So I have gone and done it...

[TynoPrime]

Looking absolutely brilliant! It seems your build is very similar to how I intend to do mine! Can I ask what you used as the "template" for your fuel filler recess?

In regards to seats, has anyone got any experience with the standard "mini bucket seats"?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/151253326936

That sort of style?

~Tyno

[oxford1360]

Hi there,

I have two of those that I am not using (another eBay purchase after which I changed my mind). They are quite narrow. I am not particularly wide in the hip but I wouldn't want to drive far if I were using them.

One is in good condition - no marks or tares. The other was torn so I stripped it to look at the frame to decide whether I could do something with them.

PM me if you want any further info.

[jones]

Thanks Tyno glad you like the build. The filler cap recess was a pain to find the right size mould. You probably have read elsewhere that people have been lucky to have a paint tin or flower pot the right diameter, I unfortunately was not so luck. I had turned over the garage and the kitchen, and it was in the latter I found joy, it was actually a cardboard ring that came as part of the packaging for our new pots and pans. I made a cross insert to ensure that it stayed perfectly round and cut out a base in car and covered the whole lot in silver insulation tape I had left over from laying an underlay for our oak floor.

WIth regards to seats, I am curious too I have my eye on a couple of retro looking seats and a more modern equivalent variety too.

[TynoPrime]

Ah, I'll have to have a look once I've got the fuel lid on hand I suppose.

I'll be starting my own thread soon, as I've done some of my interior already in preperation for my kit! Will you be attending stoneleigh with the car?

[jones]

Sorry for the abruptness but I just lost the first attempt.

tyno - not sure about Stoneleigh it was the intention and still is a deadline date to make it roadworthy. Get your thread started be keen to see your interior work.

So I had chores and other things to do this weekend so not as much achieved as wanted. I did manage to get the exhaust trim fitted properly it's a tight fit but the exhuast as a whole is a temporary solution in the grand plan.

Managed to wire up and fit the fog light it turns out the 'original' has been a victim along with many other must keep parts to the great 'get that car in a garage' quest at the end of last year. So this week I had to purchase another header/door seal only to cut it into pieces to make it fit. Back to the fog light, as you can see in the picture it sits quite low so will need a friendly MOT tester. It then folds away when not required for the other 364 days of the year.

Started the bodywork and this is where it went wrong for me today, I am not happy with the look of the haunches, I blended the kit to body well but the panel mould lines are slight out and as you sand, fill and shape to compensate for be another become an issue. Well see for yourself...



So the question is will I take this car to Stoneleigh? In its current state I wouldn't be happy to have so many judgmental eyes around it...

[jones]

A while since I last posted any updates but I have slowly been making some progress. As I do want to have it on the road this year I am making some changes to the original concept but they can be reversed during the winter months if I see fit.

The first of those was to admit the hinge bonnet concept I have planned is on hold and for now I have reverted to using bonnet pins, although this was not as simple as I would have liked due to a work in progress corner I had removed some fibreglass that was the perfect mounting point for a pin! This is a must fix for tomorrow job, I did manage to get the other three completed this evening though.



Last weekend I had tackled the side windows seals and a bit of cut and shut, I know there was an easier way of completing the task as some have just sliced down the middle and then tiger sealed the two pieces back together overlapping the respective half's to reduce the depth. If I were to do it again, I would still do my method of removing the waste and fibreglass in it back together for a cleaner finish BUT I would have done this prior to final bonding as fibreglassing with a roll cage in the way was not easy! Plus the resin dripped too, a very messy job so messy I only could be bothered to glass one back in last weekend.



I did spend a bit of time filling and sanding but I didn't take any pictures of that.

Well that's it for now and probably see some of you at Stoneleigh.

[Paul L]

All progress is a step in the right direction.

I've spent quite a bit of time cleaning up the mess I've made with resin, bonding paste, filler, etc.

Good luck, Paul.

[jones]

Thanks Paul - I have to admit without your 'honest' build thread showing the full journey and sharing all the thought processes and the good as well as the bad I might have taken a different route and posted a lot less. It has been the key for me taking on things I wasn't going to do on my first build or even show on the thread for fear of looking out of my depth.

[Paul L]

Jones - Thanks for the kind words.

I've always appreciated the help and support I've received from the forum during my build.

Even if someone is politely pointing out I am doing something wrong.

