The Bogan

Not alot here, just a random snow flake now and then, in saying this I didn't spend alot of time outside today, played in the garage for a bit, then spent most of the day pottering around inside Did you get a bit?

"CAD" version 1.0 It will have a 15mm lip around the top for 6 × 5 or 6mm nutserts and fixtures (two on each of the three straight edges), and some pinch weld on any exposed edges, it has three mounting points, one of the power steering reservoir bolts, and two on the rad support, my 120mm hole saw will make short work of hole for the silicone joiner, with ample room for some pinch weld I've also got enough Carbuilders "peel and stick" heat shield to cover the outside of it at the coolant expansion tank and on the engine side, as pictured, and internally on the lid and where the fuse box is, I've also got some thin, about 3mm, black 3M single sided sticky foam stuff that was left over after sealing some door drafts at home to help seal the lid As for the shape, it "sort of" matches the shape of the fuse box, so shouldn't look to "out of place" The lower area and hole for the intake will need pinch weld with a balloon on it to fully seal the hole and bottom of it, that will happen after it has been fabricated so I know exactly what size is required Filter service has been trialed, and so far it was a simple process Just need to get some alloy, and then head into work to use the guillotine and break press in the workshop Hopefully it should be sorted in a week or two Guestimated outlay will be under a $50 for the stuff I don't have on hand (alloy, 6mm nutserts, the pinch weld, and wrinkle paint) Disclaimer: That's what the "voices in my head" are telling me how the filter box should end up getting done......lets see if they know what they are talking about

Yeap, not as doorty as ITB's, but alot more doorty than before, induction sound great when I'm up it 🤗

Just got the car back and gave it a good run back home Power wise, whilst it only made a extra 5 killerwasps up top at 7200 rpm, it made more power everywhere from 2500 rpm and kept pulling much harder all the way, to the point of me relearning when to shift so I don't hit the 7200 limiter, with the old intake it seemed to take alot more time to rev out, and, throttle response is also much improved As I didn't want to remove the bumper every time I serviced the air filter (basically every aftermarket and fabricated CAI has the filter behind the bumper) it currently has a hektic exposed pod in the engine bay sucking in hot air, this will be rectified shortly after some some of my CAD (cardboard assisted design) for a alloy heat shield feed by the OEM intake tube behind the bumper, this will cop some wrinkle black paint, as well as the intake pipe for that totally OEM look... The only fly in the ointment was that the OEM "strut" brace doesn't fit over the rear runner of the new intake with the 2.5 engine is in the engine bay, as the 2.5 raises the engine up by 20mm, it's not a war stopper, and I didn't notice any difference without it in some twisties, but....... MX5 Mania is bringing in some GWR "fancy pants" braces that apparently do fit, if it bolts up I'll grab it, it is also stiffer than the OEM one, which is a bonus All in all I'm happy with the outcome Fancy pants "strut" brace that gives the required clearance This is where the clearance issue was, the GWR extends out past this

I love the early SL500's, they look sleek Give it a good service, throw on a exhaust, and roll like a boss I'd get a nice old SL500 before a 25GT

Just dropped the car off at MX5 Mania to install the intake plenum and give it a little retune My impatience hates the waiting game

Goon of fortune....go on.....spin to win

Cheers for the tips, I'll go with 50 mm around the side, I'm used to digging with hand tools, my prior occupation had me going well with hand tools and there's nothing that a breaker bar and a pair of gloves to protect my delicate hands can't fix, hopefully... As my time now is free, if it takes a week to excavate that's not a issue

Got keys and did a walk around the yard planning the landscaping works with the family that I will be doing Main effort: remove all the woodchip in the gardens that are around (attached) to the outside of the house and replace with 10mm blue metal, having woodchip close to the house is a recipe for inviting white ants, currently there are no white ants within the block and I would like to keep it that way I'll be buying some large raised garden beds to grow veggies and stuff, and the woodchip will be mulched with everything else that gets dug up, pulled out, or cut down during works Next will some minor drainage and landscaping maintenance up one side of the house, where the fuse box, AC, and solar stuff will go, about 12 mtrs long by 2 meters wide, I'll break up the soil, add gypsum and then I'll dig in a French drains about 300mm deep x 300mm wide and fill it with agg pipe and blue metal, then level out the whole area with a 50mm layer of blue metal, the soil, whilst currently pretty compacted, will break up well with the gypsum to aid in drainage, I'll then cover the area with a 50mm layer of more blue metal In saying this, the drainage issue is minor, but that little hidden away area down the side is untidy and weedy, and as all of the main elec stuff is there I want it neat and tidy to appease my OCD Again, the material excavated from the French drains with be added to the garden bed mulch, as will some rose bushes and some other crap looking garden plants, and a old apricot tree that is looking worse for wear The apricot tree is currently in a little roundish garden bed that is in the middle of the back yard with few other crappy looking plants around it, that will all be removed, levelled, re-turfed, and is a perfect spot for a hills hoist There is also a area about 3m x 2m between the rear fence and shed that will get some attention, it looks like some stuff was stored there and the grass is dead, that will also get broken up and mulched, and is a prime spot for a pumpkin patch I've guestimated that I'll need: 3 tonnes of blue metal, 12 meters of agg pipe, 5kg of Gypsum, and a hills hoist, so a few bags of concrete as well to set it in place (the house currently has one of those pull out 4 line jobs, whilst it works, I want a retro old school hills hoist), I am also going to run some chickens, there's a great spot for a coop, so a chicken coop to suit 4 of those lovely egg laying bitches will also be on the job card That should keep me busy for a while, and will finish off the back yard ready for a early spring planting of some veggies and berries Once the main effort is done I'll start out the front, there's a large rock garden that could use some TLC, but that is only minor works Should be fully moved in within 2 weeks, the landscaping works will start then Fun times, retirement is good

When the power is on and the AC heat is warming the house...LOL Jackie keeps me updated with the Goulburn temps, I think she is scared she will freeze, me, I'm fine with the cold, I'm use to acclimatising Jackie is the main reason for getting solar, as she "requires" the AC to keep things civil year round, night and day, and me telling her to wrap up and layer in the cold falls on deaf ears, with an evil glance thrown in for good measure to ensure I "understand"...LOL

Settlement on the new joint just hit, heading into sunny Goulburn tomorrow to pick up keys Happy days

Give it time mate, you will eventually sort out the bugs, and then... you too can hunt around in the hills looking for coffee, pies and treats

Yeap, was me and the daughter getting coffee before heading to the new joint to measure up the fridge space and taking some pics that the solar installer wanted of the switch board

Tried some stainless allen head bolts I had laying around, they stuck out like dog balls, so I went to Bunnings and got some black coated jobbies, which I like alot more.....basically OEM....LOL I'll RTV it up this week sometime ready for MX5 Mania to do their thing

Bit wet, but YUMMY