RM1Sepex Build Thread

[RM1SepEx]

Frank everything is relative, when the body moves forward the nose has to be bridged to the radiator support more, you gain clearance for wipers at the back of the hood, the roll bar clearance gets tighter. Every decision is reflected in other areas. You could analyze it forever. Many of us find that the two sides don't match up. I couldn't measure much variation in the frame, it is very square. The body, not so much... just keep playing with it until you are satisfied. I couldn't get it "perfect"

[Frank818]

Ok I see. Does the bottom rear of the fenders need to be flush with the bottom front of the side sails?
If they aren't, the front rear splash guard won't fit, am I correct? Currently I am short, I need to push the side sail fwd, probably cuz my wheels are a little more fwd due to the 10mm LCA spacers.

2016-05-15 16.19.04_1.jpg

[Hindsight]

For a tiny bit like that, you can just force the fender to where you want it. Some have said it's bad to do that due to stress on the glass but I can't imagine putting one of these together without forcing some things here and there. The parts just don't fit well enough to be able to lay things in place and bolt them where they lay. Do that and you will end up with nothing lined up properly. The lower rear of my fenders are forced about 3/4" and I had to force the front bumper about 1/2" to 3/4" to the left to get it to center properly.

[RM1SepEx]

Frank, the question is what the hell happened to the bottom of your fender?

It should line up with the same personality lines molded into the side sails, sorry the car is in the garage photos are not very good

P1130020.JPG

P1130021.JPG

to get the door to open w/o hitting the fender edge the front lower edge of the door is about 3/8 to 1/2 inside of the personality edge molded into the rocker panel

I keep looking at that photo and it doesn't look right, the bottom edge is molded with a return that goes inward, why is there mold flash sticking out on the bottom, zoom out with another photo please Frank

[Frank818]

Ok I'll take better pix. Those are the new fenders from the new nose, don't know if that portion of the fenders should be exactly like the original bumper/fender. I still need to remove the seam, yeah.

I already pushed towards the car that portion almost 3" and 1.5-2" pushing front to back in order to get the pic I posted above. More and I fear the glass/fb will crack. Which is why I asked if it's important for the fender to line up with the side sail in order to fit the splash guard. I can't get the guard in, I noticed I need to remove the windscreen in order to slide the alu panel into the notch for the hood support bracket. Not convinient at all for maintenance, you need the splash guard off? Remove the windscreen first. loll

Dan I can still move fwd the side sails relative to the humps lid, but then I'll need to trim more the top front of the doors. That should work.

But I'm very curious about your reaction, I'll take a few more pix and compare to yours.

[Frank818]

But Dan, underneath the lower part of the fender there is notch that seems to slide into the protruding section of the side sail, instead of sitting on it like yours. I'll show you with other pix.

[RM1SepEx]

That's the problem, I have no clue re the new nose, I'm surprised it doesn't line up the same with the molded in body line. How do you bolt down the bottom of the fender?

[Frank818]

Oh that's easy, there's a triangle piece of FB leveled to the bottom of side sail, slides over the bottom of the side sail (not underneath but the portion a few inches over), rivet it to the side sail.

I'll see if I can heat up the bottom of the fender and change its shape, I know you're pro at that, I'm sure I can learn too, right!

[Frank818]

Hey Dan, here are some other pix for fun.

2016-05-16 15.15.36_1.jpg2016-05-16 15.16.09_1.jpg2016-05-16 15.17.19_1.jpg

I heated up the bottom of the panel with my heat gun, using 150 to 400C (a lot in F) temps. It started to smell burning FB but I think it helps changing the shape of the panel. I'll know tomorrow.

I think I'll live with that. I pushed a little fwd the driver's side sail, fits perfect now. Didn't do it much on the passenger's. I did trim around the roll bar for the humps lid to push it fwd. I am short just a little on the humps lid-to-top-of-door but I'll manage something.

The new panels are a LOT better than the old ones for various reasons I'll state on my thread.

To answer my question, the fender should be as close fit as possible with the side sail. Doesn't look good otherwise and would most probably be a prob with the splash guard.

[RM1SepEx]

you need to deflash that botom section so you can align the panel with the rocker

[Frank818]

I did on the pass's side, it's worst there cuz the side sail is not pushed fwd. I think I know why all this, it's cuz of my LCA spacers which push fwd the wheels a little bit, requiring me to push fwd the fender requiring me to push fwd the side sails but I can't much otherwise the doors could suffer or like you said it's the rollbar thing or the humps lid would be too much pushed causing probs in the back panels. But it's hard not to have the fender line up with side sail, for splash guard and looks.

