Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Looking forward to the progress.

SMILER258

Well things have been all over the place recently but I've got some fe123 rust converter, epoxy primer, epoy mastic, and I'm buying a cossie engine fingers crossed. Which will see me buying a t5 gearbox, getting a stage 3 setup, and hooning around in rwd format for a year or two before I dump the v6 back in it. Ideally this will eventually go back standard or go all out wrc prepared but depends how well the restoration goes.

Also did a foriegner this afternoon in work, got the floor to inner sills fabricated, just going to TIG the two lengths together as they didn't have a length of 1mm sheet big enough for me to fold, also made some front chassis leg end repairs which just fitted in the box and pan but have a feeling i'll need to make a small jig and use the oxy acetalene to persuade a nice radius on two of the bends, but I'll wait and see with that. also fabricating a new front crossmember, and going to make a triangulated rear strut brace. Just unsure wether to make it out of stainless or mild steel. Next thing is to cut up the sills that I got out the donor and repair them so I can weld them straight into H258. As because they're off the car I can repair the bottoms, have them shot blasted, and it'll look factory too.

All this inbetween working 50 hour weeks. Damn my life's dull.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

You will love the cossie yb matey.

SMILER258

I hope so, Just want to spin it up and mug off vtecs hehe. Getting it for a steal if all goes well. Otherwise I'll turbo the V6. Either way it's goin turbo. Without a doubt.

No pictures because I cocked up fitting the rear panel so I need to drill it off and re fit it And surface rust is forming in some of the rear quarter seams so I'm gonna get it all sealed up and primed asap

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Fookin rust I wish it would fook off lol. This shity cold damp country.

SMILER258

lol

Just as some other news, just ordered 2 full sills, a front crossmember and a drivers arch for Ł150. Just need to make 8 more panels and it'll be done in no time!

SMILER258

A little update. Restoration re commences in a month. Got to finish the head gasket on my GTa, and do the engine change on my brothers sport KA. Going to start restoring all the suspension parts, zinc plate all the bolts once i figure out how. Paint all parts, then jig it up, weld it properly, and get it done underneith, inside etc.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Your a busy boy.

SMILER258

Yep. 4 tubes of tiger seal and 6 bottles of upol gravitex stonechip have arrived. I have my epoxy primer, and all I need now is my top coat. Decided I'm rollering radiant red enamel underneath. Thus I can re do it if it chips. Apparently a few of the stage rally boys do this, so seeing as this is a competition car, it'll do for me. Looking forward to getting stuck in. Current plan is,

Now until august, refurbish parts.
August is final shell restoration, underside painted, inside paint, engine bay painted.
September-December refit all parts and get as close to running as possible
Next year I'll get it ready for a paintjob, but seeing as I'll be insuring the metro it will be a while until it gets the lot unless I do it, in which case it'll take a good 6 months to get perfect. Then it's just a case of final fitting, MOT, and use it. Will probably be used as a daily in toned down form until my mini is done.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Looks like you have plenty to do.

gjh

Coming on good with you, I see you want forced induction, I guess I'll have to join you then he he!

SMILER258

Yeah. I'm either turboing my a series, or this. Looking at the a series tbh though. Cheaper, and easier.

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Turboooo. Cant beat a bit of boooost.

gjh

I see, would that then be basically converting it to metro turbo spec? (Not really clued up on this subject).

allaboutfords

Got my mk2 running tonight but it ticks over at 2k and i have no idea how to turn tickover down on a cossie motor. Then after a few starts and 2 min runs (The water pump leaks) the fuel pump decided that it was going to run as soon as the ignition was on for some reason. Cars ay who'd ave em
Going to collect my P100 on Tuesday i hope. How do i post pics on here?
Mark

