Thought i'd start a thread of my project.
Will be updating as and when i can as i have two kids, full time work and all sorts of other stuff always going on so can't always get on it lol.

I did start a MK4 Escort Van but gave up as i wanted to make it a minter and decided that to buy EVERYTHING new for it would be far to expensive and basically unpractical.

So that was E bayed and i decided i wanted to have a track toy which then i wouldn't be fussed about putting 2nd hand / not mint parts onto!

I came across a Fiesta turbo that was advertised on here that had a smoky engine and was cheap, so it seemed the perfect base for me.
A quick look around it, a price agreed, and it was mine

I collected the car on a trailer that i bought to get it around on...



The car has been painted but it is quite a bad job with lots of flat areas and some sunken paint here and there, but it still looks presentable from a few feet away and once it's stickered, it wont notice anyhow!!

The car..









Also had a right result as the car is fitted with hi spec 6 pots and 300mm discs and a set of avo coilovers so that saves a fair bit of wedge for me

First job i did was to strip the inside, the interior was very tidy and i managed to get £150 for the front and rear seats and £80 for the rest of the panels, carpets and plastics etc so was pretty chuffed with that!!

The floor to my surprise was very good, two little plates had been added at some point to the front corners but i want to tidy them a bit in the future.

While on e bay one day, i noticed a set of unbranded bucket seats for £250 buy it now, They are fibreglass backed so very light, came with harnesses ( which will be changed to the better type ones and ally side mounts!

I Hit the buy it now button and set off to norfolk to pick them up. To my surprise, they are mint!

I decided that i wanted to mount the seats on the adjustable runners still for practicality so set about mounting the side mounts to the runners.

I needed to nibble a section out of the side mount plates to clear a raised bit on the RST runners but that was it ( apart from shortening the side mount plates also! )

Raised bit on the rst runners



Ally side mounts



Material removed to fit together



And one seat fitted for trial - Well chuffed with the result and price!!






Next up was a cage, I bought RAJ@ Autoflock's cage from his fiesta, had it delivered, then set to work adding another diagonal!
Measured the tube o/d and it's 38mm, so i ordered up some more tubing and set to work when it arrived.
I was a bit paranoid about getting the tube dead straight but it came out perfect after lots of measuring, clamping then re measuring





I thought i had took more pics of the " during progress " but must have deleted them from my phone







Still to do the harness bars ( took the height measurements when i offered the seat in )

Also will be using the same tubing to weld in a rear strut brace.

As good as they look, I put the Escort cossie rims on e bay as they are far too wide for the track on a fiesta. I got £370 for them which i was well happy with as they were all kurbed and not very nice on the backs.

I found a set of 5 brand new Speedline Corse rims in Et33, 7x15 group a Fitment, I bought them hoping they'd clear my brakes, When they turned up, i offered them up with fingers crossed, they DID fit... PHEW!




The car is now rolling on 13" rear wheels and i had to remove the calipers to get a ford 15" wheel on the front

Yesterdays job was to make the mounting plates for the cage as it didn't come with any. I know that i probably could've just just got another set from Safety devices but i wanted to make my own.
I popped down to a welding / metal shop near me and got some 3mm plate.

Started with Blue Peter's finest cardboard template





transferred it over to the plate



Next piece







Then i added weld nuts on the back and welded it in

I know i would say it but.... the welding looks real shit in the pics but it's not in the flesh
Anyway, it's still to be seam sealed and painted





Other side done also



Also i trimmed the dash down a bit losing the glove box





Hopefully today i'll get the rear arch mounts sorted but think we are going out to see Ice Age 4 so we'll see!!