Mk3 escort van, rwd and maybe a V8

[dr knockers]

just pics for the minute.....

[dr knockers]

decided im going V8.... just got pick one now..... windsor, gmc, lexus..... the possibilities r endless??

mostly wheel pics


the rears are 11j and the 345/35/15 are really suited for an 12j, anti-stretch i guess

cut  some m6 studding to bring the halfs together


double nutted the ends  and slowly tighten up all 10 studs




front are only 8j

the dish makes my ipod look like a nano!!





got some nuts and bolts to temp fit the space saver wheels onto the volvo half shafts







should get them back in the axle soon so i can drag the van out the garage

i have the front end of a sierra



so im thinking of maybe doing something like this




any ideas, options and opinions are very welcomed this is still very fluid in my head, only thing i will add is that the axle will be 4 linked at the very least

[dr knockers]

not done much on this for a while but have moved forward in other areas, i have sourced an engine for it and decided that im going 17" wheel instead of the 15" cotton reels, tyres for the rear would cost me too much espically when they only make a batch a yr.....

anyways........ pictures!!










now for the engine.......
























the hole in the bulkhead will have to make......

[Dave]

It's taking forever to download the pics here on my crap laptop connection but from what I can see this looks awesome!

Gonna be a lot work but also alot of fun when it's finished!!!!

Nice.

[fordrwd4ever]

Yes, great project
Do you think it will be ready @ FordFair?

Cos if it is, i want so see it

[dr knockers]

Apologizes its very picture heavy.

At times im trying to ignoring how much needs to be done otherwise it would overwhelm me, its small and steady steps for me!!

The engine was a major leap and i'm still reading/learning about the cobra lump and its supercharged versions.

This video helps keep me motivated thou....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lQX3cOAbes

Thanks fordrwd4ever, i doubt very much, doing it all myself so its as an when..... however Euromillions is about 60m tonight so once i've picked up my cheque it should speed progress it up a bit 

[Dave]

No pictures are good!

Just will have to wait till I get home to get a decent connection to see them.

[kevchard]

Hi
Looking very nice that :)
The quad cam V8 is a very wide engine, about 10" wider than the Windsor and Cleveland 5.0 / 5.8 V8.
The rebuild costs of the modern Ford V8s are dearer than the old style pushrod lumps.
The advantage is the modular DOHC V8 is higher on power to start with. The choice is yours, but for my engine i chose a 351W engine.
I can put you in contact with a bloke selling import V8s for rebuilding if you want.
Cheers
Kevin

[dr knockers]

The engine package was purchased from Tim Garrington when he broke his time attack escort cossie so i know it will fit in a sierra bay with some major bulk head mods.....

his build pic's here http://s307.photobucket.com/albums/nn311/NEWBOYNEIL/V8%20madness%20600bhp/

spec'd very well, figures quote where '600 BHP AT PRESENT TUNE WILL TAKE 850 BHP'

The engine package came with Omex 710 so i got a bit of learning to do, its running 2 external Bosch COP ignition control modules in wasted spark mode from what i can make out.








Managed to label up all the loom, this is what i have identified.....

100   A/C Clutch Field Coil   
106   Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor   
133   Main connection
171   Heated Oxygen Sensor   
174   Ignition Transformer Capacitor    
180   Camshaft Position Sensor   
189   Throttle Position Sensor   
194   Ignition Transformer Capacitor    
1064   Engine Coolant Temp Sensor   
1066   Idle Air Control   
1068   DPFE Sensor   
1072   Erg Vacuum regulator Solenoid   
1181   Injector 1   
1182   Injector 2   
1183   Injector 3   
1184   Injector 4   
1185   Injector 5   
1186   Injector 6   
1292   Supercharger By-Pass Solenoid   
1299   Barometric Absolute Pressure Sensor   
1312   Injector 7   
1313   Injector 8   

I wont be running the ERG system so the DPFE Sensor and Erg Vacuum regulator Solenoid can go

There is no air con so the A/C Clutch Field Coil can be removed.

Got to wire in......

3 BAR MAP sensor which is a 3 pin and the mustang loom has a barometric absolute pressure sensor which has 4 pin so i might be able to piggy back this wiring.

Air temp sensor, need to drilled and tap the manifold under the inlet cooler matrix.

