Another MEV Replicar kitcar build.

[Quarrycars]

I still intend to build another Furore F1 with a bike engine next time, it was a blast to drive but the missus wants something with side-by-side seating for the next build.  Surprisingly hard to find a kit that uses donor parts readily available in the US.
I've ordered a MEV Replicar kit and have found a sad looking Mazda MX5 for the UK donor.

Should look something like this!
I know nothing about the Mazda but I've been following Quantum owner's MEV build and getting an idea what it's all about.  Luckily getting the donor has coincided with a bit of nice weather so I'm already in to the strip, don't know how much I'm going to use.
The plan is to build as much as possible here then ship the kit to the US in September and finish the build in Arizona.


The Donor - non runner, brakes rusted on etc.


The easy bit - stripping out the interior


After removing the aftermarket alarm system it started right up, engine sounds sweet, pity I won't be using it.


Edited title to draw more traffic

['The Gaffer']

The MEV Replicar looks a very interesting car with endless amounts of parts available. Keep us posted on the build

[Quarrycars]

Finished the teardown of the Mazda, good work out undoing lots of rusty 12mm bolts on the subframes and suspension, no impact wrench as my compressor has burned out (thought 60Hz motor would run OK on 50Hz - wrong )







Got rid of the old body and moved in the new chassis, need to get as much build as possible before shipping next month

[Quarrycars]

Time for an update;

Ready to get started!

Most of the front firewall in place.

Pipe work - amazing I still had rolls of cupronickel pipe from when I built cars over 30 years ago

The RHD front sub-frame and steering rack installed, rebuilt and de-powered the rack, managed to find plugs for the hydraulic fittings.

['The Gaffer']

Great progress there

[Bulldog Bri]

Enjoying watching this build come together. Keep the pics coming.

[Quarrycars]

Would really like to make an authentic dash with the big rev counter etc,

but also a believer in KISS so I'm using the MX5 dash, at least to start with.  Not a bad looking dash and this is an early one with a 'real' oil pressure gauge.  Only just fits in the Replicar panel, a bit nervous about cutting a big hole in it;

Tile saw does a great job, should add it to the 'Things that work thread'

Didn't know the bit of Perspex I scrounged was smoked until I peeled off the backing but it doesn't look too bad, may need to wire the panel lights to the ignition.

[YellaBelly]

Looks fine chap

If you're not happy with the perspex, maybe you could round off the edges to a 1/4 circle shape or perhaps fit some thin edge trim?

Or is it possible to fit the clocks back a little and put the perspex between the dash and the clocks and put a thin rubber seal between the perspex and the dash? Depends how you've fitted the clock unit.

['The Gaffer']

Looking good, great progress as usual with your builds

[Quarrycars]

All the alloy panels fitted, inner ones bonded and riveted, outer ones screwed on as they need to be shaped to fit the body;

The chassis leaves Mid-Wales on it's journey to Arizona via MEV to pick up the body;

Nice finish on the body but it is a big item to handle, the shipper has a fork lift but it will be a challenge when it gets to California ;

It should show up at the Port of Los Angeles, in a really big box, in about a month, fingers crossed;

To be continued.....

[fullpint]

looking nice in BRG 

[robp]

This is a great thread.  Lots of good photos.  Excellent progress on the build. 

[Moleman]

I can only repeat what robp just said. 

[Iancider]

Looking excellent - keen to see the progress!

[Quarrycars]

After 4 weeks at sea and 10 days to clear customs - I was able to pickup my crated MEV.



Haven't opened it yet but it's at our daughter's place in the Hi Desert, plenty of room there.



Also found a US donor car, a 1994 Miata 'M', a lot of miles but it drove well, beat up body, ratty top,  interior and a cracked windscreen so I didn't feel bad about scrapping it.



Easy teardown - no rust!  the stripped out body is light enough to lift with an engine crane on full extension, balances when lifted by the seat mounts but I only had a short length of chain, no problem except when I had it high enough to clear the engine it suddenly flipped on its side.  Luckily the crane stopped it ending upside down and no one was around to see what happened, realized I had suspended it below it's center of mass - it was top heavy



Worked out OK - made it easy to remove the fuel tank, filter and lines.

Heading back to CA this week, plan is to get it to the rolling chassis stage than bring it to AZ where I only have a regular garage.

[Daley Down Under]

You must be pleased with the progress 

Adrian

['The Gaffer']

All going very well, and fast

[Quarrycars]

As I thought, the crate weighed more than the kit, major work dismantling it, the packers go crazy with the nail guns.



Still it did the job, everything came through in good shape!

Got Dunlop tyres mounted on the wire wheels, seemed appropriate even if they are made in Japan, also changed the front sub-frame and steering rack to RHD and fitted the fuel tank.



Now to get the body strapped on load it on the trailer and take it to AZ where I have time but not space!

[Daley Down Under]

Looking really good 

[YellaBelly]

Looking good! Won't be long now

['The Gaffer']

I reckon he will have it built in another 10 minutes

[Quarrycars]

I reckon he will have it built in another 10 minutes

May take a little longer than that, I'm just getting it rolling so I can trailer it to Arizona.  Got the body in place last night but it was too dark to take pictures, put a strap round it as the wind is blowing hard enough for it to take off!




That's not rain on the body but the morning dew.

