She Followed Me Home, Honest
09-25-16, 04:32 PM
#2501
The donor cluster should come from a 4 cylinder car so the tach will read correctly.
The cluster almost has to be Mazda sourced to get the fuel gauge to read correctly- Mazda runs the reverse of almost everybody else.
Neither of these problems (along with all the other details that must be addressed) are total deal breakers (a Digital Dakota box for the tach and a different sending unit for the gauge) but the effort and money involved are being balanced by my Plan B, which is a complete VDO panel that abandons all pretense of OEM appearance.
I'd have a big center mounted speedo with smaller water, oil, volts & fuel...no tach.
I've decided that tachs are useless on a street car and just take up valuable room.
(On a distantly related rant...
I read an article on Jalopnik today in which some Toyota bigwig stated that a design brief for the new GTR included the need for driver and passenger to be able to easily converse at 186mph.
Were I the passenger in a car doing 186mph, I'd prefer the driver be more focused on the road than trading quippy bon mots with me.
And where the hell are we that two of us are going 186mph?
Should the driver be looking at the tach?)
09-26-16, 11:03 PM
#2502
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its true a tach isn't that important, old Mercedes non sport models usually have no tach, there are hash marks on the speedometer for redline in each gear, it is really all you need.
09-27-16, 03:30 PM
#2503
Red Pill Dealer
iTrader: (10)
That's an awesome idea! I don't know why one would really need any more info.
09-27-16, 05:12 PM
#2505
Red Pill Dealer
iTrader: (10)
What couldn't be done with more dashes when it comes to the importance of RPM? Well, yeah, maybe full race car.
09-29-16, 01:46 AM
#2508
I just shift when it feels like it's time and only look at the speedo when in a school zone or see a photo van, otherwise I flow with traffic. If I prioritized my cluster space honestly, I'd have a big fuel gauge, a small speedo and warning lights for water and oil.
Sigfrid and I are concentrating on the door panels and working on two different approaches.
He has done a little more work on the foam and is convinced that technique is worth pursuing, so I'm picking up fiberglass supplies for our session this Sunday.
I on the other hand, think utilizing junkyard parts might better fit our overall aesthetic and spent more time at the yard apprising donors.
I figured I really needed a paper template of our door to make any decisions but the yard is right around the corner from our plastic supplier and I figured I'd just pop in an get an idea what might work.
Our original panels are comprised of a stamped metal upper doorcap and a steam molded Masonite type panel riveted on. We want the doorcap to be thicker and better padded and flow better into the Miata dash. I was hoping to find such a doorcap that our lower panels could be adapted to.
There were some possibilities but I decided I was wasting time without a better idea of dimensions, so I began to trek out and passed by the Miata.
Yeah it's The Miata because I've been mystified by it's presence for many weeks now.
It was hit both front and rear and looks like it rolled as well.
And caught fire.
It looks like it's already gone through the shredder and yet it's been around forever, which is weird as the usual turnover is a few weeks.
Turns out, it was waiting for me.
As I walked by I decided to take one more look but there was nothing.
Then, for some reason I popped the trunk and sitting right there were the two upper door caps- in good condition, already removed from the lower (missing) door cards.
Black, even.
Kinda like our FC doorpanels flow to meet the dash, so does the Miata setup and they should at least solve part of our problem.
Maybe.
We'll see on Sunday.
I have no news about the trans yet but it's disturbingly easy to drive around without first gear.
Were it not for fear the gearbox might unexpectedly (and no doubt, very inconveniently) lock up or refuse to shift, I'd almost be serene about this.
Ignorance is bliss.
For a while, at least.
Sigfrid and I are concentrating on the door panels and working on two different approaches.
He has done a little more work on the foam and is convinced that technique is worth pursuing, so I'm picking up fiberglass supplies for our session this Sunday.
I on the other hand, think utilizing junkyard parts might better fit our overall aesthetic and spent more time at the yard apprising donors.
I figured I really needed a paper template of our door to make any decisions but the yard is right around the corner from our plastic supplier and I figured I'd just pop in an get an idea what might work.
Our original panels are comprised of a stamped metal upper doorcap and a steam molded Masonite type panel riveted on. We want the doorcap to be thicker and better padded and flow better into the Miata dash. I was hoping to find such a doorcap that our lower panels could be adapted to.
There were some possibilities but I decided I was wasting time without a better idea of dimensions, so I began to trek out and passed by the Miata.
