movieboy4fun

Hello Jason,

Big fan of your work, well thought out projects. I am about to delve into to LS world on the next one. Not because I am a fan but seems to be popular demand and I have a friend with a new V3TTE swapping out the heads, intake and cam, (Bright Yellow Grand Sport), so I will be looking for the ls 6.0 from a truck for my base.
As to the gauges, bravo for the good eye. I assume the dash was from a 95 US car as that was what it was labeled at the yard, top of dash reads NB 13. I actually am fairly skilled at electronics, self taught, and looked at both Oil pressure gauges, both had same board, same resistors and same coil / armature structure. I ended up swapping face plates on the oil gauge as even though we are Metric here I hate the KG/CM2, (Kilograms per centimeter squared) pressure reading, so I still have the 90 NA guage base. I also had to swap the face on the tach as well as it had a different setup on how it mounted in the NA cluster and the clear backing behind was shaped differently, so I used the new NB electronics, NA clear lens and new NB number plate. Speedo dropped right in and the holes / traces were present for the RSM signal on the NA circuit sheet. I do have one question about your MRM Tach face plates, did spacing the numbers out to 7000 make it more accurate? Really digging the aircraft style face plates but for another project, budget long blown out of the water on this one, lol.

Thanks
Dean0

movieboy4fun

I was browsing the net for parts when I stumbled into the below fittings. 1/8" PT to 10mm X 1mm double flare. The price was $10.50 US ea but I thought for $21.00 US plus shipping I could handle things and it would help keep all the brake line mods metric help with my an4alism, as my friends would say. Decided to click buy and proceed. $21.00 + $27.00 shipping to Canada, SAY WHAT NOW!!??.. Ranted to myself a bit and decided I could handle it if I just went ahead and purchased 4 so $42 + $27 = $69.00 US for 4 little brass fittings, was I mentally unstable? $0.90 ea at local parts store for a brass fitting, lol. Musta been the recent President Elect but I was feeling like TRUMP that day and grabbed my mouse by the parts and clicked buy!

Was emailed tracking number early next morning and 2 days later it arrived at 9:30 am while I was having coffee... SWEET!! However Mr. Trudeau didn't get his share or the UPS import office, tack on another $22.50. So $69.00 US is about $95.00 CA + $22.50 CA = $117.50 for 4 brass fittings. $30.00 ea, that has gotta be a new record in Dumb A$$! Just use your flare tool and install a 3/8" X 3/16" flare nut, forget about keeping it all metric, Its a hot rod after all... Great fun just wanted to share a small story of my first world build problems, LOL.
May be a few weeks befor I get to regular updates as I just scored a 1800 seat install job. This will keep me jumping for a bit.

Dean0

movieboy4fun

Decided to test fit my new Triple Pass F0RD rad from Eastwood Tools. Rad is 26" wide X 19" tall with a 2 1/4" core. Designed to fit a vintage Stang but I am sure a few mods will have things looking stellar.

First issue: need to angle inlet to clear alternator, just going to squeeze between alt. and headlight.

Fit is descent, though 19" is quite tall forcing me to trim the header panel to get more room for the water pump pulley,

She be TIGHT!! but then I like it that way. With the rad angled slightly forward on the bottom there is about 1/2" clearance from water pump shaft to rear of Rad.

Rad cap area is about 1/2" too tall to close hood with current set up, as I own a TIG a bit of Al welding will be in order. going to cap the existing rad inlet and relocate filler neck and steam vent to a better area.

This Rad may not have been the best choice but I was looking for a triple pass in a F0RD config and ended up paying $160 US for this rad from Eastwood. Gotta be different, lol.

More soon
Dean0

movieboy4fun

Few more details to share,
Slight forward tilt on rad, may have the square head take over and I will have to fix this, HEHE

other side

At least the hard work has allowed me to purchase a few more tools for the shop. Need a roll bar so why not buy the tools to do the work, DIY to the Bone folks.

Nothing like an acetylene bomb to wake the neighbors, lol

tube notcher, ( good English), was 50% off so why not? He who dies with the most tools wins, RIGHT??!


Keep moving forward
Dean0

movieboy4fun

Few more pics to share and a bit of grief LOL. Removed the existing filler inlet, was not really that easy, ended up using my 7 1/4" M4KITA circular saw to get the job done. Did I mention Journeyman Carpenter?

Used same saw set to 15 degrees to get a 30 degree angle to clear alternator, still very tight, going to try an internal fan style or possibly a mini style D0DGE unit to generate a bit more room.

Very happy with the fit, top is 1.5" above header and clears stock hood at the front by 1/2". With a bit of fairing / fiberglass work I bet it will all but disappear, very happy I fit in a 19" tall rad, still 2 " higher than the lowest point.

If all else fails I will use this 94/95 short mustang set up, that extra 1.25" is huge with this project.

Ideally if I am forced to use the above setup then I would like to only use the alternator / air pump bracket in the hope that I can find a short F0RD water pump with standard rotation and the correct timing cover to match. Not sure if this is possible but will start my research on it.

5.0MX5

Good to see that progress continues. After much head scratching on the radiator inlet/alternator conflict I decided to use a aluminum 90 with appropriate trimming to clear everything.

