I started on the rear end!
So, I've made the decision to use the Vodou Miata rear end plans and mate them up to my Book chassis. It would have been easier to just use the entire Vodou plans, but oh well. This will work too, and I think it will work out just fine, unless anybody has any warnings!
Started with making the square base for the lower arms. I also had to cut out "O3" tube and replace it with a 1x2. I already had about 6 feet of it from an old build so it worked out!
Set the stock arms up on the table just to check it out.
How it sat after a day's work on the rear.
I made a plate out of 1/8" cold-rolled for my Klutch Northern Tool bandsaw. The blade moves a little slow for a vertical bandsaw, but it it kind of hard to change the speed. It sure beats a cut off wheel though!
Ok, a new day in the shop and I start working on the diff supports. The first thing I did was make the buckets. I used stock 240sx toe arm bushing housings that I cut off the arm. I burned the rubber bushings out and left the outer sleeve pressed in there, that is why you see a double wall. I welded 1/8" plate to the bottom with a 1/2" hole. I bolted both of the buckets to the subframe studs and made the connecting tube between, then welded it up.
Here I have the diff hanger tube clamped into place. There is a lot going on here, just to put the bar where it's supposed to be, square and even. The center line was spot on, but from the side tubes, it was about 2 mm off. I hope the adjustable control arms will make up for that. How perfect are you guys getting your tubes?
I start with the longer tubes that connect it to "O3". They were a compound cut!
Here I am cutting those difficult compound angles.
I am happy with the results.
The diff is bolted in and hangin on its own!
Much care was put into getting as good of a fitment as I could.