Yeah it's The Miata because I've been mystified by it's presence for many weeks now.
It was hit both front and rear and looks like it rolled as well.
And caught fire.
It looks like it's already gone through the shredder and yet it's been around forever, which is weird as the usual turnover is a few weeks.
Turns out, it was waiting for me.
As I walked by I decided to take one more look but there was nothing.
Then, for some reason I popped the trunk and sitting right there were the two upper door caps- in good condition, already removed from the lower (missing) door cards.
Black, even.
Kinda like our FC doorpanels flow to meet the dash, so does the Miata setup and they should at least solve part of our problem.
Maybe.
We'll see on Sunday.
I have no news about the trans yet but it's disturbingly easy to drive around without first gear.
Were it not for fear the gearbox might unexpectedly (and no doubt, very inconveniently) lock up or refuse to shift, I'd almost be serene about this.
Ignorance is bliss.
For a while, at least.
09-29-16, 11:48 PM
#2509
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I have no news about the trans yet but it's disturbingly easy to drive around without first gear.
Were it not for fear the gearbox might unexpectedly (and no doubt, very inconveniently) lock up or refuse to shift, I'd almost be serene about this.
Ignorance is bliss.
For a while, at least.
Were it not for fear the gearbox might unexpectedly (and no doubt, very inconveniently) lock up or refuse to shift, I'd almost be serene about this.
Ignorance is bliss.
For a while, at least.
we did pick up a new tranny (make jokes, we did)
10-05-16, 11:23 AM
#2510
No news on the transmission yet...mine is still bad and no replacement has surfaced.
Meanwhile, work progresses on the new doorpanels.
The Miata doorcaps I found in the yard will not work, so Sigfrid carried on with his concept and it actually seems like it'll work.
The 'concept' is using expandable blow foam insulation to sculpt the new shape we want, then covering it with a skin of fiberglass and finally, some 1/8" foam and fabric (vinyl, suede, etc.?). The shaping has been done and the fiberglass skin applied, now it's just a matter of smoothing it out.
Unfortunately, like paint, this is the sort of project where you can't tell how well you're doing until the very end, so we bravely carry on, hoping for the best.
With any luck we should have the driver side panel mostly done this weekend- at least far enough along to tell if it's going to look like we want or not.
Meanwhile, I'm contemplating a complete redo of the electrical system.
Although it's fully functional as is, there are a few glitches/weirdnesses and a persistent battery drain that really bug me and I want to fix it.
I'm proud of the original concept (and most of the execution) but I designed it before the car was complete and now see some better options, not obvious before.
If this happens, it should be a lot easier than before since I've already figured everything out...I don't need to reinvent the wheel, just reconfigure it some.
I'll be springing the idea on S. this weekend...we'll see how he reacts.
Meanwhile, work progresses on the new doorpanels.
The Miata doorcaps I found in the yard will not work, so Sigfrid carried on with his concept and it actually seems like it'll work.
The 'concept' is using expandable blow foam insulation to sculpt the new shape we want, then covering it with a skin of fiberglass and finally, some 1/8" foam and fabric (vinyl, suede, etc.?). The shaping has been done and the fiberglass skin applied, now it's just a matter of smoothing it out.
Unfortunately, like paint, this is the sort of project where you can't tell how well you're doing until the very end, so we bravely carry on, hoping for the best.
With any luck we should have the driver side panel mostly done this weekend- at least far enough along to tell if it's going to look like we want or not.
Meanwhile, I'm contemplating a complete redo of the electrical system.
Although it's fully functional as is, there are a few glitches/weirdnesses and a persistent battery drain that really bug me and I want to fix it.
I'm proud of the original concept (and most of the execution) but I designed it before the car was complete and now see some better options, not obvious before.
If this happens, it should be a lot easier than before since I've already figured everything out...I don't need to reinvent the wheel, just reconfigure it some.
I'll be springing the idea on S. this weekend...we'll see how he reacts.
10-05-16, 02:02 PM
#2511
Today's Life Lesson is: "Ask a pro first, idiot".
I went to B&D Co. for the foam sheet and got an education for free.
What we should have done is get some of this 1/4" closed cell, sandable foam sheet, glued it up as thick as necessary (in our case, probably two layers) and then carve/sand to shape. Cover the entire panel with a single 1/8" thick layer to smooth it all in and then finish with the vinyl.
