Eventually when everything else is done and fitted, and all holes are drilled, I will be painting the engine bay to match the DU mariner blue. Anybody have recommendations for a good quality matching aerosol?

I went to my local automotive paint supplier and gave them my color code and they mixed the paint an put it in an aerosol can. Mine matched perfect.

Seam sealed and ready for primer.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...ea66d26b69.jpg
On the passenger side of the tunnel, I was testing some aerosol truck bed coating, and also an underbody coating. Both turned out to have a nice bond and finish. Thinking that I will be truck bed coating the underside of the car and spraying the interior with the sound deadening rubberized underbody coating. Backwards, I know. Opinions?

Looks great.
One worry I can see would be if the stuff you spray in place holds moisture against the skin, which might cause rust down the road.
The other issue could be how well it holds up to the heat from the exhaust system running inches away.
The stuff that was sprayed on the underside of my car is specifically designed sound deadening for the underside as well as temperature barrier.
I can tell you it sure helps with cabin noise and keeps the heat from soaking into the cabin.

I like the job you did on the tunnel. As far as heat/sound deadening, i'm in the process of installing DEI Tunnel shield inside the tunnel. Its a heavy aluminum foil bonded to thin layer of adhesive backed foam.

Planning fuel system layout. Any opinions(E85)?

Preliminary plans include twin Aeromotive 340 in-tank pumps on a modified stock hanger. I plan to run dual -6 bulkhead fittings through the top of the hanger, which will then join into one -8 ---> 10 micron filter ---> Aeromotive FPR ---> rails. I also plan to run 10ga circuits to both pumps using electrical bulkhead fittings, and individual relays for each pump. The second pump may be switched manually for hooning(not a big fan of pressure switched fuel circuits). Or I will run it using and output from the engine management.

Looks like engine management will be the Holley Terminator X with a Holley digital dash.

I am waiting for cooling system parts at the moment. I will begin by fabricating a water manifold for the block inlets/outlets, and then working on the electric pumps/rear radiator setup.

Also, I just sold the LS2 intake/throttle/rails for $450(!!!!). Going with the BTR cast intake and cable throttle.

Oh, and I am waiting to get word from SadFab for some bronze suspension bearings. I absolutely hate the binding from the poly bushings used in the V8R control arms. I can't even move the control arms by hand.

It's winter and I am back at it. I feel like the slower I go, the more money I save due to more careful planning and parts development. Yeah, that is how I am defending my sluggishness:)

I'd have to go back and see what you are running for a ECU, but if you have a Holley/Megasquirt, etc, a speed controller on them might be interesting. I just ordered a dodge caravan brushed DC PWM fan controller to play around with: Supposedly it doesn't have a soft start built in so it could work for fuel pumps as well.

Annual Update......lol.

Project is alive and well. I have been picking at it slowly over the last couple of years. Life happened...all positive, but this project had to be placed on the back burner for a while. I sold two of my miatas last year. I realized that I was focusing on my 1999 turbo miata track car and having a great time with it. My blue car was getting no attention. I just wanted to drive. Can you blame me?

Anyway, I have acquired a crap ton of parts during this time and the project is taking a turn to be more of a weekend beast on the backroads. Hint hint.......just placed an order for V8R long tubes.

More updates in the coming months. I am excited to get back to it.:)

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...fe06fbbdad.jpg

Nice intake choice!

Looking forward to some updates on this! I miss reading build threads. Didn't know they made a low profile intake.

Posting this in case it is useful for someone else down the road. IL bushings do not fit in V8R control arms! For sale.

Now I have to figure out how to make the poly bushings work. Going back to the bronze bushing plan.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...1d74393657.jpg

Does V8R still sell bushings or have they walked from this product?

V8R control arms come with poly bushings and steel sleeves. I am just not happy with how they fit and I am not super keen on poly bushings and steel sleeves as a rotating interface. I am exploring other options including sourcing bronze inserts for my existing V8R poly bushings modeled after the Supermiata 863 and Sadfab kits.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...920c4882f6.jpg
V8R Longtube headers. Nice product. Buying these from V8R was an adventure. Long story.

Going to be coated bronze.

I've been happy with the SuperMiata 863 kit.

Bronze ceramic coat.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...daab8877ff.jpg

A bag of 863 bronze bushings just showed up to resolve the binding V8Roadsters poly bushings. There is not a plug and play bushing solution for V8R arms, so getting creative is my only path to freely rotating suspension.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...f39885111a.jpg

I had to make a jig to hold the bushing in a simulated installed position to prevent it from wandering and flexing. No lathe in my shop unfortunately.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...fb5cf55170.jpg

The new bore actually turned out fairly clean.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...7a14fe9bc9.jpg

Bronze 863 bearing installed
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...07ed4a22a9.jpg

Steel sleeve fitted.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.v8m...0cdfa8e514.jpg

Great work!

Thanks for posting about this. I just visited the 949 site. I had not heard about this bushing design. Nice!! You've done a great job of doing this yourself.

Looks like you used the stock bearing sleeve and overbored the bushing to fit the bronze bushing? Care to share the McMaster part number?? :-)

Bryan

Hi Bryan,

Here is the link for all of the 863 bearings stocked by McMaster-Carr:

https://www.mcmaster.com/bushings/pl...3-iron-copper/

The bearings that I am testing are 1" 1 1/2" 3,300 lbs. @ 60 rpm Lubricated SAE 90 Oil -15° to 300° 2868T192 $4.18

1 1/2" length seems short for some locations, and just right for most. This is all experimental, and it will be some time yet before I can put miles on the car.

All of the V8R steel sleeves are 7/8" dia, so I am using 7/8 ID, 1"OD.

I am findings that the steel sleeves require some fine tuning(polishing) for a perfect fit in the bronze. This adds some work for sure, but in the end it will be worth the efforts.

I could probably have waited for an 863 bronze upgrade kit which would resolve all locations except the RUCAs if I recall correctly. So far, I have about $120 invested in bronze in order to cover all pivot points.

Bronze bearings
 

Hi Chris. Thanks much for the thorough response!! Very much appreciated!
Bryan