Rear is 98% finished!

Sorry it has been so long since i last updated. Summer session wound down and i have had to do a lot more work that i originally thought, but i made it through. The hole in the rear end is closed off and dampened inside. The under portion of the car was seam sealed the undercoated for corrosion protection. It was nice to see that after all that the spare tire still fit and the trunk went back together just like it came from the factory. Let me tell you that was no easy task.

The rear suspension has been a bear to say the least. Many nights of dis-assembly and reassembly. I had to cut the lateral braces so that i had enough up and down travel in the suspension. So, that required me to cut and weld braces in for added strength. Once that was completed i then noticed that i got to excited in the lower control arms and had to cut and extend those about an inch on both sides, so that the car would track right. I then had to modify the factory spring, which required me to cut 1 coil off of it, which is about 2". This will allow the car to sit close to stock ride height. After that was completed, i then assembled the passenger side totally, which turned out great. I will just need the alignment shop to make the final adjustments. The drivers side was a different story. I am having to have a custom axle made for this side because it is about an inch too long. Fortunately the shop that is doing it is giving me a great deal on it.

I have relocated the charcoal canister to one of the pockets in the bumper as well.

For now, i am waiting on the new axle to come back to get the rear end totally buttoned up and done. All the fuel system parts or on order as well as the new cx-7 e-brake cables and the suspension limiting straps for the rear end. The modified turbo manifold did show up yesterday so i was able to get that and the turbo attached to the motor. Later this week on my days off i will be putting in the motor and transmission. I am praying that it wont give me any more unexpected trouble, but with the way this build has gone so far i almost expect some. More updates to follow at the end of this week.