Apparently, that's how people who know what they're doing do it.
This would be significantly quicker (no dry time for the expanding foam or fiberglass) and cheaper than our current method and I also suspect it'll give a better result.
I'm guessing Sigfrid will want to carry on with his technique and then maybe try this new way on the other side, but we'll see.
Anyways...expert opinions are worth seeking out (especially when free).
I went to B&D Co. for the foam sheet and got an education for free.
What we should have done is get some of this 1/4" closed cell, sandable foam sheet, glued it up as thick as necessary (in our case, probably two layers) and then carve/sand to shape. Cover the entire panel with a single 1/8" thick layer to smooth it all in and then finish with the vinyl.
Apparently, that's how people who know what they're doing do it.
This would be significantly quicker (no dry time for the expanding foam or fiberglass) and cheaper than our current method and I also suspect it'll give a better result.
I'm guessing Sigfrid will want to carry on with his technique and then maybe try this new way on the other side, but we'll see.
Anyways...expert opinions are worth seeking out (especially when free).
10-05-16, 03:35 PM
#2513
Red Pill Dealer
iTrader: (10)
Cover it with an 1/8" of what?
10-05-16, 04:27 PM
#2515
Sheet of the same foam, just thinner.
This stuff is very similar (if not identical) to the foam underlay Mazda used on the Miata doorcap I just bought. I suspect it's pretty common on most cars these days but definitely not on the Z.
This project is attempting to simultaneously solve technical, ergonomic and aesthetic problems.
Installing the sound damping layers has added thickness we can ill afford around the window crank stem and door handle bezel and the original panel fasteners are now too short to go through the damping material and snap into the door skin. Half of the snaps were pulled out of the masonite panel anyway, so we need a better solution.
From the comfort standpoint, the stock armrest/integrated handle was poorly placed and too hard to be useful. The upper door cap was too thin and poorly padded.
We are reshaping and adding volume to the upper doorcap so it will better flow into the Miata dash we now have and changing materials to better suit the rest of the interior. No more fake plastic wood trim strips in other words.
Times like this make me regret never learning to sew.
This stuff is very similar (if not identical) to the foam underlay Mazda used on the Miata doorcap I just bought. I suspect it's pretty common on most cars these days but definitely not on the Z.
This project is attempting to simultaneously solve technical, ergonomic and aesthetic problems.
Installing the sound damping layers has added thickness we can ill afford around the window crank stem and door handle bezel and the original panel fasteners are now too short to go through the damping material and snap into the door skin. Half of the snaps were pulled out of the masonite panel anyway, so we need a better solution.
From the comfort standpoint, the stock armrest/integrated handle was poorly placed and too hard to be useful. The upper door cap was too thin and poorly padded.
We are reshaping and adding volume to the upper doorcap so it will better flow into the Miata dash we now have and changing materials to better suit the rest of the interior. No more fake plastic wood trim strips in other words.
Times like this make me regret never learning to sew.
10-09-16, 12:14 AM
#2516
Man, we've just been having the most beautiful fall weather the last few weeks- I mean really classic stuff- and today was no different...sunny and low 70's.
So, perfect for more door work.
Today was kinda "make/break" day for Sigfrid's chosen process; we would either decide it was worth continuing or scrap it and start over.
Ultimately (it was a ten hour day...) we decided to continue and are about 80% finished with the driver side and have begun on the passenger side.
Yep, looks like real crap, don't it?
Just like a body prepped car before primer, there's really no way for you to see what's going on- hell, I know what I'm looking at and think it looks hideous.
But trust me, it feels great and we're really not far from covering it.
Discussing over morning coffee and bowls, we decided that if we were to continue with the stock door card material (like Masonite that had been steamed and then stamped/pressed), we needed to stabilize it by covering the back with a layer of resin. It made perfect sense but would halt progress for a few hours till the resin had cured, so we slathered on a coat and went to the junkyard.
A new junkyard, one close to S.'s neck 'o the woods and it was OK but I still prefer my usual place.
Bitch, bitch bitch, we actually found the armrests and window cranks we were looking for and that's better than I've done, so this new place rocks, objectively viewed.
Both parts were from a '99 Rav4.
They're in the pic, mounted on the new composite (Sigfrid calls it G-7) center panel.
The trick now is the material choice.
