LocostUSA.com

Haha thanks Paul. I haven't gotten a chance to look at any of the sites, because as you said, I needed to get off the web and get into the garage. Last week was sort of a crap chute, had a couple days off, but was consumed in real-life nonsense. Only got about 1.5-2 hours a day to work on the car. That being said, I got the engine accessories torn down (PS pump, AC Compressor, Downpipe), and the engine into the frame. Replaced the old destroyed stock motor mounts with Mazda Competition Mounts @ 40% stiffer than stock. I plan on turboing down the road, so wanted to have stiffer mounts. Apparently, brand new stockers barely last 6 months in a turbo application. - I located the motor and fabbed up the frame mounts for it. So those are all tacked into place (one final welded), tranny mount is in place, tacked, and unfinished. Still need to put in the rear lower tranny tubes, which will give more support. - I then located the rear differential on the Y and Z axis so I could start on those mounts. Which I did last night. Cut all the tubes/plate for the top mounts, will be tacking all that together tonight, and figuring out how to support them. It's coming along quicker than I had expected.. but I guess that's what happens when you actually sit down (stand up) and get to work. -- I've been in talks with Jack over at Kinetic, so hopefully we'll have the suspension needs nailed down within the next couple days and he can get that stuff shipped out.

Until then...







Is this the mount you guys have been using? I couldn't tell if this was the correct one, or if I should be using the massive aluminum mounts that were used for the PPF. I have no idea where this one was even mounted to on the Miata. It just makes the most sense (and is the easiest to fab up). The rear lower tranny tunnel tube will run exactly adjacent to that mount, so it will be fulled welded on 2 axis. A rubber spacer on the bottom, between the frame mount and the tranny tab, and the top will be provided for vibration. If I'm way off on this, PLEASE say something.. I don't want to have to redo it too many times.







I'll be boxing these mounts in once they are all final welded. Obviously I'll have to leave a slit on the bottom to get to the nut, and I probably won't fully box in the top, just some bracing.

I suggest you weld the square tube back in under the engine mounts. It does not appear to prevent you from accessing the studs with a ratcheting box end wrench.

The stock mounts are not the problem. It is over travel under load from modified engines and/or old, deteriorated mounts. A travel limiter on the left side is all you need. Harder mounts just transfer more vibration. If you ever do break a mount, the metal boxes that are supposed to fit around the mounts would help to prevent damage.

You might consider using a T5 transmission mount, which has a single stud at the frame. The area of the case you are using was not designed to take the load. Also, if your mount binds when the trans is rotated from side to side, the trans case or the bracket will break. Bolt a .125" x 2" wide strip to the bottom of the trans with two long bolts through the ppf boss, then attach a suitable mount to the plate directly behind the ppf boss.

Once the engine mounts are boxed in, they will be unaccessable from the top. The mount bolts go -directly- through the square tube. As said, I'm planning on boxing in the bottom with 12g plate, so it should make it rigid once again. Also, even if I could get to the bolt from the top, it would be impossible to get a torque wrench in there with enough swing to properly torque the bolts. I can get a standard 3/8's ratchet in there.. but I'd rather torque properly on something like the engine mount. I may use the metal mount boxes.. it wasn't the plan, but I guess I could.

I'll definitely look into mounting the transmission the way you're saying. I'll have to look at some other builds, as I'm not 100% sure on what you mean. I've only tacked in that small tube so no worries on redoing it.

I posted on mattrogers build thread about some measurements, but I ended up taking some pictures and actually sitting in the car again. I'm loving where the shifter ends up. And if I end up with a 'short shifter', It will be even better. I was worried that the shift knob ended up way too high in the frame, but sitting there, it feels awesome. Reminds me a LOT of my MR2 years. The shifter is about 28" from the rear bulkhead.. and measuring on my civic, its about 28" from the rear of hte seat to the shifter centerline. Beautiful! I pictured it being too far forward, and having to redo all the motor mounts, etc. Worked out great. Well, so far.

For reference:

Here is another option for the trans mount for using a T5 mount inverted with the stud facing up. The tube is large enough to fit a deep well socket over the nut, with a washer welded on the end. The framing is .125" steel strip.

Edit: After being a dumb dumb, I checked Rockauto, remembering they have pics of everything. 1988 Camaro 305 4 Speed auto mount: . A whopping $1.71. I may order a couple.

From that picture, I assume the bolt/nut is captive inside of the tube, and actually attaches the welded on washer to the mount, and nothing more.

Do you think I could do basically the same damn thing with the front differential mount?? Assuming it will fit in the space (I think it will). I don't see why not, just reversed direction.

