Progress

[jpayne]

Had the car blasted today after a recommendation from Mk1oz.


only a few spots a bit worse for ware but better than expected so pretty happy


Got it home and etch primed.





Pretty happy even though physically exhausted.

JP

[wayovermyhead]

What a difference, starting to look like a real car again. It's bloody exciting when all the cutting, grinding and welding comes to an end. Well almost anyway.

[jpayne]

sure is mate.
A weld-a-thon to come in the next few weeks. Off hand I think I have about 42 parts to weld in ranging from gussets cage members, watts link and rear 1/4 lower sections as you could see, most are made or bought. But blasters had an opening at the right price so a bit premature but its done and now Im welding goodish clean steel.
Cheers

[MK1_Oz]

Were you happy with the blasters service/price??? Did they prime or did you?

[jpayne]

Was quite happy. Quted me 3-4 hours at 250 per hour ended up only being 600 bucks unprimed.
I primed as they wanted another 250 and it took me 30 minutes with existing paint. Budget is getting light on.
Only negative is they managed to bend the back panel a bit moving the car on the spit. but I have come to the conclusion its repaint time anyhow...have to cut the rear arches and widen by 20mm...now it took me 5 years to choose a colour last time how long this time...

JP

[jpayne]

Slow going over the last two weeks as time has been spent air conditioning the house and looking for a garage/workshop/factoryette to rent (any leads fellas greatly appreciated)
But a good load done this weekend despite it all
Measure 75 times and once again for good measure.



then the tin snips came out, and the blisters.
A larger longer wider taller diff tunnel all fully welded in, also got the bulkhead sides welded in and the electrical bulkhead fitting hole cut.

Missed a bit with the paint

So the top of the parcel shelf to spot weld on then I start on the cage modification and replacement bars.
Paint by end of November

Cheers

JP

[Danny M]

Aren't the watts brackets supposed to be angles outwards to run as long an arm as possible

[jpayne]

Can and have been done many ways, the items brochure actually shows it this way
This way allows for wheel clearance and maintains clearance to the boot floor chassis rails which I don't want to cut as its that low, but floor will need gutscutting!.
the Axle is much wider than a standard escort item too making the mounting perhaps look narrow.

Cheers

JP

[Danny M]

Which brochure was that

[jpayne]

Danny, thanks for your interest
The Brochure that came with the race products kit!
!

http://www.raceproducts.net/wp-content/ ... Sheet1.pdf

It will be fine and wont require cutting of the chassis rails

JP

[Danny M]

LOLOL

He copies my brackets and pivot and then has instructions
The longer the arms the less of a figure 8 the diff moves in

[jpayne]

Danny,

That they may do but If I have to cut the chassis rails to get it to fit and work it makes me sad and a little mad.
These are fitted the best they are going to be.
Are yours wider then the chassis rails and how do you clear them and the boot floor on full bump.
No idea where anyones Ideas come from though.

JP

[Danny M]

Mine just clear the springs but on full squat on left hand corners it's bashed it's own clearance into the boot floor
You have to remember a watts works in a figure 8 through out it's range of travel

[jpayne]

If yours just clear the springs then we have arms about the same length as Mine are about 20mm overall shy of the chassis rails, to hopefully accommodate that figure 8 rotation.
The angled of the brackets should clear the raised chassis rail section. If not I have a grinder and welder and big hammers.
My bigger issue is one of height and I might have to recess the triangle mount into the boot floor rather than below it
Thanks for your concern and raising the issue.

JP

[Danny M]

Mine only just clear the rails by a couple of mil as the diff in the white car hit the rails
To fit Geoff's Harbour Bridge centre bracket you will have to cut into the or mount inside the boot like we do

[jpayne]

Any Pictures Danny.
The yellow car uses a different setup doesn't it?

JP

[jpayne]

More social time wasting and a day spent on the house meant not much progress this weekend.
And really just welding already made stuff in.
Parcel shelf spotted in and no discernible distortion yet, have turret top blanks to do yet

Got Link box braces welded in

and B pillar gussets welded in


Not a good day with the welder, just couldn't get it right and of course the welds are very visible...Damn it...and hot weld balls kept finding my left elbow


It may never end!

JP

[jpayne]

Well after a hard earned break of house stuff end of year bull-dust and just generally being sick of it I made my way to the shed and had a play.
I have been dreading the rear watts tower but it ended up being pretty straight forward and the boot floor, despite being much more pitted than the rear floor didn't fall apart when I looked at it with the grinder.

crap photo I know but boot side




Yes Danny the through bolts are in the wrong spots...

JP

[Danny M]

Yeah I'm not a fan of that bracket. Also I hope you did a dummy fit of the leaf springs and diff housing at ride height to make sure you got the spacing for the bracket right

[jpayne]

No leaf springs, bracket can be moved up and down if necessary with a little modification and yes it was all dummy fitted before I cut.
The tower bracket will be fine.

JP