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One of the realities of a project like this is budget exhaustion. It is a point where you have just finished one big part of the project and started on the next. You would think that these milestones would be a huge motivator, and they are, until you hit the budget cliff. This is the point in a project where you have to dip deep into the pool of fiscal foolishness and remind yourself that you don't care how much it cost, and that while the finished project wont be worth a quarter of what you spend, because that is not the point anyways, and pull out the credit card in order to secure parts that MIGHT get you over the next hill. To that end, the following commponents are on the way to the shop The hideous Miata wheel has to go away. The good lady who will be driving demands MOMO and this is her selection Seat wise, the covers for the beat up seats are on the way. Color So if I don't screw it up I should end up with something like this: I have ordered extra fabric to do the door cards and amy other interior trim required. And lastly,, I have ( kinda out of desperation ) ordered this bit of kit for the wiper dilema that I am still fighting. I really wanted the original Miata motor to drive the system, but it is not happening short of a full on Rube-Goldberg mechanism. The principle of this kit is abit too close to the system on my MGB and so many other BMC vehicles of the past. But at this point, if it gets the job done, I will be happy. So, hopefully this lot will get me over the current hump and on the way to actually driving this summer...only 171 days till deadline.
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Dec 22, 2017 15:58:29 GMT
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27-FIT AND ATTACH DASHBOARD TO CAR -DONE It is from a seemingly endless list of trivial task such as this that one completes these damn builds. Four brackets attached to the A pillars and 4 hours consumed over two nights in the shop ( 3 calendar days) to get the job done. Tells you how the years add up on these projects. Not my prettiest welds and the brown smudge tells you that I was only partially successful in doing a good weld prep getting rid of the primer and what not. But they wont fall off. Bit of the grinder and some paint and this should all look presentable. Got a start buttoning up the two cowls where they meet. Or more like "Meet after I beat the bejezzus out of the tin". Started with a gap as demonstrated on the RH side The LH side looked the same until I applied a few newtons to the Miata tin so that it would co-mingle with the Volvo cowl. Then, when it was dazed and confused from the beating, I hit it with the tin glue-gun That forms a nice strong box section in the cowl area. Actually a double box since the original Volvo structure is still in there and intact for the most part. Should help keep this chimera of a car "cowl shake" free. 15-GET SOME FORM OF WIPERS WORKING Is now back on the critical path to getting the project over the cowl/dashboard system hump. I have been circling a solution while doing the dashboard mount, but now need to finish the fabrication and validation. To anyone ever thinking of doing this: If you want the resulting car to be a real car that you will actually drive, you need to execute the dash system to a high standard. This is going to be your office and whatever you don't get right is going to be in your face all the time. Also, going in after the fact is never easy if it involves removing the dash and all that entails.
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Dec 21, 2017 16:59:45 GMT
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The OTT gauges are from a Japanese company called AWD (ArtWorks/Dewa). KG Works ones come up every now and then on eBay, but they normally fetch ridiculous money. I promise I'm not addicted to interior MX5 parts... After spending way too much time looking at and day-dreaming about dashboard design, I have concluded that function and budget is going to rule over form at this point. There is about $10k left in the budget to get the car done, and dropping the money they want for some of the fancy dash stuff does me no good. I have less in the engine than the AWD stuff would have cost! Sorry to report that my reading found that Dewa San has passed away. Besides, the whole point of this project is to avoid custom systems and most of what I see that I really like triggers major work with the HVAC and ICE system. Think how ridiculous I am going to feel on June 21 2018 as I fork out another $1000 bill to the wife unit for missing a deadline due to an aesthetic roadblock that I created and then had to finance myself!
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Pretty sure I can get a Stevie Wonder tack on the bracket. I will use the wire stick out to locate the edge and pray.
It has been suggested that a smarter man than me would have built in a little more leeway into the dash mounts. I will find out tomorrow night.
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Dec 20, 2017 19:45:05 GMT
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At this point I agree that the dash can go under the heading of future improvments. Easy enough to snag another one when it comes up at a good price.
The gauges above really would suit the car. I wonder what is involved besides a bucket of $$$ to convert? Looks live V8 roadster item, might go look!
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Dec 20, 2017 17:18:12 GMT
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Slow but steady wins the race. With the dash decided, time to attach it. The 4 bolts on the tunnel were a no-brainer because it is a Miata dash bolted to a Miata. Miata uses two bolts angled in from the sides to hold the outer edges of the dash. Can only see these with the door open. Easy enough to make up 4 angled brackets. Now all I have to do is figure how to get some molten wire from the MIG gun applied to the brackets. Lack of room for much of anything, and certainly not going to get a helmeted head in there. These might not end up being the prettiest welds. Good news is I only have to tack them in and then I can pull the dash to finish the job. Pete
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Dec 20, 2017 16:43:13 GMT
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There's a chap who did a minimalist MX5 dash conversion, removing the centre console and relocating the switches: Possibly a little hard to see from that picture, but I can dig up a link to his build thread if you're interested. Edit - there's also a "shorty" centre console you can get here: www.jassperformance.com/shop/little-devil-short-console.htmlThis I like A LOT. And it is doable. The only thing that might keep me from executing now is that I want to keep moving ahead. To do this properly I need the time to execute and that will keep me from putting the dash in and moving on to the next task.
