btjtaylor

Turns out the handbrake problem was actually user error I found a post here that showed me I hadn't followed the correct procedure! Once I did that it was all fine and I didnt need to swap the cables in the end (so I can't comment on the MG Rover ones i'm afraid) What I can tell you is these parts are the correct length and and do work, but the quality control was a bit suspect (I had to file open the hole in the handbrake cable bracket slightly and file off a bit of badly machined cable that was hang out the end of the pin) 92.10.5233 COFLE 10.5233 Handbrake cable 1655, 1469mm, Disc Brake | AUTODOC price and review 92.10.5234 COFLE 10.5234 Handbrake cable 1636/1449, 1636, 1449mm, Disc Brake | AUTODOC price and review

Done quite a bit of reading and come to the conclusion that the handbrake cables I ordered were just crap quality. I can max out the adjustment nut on the handbrake handle, it seems like the cables are stretching or the wrong length. It looks like the Honda MB and Rover 45/MGZS handbrake cables are the same so i've ordered a replacement set from DRMGS (Rover 45 / MG ZS Handbrake Cables - SPB100720 / SPB100730 / SPB000580 – Discount MG Rover Spares - Tel 02380 001133 / Email sales@dmgrs.co.uk) - im hoping they are better made as i've good experiences from stuff i've bought there recently. Fingers crossed.

Finally finished the last piece of the brake upgrade today. MB6 master cylinder and ZS180 brake booster (seems to be the same as the MB6 one but I found a good deal on a ZS180 unit. One of those parts that people are asking stupid money on ebay for but if you put in the time on FB groups etc you can get one for a more reasonable price.) Unfortunately the MB6 master cylinder has the brake line fitting slightly further away from the prop valve than the MB2 does so I had to remove the line from the car and bend it in the vice to straighten it out which resulted in the below. I'm not particularly proud of myself and I should probably remake it properly at some point or maybe get an MB6 pre-bent line but it does work! Need to sort out a problem with the handbrake (it's not working very well - unsure why at the moment) and give it a wheel alignment before it can go for an MOT. I'm going to have a go at doing a string alignment in the garage next weekend. I've not done one before but if I can get it 95% of the way there then at least it avoids me destroying the tyres until I can get a proper alignment setup. That being said, many professionals do string alignments in the pits, so they can't be that bad!

Yes - it's not bad really, i've definitely sat in much worse. The seat could possibly go a little lower but I will probably mess about with that once i've actually driven the thing in its current form (getting restless now 🤪). I can reach the controls comfortably, that'll do for now! Without the sliders in it could go REALLY low. The sliders add a tiny bit of height but you also can't mount the seat at the low position at the front as the locking bar fouls on the seat and you can't adjust it.

Spent a (very hot and sticky!) bank holiday in the garage fitting seats and harnesses Thanks to a very helpful poster (above) I found out that the Planted USDM Accord 94-97 seat bases fit the bolt pattern of the MB chassis. Much easier than having to modify the factory seat or have something new fabricated. I then fitted Sparco sliders and side mounts. I got away with only having to drill 1x extra hole in the seat base which by all accounts is a lot better than most manage! Without the sliders the job would've been much easier but i'm glad I persevered and fitted them as I wanted different people to be able to drive the car, and it's much easier to get in and out if you can slide the seat back. The seats are Mirco RTS fibreglass buckets. I picked them up pretty cheap used as the FIA certification had expired on them (they came out of a competition rally car) but other than some general scuffs and scrapes they're in good nick, and totally suitable for track days. Much better than what I could've got new in the same price range. Still lots of adjustments to make on the harnesses as I didn't really know what I was doing but at least it all fits!

Fuel sender there's an access hatch under the back seat so it might be worth having a look there to see if something obvious is wrong with it. Pump is on the other side and tank out (it's not as bad a job as it sounds as long as you can get the car high enough). I replaced mine with a Walbro 255 (The warning about not smoking while working on the fuel system is rather 90s isn't it!)

I REALLY want one for mine after this AI mock up (where it also decided the car is in 2 places at once 🤪) I was not able to find any off the shelf options, past or present I had a look into it and basically you have to have a mould made from the original bonnet, estimated cost around £2000-3000 apparently :( I am tempted to get a spare bonnet and try a carbon wrap and see what it looks like

How's it holding up on the stepwagon? I probably won't bother on my MB as it's not likely to see a lot of salt but I definitely need to do my Accord, its starting to get a bit crispy under there in places. One of the rear disc shields completely fell off in my hands the other day!

