LocostUSA.com

Since you are going to cap the top, I’d cut it back to the center of the top, a ½ inch or so flange. Use the 2x4 as the hammer/flat slapper). Use your wood guides off the car to tighten the bend a little past 90 along the top. Then it will fit nice and tight to the frame. Probably won’t need to anneal if you do this. Cover the inside with a separate piece. You could form a ½ 90 on the inside piece too for no visible edges.

If you want to anneal just don’t let the flame hit the frame and keep the sheet from touching the paint while cooling. Keep the flame moving in a circular, overlapping motion because you can overheat the skin with a map torch if kept in one spot too long.

You can also have a pad around the edge using vinyl, headliner foam, a strip of sheet steel or aluminum bent to shape, weatherstripping adhesive to glue the edges around and velcro strips to attach it.

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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

No plans to finish out the interior minus a cover for the trans tunnel in something like this-




I really like the exposed tubes look. It also gives me another inch or so of room on the sides.

I think I got this rear arch thing licked. At least on one side. Got the bend just forward of the arch done too.

Not sure if anything got lost in the recent site crash but here's the latest. Engine & trans are back in the car, along with the front subframe. Installed an aluminum flywheel on the engine & gave it a good cleaning. Front brakes are done. I painted the calipers and brackets and installed new stainless brake lines. Drivers side body panel is all riveted in place and done. Passenger side body panel is 80% done. Got the hole cut in it for the exhaust. Still need to trim the bends and countersink all the rivet holes.

One other thing was swapping out my sway bars. I picked up a set from an NC Miata. These are substantially smaller than the RX-8 ones. RX-8 bars are 27mm front, 16mm rear. The NC Miata bars are 21mm front, 11mm rear. Dropping over 1,000lbs from the RX-8 I figured the stock bars were much too stiff now. I also switched out the sway bar end links to Moog aftermarket ones. The vertical part of these is a lot larger than OEM and should have less flex. Bushings have been swapped for urethane ones too.

Front bar comparison



Moog vs OEM end links

Been wiring, wiring and more wiring along with some other bits.

Fuel tank is in for the final time. Love these GM fuel pump assemblies. You get a pump, regulator and fuel level sensor all in one nice package. It also has a secondary siphon fuel pick up. I'm using that hooked to a Walbro pick up on the other side of the tank.



The rear is all wired and the lights work.



Shot of what the blinker looks like-



Then onto dash wiring. Still have some more work to go here and then onto the front lights. Was nice to fire up my gauge cluster for the first time since I bought like two years ago.



Here's the ECU and various widgets. Wideband controller and then two timer relays and a motor reversing box. I needed the relays and controller for the 6 port actuator on the motor. Older versions of the 6 port rotary engines used air pressure to open them up. The RX-8 uses an electric motor and it turns out to be a giant pain to actuate properly.



And finally the fenders were a little closer to the body than I wanted. I added some spacers to the rack to limit travel.

Very nice looking build - super clean!
I was admiring your rear shocks and wondering where you attached them at the hub end? doesn't look like the stock position from the pictures.

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Jinca

More.....more.....more.....too much take it away.

Shocks are attached to the stock location with new mounts. They needed a 1/2" OD boss to mount to. The RX-8 mount was something different. Been so long I don't remember what it was. I had a friend machine me some nice titanium mounts to fit the Gaz shocks.

Wiring is DONE! Wow this takes so much longer than you think it would. Lights all work, horn, brake lights, gauge cluster etc. On a side note my garage is a mess. I've got a 2 & 4 year old so working on the car is when I get literally a second and not much time to clean up after myself.



Front blinkers-


Hey a horn and some wiring!


And a shifter boot. Not sure why this was so satisfying to see done to me.

Congrats on the electrical. Your build is turning out great!

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Peace, Ron

Looks like you modified the secondary pipe length and used new hose. Most hoses are not rated for ethanol blend submersion. The outer sheath can soften and dissolve, potentially clogging the sock and/or damaging the pump. You can use standard nylon fuel line (warm and slip fit over minimal barb) as an alternative that also resists pinching under suction. Should be fine.

_________________
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

This is is the hose I used - https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/car ... /5192935-P

Doesn't say anything about immersion. Only information is that it "Meets the SAE J30R6 specification". Easy enough to find some hose that definitely rated for in-tank use.

Its really looking good!

Thom

_________________
Thom

R10 is for in-tank use.

_________________
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

Nice work, I like the combination halo headlights.

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1975 MG Midget
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=24382
13B Powered Rotus Geauxkart
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=20899