Madabout Kitcars Forum

Madabout Kitcars Forum (https://madabout-kitcars.com/forum/index.php)
-   Tribute Automotive Builds (https://madabout-kitcars.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=18)
-   -   Fatbloke builds a Spyder (https://madabout-kitcars.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4179)

fatbloke 26th March 2013 08:32

Fatbloke builds a Spyder
 
Greetings fellow Tribute owners. I have finally taken the plunge, bought myself a very smart Mk2 MX5, complete with hardtop, and ordered the convertible kit from Chris. This will be very much a trip into the unknown for me. I've stripped an rebuilt motorbikes in the past but never anything on this scale.

I'll post some pictures of the base car over the next few days and hope you will bear with me as I ask some pretty dumb questions.

Hammy 26th March 2013 14:29

Welcome along dude! :eusa_dance:

Tribute Automotive 26th March 2013 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatbloke (Post 41626)
Greetings fellow Tribute owners. I have finally taken the plunge, bought myself a very smart Mk2 MX5, complete with hardtop, and ordered the convertible kit from Chris. This will be very much a trip into the unknown for me. I've stripped an rebuilt motorbikes in the past but never anything on this scale.

I'll post some pictures of the base car over the next few days and hope you will bear with me as I ask some pretty dumb questions.

:welcome: Patrick.

Ask away, everyone is glad to help :amen:

chargerstang 26th March 2013 22:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatbloke (Post 41626)
Greetings fellow Tribute owners. I have finally taken the plunge, bought myself a very smart Mk2 MX5, complete with hardtop, and ordered the convertible kit from Chris. This will be very much a trip into the unknown for me. I've stripped an rebuilt motorbikes in the past but never anything on this scale.

I'll post some pictures of the base car over the next few days and hope you will bear with me as I ask some pretty dumb questions.


Have fun and enjoy:fear:
greets Heinrich

tonyt 27th March 2013 20:51

I can offer tips if required.

fatbloke 27th March 2013 21:03

Cheers Tony, I've been looking through your thread with great interest and may well be in touch.

andyPL 28th March 2013 18:01

mx250 with hard top- I'm curious how it will look like ;)

chargerstang 28th March 2013 19:15

that sounds very interesting:ear:
Good luck with the implementation
I am looking forward to the first pictures
have fun

fatbloke 28th March 2013 20:49

I'm intrigued to see how it looks with the hard top too. If it looks crap I can just used the soft top and flog the hard top on ebay. :)

andyPL 29th March 2013 09:00

maybe someone will do a litle bit of photoshop ?

fatbloke 29th March 2013 20:40

The "destruction" of the car has begun

Soft top

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psd4086ee2.jpg

Hard top

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psf3c79d61.jpg

Front end removed

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7e46afa2.jpg

Trip to the local scrap yard also proved very fruitful. Set of headlights, Mondeo grill and some original 1960's Lucas rear lights off a rust bucket behind the office.

fatbloke 31st March 2013 19:42

Getting there, need to remove the bonnet release cable and flare out the wheel arches, although I might wait until I've got the kit to make sure I bend it the right amount.

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psd48759b3.jpg

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...ps21d228b0.jpg

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psb7f110a3.jpg

A few "top tips". If you have a load of crappy old tools inherited from parents and grandparents Halfords have a special deal on their professional tool kits and they're pretty good, with a life time warranty, when lying on your back trying to remove the back bumper make sure your dogs aren't about as it's difficult to undo bolts with a dog licking your face and the door mirrors unbolt from the outside (which I discovered after taking off the door card).

fatbloke 1st April 2013 12:22

I have a feeling, with the hardtop, the MX250 might look a little like this so some rear wing vent mods to be done and searching around for some appropriate rear lights. Also decide to go for quarter light mirrors which look to be in keeping with the retro look.

http://lemans.slotracing.free.fr/le-...-26-LM64-6.jpg

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6177/6...6d436ec9_z.jpg

Hammy 1st April 2013 12:37

Love the LM you'll get those lights from cbsonline, I've just bought some

oxford1360 1st April 2013 16:10

Are you planning on removing the rear glass from the hard top, inserting a vertical panel inside, and then extending the rear roof line to be closer to the shape of the original? I think the solid band that goes around the base of the current rear screen would act as a solid base. It will look very neat if you do.

Although its none of my business, the MX5 hard top is quite distinctive and it will be recognisable if left untouched.

Just a thought.

fatbloke 1st April 2013 17:07

I'm going to see what it looks like with the standard hardtop but, as you say, it screams MX5. Not sure if my building skills extend to moding the roof at this stage but it is certainly worth thinking about for "stage 2"

Martini 1st April 2013 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by oxford1360 (Post 41855)
Are you planning on removing the rear glass from the hard top, inserting a vertical panel inside, and then extending the rear roof line to be closer to the shape of the original? I think the solid band that goes around the base of the current rear screen would act as a solid base. It will look very neat if you do.

It will look fantastic!

fatbloke 5th April 2013 21:21

Mutter, mutter, mutter - to get the boot hinges off I've had to remove the soft top. Still, it had to come off as it needs to be replaced.

tonyt 5th April 2013 22:53

Thanks I was wondering how to get whats left of my hinges off as I cut them to make brackets to mount reversed on opposite sides to attach my gas struts to.
http://i1148.photobucket.com/albums/...ps983ab746.jpg
I could have kept the originals as Chris has done in his demo but external chrome look more period, mini hinges are too small, morris minor hinges are too curverd, Morris Oxford / Hindustan Ambassidor from Royal in New Delli are ok, you may need to beef up the steel behind the hood to stop flexing and to help profile the lines.

fatbloke 6th April 2013 09:04

If you decide to do this Tony have a look at this:

http://www.cienega32.com/miata/nb2na...top_xplant.htm

Do check that you need to go this far with the Mk1 though as the captive bolts may be more accessible simply by removing the carpet under the bay where the soft top folds in. Also, have a look at the info about the rain gutter as if you damage this taking the soft top off it has to be replaced.


All times are GMT +0. The time now is 23:01.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright Madabout Kitcars 2022