Electrics moving on...

Well, they are kind of moving on. I haven't posted much about it so far due to been busy and nothing major being completed with any haste. I am finally struggling with the build and it is at the part I knew I was least confident with...the electrics.

I have slowly been working my way through it, blindly but logically getting there. A few things were easy to identify and learning new skills about chopping and re-working wires etc, I have become confident I can split and splice wires and still get them to work. Plus I've learnt a lot about how a circuit works....which when starting with nothing isn't bad going.

Just a quick recap. The place I last left of was looking something like this:

The electrics laid over the car in roughly the right place, plugging in what fits and trying to identify things with the aid of in vehicle positioning, which I must admit, worked better than expected. At this stage, we have the engine cranking and power (of the electrical variety) running through the system.


I think I will start by telling you what I tasked myself to do up until this point in time.

• Fuel Pumps - Get these pumping fuel through the system, always a good way to check for leaks.
• Headlights/Sidelights - Might need these I guess
• Indicators - For decoration, nobody really uses these do they?
• Cooling Fan - For when speed just isn't enough.
• Rear Combi-lights - If anyone has kept up, I suppose it's fair to let them know I'm stopping...
• Reverse light - To show people I'm coming out of the hedge
• Fog light - Well it is Britain.
• Engine Running! - Or at least have it ready to run, need to sort out my coolant pipes first though, can't have any left over coolant spewing out!

How the plan actually went...plus problems and the solutions...if any:

• Fuel Pumps, working...but on occasion they continue to work even with the key removed from the ignition. I sorted it but messing a bit later it has come back, but they work and the wiring isn't complete yet so not an issue currently. They work, that's the main thing.

• Headlights/sidelights - originally had sidelights as indicators, but solved that (wrong wire, was 50/50) headlights worked....then blew 5 fuses. Became apparent that with twisting the headlights to save walking around the car to check, I had created a short from the connectors due to a lack of individual insulating tape. Sorted it and it all working.

• Indicators are all working and worked first time including the hazard button. But I will have to adapt that to fit on the car somewhere as it still has the  headlight pop-up switch attached.

• Cooling fan - is on and wires identified. Just trying to understand what goes where and what fuses are used. May try looking at a working MX5 somewhere...needs more research.

• Rear Combination Lights need to be 90 degrees to the road, hardest part was doing this myself, much easier with 2 people but it looks there by eye, don't know exactly what the tolerances are though. But they work and brake lights come on at the right time

• Reverse and Fog lights. Well, I have identified the reverse light wire....I think. Plug it in and see is the option. Fog light, well, I haven't the foggiest (Pun intended) for what wire this is. All I know is that I need a tell tale sign on the dash or button. Looking into that currently, I have a but to use for now though.

• Engine Running. Well this is where my biggest problem lies. I can't seem to get a spark. This is such a big topic and many pointers for future reference, I will write a separate post for it.

Anyway, slowly but surely it is moving along. Once the engine is running it will mainly be cosmetic items to finish off....depends how quickly GBS can get the things I need to me (hand brake kit, propshaft, throttle cable). Hopefully it will be ready to go for IVA Prep before the end of August!

Picture Time!





Another issue I've been having, more recently, is the flooding of my garage. These tropical thunderstorms are playing havoc! It never seemed to be a problem in the winter....It's ok, I can wheel the car out, sweep the water away (a valuable skill I have perfected - Noah, eat your heart out!) and then work on the car in the sun. It's not the way first choice of enjoying the car in the sun but I'll have plenty of time for that soon.





The rear arches were also put on, there is a strip of trim on the inside between the side panel and the GRP, the tadpole trim I think it's called. flat edged with and tube on the end. Adds quite a nice effect with the orange.










A little bit of a side view of the car, never had one of these before. I must admit, looking at it on the drive like it is, just gives me a great feeling that one day, it will be a full car. Looking good!













Plenty of room for bigger wheels. I will use the standard MX5 wheels to begin, plenty of tread left and the Bank of Zach running low and the Bank of Dad is not open for business. So they can wait. They are currently 195 width, and R14 or R13s I believe. Will look at increasing the width, that's a definite. The radius, well I reckon I can increase an inch or two, but will have to look into the pros and cons.

 

Continuing the 360 (minus a few degrees) view of the car currently. Still no handbrake kit :(

 

 

 

 Looking better and better with every day. Just got to keep wiring a few things in and ensuring everything works. Main hurdle is the engine. Once this is running, this will quickly come to an end. It's been one hell of a learning curve so far, and I have loved every minute. Just can't wait to be able to drive this beauty!

 

Electrical Progress!

With all this sunny weather and the car rolling, I felt it was the perfect opportunity to utilise the sun to help see some of the darker places on the car. Therefore, I managed to roll the car out the garage and into the sun.



Yes I am using the jacks as bump stops due to the handbrake still not been finalised by GBS, it's on my shopping list of things that GBS still need to complete.




You may also notice the headlight cases are in....yeah that was boredom and for a little more effect.

 

Just got a few more things to wire up then I can start the tidying up process....now that will be a pain!


I have been determined to get the engine to crank on the starter motor since starting the electrics. In my eyes, that's the first thing I want to check, everything else can wait until the engine is running.

