Update:
I changed steering wheel - 32cm Raid fits much better than OEM Sierra:


And column bearing on it's place:


I found old/new pedals ovarlay kit:


But - will it fit to the Roadster ? They are 6cm (clutch&brake pedal) and 5,5cm (gas pedal) wide...

Saturday update:
I bought VAG starter motor for my electric reverse - another £10


It's a 0,9kW starter from 1,2/1,4 Polo/Fabia/Golf etc.


And I trial fit reverse gear to transmission tunnel - it's OK (as big as it can - 5mm clearance on both sides):

Yesterday I picked up rear frame tubes, so ... it's time to weld chassis and move it forward:


And... now it's done - welded and moved forward to build rear frame:

Good work Lucas, keep it up !

Hi.
Where did you get that ring for the electric reverse? I'm currently searching for one or a drawing to have it cutted..

Thanks
Tiago

I draw one myself - DP12 72 teeth, 156mm diameter. Then it was laser cutted, but it's better to use waterjet instead of laser (too complex shape = too much heat).
Link: DP12 Z72 156mm.dxf

Today progress:

And some chassis plates...

Another block in the roadster puzzle... after over week of waiting (Polish post office is a nightmare) I got my steering rack... for about £14 :)





It's RHD Fiat Punto Mk2 PAS steering rack... TRW 37502372.
So as some of you realised it's FWD steering rack, so it wouldn't work. But, as I live in Poland and I building LHD car... and I will mount it upside down, everything will be OK (I hope).

Why this rack ? It's locost ? Yes, but... there's something else. Rack length (tie rod swivel center to swivel center) is about 530-540mm - better than Escort Mk2 rack, which is almost unavailable in Poland (almost, because you can always order it from UK, but it's not cheap). Maybe it's not "quick-rack" - about 2,7 lock-to-lock, but still better tha eg. Smart steering rack ;)

Busy day...

First - trial fit of steering rack:

I need different than book mounting plates (vertical), but it should be OK.

And back to welding:

And that's all for today... it was 11:00PM, so high time to... eat dinner.
Looks good, but plan was more ambitious... I wanted finish rear section... everything take more time than I thought.

It is good progress! To me this was one of the most satisfying parts of the build -- the car-shaped chassis appearing out of nothing.

Indeed, it's very satisfying (it was even kind of trance), that's why I wanted to finish it ;) Especially that this week will be busy at work/home, so there won't be time for roadster :(

Today's progress (not too much, but always something):

With a little help of my friend I brought some donor parts to garage and... my little engine ;)




I also moved whole build table to have easier access to everything...

Looking good.

I always tried to do something every day,however small, even if it was only tidying, in order to keep moving forward!

You'll soon be rolling back and to in the workshop going "vroom, vroom"!

Small steps, but in right direction ;)

Today I got steering column UJ to fit my Punto II steering rack...



The plan is to weld together Sierra and Punto II UJ to make one extended steering shaft to connect Sierra steering column with Punto steering rack...

Time for update...
As I'm now unemployed I should have more time for roadster, but... life is cruel and I have to find a job. So... roadster is waiting for it's time.
But I'm trying to do something when I only can.

I bought some parts:
MB 190 radiator...


Clio header tank...


Headlights...

I also got my CAD designed laser cut parts:

Paddle shifter to fit Sierra column...


Seat brackets...


And rollbar mounting plates...

I shortened oil sump and made sump plate...

I also shortened oil pick up:
Before:


After:


And last progress - I made suspension breckets:


In the meantime together with my brother we started making model/plug for bodywork (scuttle to be precise)...

First of all, I'm little depressed... I'm unemployed (still), at June 22nd Polish government change the rules of registering kitcars (Alga - you where very lucky ;) ), so my motivation is very low. But I didn't give up as there is always light in the tunnel...

For last few months I did almost nothing.
I welded some harness mounting points, diff plates and that's all.




I was thinking about how to mount upper harness anchor points for use with popular in Poland long 4point harnesses... and I found this:

Short, 4point, Sabelt road legal harnesses (made in Italy - not cheap "China Top Quality"). So - they are mine - for about £60...
"Formula type" harnesses are very rare in Poland because there are no formula racing series or something. We got only one FIA approved track... That's why I'm so glad of myself.

