RS Motorsport :: Classic Speed Restored

favorite photo from this week!
Not really progress but ordered a whole heap or AN fittings for the oil and fuel system and searched high and low for mag nuts with tapered face to suit these wheels. and ebay won the day!

big brakes

JP

Got it setup on a raised platform today ready for alignment and arch fitting.
got the wheels pretty close a mm here or there to fine tune later but good enough to fit body panels too.
Looks like I need to make longer compression struts though as I'm obviously running way to much caster or the measurements for the comp strut brackets were advised wrong?
so old front panel needs a bit of work

Having been cut and hacked about a few times and full of filler

So I turned it into a pile of old misshapen steel parts on the floor

before I trial fitted the new inner radiator shroud and intercooler

New front panel

and checked if the guards fit, which is nice that they are pretty close


Cheers

JP

Can anyone see a reason why I shouldn't fix the front panel in place on with steel rivets rather than spot welds. Would make fitting the intercooler and future work much easier.

Judging by the 12 spot welds across the top and 3 along the bottom the panel is just decorative anyway.

JP

Large rivets would be fine I would have thought. What about converting to bolt on using rivnuts like I did?

Initially I thought rivnuts but recent experience hasn't been super happy. a few of them spun when undoing, despite the pilot hole size being correct. I don't think it will be taken of often but I want to keep the inner panels solid rather than cut them out to suit the intercooler.
JP

I was told to use a dab of locktight on the rivnut before locking in place. I have not had any spin yet....

Thanks guys,

spent a bit more time up there, got it up on 'blocks' so I can dummy build it
front suspension nearly all together have new sway bar brackets to suit comp strut sway bar which mounts the bar further back. need longer drop links too as the front arms are so wide

fitted the brake reservoirs and that all works great, good access below to screw in the flexible lines.
dropped engine in alone, couldn't get engine and gearbox in in one go even without the front panels

\
and now for the tough question.
Does this arrangement look like a bad idea...especially if the oil cooler is between the intercooler and radiator?

Going to have 90 degree bends welded onto the intercooler to minimise rubber stuff
I can get it all to fit with minimal cutting if I mount it all this way. failing that its finding a place for the oil cooler? under the front arch or behind the crossmember cool side? or radical cut to passenger floor to scollop an underfloor duct and mount it there!

JP

Having done a few laps of the short QR circuit in my escos, temps slowly crept up over the 4 laps per session.

The ecos needs more radiator, and i think a 3 core has no hope in my mk1 when I get back to it.

If you do extended runs under power I think the rad in the picture won't be enough.

Thanks John, I was concerned about that, its a new 3 core copper radiator. and I think Im resigned to mounting the cooler beside the starter motor rather than pre-load the radiator with hot air.
So
what size radiator

JP

Yeah, wise move keeping the oil cooler from dumping hot air on the rad.

The escos rad is about half as wide again and similar height compared to a Mk1 rad. It has only the A/C condenser core in front, so no heat load from it when playing. The intercooler sits above the rad so again no heat load off the inetercooler goes through the rad.

That should give you an idea of what your up against cooling wise.

Seeing as you have the welder going would it not be a better solution to dump the standard radiator support panels and the slam panel and do something custom with the space available?

You got a dry sump system? Cannot remember. If so the oil cooler could go in the return side and be in the boot with some setup to ensure airflow????? Hey, group B Audi Sport Quattro style with it up on the boot lid

yep investigating big radiators and have come to the conclusion ill be cutting out new metal!
But before I do I have some other big holes to make


and some infilling. I joggled the edge of the hole to get a nice flush finish. Should I spot weld every 20mm or spot weld and fully seam?




JP

8 weeks and twice the money for a guess at a working radiator from PWR and or ADRAD had me on the PC last week
3 days later this arrived nicely packed and appropriately priced and proven to work and fit...Oh and half the price of the locals


also my favorite photo of the week

and welded the arches on after joggling the original arch so have a nice flush panel joint to finsh!

also machined 15mm of the back of the rear wheel centers to fit! +40 offset

JP
hopefully have the front panel in this weekend after trimming to suit new alloy goodness and then onto paint

jp

have you got the the weight of the car on milk crates?

No just the wheels and suspension, jack stands just visible, no engine either
However If you stiffen up the top of the milk crate however, with wood sheet and screws they are fine, will hold much heavier loads, Science is great!

JP

It has a face

and a radiator/intercooler combo which fits

its a big hole

and I like this photo

cardboard header tank and overflow in one

JP

subazuki now running time to turn back to the escort
before

during

after

all major welding is done...i think.
JP

Looking good Justin. Keep going!

Got any new pics of the Subazuki?

Is it my imagination or are the rear the other way round?