Anyway, after a few battles and plugging things in....I have managed to get it connected up! Happy days! Now we are getting somewhere! This video will show nicely (providing it works)

 

I have been told many times and will also tell you. The electrics are not a quick job. I have spent many hours going through and figuring what's what, looking between wiring diagrams and the actual wires and slowly getting somewhere, it may seem daunting but after today, it's been worth it and given me that new found motivation yet again. Next up is the fuel pumps and the radiator 12" fan that is due to arrive tomorrow. Then we'll be ready to try for the engine running.....getting worried now Mum???

Dashboard

Those of you that have been following my blog carefully, will understand that my garage is not limited to just the garage. My lounge is simply an extension of my garage but with electricity, warmth, sofas and a telly, for all those small tasks that don't need to be attached to the car.

Toying with the idea of the Mazda instrument cluster, I have decided on a central position as to provide an even look, and also to avoid the steering wheel blocking the view, as many IVA fails I have seen include this....I should be safe.

Having searched high and low for the correct sized holesaws, I settled on drilling a number of holes around the template border and then filing through. This isn't advised but it actually worked really well, no chips or cracks. However, the filing has left some....let's say, non-perfect-circular holes.....nonetheless, I have seen a stainless steel MX5 cluster surround, which I have purchased and sprayed with plastidip (basically a spray on rubber coat, which will peel off if I change my mind).

These are the results:

A plain look, I thought this would look pretty good....it would have done if the holes were decent and in the correct place, that square one at the bottom was a tough one to get anyway.













The stainless steel panel. Looks ok, but the holes would need a proper sorting out first.

And finally black. I think it looks good and goes with the orange nicely (excuse the flash, ruins the colour a bit).

I plan to spray the dashboard under the surround with plastidip too which will blend the surround in as well as looking less tatty....maybe the finished product will look amazing....time will tell. Still need to get some Perspex on order to cover the dials too.

Rear Panel and Fuel Tank

To take a break from the electrics, I decided it was finally time to sort the fuel tank out after buying some rubber cork to help seal the unit in. I have re-used the MX5 sender unit with a couple of adaptions: shortened float arm to fit and fuel pump removed. I have then used the black glue stuff from GBS to bond the fuel tank to the chassis, however I may add some straps too, can't think what the IVA required off the top of my head.

I also finally fitted the rear panel after a fair amount of bending, cutting and filing. I know it's not pretty and could have been done much neater but it's on and appears to leave plenty of room now instead of the bare minimum/clashing. Anyway, the arches, wheels and a bit of trim will hide the mess.

A couple of pictures to see the final outcome from the back.

This would have been a much easier job with two people but a few clamps and tactically placed rivets helped keep the thing together.

Who needs electrics?

So it has been quite a while again, I've hit a slow, complicated point for myself with the car and working flat out getting my placement portfolio completed for University, plus a week and a bit off enjoying the sun and drinking lots of beer at Glastonbury, but enough of my excuses, you're here for the car, not my life story!

As the title says I am currently doing battle with the electrics on my kit car. I have spent many a night stripping back the old wiring which I have reused from the MX5. My original plan was the use the GBS wiring looms but looking at around £1000 just to buy all the parts required and then still have to adapt certain areas to fit the MX5 parts I decided to save myself that money and stick with the MX5 loom...obviously this has opened up a whole new can of worms...but it's increasing my learning and saving money...well that's what I keep telling myself!

To the shock and horror of my father, (who was starting to think my lounge was no longer a garage), he came home one night to this:

I must say, there are plenty of other worse things I could be doing so he resigned himself to helping me out and giving me all the help I could need a glass of wine and an early night!

After a number of nights cutting 20 year old PVC tape and cable ties, I have got down to the bare wires. I had retrived wiring diagrams to help identify what parts were what, but after getting very confused and headache setting in, (it was my first time, they weren't gentle) I decided to resort to the plug in and see what happens ritual. Having a rough idea of what came from where I lay the electrics out over the car. Somethings were easy, other bits not so. This is where I am needing to resort back to the diagrames but this time, it's a little easier - only time will tell.

My plan is to get everything plugged in and see what happens. Ideally I will be able to have guessed most things right first time so there wont be much change. At least it will give me a rough idea of what goes where and if I was right. Basically working on an elimination process, as at the moment it is just highly overwhelming.

 Update a few weeks on....
Slowly but surely things are getting plugged in. Trying to understand what bit I will need on the car and finding them is proving to be the easier option than finding a wire and following the diagram or vice versa. Generally, plugs only have one clip to go into to avoid crossed wires....or that is was it's feeling like!







I have managed to get to a stage where I believe the engine should be able to turn over (not adding fuel or oil yet I don't want to start her up just yet) but I wanted to see if I had the starter and ignition all wired up correctly. Anyway, one day, needing that bit of inspiration to keep myself motivated I thought I'd give it a go. Battery connected up, all wires I thought would be needed plugged up and turn the key....................nothing....conclusion = dead battery. Luckily, I had managed to find a battery charger in my Granddad's garage so that came to good use, charging the battery in the evening to try again in the morning. (Unplugged the charger overnight for safety reasons) but tried again anyway the next day....still nothing. Conclusion number 2 = Battery is knackered and not holding a charge.......or I need to sort more ground/earth points out too.
Going to go with the last option and try again with a battery fresh off the charge, don't want to buy a new one to have that sit around for another couple months. Anyway, I got the motivation I wanted, but not the way I would have liked, I must now fix this, I will fix this, I will WIN......eventually.