I got myself a new toyā¦a label printer.
I have about 4 weeks until I get my Electronics Pack, so I thought iād get one step ahead and label everything up so that a) it goes back together easily and b) if I have to at any point diagnose any electrical issues, itāll be easier to isolate the issues.
So I got underway printing out the wiring labels and gave myself an important reminder 
Unfortunately - especially considering the gorgeous weather - iāve managed to get myself to a place where I canāt do too much. The bushing pulling plan didnāt work, and as iāve got to get the new bushings in properly, I think iām going to have to get a press.
I also need to order a Jaguar starter motor - an oversight on my part. I wrongly assumed as I was getting a built engine from Rocketeer, it would come with the starter but I didnāt check and I canāt mount the gearbox on to the engine until the starter is mounted. Hmmph.
You should get a deerstalker, I am based in Surrey! Genuinely if Iām headed your direction Iād love to have a look, where abouts are you based just on the off chance?
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Iām right next to Rutland Water, in Empingham. Beatiful place for a day trip!
To mirror the genuinity (is that word), would be great to have you come visit - in all my years of mx5 ownership, I never really got involved in the club - itās one of my big aims!
Andrew
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Blast! If Iād known that I would have swung by today. A chum and I went to a car show at the Rutland showground at Oakham.
Quick question, are you talking suspension bushes?
If you are, have you tried heat to release them?
Oof, that is a long way from my stomping ground. Still you never know, for now will continue to watch the updates roll in and maybe meet you at a drive out at some point.
Question on another topic, you mentioned I think that you have kids, how did you justify buying mx5s to your significant other? Having bought one, Iām now struggling to justify it any way other than āDespite what you might think, I assure you that I want it more than you want new hard floors in the house.ā
Yeah, I was going to try and head the outside metal up to boil the rubber, but iāve heard contrating opinions on how good an idea that is! Have you done it?
And shame I missed you and that show! Still, next time youāre up this way, let me know 
Ah, well my situation is a bit more complicated. They arenāt actually my kids, and we live seperately at the moment. My partner has three including twins so I try to stay away as much as possible
In all seriousness, even when we do live together sheās happy with me having whatever I want because she too is a bit of a car/racing nut, iām lucky! As long as we have some dull SUV to transport everything else around!
Ah, fair enough, that does seem to be a bit more flexible situation than mine, two kids, one with an ex and one with my wife. Lots of demands on my minimal free time (and cash!)
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Yes. I actually broke a threaded bar trying to release the untouched bushes. They were stuck in tighter than a stuck thing from Stucksville.
I bought a cheap gas torch from Motosave and applied a modicum of heat to the metal. The bushes pressed out really we easily after that. 
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Ah fantastic, iāll give that a try before buying a press then! Thanks If you save me the Ā£200, iāll buy you a beer!
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Nice one 
Are you using the threaded bar, washers and suitably sized socket technique?
Well, I tried.
The situation now is that the nuts on both sides of the bush are siezed still and the bush didnāt move!! So iāll probably cut the thread, and go with the heat method. Although, iāll probably need to use a similar technique to get the new bushes on I guess? Itās either that or a press for refitting iām imagining?
Extracting old cold-welded metal bits is always a lot more difficult than inserting the new parts.
I remember how a workshop in Nice needed their biggest 50 tonne hydraulic press to extract the wheel bearing from my old Mk2 Zephyrās rear hub, but pressed in the new one with a simple manual fly-press.
This is why a bit of heat or a gentle strategic tap with a lump hammer can be miraculous, because it breaks that cold-age-weld.
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Thanks Richard.
Iāll get a blow torch then, are they all made the same? Iāve never used one before!
Pressing the new bushes in is easier.
Put them in the freezer over night before you do the job and use a little hand soap from a dispenser as a lubricant.
I could nearly press mine in with my hands doing that way. With the threaded bar it was very easy
Thatās the kit I used. I remember a little oil on the threaded bar and nuts helped too.
Hth
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I did my bushes 2 years ago and a pal at work made me the perfect removal tool - a piece of aluminium scaffold tube about 4" long but turned down to just the right internal diameter. Iām happy to post it to you if it helps (as iām not doing that bloody job again ). I used threaded rod and the big washers from the long bolts in the front upper arms along with couplers (like nuts but over an inch long so they wonāt strip their thread) to wind each old bush out of its socket and into the ally tube.
PM me if you think that might help.
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Well, thanks again to Martin, a very kind offer! Looking forward to giving that a crack.
Unfortunately, as I pointed out at the start, I can be a moron haha. I didnāt fit the Jaguar Starter Motor before mounting the engine. So last night, I had to lift the engine again, fit the starter motor and then wiggle the engine back in to place. Anyway, that is now done thankfully and hopefully I wonāt need to lift the engine again!
As you can see from the above photos, the rear of the starter motor protrudes in to where the gearbox housing would ordinarily be located. SO on to the only bit of cutting needed in the Rocketeer build (excuding me sawing off my bumper which wasnāt in the instructions )
Using a 64mm hole saw attachment for a drill, we need to cut a C-Shaped section out of the bell housing. Rocketeer supply a template (after a fashion!)
My Sunday (after a mammoth trip to to Nottingham on Saturday with 3 children, to look after another 2 children! :() is going to consist of doing the following big jobs:
- Fit the new PPF
- Fit the gearbox to the Rocketeer engine
- Tighten all of the subframe and engine mount nuts.
Martinās tool has arrived, so if I can stop locking the nuts to the threads, im hoping I might be able to get all of thoe old bushes out too!
Hope you guys are well,
Andrew
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Also, SEATS.
I was going to buy some classic relcining style bucket seats, however my mind keeps coming back to Lotus Elise seats for a few reasons:
They fit
Theyāre light
They look nice
Iāve always wanted a Lotus
However, they are hard to find in good condition - does anyone else have any thoughts?
I already sold my seats as they were very spongy and provided me with about as much support as Piers Morgan does Meghan Markle. I am going to be taking this on track a few times a year probably, so I want something with more support than stock but I donāt want full bucket seats because a) I like to not look like a **** when I buy petrol and b) iāve got MS
Iām going to put a wanted ad up for Lotus Seats and see what happens, but in the meantime if youāve got any experiences or suggestions, please let me know.
Thanks guys!
Andrew
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