Most vinyl does not match the patterns embossed in OEM plastic. You might get close and if you can avoid directly abutting stock material, you might even pull it off but we didn' come close and do lay right next to the Miata dash, so regular JoAnn Fabric type stuff was out.
What they did have, much to both our surprise, was a dead ringer for the geometrically pebbled type stuff that VW uses a lot on the Beetle dash and doorcaps.
From what I've seen in the yard, it appears to wear/age pretty well.
And it's a decided contrast to the Mazda dash material although the color appears closely matched, so it's not like we tried to match and failed.
The center panel will be covered in fake suede or black carpet (I favor carpet but Sigfrid already bought suede) and we're both very curious how it's going to turn out.
This is way more fun than it should be as we're both kinda giddy that we're finally this far along. The doorpanels are a sort of practice run as we develop (hopefully!) techniques to use on the rear strut towers (where we're basically starting with nothing) but the fact that the car runs beautifully and neither the doorpanels or strut tower covers are required to drive means there's no pressure.
In fact, our current punchlist has four items (besides the panels/covers), all small, all non-critical.
My stupid FC has more **** wrong with it than the Z.
And that continues to amaze me.
So, perfect for more door work.
Today was kinda "make/break" day for Sigfrid's chosen process; we would either decide it was worth continuing or scrap it and start over.
Ultimately (it was a ten hour day...) we decided to continue and are about 80% finished with the driver side and have begun on the passenger side.
Yep, looks like real crap, don't it?
Just like a body prepped car before primer, there's really no way for you to see what's going on- hell, I know what I'm looking at and think it looks hideous.
But trust me, it feels great and we're really not far from covering it.
Discussing over morning coffee and bowls, we decided that if we were to continue with the stock door card material (like Masonite that had been steamed and then stamped/pressed), we needed to stabilize it by covering the back with a layer of resin. It made perfect sense but would halt progress for a few hours till the resin had cured, so we slathered on a coat and went to the junkyard.
A new junkyard, one close to S.'s neck 'o the woods and it was OK but I still prefer my usual place.
Bitch, bitch bitch, we actually found the armrests and window cranks we were looking for and that's better than I've done, so this new place rocks, objectively viewed.
Both parts were from a '99 Rav4.
They're in the pic, mounted on the new composite (Sigfrid calls it G-7) center panel.
The trick now is the material choice.
Most vinyl does not match the patterns embossed in OEM plastic. You might get close and if you can avoid directly abutting stock material, you might even pull it off but we didn' come close and do lay right next to the Miata dash, so regular JoAnn Fabric type stuff was out.
What they did have, much to both our surprise, was a dead ringer for the geometrically pebbled type stuff that VW uses a lot on the Beetle dash and doorcaps.
From what I've seen in the yard, it appears to wear/age pretty well.
And it's a decided contrast to the Mazda dash material although the color appears closely matched, so it's not like we tried to match and failed.
The center panel will be covered in fake suede or black carpet (I favor carpet but Sigfrid already bought suede) and we're both very curious how it's going to turn out.
This is way more fun than it should be as we're both kinda giddy that we're finally this far along. The doorpanels are a sort of practice run as we develop (hopefully!) techniques to use on the rear strut towers (where we're basically starting with nothing) but the fact that the car runs beautifully and neither the doorpanels or strut tower covers are required to drive means there's no pressure.
In fact, our current punchlist has four items (besides the panels/covers), all small, all non-critical.
My stupid FC has more **** wrong with it than the Z.
And that continues to amaze me.
10-09-16, 10:13 AM
#2517
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as an update on our tranny problems. we picked up a new tranny, and put it in.
as usual, we were almost done, and i looked at the shifter before putting it in, and found that it was pretty beat.
the miata has a bushing at the bottom, and we had the "competition" aluminum one, and it was destroyed. also the slot on the shifter that keeps it aligned was all beat up, heavy wear on the slot, and it had a big ridge on the edge of the slot.
so we're thinking most of our problem was the shifter... and not the transmission
as usual, we were almost done, and i looked at the shifter before putting it in, and found that it was pretty beat.
the miata has a bushing at the bottom, and we had the "competition" aluminum one, and it was destroyed. also the slot on the shifter that keeps it aligned was all beat up, heavy wear on the slot, and it had a big ridge on the edge of the slot.
so we're thinking most of our problem was the shifter... and not the transmission
10-10-16, 12:56 PM
#2518
Bloody fookin 'ell, I'm gutted.
