very belated build thread

[BenBrooks]

as noted by others the forum has been pretty quiet recently so i thought i'd do my bit and start a thread so all my daft questions are in one place and not scattered around the forum.

so. very close to having a fully welded chassis now and i'll be glad to put it away soon as it's getting very boring just welding stuff. but my wishbones arrived last week from Talon and they look great so i've been welding the suspension brackets on this past week and also making my pedal box. haven't been able to finish it as the jigsaw basically packed in which my dad won't be best pleased about when he finds out! and i need a new drill also.

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/wishbonesandpedalbox.jpg

also made some head way with the running gear and got the whole lot apart form the steering rack (which has to be a mk2 escort??) for £160. so going to pick it up on Tuesday

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMAG0038.jpg

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMAG0035.jpg

so it's all coming together! the only thing standing in my way is money as is usually the case

Ben

[robo]

Just noticed your nearby Ben pm sent.

Bob

[BenBrooks]

hi Rob, my messages have been playing up a bit i think but replied to your pm

[BenBrooks]

spent the day taking apart the rear axle of the sierra. some very stubborn nuts and bolts but my dad's snap-on's did the trick!

http://s1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/?action=view&current=Woking-20120721-00079.jpg

http://s1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/?action=view&current=Woking-20120721-00078.jpg

more to do tomorrow with prepping/cleaning it all up

Ben

[Oscar]

Looking good, just remember to label EVERYTHING!

Took my donor apart almost a year ago and all the parts are stacked at the back of the shed, hoping my labeling has lasted!

[BenBrooks]

yep, cheers Oscar. everything is wrapped up in newspaper and labelled!

[robo]

I will be taking a load of gear to be blasted in the next few weeks if you want to make up a bundle of bits to be done give me a shout.

Bob

[BenBrooks]

Rob, cheers for the offer but I didn't think it would do the running gear much good to be blasted? I was going to attack it with a wire brush and electrolysis. What do you think?

Ben

[BenBrooks]

Hi all,

I'm looking to get the rest of the running gear in and was wondering the best place to get all the ball joints from if anyone knows?

Cheers

Ben

[vmax1974]

Just call round a few or your local old fashioned motor factors and when the tell you the price ask is that the best you can do

[BenBrooks]

Admittedly I'm not the best at keeping this up to date but thought I'd post some more progress.

I've painted the chassis and now the engine
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0121_zpsdddac801.jpg
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0126_zpse6026638.jpg
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0127_zpsdaa3a8a7.jpg
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0128_zps9c4b641c.jpg

Next step is to take the sump off the engine, drain the oil, clean the sump and paint. I'm also ordering my brake lines and fuel line this weekend and i need to finish the pedal box off.

Ben

[will_08]

Looking good Ben, how long have you been on with your build?

[BenBrooks]

been building for two years now. taking a lot longer than most but i'm only really able to work during school holidays and a long time was spent learning to weld!

[Oscar]

"Taking longer than most"... :eek:

I've been at it for 2 1/2 years and havn't even looked at my engine yet!!!
Still got bits to put on chassis, painting on chassis, wishbones to make...

Looks to me like you're storming ahead and making some great progress. At this rate you'll have it finished and on the road long before me. ;)

[TheArf]

And quicker than me it must be about 2 1/2 years for me, but I must admit I have made some pretty good progress lately, now that the new workshop is sorted.
I have recently totally stripped, painted and re-built the engine, the webbers are fitted, sump shortened and ready for paint, oil pick - up now needs to be shortened.

[ayjay]

And quicker than me it must be about 2 1/2 years for me, but I must admit I have made some pretty good progress lately, now that the new workshop is sorted.
I have recently totally stripped, painted and re-built the engine, the webbers are fitted, sump shortened and ready for paint, oil pick - up now needs to be shortened.

He'd be a lot further on but too busy doing jobs for others:o

tig'd my seat belt inserts into my roll bar for me last week-well impressed WELDMEISTER;)
Cheers Arf my seat belt mount will face MR IVA man with confidence:)

[will_08]

I think i am by far the slowest builder there is.

Ive been a member on here for 5years, and i had the bug well before that when i bought the original Ron Champion book.

Thus far i've stripped a Sierra and almost finished my handyandy flat pack :o

Although in my defense ive only had a garage for the last 3 years!?!?!?