Bolt in half cage fitted today. Quite an awkward install as there's a lot of holes to drill and try to keep everything on centre but we got there eventually! Very impressed with the welding and paintwork - definitely recommend JP Cages who supplied it

Installed AEM x-series gauges for wideband AFR, oil temp and oil pressure, and wired the analogue output from them up into the doctronic ECU so I can set a "limp mode" in case something goes wrong! Oil temp mounted into a sandwich plate between the block and the oil filter and oil pressure mounted to the factory oil pressure location with a K-tuned adapter so both sensors can be run They are housed in a very nice 3d printed gauge pod holder that mounts in place of the centre air vent (from a very nice Bulgarian chap on a honda group on facebook who managed to print me a right hand drive version for a very reasonable price).

It's probably cheaper to just buy a Civic with the engine you want already in - maybe you could get a right hand drive one form the UK that's rusty? Theses kind of cars tend to be cheaper over here ... MBs haven't gone up in price much (yet!) like EG/EKs have in recent years. Obviously you'd have to get it back to where you are but depends how desperate you are! You are absolutely right on the K-swap front - especially if you use quality parts not ebay copied junk. I spent £750 on my shell, £700 on an engine, and £250 on a gearbox, but I would say the parts to do the engine conversion properly are probably 5x that, especially when you add in a lot of items that get done "whilst you're in there" e.g. new clutch/lightened flywheel, bigger injectors, different intake manifold... etc. etc.

More info on the lights? Looks great !

Yes, there are some marks - I guess it was to align the drill or whatever they were using in the factory if the car was to be an MB6. I'd love to know what they did - I imagine just drill and tap a hole, thread in a stud ... or maybe there was more to it than that? Maybe some extra reinforcement underneath? I found a video of someone working on an EG just now doing basically the same thing as I wrote earlier but using a piece of metal behind as reinforcement - it seemed to work OK for them

A basic smoke tester can be useful in these situations. Leave it inside the car with the doors and windows closed for 30 mins or so to fill the car with thick smoke, you should see it leaking out of the holes. I have this one - its basic but does the job aliexpress.com/p/tesla-landing/index.html?UTABTest=aliabtest125094_24784&src=google&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=708-803-3821&slnk=&plac=&mtctp=&albbt=Google_7_shopping&gclsrc=aw.ds&albagn=888888&ds_e_adid=784528327853&ds_e_matchtype=search&ds_e_device=c&ds_e_network=g&ds_e_product_group_id=2463919240694&ds_e_product_id=en1005006642306652&ds_e_product_merchant_id=106959561&ds_e_product_country=GB&ds_e_product_language=en&ds_e_product_channel=online&ds_e_product_store_id=&ds_url_v=2&albcp=23272714697&albag=191864323674&isSmbAutoCall=false&needSmbHouyi=false&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23272714697&gbraid=0AAAAAD6I-hHL-qdK3MTpI0Ema2awFtvJN&gclid=CjwKCAjwspPOBhB9EiwATFbi5PCAR3LaZGphD23BdD1CPkhjJilbrB9rcTukI15yr1pC9FbnhiKokBoCeDkQAvD_BwE&aff_fcid=a41b7480c3234acabb05997aa673a8c1-1774543819938-06152-irey5Th&aff_fsk=irey5Th&aff_platform=promotion&sk=irey5Th&aff_trace_key=a41b7480c3234acabb05997aa673a8c1-1774543819938-06152-irey5Th&terminal_id=24f51958e50f4dda8253ef308c411e91&scenario=c_ppc_item_bridge&productId=1005006642306652&_immersiveMode=true&withMainCard=true&OLP=1116833308_f_group1&o_s_id=1116833308&afSmartRedirect=n Also useful for testing out exhaust and intake/PCV/etc leaks

The easiest way is to get a bar that mounts into the top mount studs of the suspension, like this However, I have been given an MB6 strut bar for free so I wanted to attempt this install. According to the internet I should do as follows: Offer up the bar Mark and drill 8.5mm holes into the strut towers Use M8 bolts (grade 10.9) with penny washers through from the underside and tighten it down I have all the parts ready to go and will report back soon ...