Thanks mate! Yeah just been busy with other projects and stuff around the house. Painting a couple of the MX-5 panels at the moment too, and hopefully the rebuilt bottom end goes back in soon.
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Quick update! - http://omgpham.com/head-unit-relocation-update
The new setup was having a few issues with the Bluetooth signal strength, I guess being behind all that metal doesn't help. So I cracked it open to see what could be done!
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This is the Bluetooth module, and I found the built in antenna.
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I sanded back the antenna trace and soldered a 30cm wire to it. This has greatly improved the range, I can now have the phone a couple meters away from the car. I also don't have any more stutter issues!
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So does the wire actually connect to anything? Or is it just there?
I'd imagine it's just there, like a home theater wire antenna.
Yeah it just sits there :)
2nd Update! - http://omgpham.com/head-unit-relocation-2nd-update
Received some feedback and discussion on my head-unit relocation last week, and as I often find, I decided to change it up to the better option.
Below are photos of where the head-unit was mounted, I made a custom MDF piece for that spot too.
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But it was obvious that the better position would be in the other corner of the boot, and mounted from above. Overall it looks a lot cleaner and more out of the way.
Started off by half removing some of the rear carpet, I than removed the bottom four bolts of the rear parcel shelf cover. Made it a lot easier to run the harness.
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Harness fed through and the head-unit case mounted up!
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Everything mounted and connected, works just as well as before.
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Car is also getting stripped and a full re-spray is booked for the 1st of August. Staying the factory Crystal White, and engine bay will be Battleship Grey :)
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Installed some new LED interior lights, wired straight to the factory courtesy lights. They mount up to the visor spots.
http://omgpham.com/jass-performance-...-light-install
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Those courtesy lights really do help a lot. The Miata cabin is notoriously dark at night otherwise. I use the same IR repeater wire for my TV cable box at home that you used for your remote mount stereo. Good idea.
Respray Preparations - http://omgpham.com/respray-preparations
As some of you may know, the MX-5 is booked in for a re-spray and engine bay colour change. Body will be painted factory Crystal White and the engine bay will be Battleship Grey. Now the stripping and preparations begin!
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Seats were removed to make it easier to pull the dash out. Dash came out so I could pull the wiring harness completely back in to the cabin.
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Rest of the parts being stored away. The ARP CF mirrors getting sanded back and a new coat of clear too.
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Pop-up headlight assemblies will be disassembled and sand blasted, they'll be painted same colour as the engine bay.
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Part way through the long and slow process of removing everything from the engine bay.
More Stripping - http://omgpham.com/more-stripping
OK another small update before everything is ready to be towed off to the panel/paint shop.
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Fuel lines were disconnected and capped off, fuel rail was also removed. Wiring was also pulled back into the cabin. Engine bay starting to look really bare. Next will be engine, brake booster, clutch master and all the hard lines.
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Since I was sending out the headlight assemblies out for blasting and powder coating, I removed the sway bar mounts to get them done too. Involved drilled out a few spot wells but whatever. They'll be powder coated black with the other bits.
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Door handles, window seals and antenna were removed. Still have to remove the seals around the front windscreen, and all the trims/seals on the hardtop.
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Front and rear bars off, rear garnish and rear tail lights out too. Forgot to remove the third brake light 😛
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My Nardi 330mm Deep Corn wheel arrived, also ordered an awesome wireless dongle so I can have remote boot release. I love the remote so much! Has fake wood grain, a red button and a telescopic antenna! I may ditch this kit and go with a 3/4-way kit so I can have keyless entry too.
Ready To Be Towed - http://omgpham.com/ready-to-be-towed
The final stretch before the Mazda gets towed away, engine came out pretty fast since I did all the prep work earlier this week.
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Engine out! Head will be removed and sent away for inspection before it gets bolted onto the rebuilt spare block I have.
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Engine bay will get a quick scrub before the body shop does a proper clean and sand.
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Every bolt that was removed has been bagged and tagged.
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A friend hooked me up with these 31-pin Deutsch connectors, ordered new pins and extraction tool so just waiting for those to arrive. These will be used so I can quickly unplug the engine from the car.
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I LOVE the quick connect electrical plug idea! :drinkto: Might have to borrow that idea. :bow:
I have had alot of Honda's and Rywire's milspec kit was always something i wanted to do. That would be cool if someone did the same for Miata's. Wire tucks really clean up the engine bay and looks incredible.
wow taking that whole car apart, crazy cool man, keep it up!
Definitely man, just want to clean the bay a bit more. I'll CAD up a faceplate to mount the connector to the firewall too, laser cut stainless steel will be nice =)
Thanks man! The more I take apart, the better and cheaper it'll be =D
So many cool builds here and yours has to be among the top of the list.
:popcorn:
Off To Body & Paint - http://omgpham.com/off-to-body-paint
Today was a good day :) my Mazda was towed off to J&D Quality Smash Repairs.
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Everything all set aside and ready to picked up.
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Looks tough without the rear bar!
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Tow drive arrived around 8.30AM and had her loaded up for a 30mins drive.
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Sort of weird seeing your car get towed away, good weird though.
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Once arrived at the shop, we continued removing a few more bits and pieces from the car. Things like rubber seals and everything in the door jams.
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Quickly cleaned up one side of the engine bay using wax & grease remover with 3M Scotch Brite pads. Cleaned up really well and gets the surface some what ready for primer and paint.
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Decided on the engine bay colour, this is Audi's Aviator Grey. Clear coats will be applied on top of this too.
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More updates next week!