By the time you have finished you should feel rightly proud of your achievements.

Good luck, Paul.

[jones]

So not much to report - been moving very slowly just waiting on a few things to happen work wise and then I can move forwards a bit more again.

• I have tidied up the wiring and encased it in a protective plastic sleeve
• Repaired the n/s front bonnet mounting point that I had cut in my haste when I first got the kit to make room for the hinges that I thought I would be using - this idea has since been scrapped
• Fitted the windscreen washer jets, albeit minus the hoses because some fool forgot to pick it up the other day whilst on a shopping trip
• Done a bot more filling and sanding
• tidied up the lower half of the n/s door, couple of zinc undercoats prior to primer - it has the made the primer coat lighter as you can see in the picture

I haven't been taking many pictures either so here's what I've got...

[Paul L]

Jones - To the casual observer, it all looks good.

Note: I've left my OCD goggles in a locked box at the back of the garden shed.

Thanks again for making the effort to drop by and say hello.

Good luck, Paul.

[jones]

Not a huge amount of progress going on as it's crunch time on the new business but I have managed a 30 mins here on filling and sanding.

But whilst my free time has mostly been after the socially acceptable hours for making noise has past I have therefore found another way to entertain myself. It was always something I was going to do as a final touch but a post by another member prompted me into action.

New more period fitting dials were in order - I had a clear vision of what I wanted so it was a matter of booting up Photoshop and cracking on. Here is a glimpse of where I have got to today - can't finish it as I don't have the spray glue required but it gives you an idea. To be honest I am pretty chuffed with the results too.

[mazdarazmataz]

Can I quickly take advantage of the fact your online and ask you a quick unrelated question?

How much space is there to recess rear lights? I ask because I'm not ready to assemble my car yet, but I impulse bought some r33 skyline rear lights and was wondering how much space I have to play with to recess them in the rear panel

[jones]

Ummmm lots of room behind where I have my lights but you might be limited the more you move inwards by the boot extension panel but not sure. I'll get out and have a look if you want measurements too. Mine is also a mk1 and the rear panel is slightly different I believe on the mk2 if you one.

[Mitchelkitman]

They look good - can I ask what did you print on (maybe just regular photo paper)? and did you use an inkjet or laser printer?

[Paul L]

Nice work on the dials.

[TynoPrime]

Great work on the dials! Sorry for the lack of posts.. I've been busy at work+gathering turbo parts for the mx5 so not had a lot to report!

Can I ask where you got your front tombstone/oval indicators? I can't find any anywhere for a decent price! Also where did you get your hosing for the fuel filler lines?

Thanks!

[jones]

So It has been a while since I was last on here providing updates and it looks like I have missed a few questions too in the process.

Unfortunately the year or for sure an 18 month window was not kind to me, after a few deaths, my wife have a number of car accidents, my redundancy combined with going self employeed was too much for my wife to take. At the beginning of summer just days after my last post the wife and seperated and very swiftly I am in the process of completing a painfully expensive divorce - just lucky we didn't have any kids!

Anyway having spent the summer having the privilege of negotiating with solicitors and trying to keep my business going in the right direction I have returned my attention over the last couple of weeks back to the car....

A quick flurry of activity to make it presentable...



An electrical check





The following day I got close... but not quite a cigar! Two pesky minors that I knew I would get but thought pop in and get a list to work through - did not expect to fly through everything else!



So there and then I rebooked the next test that gave me just the weekend and a few days. I ordered the parts - genuine Mazda Dust Boots and I tell you what so SOOOOOO much better than the cheap ones just slide on. A few hours of tarting around to start the final phase 1 of body shaping and tweaking on the rear and I even gave the parcel shelf a once over with filler and a bit of satin black...







That then left me to take it down for the first MOT slot of the day at 7:45am and BOOM! PASS! no advisories and all very happy.

Took it for a 35 mile drive and have a number of things I want to address but the news is the rear is solid just need wheel well covers and some insulation, perspex for the rear quarters and some bracing on the front lower valance so it doesn't shake at 85mph (if i were ever to want to drive it on a track of-course).

That's it for now - I will be back to answer the questions left by everyone hopefully tonight.

[Paul L]

Jones - Congratulations on the MOT.

Hope everything else works out for you as well as can be expected.

Take care, Paul.

[mazdarazmataz]

Could I ask what number plate lights you have used? And where to get them?