You are correct. Only the washer is clamped. The nut drops in from the top. It is easier to put the nut in the socket, then put a piece of tape over the end and up the side of the socket, but it isn't necessary if you don't mind a little fiddling to get the nut started. It is a clean, light way to transition from a mounting flange to tube.

I thought I drew a diff mount for a miata, but I can't find it. The front diff mount durometer depends on how much arm there is. Longer is better.

If you want a short arm with adjustability, consider a boxed, C channel bracket along the bottom of the diff, extending forward as close as practical to the pinion flange damper. Use a large turnbuckle with 1/2" eyes. The turnbuckle will be in compression under acceleration (see attached for similar approach).

Is there anything you can do to close that gap in the bottom frame rail where the engine mount is?

+1. I know you said something about boxing it in with 12 gauge plate, but the closer you can come to replacing the frame rail likely the better.

Aside from boxing it in w/ plate, I guess I could reweld in the tubes, but further outboard on the frame.

Red = Bottom plate welded in
Green = Top plate welded in
Blue = Cut out section, rewelded further outboard (basically right behind the opening needed to get a socket in there).



No? Yes? Too much? If rewelding in just the tube, and smaller plates would work, I'd rather do that. I'd prefer to save weight (negligible), but won't compromise safety.

I'll be going with this option, as I may have said before... but I have a couple concerns.

1.) The mount, when located at the 'top' of the tube (mounting plate flush with top of tube), puts the mount DIRECTLY in front of the speedometer output. -- To get it any sort of out of the way (and even still, probably way too much in the way), the mount will end up being either at the bottom of the tube, or even lower. While I don't see that being a huge issue... I just don't know. It will put the mount lower than the frame (though, not at low as the oil pan... close), and at that point I gotta start worrying about road hazards. Maybe a skid plate sort of something something in front of it.

2.) I think I've read that you can somehow make an NB miata electronic speedo gear fit the NA tranny. I'll look into this.. will not only make dealing with the speedo cable a HELL of a lot easier (since it won't be in the picture), but also apparently, this mount. -- At that point, I'd need to swap out the NA cluster for the NB cluster (or at least the speedo), or would force me to use aftermarket gauges... which I've been wanting to do anyway, I guess. Just gotta look up electronic speedo gear options for the NA 5 speed tranny.

I bought 3 of those mounts.. figuring I could maybe use them elsewhere as well (maybe for the rear diff.. not sure. I like the design that you've done above, but also have concerns.. addressed later). They were under 2$ a piece. Hell, maybe later on I can trade them to other locosters for stuff Or just give them away. I'm a nice guy like that.



I'm a little.. confused about this post. I see what you drew, I understand that under acceleration, the turnbuckle will be in compression (since the front of the diff will want to rotate upwards). What I'm confused about is:

1.) Where does the top of the turnbuckle attach to? Somewhere along the bulkhead if possible?

2.) You say use a turnbuckle with half inch eyes... most turnbuckles I've found/seen ever, are solid pieces. You also say the length of the turnbuckle determines the durometer. Or do you mean the length of the C channel coming off forward? The durometer is determined by the natural flex in said C channel? I feel like the purpose of using C channel rather than, well, anything, is reduce/eliminate bending. Am I seeing/thinking this wrong?

3.) Does the turnbuckle attachment angle make any difference at all? Best case scenario, should it be angled forward from bottom to top, backward, or true vertical?

Thanks for drawing these up (definitely cleared up a lot of confusion), and thanks in advance for any more guidance you can give on this stuff! -- I'll post some pics of how I'm thinking about mounting the rear differential. It's a bit different than others.. Hopefully it'll be alright.

---------

Side note, I've been ordering suspension parts from Jack.. received all my rod ends and bungs the other day.. starting to get excited!! Hopefully have the drivetrain mounting firm, and have it rolling by the end of the month! We'll see...

AYOOO anyone alive? Need some answers on those previous questions

Also, received the remainder of my suspension stuff yesterday.. sooo exciteddd!! Haven't ordered my GAZ Shocks yet, but that's unnecessary at this point (Will just use some lengths of 1" tube in place. No need for suspension when it's just rolling in and out of the garage.). Been shopping around for DOM -- may have finalllllllly found a local vendor. Man, I'll tell you. Apparently, no one north of Connecticut needs DOM.

Anyway, will update later on with pics and stuff... been working on other projects lately and haven't touched the 7 in well over a month. So sad. Need to finish the rebuild on my SVX steering rack, so I can get it off jackstands and stop looking so damn white-trash in my driveway. Then, back to it!!

Sorry, I completely forgot about my comments.

On the trans mount, the purple sides extend the blue tube behind the speedo cable.

