JjCoDeX75

Hi all

Just wanted to share my celebrations!!!!!

After four long months (or more) of rebuilding the bodywork of my saph, I am delighted to confirm that as of 1am this morning, my car is now roadworthy once more!



Quick oil change and shake down, and I set off for Germany on Sat Morning for the Annual Autumn Nurburgring pilgrimage!!!!

Hooray for me

Cheers

JJ

Graceland

Good luck chap.

Just ask SiB what happens when you take your car to the ring to run it in after an overhall

Sticky.

iTrader: (4)

Poor Simon had some bad luck on that trip

Well done mate on getting your car finished

Arfur

True, but at least we all had something to laugh at.

Graceland

Simon - true, Bambi wasn't best pleased tho

tregmatt

iTrader: (3)

well done good luck

R5FORD

iTrader: (1)

have fun

Anonymous

Nice one J

Looking forward to seeing it soon at weston if it stays in one piece at the ring.

Arfur

Any piccies?

gingeRS

yeah

pics please

foreigneRS

JjCoDeX75 good show have fun, and report back on the weekend.

looks like you'll be lucky with the weather (www.wetter.com - search for nuerburg). maybe only light showers on sunday and a wet track on sunday morning from overnight rain (be careful of the shady patches that stay wet for a while, and be careful of fallen leaves at this time of year )

last year i took mine after an engine rebuild and it was faultless. hopefully yours will be the same just did a quick oil change when we got there (environmental disaster in the museum car park )

JjCoDeX75

Thanks guys!

I am a sucker for punishment really, the very first time I went to the ring (year before last) I was working on the engine right up till the day I went!!!!So this has to be considered a bit of a result!

I am hopeful that all will be well, but I am taking some bits and pieces just in case.

Replacement diff went in (RIP original diff - she led a good life, and died as she should - with a f**ing great hole in the back!!!)

Car is filthy at the mo - lots of post bodywork and painting workshop dust on everything!!! I will try to give her a clean then post some snaps.

What was white, is now a pearl grey (sort of halfway between dolphin and moonstone)

Colour didnt work out exactly as I had expected, (as in the colour it ended up being, rather than quality!!!!)

BUT - i have four rust free doors, and two rust free arches, and two rust free rear arches!!!!!! This is the first time that this has happened in the last ten years of owner her I am sure!!! LOL

Found some really impressive rust in the floor pan also cured.

List of things still to do;

1. Confirm euro break down cover (LOL deffo on this trip)
2. Change engine oil
3. Change brake fluid
4. Change coolant
5. Get spare rear brake pads ( first time on 4x4 callipers, so we will see if that helps!!!!!)
6. Get mortgage for fuel.
7. Wire in stereo - long long way without tunes!!! LOL

Now car is actually working (and arches rolled to make it work propertly) am getting excited!!!

Last time I went in the M5, so I am really keen to compare notes

JJ

Anonymous

m5 = good
sierra = crap



Saved you a trip mate

JjCoDeX75

PMSL - you may be right!!

I have been in the M5 for too long. I went out for a quick shake down in the cossie last night, and got out claiming that the rear suspension must be hanging off, and that the brakes were fucked.

I then realised that in fact both were fine...... DOH!

JJ

Anonymous

"shake down"

Appropriate term that

Stu @ M Developments

iTrader: (12)

Excellent, best of luck for the trip, hope you enjoy it.

JjCoDeX75

LOL - If it makes it there and back, I will bring to WSM the following sunday!!!

Thanks all for words of encouragement. I have now booked the euro cover, so hopefully all will be either well, or well covered!!!

Managed to get accommodation with Eddie, which is right next to the ring (near what we call chocolate box corner), so looking forward very much to it.

Will post some snaps of the car before she goes tomorrow in the light - have given her a quick dust off, but not the deep clean she really deserves

JJ

cossie4i+

iTrader: (15)

Good luck with the car and the trip

Steve.

JjCoDeX75

Piccies as requested







Cheers

JJ

cossie4i+

iTrader: (15)

Down your way in a couple of weeks

Just up the road from Eggesford.