Im pretty sure the fossil fuels will be gone by the time im finished my build :D

[TheArf]

No problem Ayjay, did a bit of work for our mate Les as well today, but then he helped me with setting up the wishbones for tacking up so hopefully it wont be long before they are fully welded and ready for paint, just need it to warm up ready for the paint

Arfon

[BenBrooks]

managed to get some time away from revision this easter to get in the garage. the engine is now finished

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0181_zps77cb2530.jpg (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/benbrooks1/media/IMG_0181_zps77cb2530.jpg.html)

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0180_zps061cbde1.jpg (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/benbrooks1/media/IMG_0180_zps061cbde1.jpg.html)

also got the bulkhead aluminium and passenger footwells in. Half way through the floor but the rivet gun is broken :(. i'll try and get some pictures tomorrow or monday.

Ben

[BenBrooks]

finished the floor today:
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0199_zps8debaf49.jpg (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/benbrooks1/media/IMG_0199_zps8debaf49.jpg.html)

also fitted the pedal box and master cylinder in order to mock up the brake lines just with some old copper wire. Do these look okay? does anything need to be changed?

am i also right in thinking that the two front wheels have completely separate outlets from the master cylinder? as there is an outlet on the under side of the master cylinder. (the junctions will be mounted on brackets)

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0210_zps08cc733d.jpg (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/benbrooks1/media/IMG_0210_zps08cc733d.jpg.html)
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0209_zps67fac2be.jpg (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/benbrooks1/media/IMG_0209_zps67fac2be.jpg.html)
http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0205_zps4561ba7c.jpg (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/benbrooks1/media/IMG_0205_zps4561ba7c.jpg.html)

cheers

[flyerncle]

Personal choice,run the front two together in two clips on the lower rail and split off up the two uprights as you have on the nearside,keep the switch pointed down as there is a chance air will get stuck in it if pointed up.

[BenBrooks]

thanks flyerncle.

what's the minimum distance for the p-clips?

[voucht]

Hi,
Your brake line mock-up looks good to me. Personally, I preferred avoiding running the front line on the lower rail as much as I could, to avoid stones and debris projections. I might be too careful, but...

1643
(My steering wheel, pedal box and master cylinders are on the left side ;) )

And yes, Flyerncle is right, your brake lines will be easier to bleed with the brake light switch pointing down, as there is no seat on it, and there will be a cavity (bubble trap) between the end of the thread of the switch and the bottom of the tee-piece... and bubble have a strange tendency to go upwards in a liquid :D

Hope this will help :)

[BenBrooks]

Thanks voucht.

Can anyone recommend the best place to get a fuel tank? Hopefully as large as is feasible. Need to start saving up as i reckon thats the next thing to fit after i get the engine and gearbox back in.

Ben

[ayjay]

Try Kev;);) ;)

[MikeB]

one comment nothing to do with brake lines, your headlamp brackets look on the wide side, maybe ok with dominator style lights though

[voucht]

Thanks voucht.

Can anyone recommend the best place to get a fuel tank? Hopefully as large as is feasible. Need to start saving up as i reckon thats the next thing to fit after i get the engine and gearbox back in.

Ben

Definitely Kevin (K4KEV on this forum). He makes aluminium fuel tanks and I'm very happy with the one he did for me. A bit taller than the book's design, it is just perfect.

Some pics on this thread:

http://www.haynes.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=9096

[BenBrooks]

After a long break for exams and a holiday i've gotten back into my build.

Got the engine properly mounted and the wheels on so got to roll it out of the garage for the first time which was exciting! Took me ages to realise that the book rack extensions are wrong so i've had to get some new ones and still haven't sorted out my steering column as i'm still a bit unsure about how to extend it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/81264976@N07/9558564696/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/81264976@N07/9558568070/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/81264976@N07/9558571324/in/photostream/

Next stop is fitting the fuel tank which K4EV is making for me now.

Ben

[Stot]

I do like a red blocked crossflow. Sound so cool on side drafts or bike carbs too. :cool:

Cheers
Stot

[BenBrooks]

haven't put the carbs back on but got a pair of twin 40 webers that it came with. should be very nice.

Ben

[TheArf]

I've got 45's for my 1.8 pinto just seems right.
Engine looking good there mate

Arfon

[BenBrooks]

got some more time in the garage tonight and got the radiator mounted

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0504_zps40ed37e3.jpg[/URL][/IMG]

and half of the transmission tunnel done but not riveted in

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0503_zps26fccd91.jpg[/URL][/IMG]

Also got the first bit of paint on the drums and callipers

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0508_zps5a8a2c75.jpg[/URL][/IMG]

Next job is to properly mount the fuel tank

http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t362/benbrooks1/IMG_0506_zpse70b400c.jpg[/URL][/IMG]