s11nmg

Hi lad I just want to know would all of the parts of a 4 door cosworth fit straight onto a 3 door 1.6 shell like the engine box diff etc thanks

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

The whole rear beam is different as is the diff, the Cosworth being a 7.5" LSD (Assuming it's a 2WD Cosworth) where as the 3DR will be a 7" open diff.

The ARB'S will all be different and the MK1 Cosworth rear ARB has a different mounting location to MK2's, but I should think changing the beam may negate this, also the front crossmember is different I should think.

Not sure if the hubs will be a straight swap, in any case the 3DR Cosworths are different to the Saphs anyway.

I should think the engine/gearbox should be a fairly easy swap with the correct mounts etc.

This is just the start, you then have the brakes/suspension, prop shaft drive shafts etc, ECU wiring etc.

Martin

Iain Mac

The loom won't go in easily as the bulkhead is different for both fuse box and wiring on the passenger side.

The rear beam, engine and propshaft will go in but you will need to either lose the rear ARB or make up different mounts under the car or on the arms.

Don't know about the gearbox - your 3 dr will have a narrow tunnel and I suspect that the Sapphire will have a wide one. I have an XR4i mount for a narrow tunnel that I can measure if it helps, but no idea if it will work with a T5 box.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

So despite the Cosworth being based on a 3DR shell, the shell was actually modified for wiring/gearbox etc?

I am sure a T5 fits in a XR4I shell, I believe you just need the correct mount, as you say?

Martin

s11nmg

Thanks for that lads there a lot more work than thought

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

Quite, it's the difference in the mechanics which really seperate them, thats why when people try to build replicas it's simply easier and cheaper to buy the genuine car outright.

However your scenario is slightly different, in the fact you already have a donor car, but even so you don't have the bodykit, spoiler etc as there are alot of external differences, naturally, thats if you were planning on doing a 3DR replica?

Martin

Iain Mac

No, that's not what I'm saying. He's asking about swapping bits from a 4 door into a 3 door and I've listed the differences that I know of from experience.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

I understood what you said, thats why I was asking further questions, as surely if the 3DR has a narrow tunnel, that must mean Ford modified the shell for the T5 box and also for the wiring as you say a normal 3DR shell wiring is different?

Martin

PAUL S

iTrader: (8)

The 3dr cosworth was actually more of a mark one and a half as the sierra range had an upgrade in 1985 so a lot of those improvements like bigger tunnel were added into the cosworth shell when it was made. The mark 2 sierra then came out in 1987 with much bigger changes.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

That would explain it then, a bit like the scenario I guess with the "half moons" on Saph shells for 4x4's driveshafts.

Martin

Iain Mac

Marty, I don't know if the hole for the ordinary Sierra 3 dr's wiring is different from a 3 door Cosworth but it is certainly different from a Sapphire which has two holes.

Paul - my XR4i is a 1985 shell (proved by the later B-pillar door catches) but it only has a narrow tunnel and single bulkhead hole for the near-side wiring, and the shape of the bulkhead at the fusebox is very different from the Mk 2.

Typical Ford - keep mixing and matching. Even the looms changed in 1990.

s11nmg

I know where I can get an A reg 3 door 1.6 shell which is a full cosworth rep on the outside it running on a 20 Twincam engine and a friend has a 2wd cosworth sapphire with the body past repair which he is on about selling I thought it would be nice to drop all the running gear onto the 3 door but it not as straight forward as I was hoping