It's a castellated nut. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castellated_nut
I'm fitting new track rod ends and they have come with a nyloc nut instead.

Dunno about a generic tap and die set, but they are always useful to have.
Cheap ones are generally sh1t, but if you only use them once in a blue moon....
I have a complete 3 piece tap set, plus the die for M14x2 (track rod ends) because I turned my own adjusters. It was a cheapy from the fleabay but has done the job fine
I also have a half decent (£60) set of taps and dies for more normal sized stuff.

No idea on MC, haven't got that far yet.

I used PTFE (teflon) bar for the bushes in my pedals (turned myself) Just search fleabay for PTFE rod

That's what this place is for:D

Sean

Thanks Sean!!

oh, yeah, what is the thread size for the rack rod ends nut, or would a motor factor be able to provide me with them if i ask for ford sierra ones?

The steering rack threads are M14x2, at least on the MK2 Escort rack. IIRC the rod ends on the MK1 Escort rack are an imperial thread.

As for the thread on the actual ball joint that goes on the end of the rack into the upright - no idea - and mine are down the garage. I can measure them later for you, but I cannot guarantee 100% they will be the same. If you buy the tap and die set, they usually come with a thread pitch indicator, so you can measure it.

Sean

thanks, reason i was asking is im pretty sure its not metric as i have an assortment of metric nuts and none of them fitted. Thanks

OK, so, just to confirm - which thread is it you want measuring? Is it the one on the actual track rod end, that will fit into the Sierra upright, then it get's a castellated nut?

Sean

oh whoops, i think ive gotten cunfused about which one the track rod end was, but i meant the one that is on the ball joint that goes into the upright. I know the otherone is an m14 thread. Thanks

OK, no probs - but if it's not metric I can't measure it.

I'll measure mine, but I only have metric tooling, and if you are re-using the existing ones then it is also possible that they have a different thread

Sean

OK I have just measured the thread that is below the taper on the steering rack end.

It's not metric:( so I can't give an exact dimension, sorry.

The thread diameter is 9.6mm, and the pitch is a little coarser than 1.25mm.

The only imperial tap I have is 7/16UNF, which is bigger all around than the rod-end. Sorry I couldn't be more help. I'm sure somebody who started in engineering/mechanics earlier than me must be able to measure in Imperial.

Could you not just replace the castellated nut with a nyloc?? (Once you know what thread it is). Where were you going to get the right bolt? Could you not take the part there and get the right one?

Sean

I think Geeman is on about the Transit drag link end for the top ball joint.
Just remember if using a castellated nut what ever you are fitting it to must have a hole in it to lock it with a split pin, so the Nylock is more usefull.

i should try to explain myself abit better next time:o . I did mean the nut on the lower ball joint that goes on the steering rack. i always thought those were called the track rod ends.:o :confused: ah well.


today i only spent about an hour on the car, but took everything off it so its jsut a bare chassis. Its amazing how much quicker it is to take things apart compared to putting it together. I hope to go over every weld soon and fit remaining chassis plates. ill paint the remaining wishbones and rear uprights, and try to clean up as many parts as i can.

also anyone had experience of powder coated alloys, as im looking to buy some wheels and found a set someone has had powder coated black, but im not too sure about it?

Thanks

I used to have an integra type r a few years ago and the wheels were quite tatty so i had them powdercoated, they looked surperb and stood the test of time too. Two winters later and they looked as good as the day i picked them up :D

As with everything in life though there will be differing quality between one powder coater and the next, but if done well they should be fine :)

well, for the past week i havnt really been in the garage, ive just been on the lazy side. I hope to buy all fueal and brake fitments and im also looking for some reasonably cheap headlights, like i dont want to spend more than £100 on all of them if possible, any suggestions?. I also will phone around local scrap yards for a cheap radiator so i can make mounts for it. i cant think what else i need to do before i paint it.
oh yeah, how do you all secure p clips, can i just pop rivet then in place?

On a different note, i went and collected my GCSE results this morning. i got 6 a*'s and 4 a's. :D :D :D

look on ebay for lights, they do come up quite often, either new or second hand, yes you can use rivets for the p clips tho some folk either use self tappers(with sealant as a locking aid, or on some panels a small bolt /locknut, depends if you think you may want to move the pipework in future etc.

a BIG WELL DONE on your results, thats a great achievement, good on ya:cool:

andy:)

oh yeah, umm for the rear red lights. do i need 4 lights , 2 for braking and 2 red lights, or just 2 red llights that get brighter when you brake, i cant remember what the for sierra was like. also what do you do for the rear fog lights. thanks. also are things like this any use?? Thanks

Well once again ive had a lazy week of doing nothing. I painted a few bits today, and sparyed the brake calipers gold:D. Ive also been busy buying online, and have got all the brake and duel lines ordered, a flaring kit, and p clips for them, oh and the sheet aluminuim for the floor and inside panels, and a pop riveter, and rivets. Ill be getting the rollbar from the group buy and should hopefully get the bodywork in not too long. I go back to school tomorrow, so work on the car will be slower, but it shouldnt be a problem. I still need to get the radiator and the shocks, but am hesitant about spending £380 on them.

