Izzy's Custom Cages

I     hate     waiting      on      parts   (and tools to install them)  !

Also, you have to love spending $150 on a tool to install a $10 pilot bearing... but hey... at least I've got a cool Blind Hole Bearing Remover now. It fits everything from 3/8 all the way up to 3/4” if I recall correctly.... That is, if it ever shows up on my doorstep!!!

So, in the last two or three days I've received my intake and exhaust gaskets as well as header conversion plates from Racing Beat, Flowmaster Y pipe (hmmm... where did my last one magically disappear too?) and 3” compression clamps from Summit Racing, and new Pilot bearing and new Throwout bearing from the Maplewood Car-Quest (those guys are great!).

While waiting on those parts I shimmed the oil pressure regulator and installed the Mazdaspeed oil pan baffle plate, which had to be modified to clear the front pressure regulator thingamabob. Nothing like paying $20 something for a piece of 18 ga aluminum with some holes punched in it and then having to trim it to fit anyway. I guess it was worth it... there must be 40 oil pan bolts on the 12a that I would have had to lay out and drill ... maybe if they torqued them to more than 7 foot pounds they could have used 20 bolts instead ;)

I also went through the process of cleaning up the crossmember and some of the suspension componants as well as painting the oil pan, motor mounts etc. I guess that's what happens when your waiting on parts, you actually have time to pay attention to all the little details.

While waiting on parts for the oil pan, I started on the next project at Izzy's. It's actually a 4 point rollbar for another round taillight 70's BMW 2002. The owner was kind enough to let me use his very sweet 2002 to test fit an earlier cage before shipping it to a customer out in California. In return for the favor, he's going to have a custom 4 point bar with boxed plates and a rear diagonal installed in time for an April open track day. The hoop was test fit over the weekend and is a pretty tight fit. Geoff, the owner, seemed pretty happy and will be prepping the interior of the car in the next few weeks as I finish up prepping the RX for the March race.

I also checked out a future cage project for a new customer. Installing a  new cage built to the owners specs in a Super Production Miata. This will be one awsome little car when it's done. Should be some amazing before and after photos of the cage.

Still waiting on the aforementioned bearing puller (which is keeping me from tossing the motor back in) EGT guage and O2 bungs to weld onto the header, which will be converted to a race header this evening.

16 days and counting til Gateway.

2/23 Update: It's a great feeling to wake up to a package sitting on your doorstep! Bearing puller is here! Off to the shop! Modified the header and new Y pipe last night as well as finished up the welds on the 2002 Main Hoop... pics soon.

Izzy's Custom Cages