[RM1SepEx]

Haven't posted in a while, been busy. Mom-in-Law has visited the hospital 3 times with a heartbeat racing out of control. She turns 93 in 3 weeks. Went to the Dr today... very rare for someone to do that 3 times in 3 weeks. Really, why. By the 3rd time they die of a heart attack or have a stroke! UGH

Car is progressing. Got title ! Got insurance $356 per 6 months from State Farm... Hagerty was $505... Progressive over $800 WOW State Farm, registered her today! Used the old Caddy plates, the lady charged me sales tax, then used the purchase price for my base kit as the cost basis for Maine's excise tax! I didn't have to pay any exise tax for the remainer of the year (till September) as it was based on an original cost over $44,000 for the Caddy! My lucky day, the state and town's loss every year that I register her in the future. I need to submit my request to the State for my vanity plates It's either FFR 818 or 818 JLO (I call her J Lo as she has a rather curvy butt

Cleaning up some items to prepare for my safety inspection... Friday???

Final question do I travel 3 hours each way Saturday to attend the FFR open house or do I drive my car around locally and debug the little beastie?

[wallace18]

I would make sure the bugs are worked out before a 6 hour journey myself. You could trailer it to the Shopping center across the street from FFR and drive it from there. It is your call. I am sure lots of folks would love to see the car though. Best of luck.

[RM1SepEx]

I would trailer it, the problem is that it's a long drive for me both ways, out in the heat. I'd have no legs all day and still have to drive home, in traffic with an 8.5 wide trailer. MA drivers tend to be a bit aggressive, last time one of those little Fiats almost got run over dashing in and out of lanes. Weekend traffic all depends on timing and stop and go is a bear with my 6 cyl truck towing 4000 lbs of car and trailer.

[Tamra]

How did the safety inspection go? Glad to see things have been progressing!

[RM1SepEx]

State inspection done, VIN # ME 7008 how funny is that? Pete in Lewiston is ME 7000

I'm so damn close but all the awkward stuff doing the upholstery caused my back to scream at me and last night and this morning it rained so I took the day off. Just not quite ready for the std annual inspection req of all cars in Maine...

I have to wire the console switch for the interior lights, screw in the oak faced console, upholster the rear firewall behind the seats, bolt in the seats and belts yet again and do a final adjustment of the headlights. I'm going to wet sand and clear the VF pieces before bolting them back in place. I do need to make up some aluminum trim pieces and powder coat them to finalize the vinyl edges

My blinker problem was stupid, FFR flasher died, I did a poor job on the ground connection... 20 minutes with a friend and a meter, crimp on a new connector, poof everything works.

CF pieces, what does everyone use for a clear coat???

Here's a mystery... My nice powder coated aluminum grill... lost, can't find it! I'm sure that I put it somewhere it wouldn't get damaged the day I powder coated it! Bright Orange for God's sake!!!

[RM1SepEx]

Finally able to drive J Lo legally! Just got off the scales, 1898 w/o the aero splitter, diffuser, rocker boards and carbon street spoiler. Fully padded vinyl interior. Stock seats were a PITA, The Schroth harnesses compounded the lack of space for the stock seats.

P1130047.JPG P1130046.JPG P1130045.JPG P1130048.JPG
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I do have some gel coat repair and a whole lot of buffing to do. Aero install and some graphics soon!

[Hindsight]

Congrats on the street legal milestone! Go put some miles on it!

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Great Job Dan

[Tamra]

Congrats! Huge accomplishment!

[AZPete]

Your work looks great, Dan. Congrats and enjoy putting a few on the odometer.

[RM1SepEx]

Last night I hit the vino... after adding a mere 1/8 foam padding and the vinyl as well as ditching the stock sedan belts that locked upon their own whimsey the seats were just too wide to get the belts in place. My friend Mark came over this AM and we took the saws all to the coiled springs that force the seat forward to adjust the angle of the seatback. Even with those perches and pins cut off we had to use thin aluminum to allow the seats to slide into place, protecting the vinyl. I was very creative with the rare earth magnet extension to hold the nuts in place to get the threads started and had to do all sorts of contortions to tighten them.

Every time we make what seems like a slight change it causes a ripple effect making something else need to change! I've done so many things multiple times...

I hope that I like the seats, they seem to be made for someone bigger than a 35 inch waist, unusual for a Japanese car! My Miata seats are too narrow and don't support enough. My extra Recaro seats are awesome but are made for an old E30 BMW and they just sit too high.

All done without normal feeling and sensation from the chest level down.

[bstuke]

Congratulations Dan!

[Frank818]

That is so great!!!
And not even 1900!