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Dec 19, 2017 14:16:22 GMT
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The short of it is that I have another deadline. The wife has bet another $1000 that it wont make it to the paint shop by the first day of summer 2018.
That means I have to have the interior done, still get some kind of rain-wipers, get car safety inspected and insured and body block sanded so that can happen. Oh, and a bunch of minor mechanical stuff to tidy up like the battery location and conversion to EFI.
So, I need some low hanging fruit to cross off the list.
Chassis swaps turn out to be the easy part. It is everything else that takes time and $$$.
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Dec 18, 2017 19:22:56 GMT
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Love the look of wooden steering wheels, but not so much the tactile feel.
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Dec 18, 2017 16:40:41 GMT
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If you're referring to me, I'm not thinking you're wimping out or anything like that. You've shown to be up for a serious challenge and have now chosen a certain path for this part of the build. You do not have to appologize for that... The wood seems to help a little, and I'm sure once done in the car it will look very nice. I think for the 60's ferrari style mentioned, a wood rimmed alloy steering wheel would be mandatory though. Big fan of the MOMO Protoypo. Have on in the MGB GT. The car is running on a depowered Miata rack. We will have to see if the effort is manageable. If not, I will be looking into an under dash electric solution.
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Dec 18, 2017 15:51:44 GMT
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Without major mods the mx5 dash could easily be transformed into something with more than a passing resemblance to a 60s ferrari gto, would certainly suit this. This is where this is going to land. ( only in a Volvo rather than a Miata as pictured) The tan/beige/orange is going away and we are going to land on a black interior with the MOSS wood-grain kit. The Volvo door-cards are in good enough shape that I could dye the vinyl and re-use them. But it might be fun to make new ones that make use of the MOSS wood accent in the door-card. Apologies for looking like I am bailing out on the challenge, but the firewall and dash were always going to be the critical thing to get right, and I would be remiss to not take advantage of the engineering that went into the Miata HVAC and ergonomics. Maybe I should re-purpose the spare button on the center console from headlight actuator to start button. That would confuse some people!
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Dec 18, 2017 12:33:47 GMT
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Seeing this I still think it's worth the extra effort to go original volvo dash... I just don't see this pretty bland dash as complimenting on the rest of the build and the overall shape of the Volvo. Is this final or are you still probing for which way you want to go? This is going to be it. Some color changes and wood trim to give it a more retro look, but the decision has been made. I actually cut up one of the Vovlo dashes that I have, and by "cut up" I mean choped everything up until it fit and filled the gaps with tape and cardboard; was not a single piece of tin that could be used as-is and it did not look lo good to my eye because I had messed with the proportions too much. It also meant that I would have to figure out all new ducting for the HVAC system.
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Oh, I am paying attention, just not cutting any slack!
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Dec 15, 2017 13:32:25 GMT
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What up? Your audience has been accustomed to a level of activity that has gone missing!! What are you doing? Something silly like building a new shop or sum- thing?
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Dec 14, 2017 14:55:37 GMT
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I like the MG Midget option if this is going to be a competition engine. Out of curiosity, since they swap into MG Midgets easily, how do they rate the displacement on a rotary?
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Dec 14, 2017 14:54:43 GMT
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I like the MG Midget option if this is going to be a competition engine. Out of curiosity, since they swap into MG Midgets easily, how do they rate the displacement on a rotary?
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Dec 13, 2017 20:28:42 GMT
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Let me save you a bunch of work. Your son can thank me later
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Dec 11, 2017 20:47:08 GMT
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I hate you guys... With a forum tittle "retro" I pretty much figured where that would all land. I will post the third option when I get it modeled in place. Its the earlier Miata dash, but I think I can make it look retro easier than I can build a steel dash from scratch.
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Dec 11, 2017 16:16:07 GMT
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Since updates are good and to give you all an idea of the mental gymnastics that goes on behind the scenes: The Miata dash is doable, and once installed would clear up a huge number of logistics insofar as wiring, HVAC and ergonomics. It is also easy to visualize as it goes in as one piece. The actual Miata dash that I would use is from a 91 as it offers more options to "retro decorate/camouflage" BUT, my brain insist that I explore all possibilities before I commit ( bleeping miracle I ever got married ) and I had to do this: This is doable, but it would require a huge effort and probably eat up the winter in itself. Very little, if any, of the Volvo dash would actually be used, but rather it would be the look that I am trying for. Next is to attack the 91 dash by transferring the cuts from the prototype 96 and see what I think of that look once it is in place. As they must happen in conjunction with the dash, the wipers still remain as prototypes that may or may not work depending on the dash. I knew going in that the firewall and dash was going to be a big make-or-break part of this project. This is the place I am going to be spending time in and it has to feel and look good. So bear with me as I slowly grind through this process of interior decorating. The good news is that it really is the last big technical challenge and then I am off to body and paint.
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