 pac grey primer from a contact, which i'll use as the paint for the chassis. Not too sure if i'll bother giving it a top coat. Maybe when everything is done. I've got the sheet metal guys booked in for either next week or the week after to at least get the floor in and the side and seat back sheeting on.

I'm going to attempt to make the scuttle on Sunday i think. Try and make it using a template. I shall see how the time goes.

Wiring loom and steering culumn support

Another huge weekend of working on the build. Worked till 10 last night again, was up at 7 this morning. BUT the wiring loom is out without having to chop any wires. What a freaking nightmare to get out. It's freaking huge and eventually i'll need to start chopping wires and shortening them to make them all fit properly in the chassis. There is one part of the loom i havent removed yet, and that's the fuse and relay box and the wires to the battery/fuel pump etc which is in the boot. I'll take that out on Friday afternoon to make everything complete.

Next weekend is a definite to get the chassis welded!! Fantastic. My dad is currently putting some thoughts into the engine mounts and said he would make them up because he had a good idea on how to do them. Hopefully he does get around to it or it's another job for Friday afternoon. Also on the cards for Friday arvo will be to mount the seat properly. I'm going to turn up a boss with the correct size threaded hole so i can get it plug welded into 50 x 25mm RHS tube which will act as both the seat mounting points and a chassis brace  in the passenger compartment.

I'm going to attempt to make the wishbones. I'm thinking of making up a few jigs at work to help with the nitching of the chro-moly tube that i'll hopefully buy this week. Need to get about 5 meters of 25 x 3mm tube and 2 meters of 32 x 2.0. Hopefully it wont cost too much, but i can see it probably will. Along with this i'll have to buy some 3mm plate to make the bracing pieces.

List of jobs starting to pile up now.

• Fabricate engine mounts
• Finish last 6 tubes and plates to the chassis
• Weld steering wheel support struts in
• Weld support plate to steering wheel support
• Mount seats
• Weld chassis
• Sheet the chassis and floor
• Wishbone mounting brackets
• Wishbones
• Wiring (probably at least a weekend on this alone)
• Fabricate exhaust. I think if i get a pool noodle and some strong wire, i can create a mock up of the exhaust and get it made properly.
• find radiator to fit front of frame
• Fabricate fuel tank, or at least get someone at work to give it a go. Might try this one myself with assistance from the sheet metal guys at work.
• buy MK2 escort steering rack from somewhere

Thats just the things i hope to achieve in the next 4 weeks. I'm actually hoping that in 4-5 weeks the engine will be fired up. In fact, i actually want the car to be on its wheels and be able to be test driven just before the weekend before Christmas. The family is coming up for Christmas lunch and i'm hoping to show it off :))

OK so now a few pictures from todays effort . . . . . .

Wiring loom, what a mess.

Looking more and more like a car

View from the drivers seat

View from the passengers seat as it's going around a corner real fast.