I've had a WTB in our forum and have been checking CL for a local solution to my transmission problem but despite the impression from the forum that there are mountains of NA trannys laying around (because wouldn't you rather have a turbo unit?), the search has so far been fruitless.
And then, as if by magic, an ad for a 1990 S5 NA transmission shows up on CL...at 11:30 Sunday night.
I respond via email immediately and this AM the ad is gone and my mail returned.
Somehow, the part no one really wants (save me, obviously) for an old niche vehicle is instantly plucked up in the dead of a Sunday evening after briefly shining the light of hope upon my plight.
All is dark.
All is bleak.
Why am I tested so?
(#firstworldproblems)
I've had a WTB in our forum and have been checking CL for a local solution to my transmission problem but despite the impression from the forum that there are mountains of NA trannys laying around (because wouldn't you rather have a turbo unit?), the search has so far been fruitless.
And then, as if by magic, an ad for a 1990 S5 NA transmission shows up on CL...at 11:30 Sunday night.
I respond via email immediately and this AM the ad is gone and my mail returned.
Somehow, the part no one really wants (save me, obviously) for an old niche vehicle is instantly plucked up in the dead of a Sunday evening after briefly shining the light of hope upon my plight.
All is dark.
All is bleak.
Why am I tested so?
(#firstworldproblems)
10-10-16, 03:00 PM
#2520
Red Pill Dealer
iTrader: (10)
MolotovMan (I think that's his screen name) might still have one with Miata gears for sale.
10-11-16, 10:43 PM
#2522
Thanks for the offers guys, we'll see what pans out.
Tomorrow I'm going to Precision, the guys who used to specialize in rotaries, and see what we can work out.
I'm using a shipping guess of around $100 for something like a transmission (and this is just an estimate based on nothing really), so if I can buy a trans locally for that (or less), I'll do it.
Mike (Precision) is the guy I got this chassis from and we'd pulled the original engine/transmission out, so I know he has (at least) one.
He had planned on carbing the engine and putting it in his old spec-FB for his son, but I'll wager it's all still sitting around, these four years later (or is it three?).
Anyway, it would be amusing to reunite the original trans with the chassis.
Doubles the car's value, ya know.
Tomorrow I'm going to Precision, the guys who used to specialize in rotaries, and see what we can work out.
I'm using a shipping guess of around $100 for something like a transmission (and this is just an estimate based on nothing really), so if I can buy a trans locally for that (or less), I'll do it.
Mike (Precision) is the guy I got this chassis from and we'd pulled the original engine/transmission out, so I know he has (at least) one.
He had planned on carbing the engine and putting it in his old spec-FB for his son, but I'll wager it's all still sitting around, these four years later (or is it three?).
Anyway, it would be amusing to reunite the original trans with the chassis.
Doubles the car's value, ya know.
10-18-16, 10:21 AM
#2523
10-23-16, 02:07 AM
#2524
Our beautiful fall weather continues, today we made progress on the door panels:
There are of course issues, but in general we're quite pleased.
Sigfrid's hairball technique actually worked out quite well, the overall effect is pretty much what we hoped for even though we really had no idea until the very end what the "effect" was.
The passenger side is about 75% through construction and S. might even get it ready for final covering tomorrow.
The only question now is how much we like our material choices, Sigfrid and I have differing opinions and we're going to sit on it for a week and see what we think next week. Any panel would have been slightly shocking after 3 years without, so a little time to get used to it is good.
Our goal was to try to achieve a relatively "stock" looking part using only the crudest of shadetree techniques, we knew from jump that a truly proper job would involve sewing...and neither of us can do that.
In other words, we had sorta lowered expectations.
And we met them.
Gold stars to all involved.
There are of course issues, but in general we're quite pleased.
Sigfrid's hairball technique actually worked out quite well, the overall effect is pretty much what we hoped for even though we really had no idea until the very end what the "effect" was.
The passenger side is about 75% through construction and S. might even get it ready for final covering tomorrow.
The only question now is how much we like our material choices, Sigfrid and I have differing opinions and we're going to sit on it for a week and see what we think next week. Any panel would have been slightly shocking after 3 years without, so a little time to get used to it is good.
Our goal was to try to achieve a relatively "stock" looking part using only the crudest of shadetree techniques, we knew from jump that a truly proper job would involve sewing...and neither of us can do that.
In other words, we had sorta lowered expectations.
And we met them.
Gold stars to all involved.