Im still however confused about the lights and the exhaust:confused:
another thing ive been looking for is a fuel tank as i dont want to build one, i wondered about what commercially avaliable ones, if any may be of a suitable fit?

Thanks

Hi all,

I havnt been on here in quite a while, but i have been making progress, be it slowly. I have now got a fully painted chassis, done the brake lines and pedal box, fittted a merc 190e radiator and the original sierra fan(bargin for £18), got a roll bar fitted with harness fittings and ive refurbished most parts.

as im now on half term break, i plan on doing as much as i can now, so i need some advice on a fuel tank, as i am not going to make one, and wondered what solutions are availiable. what have others used?. I really dont want to be spending much at all.
Thanks

Well done on your school results Geeman,remember I said when you first started that something told me you would go a long way in this world,well done keep it up,your parents can be well proud of you,and you are building a roadster at the same time. David:D

Geeman,

I am glad you are back on here; it was reading your post from start to finish one night six weeks ago that made my mind up to build my own roadster.

We are about level pegging, although I think funds will slow me down before time.

Cheers Ginge

cheers both of you, funds are going alot higher than i initially thought:o , and ive spent an awful load more than anticipated , but im yet to pay for the shocks, exhaust. lighting, fuel tank and iva. excluding tools and welding gas ive so far spent about £2100, but i had to buy all the necassary tools as i dondt have anything before hand and in which case have spent around £3000!!!!!

I just bought a 1.25*2.5m sheet of 5251 2mm aluminuim and 3 sheets of 1x2m 1mm aluminuim that will be delivered tomorrow. im still searching for a soluiton to this fuel tank, and am still clueless...

Im trying to think of somthing to do today as i will be working on my car everyday until oct 30th, but.... its getting very cold in the garage:(

pics:
My way of securing the fan to the radiator(merc 190 rad with sierra fan cut to size)



THe floor:


I did the propshaft today by using the rubber doughnut, and the UJ from the diff end of the original sierra prop shaft


Pedal box:

roll bar



I really didnt enjoy doing the floor yesterday, i used about 140 pop rivets, which meant 140 holes had to be drilled in the chassis, which lead to a very painful wrist, a trip to machine mart to get an extra 6 dirll bits, and endingup with 11 broken drill bits:( :rolleyes: ...... at least i can sit in my car now!!!:D

oh, and i almost nearly thought about making a small ammount of thermite, as i had alot of aluminuim powder from cutting the 2mm sheet, ans i have a bucket full of rust from several sessions of electrolytic derusting!!

looking great Geeman :cool:

one point tho, in the last pic showing your roll bar, i noticed that parts RS11 & RS12 are missing??? they sit just above the diff, they give the rear suspension box diagonal strength, :confused: SB5 SB6 also seem not to be in the photo??

cheers
shorty

Had the prop balanced? Beware!!

Ive been aware about that.... it started off by me using up the bit of 25mm box i had left in the garage, and i couldnt be bothered to go outside and get another 7m length of it.. so i just never bothered with them....:rolleyes:

I hope to do them soon.... but that depends if i can be bothered..., those 7m lengths are a real pain to cut :o. ill spend one day later on just cutting and welding in those bit s and some bracing for the transmission tunnel.

cheers handyandy..(shorty?)

Just thought id say im quite pleased with what i have done for the exhaust, as i managed it all for the grand cost of nothing, (plus a can of some vht paint later on), and used only parts from the original sierra exhaust. I made a manifold from the original sierra 2 to 1 pipe but shortened it and modified where the bends were to make it go off to the side. I then used the original sierra bits of exhaust piping and took the straight bits off it and used them and then the original silencer. Hopefully it will work. Ill take some picks tomorrow.

Ok, well, i havnt really touched the roadster too often since oct 09, only about 4 days spent on it since then!!!!

I have now got a fuel tank fitted, roll bar stays welded in place, front headlights fitted. However i have a few questions?

Should i just use rivnuts to fit the bodywork?


How do the rear wheel arches fit onto the titron rear tub, and how have others fitted the tail lights/indicators onto them? I have never worked with fibreglass before really, so when i comes to cutting it/drilling what should i be using?