When I say turnbuckle, I mean left and right hand thread rod ends and a tapped tube with jamb nuts.

The length of the arm determines how much deflection a given durometer bushing will receive with a given load, so for a short arm, the durometer should be less compliant.


If you do not require much adjustment, a male and a female rod end could be used with a bracket off of the vertical tube where the tunnel begins. The turnbuckle can also provide some lateral locating assistance to the wings. If you provide a photo of the diff in the desired location, I'll draw a better design.

No reason to be sorry, haha. I didn't mean for that to come off the way it does. I re-read it. Not anyone's job to come to my rescue, haha.

What I meant by the mount being in the way, I mean, the actual mount that the rig you drew bolts to, is very much in the way of the speedo cable. I'll have to take some better pictures with the mount actually in there.

Okay, so we were thinking the same thing about the turnbuckle. -- By length of the 'arm' i assume you mean the length of the 'c-channel' that the turnbuckle mounts to.

I don't forsee needing very much adjustment, if any. I'll get it all set back up this coming week, clean off the table, and take some detail photos of what's going on.

In the midst of neglecting the 7 for other projects, the jackstands holding up the table have decided that they would be better suited.. inside the table. I never reinforced where the stands were touching the bottom 1/2" MDF, and the weight of the frame/engine was too much. I went out one day, and realized that the rear end of the car was about 4" higher than the front... woops! Hoping the table isn't totally destroyed.. but at least the frame is built and the need for essential true flatness isn't really required any longer. -- I'll need to pick up (2) 4' lengths of 2x6 to screw to the bottom of the table side to side, one front, one rear. Then put THAT on the jackstands. Should have done it from the beginning, but I hadn't even thought this would happen. -- So, all my meticulous measuring for the differential placement was for nothing - it fell off the jacks that were holding it up and is now sitting there all cockeyed and weird. Good thing I made note of all the measurements... Hopefully I can decipher them! -- This week is dedicated to sorting out the suspension parts, and getting my SVX steering rack back in the SVX. Then I'll be removing the engine for cleaning, as well as fixing the table situation, locating the rear diff.... again.... and getting detailed pics of all the weird mounts I'm so dumbly confused about!

To say I’m disappointed in myself for the progress over the last half year would be an understatement. I definitely understand why it takes people so long to finish these cars – it’s called real life and not actually being able to work on it every single day. I just really need to try to commit more time to it – It’s taking up too much space and money to just let it sit around. Not only that, but jesus do I want to drive this thing SO BAD. While I hoped to be driving it out of my garage this spring, that will absolutely never happen. Maybe next spring. Probably spring 2015 at this rate, haha. If it gets finished mid-winter, I’ll be driving it mid-winter. I don’t even care at this point. It’s staring me in the face everytime I’m in the garage, daring me to finish it.

I think a huge problem was the fact that I got hung up on one thing – mounting the differential. I couldn’t figure it out (still can’t, working on it), but it’s all I could think about. It blinded me to the rest of the project and getting anything else done. I could never get past that and see that it doesn’t need to be done RIGHT NOW. It can be put away for the time being, and other parts of the project can be worked on and finished. If I had put the differential away months ago – I’d be half done the car! So – this past weekend, I finally did just that. I took the diff off the build table and slid it underneath. Out of sight, out of mind. For now. I pretty much finished the tranny tunnel (Save for a few triangulation pieces), and removed the rear lower supports for the fuel tank cage and lower control arm mounts (AGAIN). I messed up the first time – following the book, and built it essentially for a solid rear axle. So I cut the supports out and moved them further inboard so the lower control arms would fit and work correctly. I then realized that the supports were angled up 10 degrees, and for lower control arm pivot points – it would need to be 0 degrees. So, I cut them out -again-. I’m going to wait to weld them back in until I figure out exactly what my suspension design should end up being.

Speaking of suspension – I also picked up some PVC/CPVC to mock up the control arms / radius arms, so I could finalize all that. This is the part that I’ve been most dreading. Suspension design. I’ve got some books – I need to do some major reading and checking out build threads for this one. 80mph highway runs and sketchy suspension scares the hell out of me, so I need to get this right 110% the first time. There usually isn’t a second chance.

So that’s that for my weekend update – let’s hope it continues...







I think I'm going to make the front 'cross' ahead of the shifter removable - otherwise I'm not sure I'll be able to remove the transmission once the lower mount is in. I'll probably box in behind the shifter as well - not sure. I've seen others do it - and I don't think more support would hurt anything.

Brad Long time, no posts- I'm glad to hear you're still at it.
We should have our own LLL for another ride to help your motivation

Cheers
P.