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First car build using the 442 frame plans. Found a few 90's Miata's local so its going to be a pretty basic build.

And so it begins....

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Few more tubes added. Overall the layout and keeping everything strait wasn't to bad. I'm building directly on my concrete floor which is really flat because its been repaired with a thin coat of self leveling cement. I had some hiccups with the rear bulkhead. The top rear tube (O) was not landing in he correct location, and stupidly I tacked it into place assuming the print was wrong. It was still bothering me the other day so I sketched the frame up in CADD and verified the print is correct and my frame is wrong. After a few measurements I discovered I cut tubes K1& K2 an inch too short . This caused the angle of the rear bulkhead to be more vertical than it should be. I'll have to cut it out and replace the tubes, I don't want the rear bulkhead that steep.

4k build log is on my YouTube channel.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOHq ... n9NYYlspBV

Scott322, congrats on starting. You might want to put you location in the avatar. That way if there is someone near you they might be able to help out. Russ
ps: nice garage and tools!!!!

Yes, location please, and lots of pics!
Congrats on starting the build

Welcome to the madhouse. Looks like you are on your way. Keep at it, a little each day and week by week. Pretty soon, you'll be driving.

Good catch on the short tubes. Better now than in 6 months!

Cheers,

1991 mazda miata. Payed $1300 non running. Has a broken timing belt so it was parked. While parked a tree crushed it a few months back. Has 110k and was a good runnig car before the belt snapped. I have the front timing cover off and everything ready to slap on a new timing belt, just waiting for it to arrive.

scott322 wrote:Has a broken timing belt so it was parked. While parked a tree crushed it a few months back.

Whoa, Scott! Good thing that timing belt broke, or somebody might have been in it!

Saw the photo before reading the description. Glad it was a tree & not a rollover.

Great pick of donor. I wish I had gone a single car donor when I built mine. It would have saved so much time. There are several completed build here in the Northeast if you ever need to see what someone else has done.
Paul

Got the timing belt installed without any issue. Having some issues with the car starting then shutting off. Seems like something in the ECU is shutting it down. I have to go through the fuel system, but over all it should be a solid donor car.



https://youtu.be/wKBb3s0mDKs?si=L7h1K898xSa5vGtp

Check your vacuum line connections hidden under the intake/throttle body at the iacv and on the mech iac servo on the side of the plenum topside. You could use a paper clip between the GND and TEN pins in the diag box to keep the iac from functioning but it sounds like it is working fine but with vac leaks. If you remove to clean, be very careful with the molded multi-hole o ring that can be pinched and ruined when putting it back together.
Don't do it just yet, but some deactivate/remove the iac if a new one is needed since they are very expensive but if you operate in cold weather, it is needed to drop the idle once the engine is warm or use a dash pot.

Nice lathe! Perfect size imho.

Mazda version of VATS?

Anti-theft Smart key stuff...