Maybe go for a pint ????????????

Steve.

JjCoDeX75

Definately mate. Let me know when and where etc. Always nice to meet new Ford nuts!

JJ

Daz-rst

car looks sweet mate have fun at the ring. its on my list of things to do before i die

Anonymous

Blimey, you have done a good job mate!

Do you have some before pictures for those people on here who didnt see it, cause that really is a transformation!

foreigneRS

looks a lot better than when i saw it

Arfur

Gert lush, mate.

Anonymous

Is that a BMW shade of silver?

you wont be welcome on here if it isnt?

JjCoDeX75

Thanks for the kind words guys.

foreigneRS - last time you saw her, she was a little rough if I remember!!!!

chip-3door sharp eyes matey - it is sort of a BMW colour. It is a variant of BMW Silver Grey, but lighter to be closer to Moonstone Blue. In the flesh it looks halfway between moonstone and dolphin!! I like it.

I am going to call it JjCoDeX Grey!!!! LOL PMSL

I will dig out some photos before so people can see how bad she was!!!

Cheers all

JJSimon@FF Gert Lush - I'm going to say thanks..... I think! LOL

JJ

silverfox999

Excellent job on the paint JJ. She looked good in white, but hell, she looks mint now!

Very envious that i am not coming with you tomorrow.

I even tried to blag a passenger seat ride out of the wife for the weekend - she was having none of it!!

Have a cracking time and update when you return...
drive steady, and watch the damp lines in the shade!

JjCoDeX75

Cheers Silver - Will see you on my return

I only found one photo before so far, but I know I have more. This is the one when the engine came out, and the indicators etc (pretty obvious). Needless to say, the reflective white paint hides the true horror of the rot on the wings, doors, arches, sills, and pretty much everything!!! LOL



JJ

arkley

That's good work mate looks amazing

Chip, he's a beemer boy IIRC he's got a proper one old school M5

JjCoDeX75

Cheers matey - and you remember correctly - the other beast is an M5! E39

JJ

JjCoDeX75

Back from the ring!

Problems whilst there -

1. Wheel bearing came loose - Rather annoyingly, one that was only replaced relatively recently. Words will be had!!

2. Steering joint broke (the rubber one halfway down the shaft that connects the two bits together. Rubber was perished, and should have been done a long time ago. I feel lucky that it went halfway, and I investigated before complete failure! Lesson - Rubber perishes. Change it regularly, and dont wait for it to break!!!!!!!!

Very lucky though, the local Ford Guy rang around the breakers yards in the area, and found me one. With a little help from friends, we managed to extracate the bit we needed, and continue racing!

3. Fuel line.

How many people recall Stu From MSD talking about rep[lacing wiring to the fuel pump. Good advice!!!!!! One of the connections to the pump broke (through old age) As a result, car stops! DOH! Fortunately not on the track at the time, so managed to fix in car park with new connections

Lesson learnt - if Stu says, do!

Weather was phenominal.

There was an Escort Cosworth there, though not a Brit (i dont think). My lasting memory was that he had managed to get an incredibly long way away from the track

Budget + Cars speed does not equal skill!!!! LOL

Not many photos, but will post a couple!

JJ

Anonymous

Fantastic stuff, not too bad on the reliability front considering



How did it compare to same trip in the M5 though?

JjCoDeX75

The great thing about the M5 is that it is essentially a very very comfortable car !

So the trip there and back was waaay better, and less stressful.

I know definitavely that the cossie is faster in a straight line that the M5 now. My mates M3 will keep with the M5, and My cossie was quite a bit quicker than his M3 in a straight line!

Round the track, both cars achieved about the same time. This I believe to be down to the extra speed in between the bends! Not sure though.

Cossie suspension was better than expected, and yokohama tyres very very very ver grippy!

Still life in the old dog yet, so as to speak!

JJ

cossie4i+

iTrader: (15)

Im happy you had a good time

Looking forward to meeting up for a pint

Steve.

JjCoDeX75

Likewise matey - I am clear that week, so let me know which night suits you.

JJ