SMILER258

Long time no update. Situation changing at the moment but I still love this car as much as ever so I'm making use of thr electric facilities while I still can and cracking on with the welding. A few of you know I do sheet metal fabrication daily so thankfully this has taken the worry out of doing the bodywork! Tons left but not setting a date to get the welding done as I'll either rush it or kick myself when I don't reach it. So far I've re done or welded up,

Rear panel welded in
Rear panel and locking patch welded into the earlier replacement panel, so now I have a rust free, rock solid mk2 panel again. Finally
Drivers rear arch edge of the lip re done due to the start of rust forming from it being outside for 6 months. Lol, OCD I know but it's tigersealed now so hopefully no water ingress if it had to sit outside again!
Drivers side coin slots
Drivers side floor pan
Drivers side transmission tunnel
Drivers bulkhead where the rollcage bracing comes through
Driver inner wing repairs
Passenger transmission tunnel nearly done
Passenger coin slots done
Passenger floor pan is missing
Re doing both sill to floor pan pieces. Wasn't happy at all with the previous repair/bodge as I'll quite happily name it... What was I thinking!

The before pics are the start of this thread so here's the afters. I'm very happy with the repairs. Just to keep plodding on now. Oh and everything is zinc primed for welded joints and painted inside the patches where the HAZ doesn't melt or burn off the paint. This way they'll survive for absolutely years.

And to anyone who doesn't like my work or methods, tough shit.



I removed the inner wing without damaging it so will re use it as it's mint. Somehow lol.
Took the brace off, removed all the expanding foam behind it. And you can see just how bad seam rust can look. It wasn't very good at all!!!




















And this year PPE approved halloween costume



Will get some pics of the latest progress soon. About time I updated this thread properly lol

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Top work your doing matey. Keep it up.

SMILER258

Cheers Glenn. It'll pay off one day.

gjh

Looking good! You even took a selfie! I'm also jelous of the pit, lucky shite! It'll be all solid before you know it.

Mark V8

iTrader: (2)

Keep up the good work

SMILER258

Haha yep, only because no one can see my face though. And haha, it's handy, but prefer my spit for the welding! And cheers Mark

jc2000e

damn Nathan, great work. Still think its going to ready next year?

SMILER258

Cheers. And next year will definitely be a no go. I somehow think 2016 aint a goer either, as I want to build a big spec turbo lump for my Metro, and restore my metro etc, so this can stay off the road for longer. Money, storage and time are some of the hold backs. Plus I can't insure it for another decade anyway probably haha

gjh

Go on 2016 lad! You can make it (hopefully i'll have an escort by then too!)

SMILER258

Haha, it'll get done when it gets done. I've done a bit since then but nothing noteable. Might update when It has new sills on. Be happy when I can take it into work, which I might see about later this month

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Yeh keep the updates coming

SMILER258

Not updated this in some time. Currently moved house, building a new garage elsewhere away from the house, so the car's took a back seat. Before it went away I managed to do a spot more to it. Still requires more though. Going to re do the inner sill yet again because I'm unhappy with it. Also looking at investing in a spot welder to make the restoration quieter and quicker.

After I tore the scuttle corner apart I gradually rebuilt it after a lot of pain, swearing and the remains of my knuckle after slipping with my chisel.














And can you spot my fuck up?

Yes. The bonnet hinge didnt fucking close

So I found a spare bonnet hinge and took it to work and modified that. No pics of that I dont think

Also since this car's a rally car, I removed the inner sunroof panel, and fucking bent around the hole. So will straighten the corners of the sunroof, and then plate it. Going to rivit an aluminium plate over it. But will do that during the paintwork process to keep from holding moisture etc.











Also cut all the inner arch around the turret out, as there was lots of seam rust and it had pushed through and rot inside out, so decided not to do it by halfs, re patched it, plug welded it, then stitch welded it for a little more strength as it is a rally car.
And a few other etc pics



That rot above is where the rear chassis legs meet the boot floor, and that seam is full of rot. All the way round. So going to remove the entire boot floor panel from the seams, and repair it, clean up all the chassis legs inside etc, and weld it back in.

