Time to start a build thread I suppose...

[Oscar]

I haven't started a build thread before now as I hadn't actually started building anything; but now I have, and can!

Summary_
Location: South Somerset
Donor: Ford Sierra 4x4
Engine: 2L DOHC

About me_
I'm about to start my Masters in Mechanical Engineering at UWE (Bristol) next week, so have access to lots of wonderful facilities and a wealth of knowledge, but never seem to have the time to use them! I have spent the last 3 months working as a knight in a Medieval Jousting Tournament, spending no money and saving up just enough to finally buy some steel!

Build Status_
I've had the donor for nearly a year, It's fully stripped of everything I might need or be able to sell and only the shell remains awaiting a trip to the scrappy.
The steel arrived today and i have started to actually build! some of the dimentions may not be perfect yet as I'm waiting for the rulers to be sent in the post
The build is all being done at my parents, between the straw-barn and my shed. This means access to all my dads tools.

Wow thats a lot of words...
Now thats out of the way I can get on with more important matters, where's the booze?

[ayjay]

Its one of lifes mysteries how nice clean unused tools in Dads box develop an urge to up sticks and move to the new surroundings of sons toolbox.
Ill bet 99.999rec % of tools collections were started using dads tools as the foundation

Anyway welcome and all the best in the build

[chrisponter]

You're doing much the same as me, I'm doing Mech Eng at Anglia Ruskin Uni.

Still working at disassembling my donor in my nans garage in Bournemouth (which is a 3 hour drive away) but it's getting there

Were you gonna try and keep the four wheel drive or ditch it for rear wheel drive?

[Oscar]

Dad and I have a very mature aproach to tools: He borrows mine and then "loses" them in amongst his mess. I borrow his, clean them up, fix them, use them, and put them back much neater...

Hmmm, seems like I may be getting the raw end of the deal here. Oh well, I spose he does provide shelter, food, alcohol and building facilities, so its not all bad

I'm gonna have to use only 2wd unfortunately, there is a guy somewhere on here who is tyring to go 4wd and he's had to completely redesign the sump and front end!

What year are you in Chris? Might be able to each other some advice.

Building is progressing averagely, weather is great at the mo so spending it out in my shed cutting the steel. Must get back to that...

Made one cock-up yesterday whilst cutting FF3, any guesses?

[chrisponter]

I'm in my second year, but its probably easier than yours if you're at Bristol, I've got a friend in the second year of aeronautical and its much harder than mine.

Still, feel free to ask if you're not sure about anything, and I'll do my best

And I'm not one to spurn help if it's offered

And did you forget to cut FF3 with a slant on one end? Or cut the slant in the wrong direction?

[rapidtornado]

good luck with the build, I too am building with a DOHC and just up the road in Herefordshire, but work in Bristol, give me a shout if you got any questions... I'll help with the limited knowledge I do have

[Oscar]

May very well be taking you up on that at some point in the future rapid.

Have you got to dealing with the engine yet? It's a little way in the future yet but I want to be prepared for all the extra work when the time comes.

I remember second year... where did the easy times go? Oh well, one more year and I'll finally be more qualified than my Dad

[Oscar]

Made a fair bit of progress today, got the front frame fully welded up, and prepped a few more bits to help get the chassis started.

Had one dread moment when the welder decided it wasn't going to play ball. The welds were just building up on the surface and not even heating the rails. Started thinking I'd made a massive mistake, wasted lots of money, wasted time, would I be able to sell it? The problem is that i have 2.5mm SHS, thick black coated stuff. Did a manic search on here for a few threads I remember seeing back in the mists of time and found the solution: Thicker wire!

New problem: don't have the right bits to swap it over. Dad drove to the local car parts shop at 4.45 and got some 0.8mm wire and the right nozzle.

New problem #2: Nozzle is too big for the welder! Solution: electric drill and a file, cut a new thread and offer it up.

Success!! Now welds brilliantly. I just need to get my welding technique sorted and I'll be fine...

After all that palaver I only managed to get the front frame welded and wasn't able to set the table up.

Jobs for tomorrow: Get the table up, set the pieces out, tranport all my junk up to Uni, then start welding!

Oh yeah, and get some pictures uploaded. No problem

[Oscar]

Lots of progress, so much so that I haven't been able to get on here!

Managed to get about half way through constructing the chassis before time caught up with me. Had to fully weld as much of the frame as I could so that it could be lifted and stored away whilst I'm back at Uni.

While I'm here I'm gonna try and find some time to stick a load of photos up, might brighten this build thread up!

[rapidtornado]

With respect to the engine, I got the engine mounts fabb'd up and inlet manifold modified to reduce the height by about 40mm (hopefully it will fit under the new bonnet from Saturn but I've not bought the bonnet yet so can't check) there's a thread on here somewhere with some pics of the mod, other have completely replaced the inlet manifold with a custom design (see Enoch's he did a good job on this)

Rapid