LocostUSA.com

Thanks. I think I picked up the virus at the ATL Farmers Market on Friday, picking up some peppers, mangos, and chayote. Hopefully back at it Saturday.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

A little more progress. Fabbed rack mounts and narrowed housing 2 inches. Coolant pipe mounts and rack mounts are not finished. Won't narrow rack until I have arms on the spindles and know how much travel I need out of the rack.

I didn't slot the rack holes like original. Part of the procedure is spreading the clamps before tightening with another tool. They are just sitting in the holes with the old bushes and not bolted down in these pics. I may slot later if I want more preload. Since there will be positive ackermann, I'll need more clearance on the right tie rod boot to the coolant pipe.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Added mounting tabs to the coolant pipe, bridged the rack mounts, reworked the coolant pipe for more rack bellows clearance on the right side, started trimming the turrets (suspension towers) for rack bellows clearance and removed the engine mount flanges along with some 1/4 inch plate bracing added by a PO. Also adding a tube brace between the turrets today to stabilize the ucaps and make the spring rate and dampening more effective. I'll take some pics today to upload.

I've been working on this consistently for 5 months in a row now. I think that is a new record for me.

Also found these spitfire miata swap builds:

https://stevew10.wixsite.com/spit16

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum ... 550/page1/

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Test fit the alt to verify clearance. Still need to trim and reinforce the turrets and fab new rear rad supports for the cooling fan change. Getting crowded in there but not much more to fit up front. Should start fitting the taurus suspension soon.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I intend to get back to this in spring. I was not satisfied with the aluminum taurus spindle LBJ cross section. I considered adding material with the tig but I just don't trust it. The bottom end was not designed to transfer the chassis weight to the spindle. I also have painted myself into a corner with the rack location set.

I'm using K772 (oem chrysler 60's land yacht UBJs) as LBJs like many aftermarket Mustang 2 IFS kits do. These joints are a 1/4 inch smaller than K727 joints (oem chrylser 60's land yacht LBJs).

The joint boss will be cut off the taurus spindle for clearance and the k772 pin boss that I need to fab will be part of the bolt-on UCA and tie rod arm brkt. I plan to retain the aluminum spindle for the caliper mount and bearing spacer.

Also picked up a 110v, 45 amp @60% plasma cutter (CUT50) that comes with an oversized Sg55 torch and adjustable gas delay on shut off for longer lasting consumables. 1/4 clean, 1/2 limit. Good enough for me.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

1/2" on 110V is great!

_________________
Ford 5.0 into an M3
mikaelvroom.com | @MikaelVroom

No free lunch though, since I'm trading volts for amps. I'll have to be careful to prevent popping a breaker when using a standard 20 amp circuit. I'll be rewiring to provide a dedicated circuit with a high capacity extension cord to reach the work area if needed. I wanted the gas delay more than a 220v option.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I'm having to balance scrub with KPI. If I zero scrub, the KPI is a heavy self centering 23+degrees!
I'm keeping scrub to no more than 1/2 inch and the included angle with a 1/2 degree neg camber in the high 13 deg range. This is less than the taurus stock, locked in to the tbird 15x6.5s with 205-50-15 to fit the arches at the desired 5.5 inch ride height, stock length LCAs with stock LCAPs, no mods to the UCAP towers.

spits KPI scrub balancing

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

Since the spit control arms have a 0.810 id and the bolts are 0.375, I'm going with a 4130 inner race with a .120 wall and 0.625 od (larger than original) with black delrin 7/8 x 5/8 tube and turn down the od to fit. I'll also need to add some thrust washers with a 5/8 id.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I decided to build the rear frame in the body since everything is so tight. This the 7.5 diff I’m mocking up as high as it will go, hitting the trunk floor and the top rearmost section of tunnel. It will actually be a ½ inch lower front and rear with the pinion parallel to the trans output and about level with the hubs at ride height but the tunnel will be made to clear the 8.8, which I will probably use. I can bring the trunk wall back a couple inches and still look original. The original fuel tank will still fit.

Driveshaft Joint angle remains to be determined. If it is too much of an operating angle, I may need to rework the engine and trans mounts to bring the output down and the pinion up.

With the tire in the optimum position (too far forward in pics but good enough for planning), it looks like I will have about 6.5 gc. The spindle UCA bush is about 1.5 inches from the inner fender so the UCA is going to look like a banana. The LCAs forward leg would hit the inner fender if the tubing ran straight to the bushes so it will be offset at the spindle like they do on the older Factory Five cobras.

There is a ebrake cable roller guide welded in the tunnel that needs to be removed and isn’t needed with the tbird ebrake cables I am using.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I've looked at a lot of spitfire/gt6 builds with very different goals. Some are about improved irs geo and don't mind significant cutting. Others just want to change the diff without butchering the tin and loose the leaf spring, duplicating the bad geo of original LCAs and strut arms with a UCA twice as long as the LCA. Others just want a different diff and axles. I think I'm in the middle yet by myself in that I've not seen it done but I think I can appreciate the difficulty of those builds and benefit from seeing them. At some point you just have to quit staring and get it done.

Incomplete IRS drawing but the basic idea. Section of 2x3 rail on one side below an output cup will be removable to get the diff in and out without removing the inner cups. I'm out of 2x3 and need to start with the lower rails.

Some tunnel mods if needed for the 8.8 but I don't think it will need that much.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I have 2 comments.

First is, it looks like you are 90% of the way to make the whole rear suspension a removable subassembly rather than piecemealing it to the body. Maybe that is your end game?

2nd is that with the tunnel mods planned, it might be easier to make that a removable piece and remove the diff from above.

OK I lied, I have a 3rd, you do plan on tying the front ends of the 2 sides together too, right? I know you said this sketch was incomplete.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

The 2x3 rails run the length of the car. I am building it separate in the car and will eventually bring front and rear into the car to weld together picking up the original body attachment points.

I had not thought about a lift-out diff with a removable floor panel. The framing around the cups will be tight all around for GC and floor clearance. If I were to make the rear a subframe, I still would not be able to pull the diff out of it with the frame wrapped around the cups on both sides. Then again, the drop out rail section would be nice to have but not necessary if I just pop the complete axle out of the diff. Not much more work to make the drop out though.

I intend to add some triangulation of the orange 1x3 into the rails, probably with tubes forward of the diff. It's tight. Probably will need to trim the pinch flange around the wheel well too for UCA clearance up to 3 inch in bump.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12

I don't think triangulation of the orange section forward will be needed. The trapezoidal shape on each end creates fair triangulation in and of itself. You can gusset where the red 1x2s meet the 2x3 if you want it to be stronger.

_________________
Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766

You're probably right. I was thinking lateral loads on the forward LCAPs which I can handle with a shallow cross member if needed.

Went to pickup some 2x3 11ga today. They were out. I took the 8 feet of 3/16 wall but I realize it is way too heavy for what I need to emulate the original frame. Picked up some 1/2 inch 1/8 strip too.

I'll be getting the thinner wall 2x3.

_________________
Miata UBJ: ES-2074R('70s maz pickup)
Ford IFS viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13225&p=134742
Simple Spring select viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11815
LxWxHt
360LA 442E: 134.5x46x15
Lotus7:115x39x7.25
Tiger Avon:114x40x13.3-12.6
Champion/Book:114x42x11
Gibbs/Haynes:122x42x14
VoDou:113x44x14
McSorley 442:122x46x14
Collins 241:127x46x12