From: Bdale Garbee Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2016 23:01:44 +0000 (-0600) Subject: start documenting the kit car project X-Git-Url: https://git.gag.com/?p=web%2Fgag.com;a=commitdiff_plain;h=4d463c90f2887ede735b8623d517a1c366e4cae5 start documenting the kit car project --- diff --git a/cars/stalker-mx5/index.mdwn b/cars/stalker-mx5/index.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a9fed1d --- /dev/null +++ b/cars/stalker-mx5/index.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,58 @@ +# Stalker MX-5 + +After watching Robert race autocross in his Porsche 924S in the summer of +2015, Karen started talking about maybe trying it herself. In our usual +style, this turned into a family-sized project. + +If you want to race, the first thing to do is buy a race car, right? After +considering lots of options, the idea of getting Karen something in the +[Lotus Seven](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Seven) genre seemed like +it would be a lot of fun. + +After a lot of reading and research, we decided to try building one of the +kit cars from [Brunton Auto](http://stalkercars.com). Specifically, we got +excited about the Stalker MX-5, which is a kit based upon the idea of using +a Mazda MX-5 Miata as a "donor car" to provide the drivetrain and many other +mechanical parts. That plus a kit plus a bunch of time, and we could have +a modern build of something very much like a Lotus Seven... and we'd have +huge fun building it, too! + + +# The Donor Car # + +A funny thing happened along the way to having a donor car. Bdale found a +pristine 1999 Miata for sale locally through Craigslist for what seemed like +a very fair price, and bought it to take apart. When he got it home, Karen +asked if she could go take it for a spin... and when she came back from +driving it, told Bdale in no uncertain terms that he could *not* take it apart +to use for the kit car build, because it fit her perfectly and she wanted to +keep it! If we hadn't already put 50% down on the Stalker kit, it's entirely +possible we'd have just put the Miata in the garage as Karen's fun and +autocross car and been done before we started... but... well... + +Since this was just before our wedding anniversary, Bdale took a +deep breath, said "Happy Anniversary, love!", and went back to looking for a +donor car... Fortunately, about 48 hours later a wrecked 1995 showed up in +a Denver suburb +on Craigslist, with significant body damage but no damage to any of the parts +we cared about, and Bdale was able to acquire it for $500 cash plus about $100 +in trailer rental and gas to drive up and retrieve it. Perfect! After taking +one look at it, Karen agreed that taking this one apart would be just fine. + +## Fixing the Idle Problem ## + +As received, the donor car ran and drove well enough to get itself on and off +a car hauler trailer, but would not idle. It seemed prudent to figure out +the problem and fix it *before* taking the car apart. + +It didn't take long to discover that the small air hose that connects a nipple +low on the throttle body assembly with one in the main air plenum near the +right front corner of the vehicle was torn, allowing air to flow in downstream +of the MAF. This made the car run lean, and prevented it from idling. A +quick wrap with tape on one end and holding it in place on the other end +allowed the engine to start and idle completely happily. Since a previous +owner installed an after-market air intake tube set and filter that didn't +fare well in the crash, and now that we know the engine runs just fine, we +can defer a decision about whether to just replace the torn hose or spend +more on a tidier air intake setup when it's time to put the engine in the +kit car.