In reply to java230 :
I am
Selling vinyl soft top from red car, keeping the canvas on the green car
In reply to java230 :
I am
Selling vinyl soft top from red car, keeping the canvas on the green car
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
Ah gotcha!
The next challenge run starts here.
GameboyRMH said:Dusterbd13 said:What is scramble boost?
Short-term computer-controlled overboost. You could set it to run at the same time as IC water spray for example.
Edit: In the '90s there were standalone scramble boost controllers, they wouldn't be worth much today, hint hint
By the way.....
It has scramble boost 
Hardtop repair thread. Input desired!
Also, i apparently suck at transporting painted body parts. 4/4 damaged.
Not a happy man.
Or a skinny one.
Problems for future me.
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
Whoa now that's a blast from the past!
In reply to GameboyRMH :
Only took a few years to get scramble boost. But....
6 years after starting this thread, and 96 pages, we have boost. Apparently im a little slow.
Vinyl top sold: 300
I ordered some epoxy resin for the hardtop. But i need to find a better way to handle and store the thing. Its...inconvenient.
doing a summary update to bring this thread into line with the clones on other forums, and to make a more coherent picture for y'all. my play by play style misses a lot of things, and can be very confusing and convoluted at times. so my coherent update posts that happen periodically are an attempt to make the picture clear, as well as give an overall view of where things are instead of the focused little brain dumps you normally get in random posts.
After unloading the turbo donor, and taking stock, I went ahead and cleaned it up before doing much. I hate getting dirty. It actually cleaned up nicely, and fairly easily. Little Castrol Superclean and a garden hose took care of the worst of it for round one.
20240527_085544 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
I then went ahead and pulled apart the megasquirt to see what it actually is. Still not quite sure, but its ms2 based with the sequential injector driver. It was am assemble it yourself setup from DIYAUTOTUNE. Other than that, not quite sure how to proceed with it, or if I even want to, honestly. I’ve had horrible experiences with megasquirt in the past, so I’m more than slightly hesitant. And the AEM FIC-6 that’s in the car works well so far.
20240528_072228 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
After that, I decided that I needed to get this thing running/driving/making boost for testing purposes. To that end, I cut off the really jagged metal up front down to the bent, rusty and twisted frame rails. Then, pulled my scratch and dent mishimoto radiator out of storage (bought for the green car as that one has finally sprung a leak after all these years) and hooked it up. Mounted via zip ties to a 1x1 tube welded to the frame rails. Then, used some 1 inch flat stock bent and tapped into holes where the fans would mount as additional support to the zip ties. Hooked up the original radiator hoses, filled with water, and pressure tested. One turbo line leaked under pressure, so it was shortened and everything held pressure.
20240531_183222 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
For the intake tract, I used free range ebay 2 inch tubing and couplers to a fiesta st intercooler I had kicking around. Held in with zip ties no less! Outlet side is 2.5 to the throttle body, and the recirc valve teed in properly. Had to order one reducer and one t coupler. Otherwise, had all the stuff on the shelf in parts that had been given to me over the years by other $2000 challenge competitors during garage cleanouts. The whole works is stupid ugly, but its functional enough for testing. Which I did.
20240531_072723 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240603_073152 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
Lastly, I grabbed a fan from a wrecked dart, wired it into the headlight socket so I could turn it on with the headlight switch, and retained it with more zipties.
20240605_193113 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
The first test spiked boost pressure to max on the gauge. It was then that I realized that the wastegate wasn’t plumbed to anything and the recirc valve is not the same thing as a blowoff valve or wastegate. See, I’m still very new to turbos (only other was that turbo baja I just fixed and sold). Gently drove it home, t-d into the vacuum line to the gauge and ran one to the wastegate. Next drive around the block showed 10psi max. according to the PO, its tuned for 15. The 10psi lap showed some nasty vibrations, a misfire, very darty and twitchy chassis behavior, and glass flecks blowing in my eyes. So the alignment was eyeballed (seriously toed out in the wreck), taped the windshield, and swapped on my k1s and rivals to eliminate wheel and tire issues for vibration (didn’t fix it. think I know why I got a driveshaft with the car), I also ordered a set of spark plug wires.
It drove shockingly well for a balled up parts car.
there’s some noise in the alternator drive, and the power steering leaks from the return side, but she’s healthy enough. And faster than the v6. And just brings my fat ass some joy. So, it checks all the boxes of being worth it to swap.
