MX5 Fisher Fury build diary

With the offside pod fairly straightforward and fitted, despite being 25mm narrower and needing a fillet on the upper side to attach it, we focused on the nearside pod which needs to be removable.

One of the key features is the exhaust outlet that needs to be cut. I had no idea how to position this accurately but Nev showed me how to establish a datum by measuring from the floor and relative to the tailpipe. I then chalk marked the outside and used the hole saw to cut the hole. The tailpipe itself protruded too far so I had to cut off about 3 inches. We then coated it with copper ease where it slots into the silencer, pushed it in and offered up the pod. Correct!

To make the pod removable and reasonably robust, the pod was positioned with self tappers and holes drilled at 100mm intervals along the lower extension of the floor and the aluminium strip that I had riveted to the upper chassis rail to take rivnuts. At the same time, to make the top of the pod more robust where the bonnet will close onto it I cut an aluminium plate which was riveted to the pod and which follows the rivnut line to hold it to the chassis. With a line of Silkoflex at the edge and in a zig zag pattern in the middle, this should help. This will look like the lower picture once the body is positioned. The drivers side will hold the battery tray in about the same position and I'll try to finish it off in the same way as the passenger side - easier as it will not need to be removable. The body inner return (where doors would be in the standard body) will cover the rest of the pod and protect it.

Finally I fitted rivnuts along the edges, and screwed the exhaust pod in place. It still needs lining with heat reflective film, vents at either end, a bracket at the trailing edge to secure it to the chassis and the cut I made in the vertical face repairing.