27 replies to this topic

[griffo20022]

Hey there guys how are we? Just thought i'd give this a little update. Really haven't done much with him other than drive him faultlessly! In the meantime I got rid of my MX5 and picked up a 1986 Nissan Leopard (An Infiniti M30 to you US guys ) and i've been in the process i've tidying that up a little! Here's how that's looking

 

 

But back to Alf!

 

As said i've been driving him faultlessly but I feel it's time to actually do something with him! The Leopards a big lazy cruiser and I shall be keeping it that way so I thought why not turn the 3G into a little fast road weapon! Keep the small carb engine (although given the chance I shall go to a 1.5 block from a  shuttle!) and do a bit of basic weight saving (That rear bench going for a start!!) a friend of mine had a Momo Start bucket seat from a customer who no longer wanted it. I was tempted to buy it but didn't fancy putting myself out, however my wife to be decided to make the purchase as an anniversary present to me so out with the original seat and in with the Momo!

 

 

You can't see it too well but at the same time of messing I fitted a little digital voltmeter in one of the spare blanks next to the cigarette lighter. So as it stands I have a bucket seat and i'm still rocking an auto :/ lol! However with plans on a manual swap very soon I decided to relocate the battery to the boot. I did this with the use of a BMW E36 positive cable and distributor block for under the bonnet, I ran the lead through the sill upto the passenger footwell and into the engine bay via a bulkhead grommet. I need to get a cover so the distributor block is properly enclosed. It also turned out the lead I had made up to go from the distributor block to the starter I had MASSIVELY over calculated how much lead I needed so I will get that shortened in the next couple of days!

 

 

 

 

As you can see it opens up alot of space around where the box is so will make things alot easier during the swap!

 

Also I've done a wheel change again losing the RSL's and going back to the first set of wheels I lined up for Alf! A friend of mine had a set of MX5 BBS spare, we were moving them around and I was gobsmacked at how light they were! They are actually lighter than the Civic factory steels! I made him an offer and I nabbed them! So this is currently how he's looking (first thoughts may be dirty and I know he's in dire need of a clean lol!)

 

 

So future plans now are to get the manual swap done and get him lowered! He's been far too high for too long now want him sitting like so

 

 

 THEN I will be a happy man!

Edited by griffo20022, 05 September 2015 - 01:19 PM.

[griffo20022]

Well then guys a bit of a step forward over the past couple of days! Alf has evolved and lost his Auto shifter!

 

 Started on Wednesday and was hoping by the end of the day to at least have the auto box removed, luckily everything went to plan and by 10PM I had got the manual box refitted and shafts and hubs all back together!

 

 

bye bye torque converter plate!

 

 

hello Flywheel!

 

 

and by the end of Wednesday this was how he was sitting down at JDMGuys unit

 

 

So Thursday came and a fairly early start moving focus mainly to the interior fitting the pedal box and associated clutch and accelerator cable and fitting the manual shift linkage! Surprisingly although reading the pedal box is usually a bitch I got through it ok with minimal swearing, I think I had some real luck behind me with this swap lol!

 

 

So by 5PM Thursday we got to this stage everything up and running with just interior plastics to refit!

 

 

 

As I say I must have had real luck on my side as for my first ever clutch I managed to align it without a tool first time, there were no pain in the ass fasteners and the only headache through out it all was a stiff driveshaft in the hub which we tackled easy enough! So happy it's in now as I felt a bit stupid rocking a bucket seat with an auto shifter haha! Now it's all together i'll eventually sort a fresh shifter bush set from Chedda and replace the linkage fasteners with new items as I had to rummage through the spare nut and bolt box to get it back together and while it has done the job I don't want that to be a permenant fixture, i'll also get the spare linkage hole from the auto shifter plated up and generally give the interior a good tidy up again! Next up I think will be a new exhaust and I really need to crack on with getting him lower!

[anjin]

Nice conversion effort!  Now all you have to do is remember to take it out of gear approaching lights and intersections!

[griffo20022]

Thanks dude I know yeah! Luckily I haven't stalled it or anything yet and done about 50miles and the gearbox hasn't fell out yet so we're doing good haha!

