The Green Hornet

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Ben
Posts: 3074
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:49 pm
Location: Oxford(ish)
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Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Ben »

Nice work! Any idea on noise levels?
2001 BMW M5 (Bahnstormer) | 2004 RX8 231 (the Racecat) | 2001 Volvo V70 (Swedish eBay barge)

Previous:
1989 MR2 Mk1b T-bar | 1988 MR2 SC Super Edition
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

I took my db meter, but the fan they use to cool the car on the rollers was louder than the car.

It seems quieter outside the car with the Legalis on, but I took some of the sound deadening out, so inside it sounds as loud as before.
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

Just noticed that I haven't posted the picture showing the WHP figure, which I think also shows the boost curve. Will do that tonight.
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

So with the MOT & Tax expiring on the car last November combined with the wet weather, I holed the 2 up in the garage for the winter.

With the plan firmly on TSS regs, I know what needs to be done, and am trying to get on with it in what little time I have available.

Roll cage
Fire extinguisher
Driver seat - need a new one as I am too fat for the old one now :whistle:
Cut off switch

I decided to fit the passenger seat and harnesses properly, which meant removing some of the interior trim. I then got carried away, and now have no interior trim left except the top part of the dashboard....

So the main hold up is that I need to get a cage fitted, but am not prepared to 'shell' the car. So debating whether or not to get a Rogue kit and self fit it. It doesn't need to be homologated for the TSS, but does need to be safe.

I can't really do much of the other stuff until the cage is in. So yet another pointless update!
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

In the world of the indecisive, it seems that plans have once again changed.

Having visited Rogue to test fit myself in a caged MR2, it seems that either I, or the MR2, is an odd shape (probably the former).

Also, even if I can resolve the space issue, I won't get a Rogue cage for at least 8 weeks.

So, it's back to the drawing board slightly, but for sure I won't be entering the early part of the TSS and will perhaps make a more realistic target of next year.

In the meantime, I will just be track daying this year, which to be honest feels like a relief.

So, here is a picture of some 'progress' I made at the weekend:

Image

Dashboard is out, air con assembly is out. It's heavier that I thought it would be to be honest.

As I need to retain a fan, I will most likely gut the AC assembly and then refit the plastic casing, unless I can be bothered to knock up an alternative.

I'm then going to proceed to remove anything that I deem unnecessary to save as much weight as possible.

Then a custom designed dash will go back in, keeping in mind that I may land up with a cage at some point.
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
ashley
Posts: 7628
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:08 pm

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by ashley »

Have you contacted PPCages direct? You may find you don't have to wait 8 weeks:

http://www.ppcages.com/

They might also beef up the side impact protection you were worried about....

Keen to see how you get on under the dash- I've removed it all as well, trying to wire a control box up that activates the two stepper motors to control air flow into the cabin from the frunk, and the one that controls the flaps that direct flow in/ past the heater matrix. I want rid of the main environmental controls- that's one of the heaviest parts of the system!

Maybe we should swap notes and see if we can come up on a common solution?
mtechmatt
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 3:56 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by mtechmatt »

Under dash - yikes!
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

Hi Ash,

I haven't tried going direct yet. To be honest, I'm a little bit put off since sitting in a car with the cage fitted, though I was too fat to properly fit into any of the seats that they had fitted at Rogue, so I might be able to squish a bit lower....

I need to take another look at seating options, but it's a bit chicken and egg really, as I don't want to buy a seat then find it fouls the cage, and I don't want to fit the cage only to find I don't fit!!

As for the environmental controls, it might be worth swapping notes, though I feel this will be a fairly one sides transaction, as I have yet to make any :lol:

I am hoping that I can figure out enough of the controls to replace the original controls with a switch for fans on/off, and a switch for hot/cold. A I won't have any vents left, I am happy to leave the fans permanently on the screen.

Having only got the dash off late last night, I haven't had too much time to think about it yet. I'm actually considering chopping the dash in half and only refitting the driver side (mainly to retain the cowl).
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

mtechmatt wrote:Under dash - yikes!


I started off trying to remove the A/C assembly with the dash in place. I don't have a photo of my cut knuckles, but lets just say the dash needed to come out!
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
ashley
Posts: 7628
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:08 pm

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by ashley »

Shmed wrote:
I need to take another look at seating options, but it's a bit chicken and egg really, as I don't want to buy a seat then find it fouls the cage, and I don't want to fit the cage only to find I don't fit!!


The offer to borrow my cage for any trial fitting still stands mate, if you're prepared (which I know you are) to get brutal with how you mount your seats you can create a reasonable amount of room...although it will always be a tight fit with a lid on!


Shmed wrote:
I am hoping that I can figure out enough of the controls to replace the original controls with a switch for fans on/off, and a switch for hot/cold. A I won't have any vents left, I am happy to leave the fans permanently on the screen.


Same- just kept the vents that point to the screen, all the rest are history. All I need to control is:
- whether fresh air is blown, or from within the cabin
- whether the air blown passes through the heater matrix first or not

I thought I could design a little box that would do this with the two stepper motors required, but I'm struggling with hysteresis.

I'm planning to gut the heater system from a scrap car and see if I can isolate the stock control circuitry for just these two stepper motors...if you're not in a hurry I'm happy to share the results with you if i can get it to work...there would just be three controls:
- fresh air/ cabin recirc
- a variable heat/ cold level switch
- fan on/ off
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

Sounds perfect. The fact that I have had to Google hysteresis suggests that the task is likely to be beyond me, though I can be very resourceful....