The tunnel is long and the light is faint Lucas,but it is there !;)

Good to hear you are still going on with your build:)

Every small step gets you closer to the goal.
Just ask if we can help;)

Yesterday I picked up pack... No - I'm not a drug dealer ;)



As you can read - it's Sodium Carbonate not cocaine (4kg of cocaine would be worth more than my whole Roadster project)
What make me funny - I think in Poland, in my 200k citizen's city, it's easier to buy AK-47 than Sodium Carbonate. There is no such thing like washing soda or similar in the markets... strange country... how people lived without Internet...

Now I can clean my "Sierra stuff"...

Good for you Lucas. You'll see how magic the electrolysis with sodium carbonate is. Just amazing!
Good luck :)

Hehe, are are you planning to electrolize your whole chasis? :-) I jused just a couple of spoons of soda for ~30-40 l of water. It was totally sufficient. My 6A battery charger was giving ~4A on large parts such as brake disks. Also, I made Na2CO3 by heating baking soda on the stove. It made a nice volcano-like reaction when steam and carbon dioxide was escaping the powder.

2 NaHCO3 -t-> Na2CO3 + H20 + CO2

P.S. Yeah, Wojciech mentioned to me about the change of rules. But if you just get on with the build, by the time you're finished the new path will be broken.

I was ordering from Internet and I need to buy 4kg or 25kg for better value/postage ratio ;) I will sell 1-2kg to my friend who is fascinated with electrolysis for his WWII artefacts...

I was electrolysing my rear brake calipers with salt water - not bad, but soda should be better.

As for rules in Poland - they change it so often (not only registering rules, but everything like VAT, taxes etc.) that this can be truth - so I "keep calm and build roadster" ;)

I have another challenge - to find CDS tube for my wishbones... or even not CDS but in right size/diameter.

Try Benteler distributors (previously Helens), they're multinational steel traders. My local branch allows ordering whatever you like with a minimum order of one 6 m length. CDS rollbar, wishbone tubes -- they have whatever you need, with the European quality certificates.

I found CDS tubes in 20mm and 26,9mm diameters - maybe not ideal, but close enough ;) And there is hope that I can buy 2,5m of 20mm and 4,5m of 26,9mm - not whole 6m...
I need to ask in one more place in my city - one of the biggest dealer in Poland, but it's definitely wholeseller, so it can be difficult.

Thanks Alga - I will check your sugestion - maybe that's another option.

After my crash I had to remake the rear upper wishbone, and friends suggested I remake the lower one too, even though it looks fine and the geometry is unchanged, it might have microfractures that might come out sooner or later. So I bought 6m lengths of the 20 and the 25 CDS tubes. Just a couple months later another local builder bought the 4+2m needed for a set of wishbones, so now I only have 2-3 m or the 20 mm tube left. Having some spare tube turns out useful sometimes, and the two 6m lengths cost me around 300 Lt (360 zł).

What wall thickness did you buy ? I get offer for CDS tubes 20x2 and 25x2 and 2x6m should cost around 200PLN... But is it thick enough wall ?

I searched forum and locosbuilders and 2mm wall should be good, but I'm not sure...

OK - tubes purchased - 6m of CDS 20x2 and 6m of CDS 25x2. Cost: about £33 :)
I also found metal shop with tube bender, so I can make roll bar...

Well done! Re. the roll bar, I found a local rally club that also makes FIA rollcages. They have the tools, the know-how, and the materials to bend the rollbar nicely.

P.S. 2 mm walls is what everyone recommends for wishbones.

Nothing special - but always something...
I cleaned uprights...







Today - both uprights are painted with primer...

Now it's time for front brake calipers... already in the electrolysis bucket.



I think I'll change bearings in rear hubs... they are old and it would be easier to electrolyse (?) them without bearings.

were the fronts just wire brushed?

That VAT of gunge looks disgusting!

TT

Uprights were electrolysed :) Then delicate brushed...
Bucket looks like... bucket of sh... ;)

OK - sunday update - 12" fan housing modified to fit MB190 radiator.
It's ready to fix it to radiator, but first I need to check where my engine wants radiator outlets ;)

Front calipers (Mondeo MK2 2,5 V6 278mm discs) - painted and ready :)