The MightyBoy - is it restoration or Hotrodding?

This is a crazy little pocket rocket type of car by the sounds of it

It is amazing how quick things happen with a bonnet lol

Good to get a update


Paul

This project grows and grows and like most hot rods, gets adapted and changed many times during it's construction.

Zuffen, I admire your dedication and determination. I only wish I had half as much imagination and drive. Can't wait to see the finished product. If it's half as good as your pickup, it'll be a show stopper.

Zuffen,

Not sure if this now applies to the situation......   in the photo with the turbo.  The drain pipe flows into the sump tray.  I've been led to understand that this is not a good idea becuase the turbo return oil is very frothy and should  be allowed to dribble out into the crank case. And then into the sump area.

If the froth gets trapped by a 'sump oil/air lock' it can build up in the core and bypass the turbo seals.

Just thought I'd mention it "just in case...."

The new engine is all ready to go in the car.

I've been tossing up what to do about the steering rack so sat on a milk crate in front of the empty engine bay and cogitated about the thing.

I spotted a drip of oil hanging off a brake line which is directly above the rack. The oil wasn't red like the power steering fluid. Could it be a brake leak?

The master cylinder level hasn't moved in 3 months so it doesn't make sense.
I cleaned up all the lines (this is a rear compensator unit so has plenty of lines going to and from it) then jumped in the car and stood on the brake pedal for a minute or two. Sure enough there was a drip of brake fluid. Even tasted like brake fluid!

I have everything I need to make a new brake line and I can cross off another leak.

This saves me having to do anything about the rack, excellent.

I have decided to shorten the driver's axle by 10mm so it doesn't run out of plunge when the suspension is either unloaded or fully loaded.

My shed is a bit busy with the Yellow device laying dead and the MightyBoy occupying the other hoist, then in the shed next door I have Helen's Sprinter to finish setting up by next month as she wants to use it. Busy, busy but of my own doing.

This fixing oil leaks for me becomes a bit addictive

I have a moment (brain fart) and think, that's it no more leaks I'll track every last one down and start going to a great extent to fix oil leaks

After a couple of months I have another brain fart and say, "close enough"

Then slowly the leaks return in one form or another

Paul

It only took almost 4 weeks to do a weeks work.

Today is the first day I've had it running and I gave it a run around the block (about 3km) and I will say for a car that was tragically slow when new this little thing is very rapid.

On a good sealed road it will break traction when coming onto boost in second gear.

Not too many MightyBoys can push you back in the seat with their performance.

I'll try and get some video of it driving as it is the nuttiest thing to drive with truly remarkable performance.

I'll keep you posted.

Sounds like this is all coming together now

Paul

Sounds scarey, but fun.

cobbadog wrote:

Sounds scarey, but fun.

 

I feel it would be pretty easy for me to loose my license in this

I have been known to be a hoon years ago

Paul

Well I put another 15kilometres on it before it broke.

Had to walk 3k home to get me car and trailer. Funny thing is I had a fall on the way home and sprained an ankle!

Not sure what it's done but the performance is way better than last time I drove it. Every time the engine comes out it goes back in working better than the time before. Things get relocated and improved so there is a silver lining to this.

The clutch appears to be the issue. A brand new clutch and throw out bearing so it should all work. the symptoms are interesting. It lost drive on a 2nd to 3rd shift. So I stopped and started again but then it didn't want to select gear without grinding. I popped it in 2nd and started it in gear. It drove well and I shifted up to 4th and after a few k's it again lost drive.

Now the symptoms are are at odds with each other. At one point it won't drive but another the clutch isn't releasing. I'm suspecting it may be cable related. If the inner cable is frayed it could jam sometimes and not others.

I won't work on it for a few weeks, as I'm in a moon boot for the ankle and I also need to drive to Tweed Heads for my Mum's 99th Birthday. I'll take the boot off to drive, but it's cruise control almost all the way, so easy.

One interesting feature is when in second and accelerating it starts to break traction and handles just like my son's Mitsubishi Evo VIII with torque steer to the left.