Next up is the start of a WHOLE lot of work.
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
I'm happy for you. And sad for me. 😊
So the next order of business was listing the things I wasn’t going to need, and starting to remove them. Things like the boss frog roll bar, v6 drivetrain, red car convertible top, black interior, etc. I will only not below what counts as challenge budget recoup, not everything I made money on. Reason being, I don’t want to confuse things for this challenge run. I aim to keep my budgeting and documentation above reproach.
The red car had the top and center console sold for 300, the seats sold for 300, the 13x8 wheels sold for 75.
20240609_104036 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240619_181227 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
Green car had the boss frog rollbar sold, the seats sold, the projector headlights sold, and the v6 drivetrain sold. None count for budget.
20240609_125830 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240609_130229 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240609_130404 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240622_103403 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240623_084636 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240623_134732 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240623_134738 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20240623_135752 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
Theres a LOT of work, both in the creation of and removal of parts in these pictures. Its definitely bittersweet to see that many years of effort go, but I know its for the best long term in what I want to own.
So, I now have the running and moving under its own power parts car, and the seam welded and stiffened roller of a green car. The green car needs a lot of cleaning before I go any further, and I will repaint the engine bay and underside, patch the trans tunnel and floors where the rollbar lands, and probably repaint the shell as well. Then I can swap the turbo drivetrain over. After cleaning and painting of course.
Anyway, lets discuss budget. As it stands, we are here:
budget by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
I have most of what I need for a challenge run, and recoup left to gain, as well as money left to spend.
Until next time, friends.
Dusterbd13-michael said:In reply to TurnerX19 :
Thanks!
The hardtop repair will actually be the step 2 of the rebirth (step one being systems testing of the turbo car).
This top is BAD. But im sure it can be saved with proper application of tactics, time, and stubbornness. One of which i have in abundance!
Heres an example of what im up against.....
Ill be creating a separate thread for the repairs of it, and learning what i didn't know i needed to know sometime in the next week or two. Like i said, step 2.
but i have dump trucks coming and bulldozers and such to move buildings and make retaining walls and move buildings and make level ground this week. So when all THAT is done, i can get to car stuff in earnest.
the next time yall see this area, it'll be radically different
Getting closer to done here. Tyler is putting fence post holes in, and smoothing the gravel today, then i can build the fence, finish squaring the carport, and re-enclose it.
looks like i will have enough budget room to do some fresh paint and bodywork. Quart of bascoat to match my funky green is 79, and stu is going to let me buy the leftovers from redoing the paint on his tr3 for sealer, primer and clear.
Next real miata updates after triumph painted, suburban gone, and fence posts sank
Hey man, quick reminder as you have stuff apart and as I do a re-read of the past 10 pages or so. You had AWSX asking about the steering wheel quick release on page 92.
In reply to Mr_Asa :
I forgot about that. It is still of interest though. If that's something you're considering parting with as part of this rebirth of the car, let me know.
In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :
I mean, it was over a year ago. Figured you might have
In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :
Definitely not going back in. Im going to a factory airbag and wheel again.
Ill add it to your pile!
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
Sweet!
Anyone going from Duster's towards PA?
Opp getting closer to leaving. Then i can work on my stuff, and focus on family stuff again. Tr3 is waiting on a fender, then we can paint. Suburban is a column rebuild and sticky accelerator away from done. Then hood on and gone.
Id love to get the carport and fence finished too.....
Hi, its been a while. Did I see a blue Toyota Matrix?
Jim!!!!! Glad to see you back. Hope you're well.
No matrix. Mazda5 is dark blue thing in background.
4 active projects and a full time job is manageable, right?
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :
Everything in balance? If anyone can I think you can, if not I'm sure you will slow down ad adjust accordingly
but hurry up I looking forward to this rebuild 😅
Suburban done and gone.
Tr3 is ready to tape, wipe down, spray color and reassemble.
Ripped the exhaust i just made off the stock car rolling it off the lift when it bottomed out, so its in the corner thinking about what its done.
Miata has had the trans tunnel un-butchered
And the framerail for turbo/doenpipe clearance modification is getting closer to happy with it.
Next will be patching and reinforcing floor and seatbelt towers from all the various roll bars ive had it it. Its swiss cheese back there.
looking forward to getting here with the miata. I love fresh paint
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