1996 Mazda MX5 Merlot Roadster tire shredder

Quite a bit going on for this car over the next month. Basically trying to do everything necessary to get through an MOT. Currently busy grinding out some of the previously patched areas which are now rusted badly and preparing for bracing the door aperture then changing the whole sill on the driver's side.<br />
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New exhaust and gaskets will hopefully arrive tomorrow and I have a Cat (which looks to be the correct size but all I have to go on is the length of the decat!) ready to go on.<br />
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Other exciting developments after I pick up the spare steering rack I won. Planning on shortening the rack body and grinding down the ends of the rack itself to accommodate more lock in a much safer way than just bolting on the pikey washers! If all goes well I will fit the new rack ready for Buxton!

Reclaimed standard exhaust fitted with shiny new cat also fitted (albeit temporarily haha). Can't afford a sportcat and I don't want to fry this one with drift days. No blowing backbox anymore which is just lovely (also nice for fumes to be coming out of the pipe rather than the bumper), the old silencer got bashed so hard it had detached completely from the pipe to the point where it 's not even weldable. Chopped it up and scrapped it now. <br />
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Excited to now have a quiet exhaust! I am of the opinion that 4 cylinder engines don't really deserve loud exhausts.

Was planning on posting some updated pics of this but I was up welding til 2am then had to rush myself to work for 8 and forgot my phone which contains the pics! Verbal description of the progress to date will have to do for now. Basically I have been working of the section at the front end of the inner sill which is now all reconstructed from new metal and is already strong enough to use as a foothold!<br />
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Little bit sleepy this morning but beginning to feel as though this project is going to be achievable and I can now see the endgame starting to develop. I have seamed up the inner sill skin at the front end and added a flange to it separately. This method worked better for me with the limited shaping tools I have as my attempts bending up a profiled patch with flange was taking too long. Working now on rebuilding the strengtheners down the centre. I have not described this particularly well but the inner sill from the front up to the A pillar is nearly finished. Just need to skin over the front to continue the outer skin from the wheelarch. <br />
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After the smoke cleared (there have been 'whoops..' moments) I offered up the prebought outer sill panel and I am happy and slightly amazed to say it looks like it will marry up quite nicely! <br />
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Quite chuffed, although progress has been slow I want the prep to be good enough. Next step is to make up a nice big main length for the the inner sill panel which overlaps the front section I just attached. Need another trip to BOC. Welded until the shielding gas ran out and nearly out of cutting disks again <br />
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The missus is back home at some point later on having been away for a few days so hoping I can get away with one more long stint on it after I finish work today before she starts to get jealous of the attention being lavished on the car!

Steadily beginning to get somewhere now with the inner sill/outer sill replacement...<br />
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