[griffo20022]

Hey there guys well it's been a while since I've give this a little update! Few things done since the last update. Lowered, fitted a 1G CRX passenger seat, picked up a custom made 4-2-1 exhaust manifold and started to have a little mess with the carb I've removed the exhaust to air filter heating setup and blocked off the vacuum for the heating flap along with removing the valve for it inside the air filter. I'm waiting to get a bit of money behind me so I can get an exhaust system made up at the same time of fitting the new manifold anyway, a couple of updated pics!













Will also very soon be fitting a set of EJ9 front brakes which bolt straight on, not much larger than stock but the main improvement being upgrading from solid to ventilated discs! Also need new tyres lol! Once the exhaust is sorted I'll be seeing what else I can do with the stock carb just to squeeze a tad more out of it while retaining a good day to day usability from it (so no choke flap removal unfortunately :/) a K&N filter will be getting fitted however

[PuddleSkipper]

That Header is sick man! Keep posting!

[griffo20022]

Hey guys! So, a couple weeks I upgraded the front brakes to EJ9 brakes. Only a minor upgrade with a 10mm larger disc but most importantly the fact i've gone from a solid to a vented disc beings i'm keeping the little 1.3 I really didn't need to go overkill on the brakes plus with only being a minor upgrade i'm not adding much unsprung weight and you can get a setup like this for free/cheap as all the EJ boys wanna go to 262 setups, also there's no need to upgrade the master cylinder and it all bolts straight on

 

 

Also today I just finished doing my short shift I got given a DC2 dual bend style short shifter brand new and read a couple little things about how you could make them fit. I know There's the likes of Chedda's shifters which are a direct fit but if your not feeling too flush the later shifters fit so easy! While I was at it I also ordered a couple polybushes as the old ones looked real tatty and replaced all the fasteners with fresh items as I had to make do with what I could find when I first done the manual swap! With regards to fitting a later type shifter the ball is a larger diameter, I got round this by removing the cage and shaving the outer part down a little until it would fit back into the linkage with the shifter fitted in it. Bushes are from a later model too and fitted perfect! Only thing I will say to this as you can probably see, the DC2 shifter seems to naturally sit away from you so at a later date I may go back to a single bend.

 

 

 

 

[griffo20022]

Also decided to grab a couple pics after giving him a good bath last weekend lol!

 

 

 

 

 

Next up is rear brake refresh and get that manifold fitted with a nice SS exhaust

[CRXer87hf]

Looks great!!

[griffo20022]

Hi there guys just a quick update

Took the old boy to Mimms and on it's first ever track outing was such a good laugh giving it a blast! Apologies if I got in anyones way out there I was trying to get around as quick as possible with 60HP haha!

 

 

Had an absolutely brilliant day and can't wait to get a few more bits done and get out there again! While I was there on the day I had organised to meet up with a guy and purchase a brand new unused Osaka JDM  rear spoiler! I took no time in getting it sorted and fitted up on old Alf!

 

[griffo20022]

Really happy with the change in the look of the car however I don't think the 14" BBS wheels suit it so much anymore so I think 15" alloys of some sort will be on the cards in due time! Also managed to finally get the custom exhaust manifold fitted and to go with it a good friend of mine has helped me build a full 2" stainless exhaust system! It sounds bang on! I'll update with pics of the system and a small clip of how it sounds soon but for now all I have is a sneak peak of the subtle tailpipe poking out the back. The engine feels so much freer now! Really has helped a massive amount!

 

 

Next up I think will be tidy up the rear arches, give him a damn good clean and look into changing the air filter setup to more of an EFi style intake, just.... because lol!

Also have a possible adjustable panhard rod under way!

[griffo20022]

So after fitting the OJDM Wing I wasn't feeling the BBS anymore as I didn't feel they suited the look of the rest of the car. I wanted to go upto 15's and wanted to stay oldskool looking. I've always loved the look of Calibre Retro Stars and found some local and cheap! They need some tidying up which i'll do during the winter but thought i'd rock them through the summer for now Love how they sit on the car and definitely feel they compliment the rest of the look! (Just needs the go to match now haha )

 

 

[Acre's Hatch]

Love that final setup you've posted. Great looking car,