['The Gaffer']

Ok, half an hour max

[Bulldog Bri]

Looking great. Looks a straight forward build

One question... What was the first MX5 for??? you stripped one down when in Wales.. then a second one in TX!

[Quarrycars]

One question... What was the first MX5 for??? you stripped one down when in Wales.. then a second one in TX!

Good question!  (BTW we are in AZ/CA).  Mainly I needed the RHD bits but also I had no experience with the MX5 and taking one apart is a good way to learn.  The UK car was cheap and very rusty, I just used the steering rack and front sub frame and some of the wiring.  The engine ran well once I disconnected the aftermarket alarm so I should be able to sell the drive train.  I could have got a rack and front frame off E-bay the they would have cost nearly what I paid for the car.
Having dismantled 2 MX5/Miatas I is now an expert .

[Quarrycars]

The Replicar has finally made it to Arizona, no excuses now, I need to get to work!





The next journey should be under it's own power

[Daley Down Under]

All good 

['The Gaffer']

Very nice

[Bulldog Bri]

I do like that

[fullpint]

Looking good, and so does your weather 

[Quarrycars]

A bit of progress to report, it has been unusually cold and windy in the valley this month, I've been working with the garage door closed and not much light (I know – excuses excuses!).  I've been working on the wiring; the car now has a RHD body and dash harness plus a NAS engine harness.  A couple of kilos of stripped out wiring:


Also removed wiring for an aftermarket audio system, don't quite understand the theory behind using monster cable for wires carrying small currents but can probably use them to make ground straps!


Still looking a positioning of components, fuse boxes, relays, solenoids etc.  Trying body position – I want it to sit as low as possible but need room for the dash so may have to lower the steering column.  That means I need to get the seats so I can check knee clearance, I'm looking at a pair of Kirkey Vintage Class bucket seats.

[Iancider]

The car is looking beautiful but I am getting very confused - it reminds me of Breakfast in London, Lunch in New York, Luggage in Bancock! 

[Daley Down Under]

The car is looking beautiful but I am getting very confused - it reminds me of Breakfast in London, Lunch in New York, Luggage in Bancock! 

That reminds me of what ALITALIA stands for - Aircraft Landed In Turin. All Luggage In Amsterdam

[Quarrycars]

The car is looking beautiful but I am getting very confused - it reminds me of Breakfast in London, Lunch in New York, Luggage in Bancock! 

I hadn't thought about it but the Replicar has traveled a bit;
The kit started life in Mansfield England, traveled to Montgomery Wales where the basic chassis work was completed and bits from the UK RHD MX5 donor fitted.  Then to Ripley for packing and shipping via Felixstowe to Manzanillo Panama to transship for the trip through the canal and north to Port of Los Angeles.  From LA to California High Desert where I have room to unpack the crate, strip the US Miata donor and assemble to the rolling chassis stage, then to my garage in the Arizona Mohave Valley for final assembly.

Work is going well; Got the seats, I think they look the part, we'll see how comfortable they are.


Brakes are all overhauled;




I've mounted the battery behind the LH rear firewall, no room under the bonnet and I didn't really want it in the cockpit.

Lowered position;

Raised position.
This is a temporary setup, I'll fit a proper 'drop down' battery carrier later.

Found a vintage style master switch;



Pretty much finished the RHD dash and body with the NAS engine harness hybrid.  The '91 dash does not have a VSS or MIL but as far as I can tell the speed sensor is only used on JDM cars for top speed limiting although it could be used for cooling fan control, haven't been able to find much documentation for the Miata ECU.  The MIL/Check Engine light is useful and needed for emission test, I'll add an extra bulb somewhere.

The Mazda BP-4 engine has quite a vintage look to it, a friend who actually makes stainless steel oil tank caps for the modern racing Aston's made me an oil cap;


Working on the body mounts now.

[Quarrycars]

Hopefully last time on - off with the body;



Body mounting brackets all made up;



Now need to concentrate on getting the chassis finished, brakes and clutch are bled, fuel system all connected but haven't put fuel in it yet, I'm mounting the fuel filler under the aero hump, so the EVAPS system is intact, not needed here in AZ but if the car goes to CA they test the fuel cap as part of the emission test.



Powered up the electrical system - smelled smoke, spent 5 minutes sniffing round like an airport dog before realizing that the farmers were burning stubble!  Everything seems to work but the smoked Perspex over the IP will have to go.

Have to work on the exhaust, basically stock without the rear muffler, when I bought the donor the guy said it had a new cat for the last smog test, didn't tell me it was installed by the worlds worst welder;



Mallard Injected Guano!  Also out of line and hitting the PPF so a bit of work there.

['The Gaffer']

Love the oil cap, not too keen on the exhaust welding

[Iancider]

Great to see you breaking the mould - you are doing a excellent job.  The opposite of one of those kit cars that gets built and only goes out on sunny days - this one did 7,000 miles before it was even built!

[Quarrycars]

Build has been progressing, albeit slowly, too many distractions!  Chassis is now drivable;



Goes, stops and steers, it seems pretty lively and nothing fell off!  I realized it's been a while since I drove a front engine rear drive car, with the Torsen diff it needs to be pointing straight when you boot it, fun to steer with the throttle.
Now need to get the body mounted, lights wired and down to the MVD for inspection.

[Bulldog Bri]

Lookin' Good & Soundin' Great

[Moleman]

Looking good. Nice to see you it coming on mate.