[RM1SepEx]

Drove to my inspection station passed, no issues, put her on the lift, minor oil leak from the left side seal on the transaxle. Put the lift down... can't shift, no gear selection no neutral. Had to trailer her home. Transaxle's been apart 3 times by local Subaru dealer! UGH

Totally legal, runs well fastest car I've ever driven. No dyno next week, reschedule again! Past fastest was Peter Farrell Supercars modified 1993 Mazda RX7 TT

Waiting for contact with Joel Local dealership service manager and friend...

[Frank818]

What happened there? Locked up trans?!?

[RM1SepEx]

autocross today, start pulling it apart tomorrow?

[Hindsight]

That's really odd about the transmission Dan... have you thought about sending it to Andrewtech instead of the dealer? Maybe you know someone good at the local dealer, but my experience with dealerships is that they (generally) are good parts replacers but not good parts repairers.

[RM1SepEx]

It's a 70,000 mile transaxle being used with a minor (cobb stage 2) tune in a 1900 lb car... I can't believe the problems that I've had with this stupid transaxle... I'll get it worked out. So far I've done so much by myself with only help on the engine and transaxle... If we run into more problems I'll seek out add'l expertise. Hoping that we can debug and repair w/o pulling the trans. Looks like I'll be adding a plug to remove the rear w/o pulling individual light plugs etc... only 9 wires...

[RM1SepEx]

I finally have it running properly. 200 or so miles so far and nothing has fallen off, very fast, I'm getting used to the "nervous" attitude under extreme power conditions. Only significant rub now is severe bumps the front tires rubbed vs the fender to nose joint where the panels come together. I clearanced them as far as I could.

Filled the tank, fuel seems to seep a bit from those stupid rubber gaskets at the fuel sender and the fuel pump... UGH fuel tank isn't long for this world... I should have done my custom tank using the center tunnel and the area in the front where Bob put his! next year's winter project?

Transaxle: I ended up pulling it apart and cleaning the reverse detent assembly that comes in from the top left side of the transaxle that the top shifter arm engages... I couldn't get any details on what that thing does or even why it's there. The local Subaru guys have no experience with that system and they got no help from the factory Subaru gurus at a training event in MA last week. I just figured that there wasn't any other area of the transaxle to mess with. The damn case had been split 3 times and the rear section alone pulled 4 more! Works well now, been reversed when hot many times now, works great.

I ended up using silicone to "glue" down the carpets, fingers crossed that it stays in pace, the permanant carpet tape last about 20 miles before it slid all over the place.

[Hindsight]

Glad you got that reverse issue resolved! Congrats on having it on the road and working well. Hopefully I will be right behind you.

[Frank818]

Did you pull the trans out for the 7th time?

[RM1SepEx]

The last 3 trans episodes were:

pull off rear clip, unbolts trans mount, lift engine/stands, slide in 2X4 to hold it up and remove all the bolt on bits like shifter and exhaust hanger, drive out shifter pins, pull rear plate off, pull off back trans section

The case was removed and split "only" 3 times

my horn started beeping on its own... time to check my home made contact that wipes vs the wheel adapter from NRG... very embarrasing

[Hindsight]

[RM1SepEx]

much louder but yup, exactly like that. I worked on it again this AM, time for another little test cruise... I redid the contact connections with liberal use of extra shrink wrap tubing. No horn going off in 20 miles. I'm 1/2 way to my initial new shortblock oil change at 500 miles.

[RM1SepEx]

Got up to 340 miles, brought my wife out for our first cruise, big loop, ended at an ice cream place a few miles away.

P1130164.JPG P1130165.JPG P1130166.JPG P1130167.JPG

Then, yup transaxle lockd up yet again. AAA couldn't get her on the roll back, he gave me a ride home and I took my trailer over and picked it up.

Not a great way to introduce the wife. She did turn off the stereo, she wanted to hear the exhaust noise, that's a great thing!

[Frank818]

Man, you are not lucky at all. What could be causing the trans to work fine and then all of a sudden die?

[wallace18]

Sorry to hear about the transaxle. The car looks great though. I know your hard work will pay off in the long run.

[RM1SepEx]

TRansaxle apart again, bottom line parking lot type reverse first to reverse, restart to leave no reverse. What happens is the trans stays in first while the shifter arm is in the 5th reverse slot. The 3rd-4th rod can't move because it is in first so you can't get anything to move into neutral. I can't figure out how this stiff assembly can get from first to the reverse slots for the 3rd shift rod w/o putting the 1st 2nd shift rod into neutral!

UGH

When I pulled the section off the transaxle, the shifter arm was positioned as shown with the trans in first as shown

P1130168.JPG

stumped

[Bob_n_Cincy]

Dan,
does each of the 3 shifting rods have strong detents in the forward, middle, and rear positions?
Bob