Progress is being made reshelling my sapph that was crashed at the 'ring into an estate shell.

this is how it looks at 8pm last night





no problems really so far. the rear axle took some manipulating as the trailing arms on an estate are different to a saloon (the damper runs in the middle of a larger spring). i've put the estate trailing arms onto the 2wd rear beam, keeping the lsd and larger brakes. the rear dampers were shot on the estate, and being sef levelling ones, were 400 qid each to replace. sod that, got some standard ones but had to modify the bottom mount to fit the trailing arm (elongate the mounting holes)



just need to make up a gearbox mount to fix the 2wd t5 gearbox to the 4x4 floorpan. i've done this before on the crashed sapph, with a length of 50mm box section, but forgot to remove it before the shell was scrapped



thanks to the original for driving the sapph back from the 'ring in a right state, knut and sascha for the workshop, stefan and andrew for their help, and to turboflush for helping and taking away the old 2.9 engine and 4x4 transmission that i no longer needed

 

lookin good mate, should be quite fun when finished

 

How cool will that be

Cant say i've seen one like that before

 

cheers for the comments

it was a 2.9 ghia 4x4 before, so it has all the goodies as well, including a/c. proper bo i tell thee

 

Sleeper

 

That looks cool

 

foreigneRS, looks cool mate

 

Coll but why estate, Jsut to be different?

 

Hay I recognize that car.

Lookin good m8. I sent an email, but my email is on the fritz, so you may get a PM later on from this site.
I am glad the Trailing arms fit. I was kinda worried that they might not.
The design of the rear suspension looked like it might help traction during launch. I am guessing ford may have decided it best to keep the tires flat on the road no matter what load is put into the trunk. then again I only got to stare at the car for a afternoon.

GOT2BZETEC: why not a estate? I think it is cool!

P.S. When a shell is on a lift, make sure there is nothing in the trunk. the car will try to jump off the lift!! :-D

TF

 

GOT2BZETEC,

firstly, because i had one

secondly, because estates are really practical (especially this one, as it also has a tow bar). i won't need a hotel for track days anymore, just put an air bed in the back

thirdly, because it looks better than a sapph imo

fourthly, because it's more of a sleeper and will surprise more people

fifthly, it's less likely to be recognised as a cossie and nicked

etc, etc.

 

found the right wires to wire in the engine loom last night, and got the engine fired up. well happy.

 

Well done fella!!!

Lets see the pictures then!

 

drove it last night

just a few more cables to finish off, and finish off putting the interior in. the arches need rolling, but i have a special tool to do that.

 

mint more pics pics pics

 

Yep more piccys please

 

will get more pics with a proper camera next week. thanks for the kind comments

 

 

it a damm shame to se the white saff like that

 

one problem i've come across after just driving it home from the workshop - the rear springs are waaaaaay too soft. i guess because it used to have those fancy self levelling dampers, they were bale to put soft springs on and give it a soft ride.

i've now got normal dampers on there, and the tow bar practically scrapes on the road when you boot it

gonna have to go to the scrap yard and get me some springs off another estate with normal dampers, see if they're any harder. otherwise, caravan assisters may be a temporary solution (read bodge).

btw, the springs off an estate are larger diameter than saloons, and longer, so that's not an option.

 

I was wondering about that. what about using Scorpio springs? I believe they are longer. I never really checked them against stock sierra springs but they were def. loger than the ones I had. Scorps would have a stiffer spring rate also. I choped a coil from the set I put on my sierra and it rides well. In your case might be better to cut the top coil that is smaller (softer) taht way it utilizeze all the spring.if not maybe just put it in the car as is?..

just an idea!

i will see what i can find also while I am at the J-yard.

later,
TF

 

more pictures for you:

here it is crashed at the 'ring




and yes, we drove it home like that



now the rebuild. rolling the arches to get the 17"'s in there



it stands like this now

 

interesting

What a sleeper

 

Sweeet, you put the cosworth bumper on it!!! I didnt expect that.

Is that your arch roller? If so maybe I need to come and visit you as I need mine rolled on both my cars.

looking good though. now to just get it all painted one color.
did you get the rear springs sorted?

they charge yah for the rails and the tow at the ring?


later,
TF

 

Hi TurboFlush

Yep, cossie bumper is on. I have a splitter from a renault laguna to put under it as well.

the arch roller is indeed mine. you're welcome to pop up and use it anytime.

not too bothered about painting it. i'm not too much into that kind of thing. i would rather spend the time and money enhancing performance than looks.

haven't looked at rear springs yet. will go to the ford dealer at lunchime to ask if there was different springs on the estates with non self levelling dampers. if so off to the junkyard tomorrow to get a pair. for some reason, theres loads of estates in there, but hardly any saloons.

and yes, the tow and the damage at the 'ring was very expensive.

 

Qaulity M8
proper sleeper give some other road users a nasty surprise that will

 

like it a lot

 

Yes... its very nice with stoplight sprints.. nobody is expecting it ..

I build one too about 4 years ago ...

but 4x4 .. not 2wd...

i actually broke the chassis in half on a sprint

It cant take that much

(i Had about 380 horses under the hood)..

Check out the last movie ever made from this car..
on the next sprint .. it broke in 2.. (no movie of it.. )

http://www.ford-world.nl/upload/movi...dgraaf2001.zip

 

turbinator, broke it in half

i might be taking mine to landgraaf in september, hope it stays in one piece.

 

I am sure a small rollcage wouldnt hurt.

 

lookin good mate