I have a couple of spare heater controls and was planning to reverse engineer it. I'll still have a look and let you know what I find.

As for the cage, I will most probably take you up on that offer please. I still think that in most of the cars at Rogue, the seats sat up higher than mine did with the modified Bride rail, so there is hope yet!

In terms of brutality, on my long term list of things I'd like to do is a complete flat floor, so I could go as far as to removing the existing floor pan, thus maximising head space...... Does that sound brutal enough?
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

I'm sure you've read this, but if not, this is from the BGB regarding the Heater controls: EDIT - removed it because it looks a mess. I can repost it if you haven't already got it.

Had a look at the wiring diagram and to my uneducated mind, it looks fairly straight forward. I must be missing something.

I'm thinking:

1. Join the yellow wire to the brown & black wire to permanently engage Defog

2. Add a toggle switch between the green and blue cables and earth for the fresh/recirc

3. Add a switch between the blue & white wire to the blue & orange wire for fans on/off (in the middle speed).

Have I oversimplified this in my mind?
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
mtechmatt
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2015 3:56 pm
Location: United Kingdom

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by mtechmatt »

Chaps if you think it would be a decent thing to be made my other company, Motorsport Electronics Ltd, could look into it - prob just open source it to be honest?

Just I made something for another type of car becuase it was a good idea and I think I was the only one who ever actually used it after! doh!
ashley
Posts: 7628
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:08 pm

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by ashley »

Shmed wrote:I'm sure you've read this, but if not, this is from the BGB regarding the Heater controls: EDIT - removed it because it looks a mess. I can repost it if you haven't already got it.

Had a look at the wiring diagram and to my uneducated mind, it looks fairly straight forward. I must be missing something.

I'm thinking:

1. Join the yellow wire to the brown & black wire to permanently engage Defog

2. Add a toggle switch between the green and blue cables and earth for the fresh/recirc

3. Add a switch between the blue & white wire to the blue & orange wire for fans on/off (in the middle speed).

Have I oversimplified this in my mind?


I need to dig out my wiring diagrams to see what you've done there Paul, would it enable us to remove the main environmental control unit? My issues were trying to have variable control over the stopper motor that controls how much air flows through the heater matrix...my control ended up constantly adjusting the motor backwards and forwards ](*,)


mtechmatt wrote:Chaps if you think it would be a decent thing to be made my other company, Motorsport Electronics Ltd, could look into it - prob just open source it to be honest?

Just I made something for another type of car becuase it was a good idea and I think I was the only one who ever actually used it after! doh!


If it's something you'd be willing to throw some time at I would be very interested to see what you come up with! I think I've designed a couple circuits that will do it, but got part way through ordering chips when I came to the startling insight that what I was trying to do was already being done by the OEM system...my current plan of attack is to go back to the stock system to isolate the control circuit I need so that I can stick a variable resistor in as the "hot/cold" control, and bin the rest of the gubbins.

The "slight" problem is that I've pulled most of it apart, including some of the wiring, so I'm struggling to get it back into it's original state. But Peter Gidden has kindly agreed to let me pull the stock loom out of one of the cars he's got planned for scrap next time I'm up there...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

I was thinking about wiring and couple of resistors to a switch to feedback to the ac system to trick it into thinking it was really cold or really hot and just have a hot /cold toggle. Very primitive.....
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
ashley
Posts: 7628
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:08 pm

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by ashley »

:-k My a/c system is completely deleted...nothing left, no electrics, nothing :lol:

Go for it- sounds like you've got a solution, I think I'm just making it as minimal as possible...and as difficult as possible...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

So I realise it has been a good while (7 months) since the last post on here, so I'm sure there is much to report.......

......not really.

I have not given up however; rather, I have been squirrelling parts away, and gathering information ready for this winter.

Projects for the Winter include:

F1 style steering wheel controls
CANBus data network throughout car
Rewire engine (a la Ashley, but probably not as well)
Rewire interior with bare minimum
Fabricate aluminium dash & door panels
Revamp exterior

I'll try and post updates as I do stuff, but for now, here is the last 7 months in pictures...

https://goo.gl/photos/FW4Gmde5snWnbVRZ8
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
Shmed
Posts: 3568
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 2:38 pm
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by Shmed »

This project has still been bubbling away and I'm making progress in many areas, but nothing that can be put into a decent post, Ash has the monopoly on build threads and I can't hold a candle to the updates he provides :mrgreen:

So there are many things in the pipeline, but I do have a picture of a nice quick win that arrived the other day :
Image
January 2014
..the only thing I can promise for sure is slow progress.

May 2015
just have this niggling thought that if I rip out the wiring, then the car will never get out of the garage again.

Still in the garage...
MikeyB571
Posts: 183
Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:17 am
Location: Worcestershire

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by MikeyB571 »

That looks great, I definitely want one.
Might be enquiring on where you got it :)
ashley
Posts: 7628
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 8:08 pm

Re: The Green Hornet

Post by ashley »

Carben Fibre Creations :thumleft:

Can I come taker a closer look Paul? Really want to check out the quality before throwing any cash at one myself...it does look great 8)
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