I ended up buying the fuel tank that many others on here have now bought that handyandy first pointed out(i think), and im not sure how to fit the 8mm copper fuel line to the output of it?

Now the big thing i still dont get at all is the wiring, ive messed up the sierra loom TOO MUCH, so am trying to make my own, but im finding it a pain to do so. My garage is now too small for me to work in as the car front end is touching the table at the front of my garage, and the rear is pushing against the garage door, so it is quite a squeeze:D

Hey buddy. I've just started my bodywork as well. Did you get around to finishing the bracing around the diff etc? If there is one thing I've learnt, its that NO job on the chassis is worth putting off. the more stuff you do, it just makes welding harder. Spent time today putting on my headlamp supports, had to remove bodywork, clean off the paint (Por15, so not sanding... needed a grinder!)


Anyway.... what body work do you have? Fibreglass or aluminium? My aluminium panels are held on with rivets and tigerseal / sikaflex. For panels (such as sidepanels) that mate up to other panels (scuttle / bonnet) I used counter sunk rivets, so they offer a smooth face to line up. My nosecone is held on with rivnuts, as is the to pof my tranny tunnel. But thats it.

A few pics
 

a few piccies:









I dont yet have seats to fit, so will do them one i get them.

I have bought wing mirrors and will fit em soon. Ive bought some front indicators as well and will fit em soon, but they have some imperial thread on which im not sure about.

As for whats left to do, put the p clips in for the engine bay wiring as i havnt done that yet, plumb all the radiator hoses back up as i took them all off.

Finish bolting on the rear tub and underside of the side panels.

Put a rear fog lamp and a numberplate lamp in.

Buy some shocks.

bleed all the brakes again and check all the electircs are working.

How is this build getting on??



Bertie.

I always thought the wheels went on the outside corners.:D

Wow, been over a year since my last update.

I have been living away at Uni for the last year so haven't spent more than a couple of hours on it until about 2 weeks ago when I finished my first year doing Mechanical Engineering at Imperial.

I essentially am off Uni till October so will be road legal within a month or two if it goes too plan.

Whats left to do:

I need to put some front indicators on. I've been putting this off for some reason for some time as I didn't want to drill the nose cone so considered mounting them on the cycle wings but couldn't find any, and wasn't sure if it would pass the IVA.

Make a half-decent interior. I've acquired a full leather cow hide which will be more than enough to cover the exposed aluminium to make it look nicer. I also need to blunten the sharp edges for the radii tests.

Fit the fuel filler, I just don't have any hose to plumb it onto the tank.

Finally what I imagine will be the last major job will be to source a replacement 1.8 CVH engine. The current one is a dud as it simply smokes too much, I've replaced the valve stem oil seals, worn them in, tried all sorts, but I've had enough of it and am just looking for a decent running CVH quite urgently. I may even buy another sierra if its a decent runner.



Paint the exhaust, and check all bolts have nylocks, are washered and correctly torqued including putting some locknuts on the steering rack and doing the tracking.

It really shouldn't be more than a few days work I hope, so should be in track worthy conditions within two weeks if I can find an engine ASAP. Today was the first time It looked near enough to complete which really was a buzz to get it on the road as soon as I can. :D

Cheers!!

Have to say it looks great :D

Gonna book the IVA soon?

Saw this recently, if its any use to you:

http://www.haynes.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=8146

:cool: Looking great Geeman , can you imagine the faces on your mates at Uni if you pull up in your Roadster in October :eek:

Not wishing to be a kill joy, so hope you don,t mind me saying....I,m not sure the side repeaters in the wing mirrors will be ok for IVA, also your bonnet catches too, (tho can,t quite see them clearly ).

If I may say....this is an amazing build , Looking at the photos you would not think you were only 16 or 17 yrs old when you started this :eek: top work young man :cool:

good luck at IVA time.

cheers
andy

I wasn't sure about those repeaters either, so I have 2 that I could drill into the scuttle if needed, but thought I'd leave it until I really have to as I didn't want to drill unessacary holes in it. As for those bonnet catches, good ol' fashion electrical tape For the pics. :rolleyes: . The proper ones are now on. I'm sure there'll be a few IVA related niggles to come up though.

Thanks very much for the encouragement! The IVA still feels distant, but when I think there aren't many jobs left to do I get quite excited about the proposition of a track day soonish.

Cheers!

Geeman you have a pm reply :)

Great to see another roadster being made by a student, I know exactly what you mean about finding the time between studies!

I've just finished my Masters in mechanical Engineering so if feel free to pick my brains if you need any help in the future.
And I'll prob'ly be wanting to pick your's regarding Roadster building :D

Good luck with the IVA when you get it booked.