rich.edrsoc

A long time ago i can remember reading about people removing the middle pillars in the back window of XR4i shells to make it the same as a 3 door cossie shell....

Never seen one, (might have done and thought it was always a 5 window shell!!) but is it possible?

I have been offered a 4i shell to reshell my written off saph, but i don't want the 4i style 7 windows.....

Any other things i should be aware of if reshelling from Saph to Mk1 shell??

Thanks

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

defo been done but you will have a hard time trying to find the window trims for a 3dr.

Iain Mac

IMO you should leave the 4i alone!!!! It is even rarer than the three door, and needs loads of work to do the conversion - for a start the back corners of the rear windows come to a point instead of an upright, you would need to fill in the oval holes that result top and bottom when you cut the pillars out, and most of the mountings for ECU etc are different on Mk1 and mk 2 shells.

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

the 3dr sierra cossie and xr4i are MK1 shells

cossie4i+

iTrader: (15)

Whats wrong with the rarest 3dr shell then ?????

Steve

Iain Mac

Yes, but he wants to reshell a Sapphire and they are all Mk2!

Elvis

iTrader: (1)

see my topic on it, https://passionford.com/forum/general-car-related-discussion/271655-xr4-question-3-door-cos-on-a-budget.html

but i just ended up buying a 3door cossie as i decided it aint worth the agro

Daveyboy

done it myself when i was a student on a 4i. popped glass out, chopped middle pillar out with electric saw - gave it to bodyshop with new 3 door glass from ford (which i bought with my student loan money lol) came back looking like a 3 door shell. although you could still tell from the inside that it had had a pillar removed.

rich.edrsoc

cheers for the replies.

I do like the 4i shell, but i want a 3dr Cos rep really.... tho a cossie powered standard looking 4i would be cool.

If i could find a 3dr shell (either cos or 1.6 etc) what can't be used from my sapphire?? other than obvious items like interior trim, bumpers etc....

Iain Mac

Gearbox crossmember.

The bulkhead will need a bit of cutting for ABS.

The windscreen cowl is totally different.

If you use your Sapphire dash the matching A Post trims need to be used.

I think the front seatbelts are different.

Door locks can be used, but you'll need a Mk1 locking fuel cap.

The wiring loom uses two holes on the nearside in Mk 2 and there's only one hole in the Mk1 so you will need to either drill the second big hole or feed the wires into a spare slot on the big grommet.

Mk2 fuel pumps could be internal or external (don't know if they were ever internal on a Cosworth Sapphire?) All the Mk1 were external so you may need a cradle and wiring.

I haven't figured out if I can make my door ajar thing work the earlier three door display.

rich.edrsoc

Thanks Iain,

I this a conversion/reshell that you have done yourself?

I have a complete (running) sapphire that was very tidy before it got rear ended so all the parts are there.

Will things like the gearbox crossmember just be a case of swapping 3dr for Saph part?

My saph has an external fuel pump so no worries there.

I probably would use the saph dash (its in nice condition) and transfer the complete wiring loom(s) from one car to the other, everything works on my car so i can't see too many problems arising (famous last words!!!).

What about back seats from the saph? (might not even put them in tbh)

Will the suspension all simply bolt up?

Everything else you've mentioned seems fairly minor considering it's a full reshell..... or am i wrong i thinking that!?

Thanks again

Barry R

iTrader: (3)

i am cutting up a 3 door shell pm me with what you want still got all the panels at the mo and glass

rich.edrsoc

Thanks for the offer mate, but i'm still in the thinking/dreaming stage of this possible project at the mo!!!!!

Cheers

Barry R

iTrader: (3)

ok mate not a prob it is a cosworth shell aswell still have the rear fin let me know if you want it i will be getting rid in 2 weeks

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)

front hubs are different.

fuel pump and cradle were the same on all cossie models

rich.edrsoc

but the saph hubs (all suspension would be coming from my saph) will fit tho, won't they??

Iain Mac

I did the conversion of a 5 door 1991 XR4x4 into an XR4i shell.

For the gearbox crossmember I have temporarily used an alloy Cosworth one bolted to the floor, because the standard XR4i one fits the shell but not the box, and the standard XR4x4 one doesn't fit the narrow tunnel.

The back seats from a Sapphire can be made to fit but there are mods required for hinges and catches. Personally, I don't like them - fixed rear headrests in a hatchback just seem strange.

All the front end stuff bolts straight in though you may have to rework brake pipes etc to get the best route - I'm still finessing my front flexis and ABS cables. The rear end and prop bolt straight in.

Forgot to mention that the bit of bulkhead where the fusebox sits is a different shape, and while the early fusebox clips in, the later one has four mounting bolts. But it can be made to fit with enough time and money thrown at it!

rich.edrsoc

Thanks again,

If i was to use a non-Cosworth shell would i need to modify the tunnel to accomodate the T5 box?

i'm guessing at yes, so i would need to cut out and weld in my Saph tunnel/crossmember mounting, right?!

Cheers, Rich

Iain Mac

Not sure about the T5 but I had to ease the tunnel for my transfer box. That gave me some headaches with the crossmember so, if you have the skills to swap the whole tunnel, that's the way I would go.

philram

iTrader: (3)

as far as i know the t5 fits fine, but the box mount needs modding to fit..