Ok... I'll get to the clutch change in a minute.
Thought it about time I start a bit of a log of the progress on my 3dr Cossie. Owned her for about 18 months now. Bit of history with it apparently. Story goes it belonged to the Australian touring car driver Tony Longhurst. It was his road car when he wasnt racing RS500's back in the late 80's.
Anywho, here's my ownership in pictures... enjoy

The day she came home







Just so happened I had a mates Escort Cossie at my place. Was toying around with a few things for him.





Basic stage 3 that needed a lot of TLC



Its didnt last long in that form. Mods and parts here in Oz just dont really exist. Everything has to come from the UK. Started with the Pro-Alloy FMIC and alloy radiator. ABSOLUTE QUALITY!! Dont regret the time and money inversted to get these here at all!





Just love these pics! Look at that Quality!!





Wheels and suspension were next. Coilover AVO's went in and I couldn't go past Compomotive MO's 18x8's all round. Early inspiration from the likes of John (Lamb Chops) and Ronnie (RONNIE AMIS) with big white Comps was just too much for me to resist!! Thanks guys! Just love that race look.











Few other little things. Apex-i AVC-R, front and rear strut braces and FINALLY finished the custom mirrors I was after. I ended up buying jap spec mirrors for a GTR Skyline and making the baseplates to suit. A lot easier and cheaper than the original fibreglass ones I was hoping to make. Came up nice.











Next up were interior items. Short shifter with new Sparco alloy knob, Sparco suede wheel and loverly new Sparco Corsa seats. I ended up making 4 different sets of mounts for them before I was happy with them!! Seating position and feel is everything. I made up little Ford Sparco decals just to finish off!
Not the best photos, dark inside with the flash.








This was one of those things that just went too far!! I bought new lic plates and wanted a real smooth finish on the back of the car. I made replica decals to apply directly to the paintwork. I took the metal plate off to find the ugly factory mounting "lugs". They had to go! Ended up panel beating, welding and respraying the whole panel nice and flat. All just to get the bloody lic plate looking right!! I will get some pics up with the new plates on. FMC RS

 

Right... Clutch change.
It was planned just to change the exisiting clutch to a new AP Racing 4 puck button job. But as most here would know, its never just that easy!!
I knew the 4 of the exhaust monifold studs were missing or snapped so I thought this is as good a time as any to sort it out.... that and the fact that it was a late Saturday night with a few beers under my belt! So before I knew it I had talked myself into ripping the motor out!! That is where it started to go "wrong"! Haha!
New cam pulleys to suit, HEAPS of polish and elbow grease and a full coat of jam to most surfaces including the exhaust manifold and turbo. VHT ceramic paint in a can. I know I know... cheap way out. but we will see how it goes.
The rest is in the pics. I'll keep em updated as I get it in. The All Ford Day is coming up here in a month so thats my goal.

 

looking good

 

Looking well good

 

Nice one

 

cossie looks schweet.... cant be many of them over there...
fair play for all that in a month!!!
if its any consolation, i was only gonna convert my escort to efi... ended up with new engine, gearbox, management, loom, paint etc etc...

 

Very nice mate well done

 

looks good mate my 3dr is from australia aswel but it had a engine bay fire then got shipt to england to me ..

 

Very nice Gav love it!! Thanks for the kind words

Love the mirrors the seats the rear pannel, all of it, great work!!

 

looking v nice

 

sweet cossie

woudl be very intereted in pics from teh oz for get togethers too

i was out there and never really saw much but always looking on oz ebay and see a fair few erst's and cossies pop up

most seem to be perth too

 

Thanks guys

There are bugger all round these parts. Couple of handfuls at most of anything with a Cossie in it. I know of a few others. Including a RS500.

SAM, your 3dr didnt belong to a gentleman named Tony by any chance did it?? I knew of a white 3dr here in Perth that had a engine fire while the missus was picking the kids up from school a few years back... Never heard of it after that.

I will make sure I get pics up from the All Ford Day coming up. It is only a static display but usually pulls a few Cossies out from under covers. Along with all the American and Aussie muscle cars. Good day.

 

very m8,keep up the gud wrk on it

 

That looks
The rims look

 

Awesome. Good work on the mirrors, strangely enough look identical to the ones I made for my Black 3dr 5years ago, and my R32GTR about 3years ago!

Used some universal cup mirrors, the original mirror mounts, and LOTS of cutting and chopping to join them both together nicely!

My Cossie...



My GTR...

 

Ha! Well there ya go! As you said Stav, lots of plastic chopping on the back of the mirror and I bent up some alloy plates for them to sit on. Just wanted that slimline look down the side of the car without the factory wingnuts hangin' off!!

Cheers guys... more pics coming. Got my gaskets for the plenum spacer I ordered the other day. Need to get out and find some nice stainless cup head bolts to put it all together

 

Not really much to report back guys.... Got the spacer sorted out and all installed.
Finally got round to taking a nice shot of the new plates and smoothed rear panel.
Ended up masking and respraying the engine bay sides. Not a fun job!!! Came up ok... problem now is of course the paint in the engine bay looks better than the paint on the outside of the car!! Oh well. All in good time eh?
More to come soon. Gotta get this thing running for the local All Ford Day at the end of this month

Cheers

 

Very nice mate. Loving the smooth rear panel !!

 

VERY nice mate i hope my car comes out looking like yours but in white

 

the black crinkle cam cover and inlet look great Gav

 

Awesome m8.

 

QUALITY

 

Very nice indeed Gav!!

 

Looking good mate ! really like that !

Seeing that reminds me of my old one

 

Thanks guys! Looking forward to the summer here to get out and use the thing!!!

Gav

 

looka really good

 

very nice motor mate and great work there too

 

Looking sweeet

 

Oh yeah!!

Lookn good

 

very very nice m8 keep up the gud work

 

So how did you go Gav? ... did you get things ready in time?

I'm sure it looked the part if you did

Piccy's ?

 

Love it

 

Very nice