If you have a std Cosworth 2 or 4wd , 3dr or Sapphire or even an Escort , without rose jointed track control arms or compression struts or one of those new fangled adjustable rear axles ( whatever will they think of next , lol ).
Get your tape measure and with the front wheels straight ahead measure the wheel base on both sides of the car .
This is how its easiest to do , measure from the back of the rear wheel where it joins the tyre to the back of the front wheel in the same place , this gives the same measurement as if youre measuring off the axle stub and is far easier to get right ( assuming you have the same size front and rear rims anyway ).
Do this on both sides and place your measurements up alongside your car type and body, i think we will find a pattern emerging .

 

i'd be surprised if they were within 2mm of each other.

 

escos - 257.5mm o/s, 256mm n/s! having said that... my front arb is slightly loose on the o/s at the moment

 

No cossie any more, but I'm intrigued by this....

Does it work with Evos?

 

Ive been very surprised bu just how far out some of these cars have been , upt 12mm in 1 case recently ! Makes a complete joke of getting the suspension geometry set when the wheels are already pointing different directions !!

If youre only 1.5mm out MD then you must have a good 'un , lol.

 

sorry, thats supposed to be CM! the ARB is very loose on the o/s though

 

lol, i know what you mean.when i was about to cut the floorpan out of a cossy to use in my escos,i measured it all before hand,and it was miles out.
also take into account that bushes may be worn,or suspension parts bent.this will all contribute to it not measuring the same.

 

11mm then , thats more like what i expect . to be honest with the car stationery at rest even well worn bushes wont account for much , im seeing most of this in the shells !

 

261.5 O/s
261.8 N/s

 

I thought it would be miles out as it wanders all over the place

 

got me thinking so just measured whats on the drive.
transit flareside pickup - bob on!
Brothers F plate Subaru justy 4wd - 5mm longer on drivers side

 

Sounds like a Friday afternoon car that one as its too close , wandering about is a totally different trait .

 

and also over 5mm different to the last sapphire anyway !!!

 

Friday afternoon car ?

I had originaly had the wandering down to bushes, but then i pretty much completely changed the front end and it still did it.

Slightly off topic, did matey get in touch with you?

 

im going to measure the Evo tomorrow

 

you think they're bad.. try doing in on a mk2 escort!
just the panel gaps vary by up to 6mm...

 

yes , all sorted - in fact i might have a use for the engine hes got too so drop him a reminder .Thanks

The wandering is more to do with the way the roadcar front ends are set up , sadly the bushes dont change that .

 

infact uprating the bushes tends to make them worse

 

I'll measure the Saph later and post up, i'm quite intrigued by this!

 

Its pretty bad though to be honest. never had a saph quite so bad. almoost like its got 15degrees toe out lol

 

Escos,
LHS 253.2cm
RHS 239 (+/-2mm)

My eyes are not good enough to get any better accuracy.

 

14 mm,excellent ford quality build.

 

Escos is slightly longer than 4x4 sapph wheelbase!

 

what an arse I am, can't even type now.

should be,
LHS 253.2 cm.
RHS 253.9 cm.

difference should be 7mm. my first post was 142mm out

 

are you sure you havent got that wrong? escos wheelbase should be 50mm or so SHORTER than the sapphire