Gregory the NA8 II: Project Apache Thunder-Fist

speed · Postby **speed** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 7:22 pm

They look fantastic! Think you deserve a drink or two after that

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smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 7:49 pm

bruce wrote:He will wear his fingers down to nubs!

My nubs hurt just looking at Okibi's NB. A lot of respect for people you have the patience for that much bling. Was that a DIY effort?

speed wrote:They look fantastic! Think you deserve a drink or two after that

Thanks Speed, waaayyy ahead of you :beer:

IanR · Postby **IanR** » Sun Sep 04, 2016 8:57 pm

smy0003 wrote:Sad morning. Tried to re-route the upper rad hose (Cadillac) to make way for the intercooler piping:

But there is zero room to shoot the intake straight down. I'm now investigating over-the-rad style set-ups.

It's tight, you'll get it, mine has a few mm to spare.. actually there is 1mm.

Leon_ · Postby **Leon_** » Mon Sep 05, 2016 9:07 am

I am really enjoy reading this build thread, great work!

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 2:59 pm

Leon_ wrote:I am really enjoy reading this build thread, great work!

Thanks Leon

IanR wrote:
It's tight, you'll get it, mine has a few mm to spare.. actually there is 1mm.

Thanks Ian, I copped out and sent it up to Dann in the end. He got a fair bit more creative:

From what I understand the NA8 is particularly difficult due to the TB angle and IACV location.

Since I swapped my Thursday for a Saturday, today Gregory got new oil and a matching filter to celebrate 1500kms since the turbo was installed. A couple of months ago I picked up 10L of Penrite HPR10 for $70, so it was a very cheap service.

More importantly (well, depending on what you think is important) The new latches got installed today!

Old:

New:

Installed:

Couldn't be happier with this mod (refurbishment?). Only cost me a crisp $50 note, but now I have latches that look awesome and Actually lock.
Seriously, how many latches actually still lock with a reassuring *click*?
I fixed this with metal epoxy putty on the locking tab, the idea is to build it back up to its original shape:

Considering I have now another pair of latches, would anyone be interested in a pair of refurbished latches? Maybe not polished (I'd have to charge ridiculous money, my pair took six or more hours to polish), but flat black with the locking tabs fixed so they click in properly.

Alex 2550 · Postby **Alex 2550** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 4:46 pm

hey mate if your copying my extinguisher bracket im doing those latches (guess ill have to do the hardtop latches as well :lol:

), they look awesome mate well done!!
i have also been talking to Dann lately but about something a little different.... and slower than Greg but hopefully similar smile factor.
keep it up mate, loving your car. also i'll have some extra retro goodness in the next month or so to show you

speed · Postby **speed** » Thu Sep 08, 2016 5:07 pm

I also want to jump on the latch polishing band wagon. Great results there!

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smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 1:05 pm

Alex 2550 wrote:also i'll have some extra retro goodness in the next month or so to show you

I'm always up for retro things, especially if they are shiney :lol:

speed wrote:I also want to jump on the latch polishing band wagon. Great results there!

Thanks Speed, was driving around yesterday (pouring rain) and they really look nice. Easily as big of an interior change as a KG Works cluster or something similar, but a fraction of the price.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Thu Sep 15, 2016 10:00 pm

I call this post:

Been doing some Umm-ing and Errr-ing over the last week as to how to install a second cooling fan for the upcoming summer, along with some other things I'll save for another post.

My car doesn't have AirCon (sweaty butt police, you're under arrest), but still has the AC fan and system relays. My thinking about wiring the fan in is to use the stock AC fan relay (and AC fan plug), and use the Adaptronic and all the stock wiring to turn the relay on at XXdegC.

However, I'm pretty sure that the pin on the ECU that controls the AC fan relay also controls the AC system relay. Would running the AC system relay with no load attached for extended periods be an issue? My knowledge of relays isn't great enough to figure this out myself.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sat Sep 17, 2016 3:29 pm

Still thinking ahead to summer, I needed to replace my radiator cooling panel, since the S2 bumper doesn't have provisions to fit the OEM one in. So off to Bunnings I went, and picked up some 0.5mm Aluminium sheet for $18:

And hour with the tin snips and file later:

Keen Gregory spotters will also notice that I've gone back to a centre mount license plate. Gregory isn't nearly 'JDM yo' enough to pull off the offset bracket anymore.

Still working on the second rad fan, and I have self adhesive foam to go on the rad as well.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 11:51 am

To the knowledgable people of MX5Cartalk:
I'm looking into brakes at the moment and am tossing up between two options.
a) A1RM pads, new rotors and SS lines
b) Nb8b brakes with HPX pads and SS lines.

Considering the car is a street car only, does anyone have advice either way?

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 12:06 pm

It's been a pretty weird time for me over the last few weeks. Getting a job offer and finishing uni has put pressure on me to get a car that can commute two hours a day without worrying about insurance after getting in a crash or being picked up by the police. For this reason (as well as a few others which I won't go into) Gregory will be being returned to stock (except the red interior, that took far too much much work!).

So, if you want any parts off Greg, shoot me a PM. A bunch of stuff has already come off, spent the last two days pulling off the bumper, wheels, BC coils, Moto-Lita wheel, KG works panel and Revlimiter gauges. I'll put up adds for those shortly.
If you want dibs on the Adaptronic, Nitro Dann turbo set-up or other bits shoot me a PM.

It's very sad, have caught myself choking up a couple of times now, but that's the way the biscuit crumbles.

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 12:35 pm

ahhh geeez

I just put an order in for am Mgegasquirt.....

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 12:37 pm

Why do the shocks, steering wheel, gauge faces and surround need to come out? Those are all perfectly legal and don't affect your reliability and don't even draw attention from the boys in blue. And they make the car awesome!

EDIT

I just had a quick look back through the build, and I object to you reverting to stock, this car is too awesome. Are you planning to sell?

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Mon Oct 31, 2016 12:56 pm

ManiacLachy wrote:Why do the shocks, steering wheel, gauge faces and surround need to come out? Those are all perfectly legal and don't affect your reliability and don't even draw attention from the boys in blue. And they make the car awesome!

EDIT

I just had a quick look back through the build, and I object to you reverting to stock, this car is too awesome. Are you planning to sell?

Coil overs are illegal to my knowlege.

But I agree.....keep it all