The image below lacks detail, but does show the general ideal.

movieboy4fun

MX5.0
Thanks for the encouragement and pic, It looks like you are running the short water pump in reverse rotation allowing the room to pass in front. With my tall rad and 3" wide tanks it puts the rad inlet right in the wrong place with no room to pass in front. I personally can't stand the look of the idler pulley set up so this is why I have been trying to use the standard rotation pump. Just so I don't have to look at that idler wheel. Bit more scratching to go, lol. I am sure I will be forced to use the SN95 brackets to get the clearance I need, now I just have to come to terms with using the idler pulley, or using the F0RD power steering pump eliminating the idler pulley and going reverse rotation. This will give me the extra room I need, so now to just solve my internal conflict with that ugly pulley. Going to make the decision today and live with it, I want to drive this thing at some point, LOL.

So it appears I can live with the below setup, just end up using the F0RD PS pump to eliminate the idler wheel and I can save my current water pump as the spare for my 79 mustang drag car.
\
also I found this info:

the rounded end of the timing cover holes points in the direction of the water pump rotation.

Also standard rotation has 9 mounting holes where Reverse only has 7 holes, this does not apply to the SN95 short water pumps, they have a different mount pattern.

Keep moving forward

Thanks again,

Dean0

movieboy4fun

Finally got over myself and my need to use a normal rotation pump, LOL. After installing the SN95 brackets I am sold. The extra clearance at the front makes this job a lot easier. I will save my old Fox accessory drive for another project. Old water pump still installed to show difference.

Going to replace the old external fan alt. with a modern internal 3G unit... Don't feel the need for 130 amps so prolly just install a 85-90 amp unit, only electrics will be lights / ignition / fans and in dash disc player.

Old Fox serpentine drive was 1-11/16" from rad face where the SN95 pulleys are 3-5/16" away. That's an 1-5/8" gain, extra room is well worth it.

Extra room is worth it, plus the alternator sits in a slightly different location allowing better access around the Rad, allowing the alt. to be changed without pulling the Rad or the bracket, this was not the case with the Fox Bracket.

All in all a very successful day, now all I have to do is track down the remaining parts to finish this up.

Keep moving forward
Dean0

Anonymous D

Looking good. Makes me glad I pulled my 5.0 from an SN95.

tbone heller

If you drill out the threads on the alternator bracket, you can install the long alternator mounting bolt from the back side with a locking nut, thus eliminating the need to pull the radiator if alternator should ever need removing.

movieboy4fun

Made up the small "U" brackets on each side. Being that Aluminum has a high thermal expansion rate I wanted to account for some movement.

Mounting to the original radiator mounts on the Miata at the top

The lower tab was mounted under the original Rad mounting bracket and tacked along the bottom

The only 16 Ga. I had laying around was some 2" X 2" square tube. Happy with how things turned out

Now to figure out some Rad protection from the curb monster, LOL.

BGordon

Seeing all the modifications you have to make to get everything to work makes me appreciate the Flyin Miata kits to do LS installs.

Hats off to you cause I would never have started a V8 conversion on my Miata with that amount of custom fabrication.

movieboy4fun

BGordon
Yes I agree that the Miata kit builders help bring the modification level down to a reasonable level. This all started for me because I have a load of 5.0 / Mustang parts and ended up with a 90 Miata from a buddy for a great price. Few beers later and some serious bench racing the project was born. Going to try a LS next as the 5.0 is getting dated and popular demand seems to be a LS V8. Hope you enjoy your venture into the V8 Miata world and keep moving forward. Looking forward to seeing your build.

movieboy4fun

Adding a few minor updates, getting ready to manufacture and install a roll bar, possibly door bars and finish welding in my Frame Connectors 2.0 along with a trans mount. Decided to go with DOM 120 wall tubing for the bar and grabbed 40' of 1 3/4", 22' of 1 1/4" and 20' of 1". The 1" only being .083" wall. Was going to use .134" wall for the 1 3/4" tubing as the outside bends can thin to under .118" but I don't ever plan on getting the bar NHRA certified. Raced with .120 wall DOM in my drag car, (8.1 sec 1/8th mile, Alt: 4500 ft, 7.80's at sea level), and Tech never questioned the .120 wall DOM once besides checking thickness at drilled inspection holes.


The 99 Cobra rear I purchased surprised me with a set of 3:73's, might be a bit low with 23.5" tall tires but should pull good if I can make the asphalt crayons hook!

Slight concern over the Sharp Flashing on the Left Bearing Cap. Might need to pull it apart for a look, I see it lines up with the hole in the rear cover and the left side was sporting a broken axle and tie rod. Prolly worth a look.

Not sure what the 55 means or the hash marks on the Carrier, everything turns smooth, going to check the Pinion Lash while apart

Caps have been punched 1 dot

2 dots

View of whole set up, Going to bite the bullet and get an aftermarket rear cover being as mine is cracked and OEM weak.



Also Finished up on the new center caps for my Stock 16" Five spoke MX5 wheels, happy with the results, now to decide what colour to offset the " M "