Slowly but surely it's getting there.
But never again will I restore a car to this extent. Unless it's this car... again.

gjh

Getting there! Cant see you needing to redo this car again once you've done it. Keep it up.

SMILER258

Well since my last update not much changed. It got dumped in storage, gained a few more dents, and rusted some more. But I'm changing direction with this car. I'm going for a one off Tarmac warrior I will hopefully put into stage rallying if I gather the funds, so everything is being a one off.

Tonight I placed a Ł1000 order for

A bias pedal box with reservoirs and piping
Hydraulic handbrake with an extension bar
Compression struts
Adjustable rose jointed tca's

It's going 2wd, so what rear and front brake upgrades are possible? Thinking about running 15's so cossie 4 pots might be an option? Want the best I can fit under the wheels

Paul_RS

iTrader: (4)

Are you ordering a bladed ARB to go with the compression struts and TCAs?

SMILER258

I will be doing at the very last stage of the build, as the engine choice isn't decided yet, I don't want to order one off the shelf incase it wont fit, so will wait till last thing and if a standard one doesnt fit (I'll measure someone elses) I'll get some arms etc made specially. Just dont wanna fork out for something that might not fit.

Bits have arrived:
Bias pedal box and reservoirs
Compression struts
Big fuck off hydro handbrake
Rose jointed adjustable bottom arms
And the burton power mag to order more parts haha
And yes that lot cost nearly a grand anyway haha. I've started spunking my savings away.
I wanna get my wheels and coilovers sorted next, then some big brakes all round. Going upto 15's and low profiles but the wheels themselves are a secret. Ł800 ish new but hopefully find some cheap second hand ones.

New colour scheme too. No red in sight.

SMILER258

Just won a set of TH's on ebay, Will get them powdercoated I think, and then look at getting some sticky rubber on them. The colour of these is going to dictate what colour the rest of the car goes lol. They're 15's so going to look for the biggest brakes I can squeeze under them next. Seen Wilwood do a set for 15's. Or can go for the mondeo mk3 calipers and st170 discs. Not sure yet.

Will upload more when I pick them up tonight

gjh

Getting there! Tarmac rally car or just tarmac car in general?

SMILER258

''Back road'' tarmac car so springs and shocks will be set for absorbing shit road surfaces, yet still be firm enough to get the power down and stay firm in corners.

tommimeadows

Looking tidy

phillgti

excellent work!!

SMILER258

Cheers. At the moment this is the easy part. Just click to buy something and watch my bank balance dwindle.

Throwing away all the spares and shite I don't need currently. Cleared 2 large boxes and got a shit ton more to throw away. Also got one of my best mates to build me up a megasquirt ecu and I keep looking at a zetec turbo to begin building once I get rid of my fabia. No point going jap at twice the expense just yet.

Does anyone know where to get fully adjustable top mounts for the front suspension? Not just eccentric? Can't find the HKS ones anywhere. Does Mk motorsport do them? As I need to get my bladed arb from there as the rally design one is apparently wank lol

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

Ive got the mk3 mondy calipers and st170 discs on my Puma. There a cheap upgrade. Shocked at how much welding you have done. The sierra will go well with a Zetec turbo in it.

SMILER258

I wasn't so much bothered about cheap though I just want the ultimate stopping power for under 15'' rims. And apparently cossie 4 pots are the ones, but most people upgrade because it looks better and it's a bragging right lol. If it can stop a group N car surely it can stop this? And the welding's far from over but going to make a new jig for my new garage and get back on with it. Yeah a ZT should spin it up nicely, plus if I blow it up it wont cost the earth to fix. I intend a trip to the ring when she's done too.

SMILER258

Well in other news selling the comps and bought myself a bladed front arb. Selling the comps because I plan on running the biggest fuck off brakes I can fit to the car. But the purchase of a mk2 escort will restrict spending a little more now.