Related questions so far.....

Whats the Supercharger By-Pass Solenoid is for?

Edit: http://www.christopherfowler.com/mustang/VacBypass.htm

Do i need knock sensors??

Do i want a dash gauge to know about fuel rail pressure?

The idle air Control(dont know if i really need this, if the mustang is off stepper motor type then omex cant run it anyway and i may need scatter spark to help idle)

The download manual for the 710 says for wideband contact them? the original cobra has 4 narrowbands! the current exhaust system has provisions for 2 but can omex can aggregate 2?

Fuel Pump Duty Cycle (FPDC)
Fuel Pump Driver Module (FPDM)
Boost A Pump (BAP)

[kevchard]

The bypass solenoid on my eaton m90 was to improve fuel economy at low revs by letting air into the inlet manifold without going through the blower vanes. This basically equalises the air pressure either side of the blower vanes so it is not working hard at low revs, therefor not robbing power from the crank.
That is my understanding but i may be wrong.
We have a megasquirt, so cant help with the omex im afraid.
Good luck with it all.
Cheers
Kevin

[robrs2]

Above is correct on the bypass valve. Its also to help with none boost required engine rpm, Part throttle etc.

Just a not on the rear axle. Are there any spring saddles fitted ?

[dr knockers]

thanks Kevin and rob for the replies.

I was going to 4 link the volvo axle, its just a temp fixed on the leafs so i could move it in out out of the garage. Gonna rethink the axle now thou.....

[dr knockers]

moved forward a bit more with this project..... renting a workshop a little bit closer to home!

Mostly pics


Longer doors....

[dr knockers]

so the cutting began....










Big thanks to Stuart for staying late with me and having the balls to just keep hacking at the sills till they fitted!! We must of trial fitted it at least 15 times, cutting and shaping a little bit closer each time....

[capri v8 driver]

You have alote of work to do. Keep up the good work.

[Lemon-Ade]

This is a serious project  nice with heaps of pics too. Gonna be keeping an eye on your progress mate

[dr knockers]

thanks guys, i love a photo me....

todays endeavors.... got myself a air joggler/ spot weld hole punch to make life easier, got the window A pillars permanently welded up, mostly tying in and welding it strong atm.

[dr knockers]

It's been toooooo long!!

Just pictures







Laser aligned it all....









.


Braced the wheelbase



First major welds....
























New split rim parts and tyres... 335/35/17 on a 13j





First panel fit looks good, over the next couple of weeks i hope to get the roll cage basics in and tied to front strut so the van is movable!

[dr knockers]

Been trying to get the roll cage sorted, i have a clubman kit from custom cages but it was just the basics which i first thought was prefect for my needs but in reality i needed something more specific because im trying too integrate the 4 link suspension into the cage because there isn't really a chassis in the van. Also the fact that its 3 cars stitched together i need the cage to be saving me arse if it all goes wrong and to take the strain instead of my botched monocoque!



TubeTech, digitised the main hoop





he printed out the x,y and z for me....



used the data to create the cad file for the start of the cage



i need to extend the hoop ends and take 45mm out the middle, the original main hoop sits on plates level with the top of the sill, the 4 link brackets need to sit lower than this so hence the need for the extended ends....

Many hrs later I'm fairly happy with the design, still learning and seeking advice and knowledge on this, not sure if the rear structure is strong enough in tube because most frames i have seen have a boxed rear chassis part... such as these

http://www.autoweldchassis.com/susp.ivnu



Anyways here is the design so far, hoping to speak to a local hot rod builder who is currently building a caged sit up and beg rod to get some reassurance that the cage is heading along the right lines...







I'm going to prototype the cage in a cheap material first, TubeTech is going to bend the main hoop and A post in exhaust tube(45mm) so i can cut, twist and kink it till its right and then he can digitise this and produce the real one in cds. Should have picked up the bent exhaust bits last week but he's promised it will be done for the weekend.... fingers crossed!

last pic is just were i've cut more of the van rear floor out to get access to the area for the 4 link bracket and cage

[dr knockers]

TubeTech came good with the exhaust copy mockup.... I cut it to fuck, took forever to get right and was pretty stressful in the end. Anyways its tight on the A post and gaps at top of main hoop.









Give them a good debur and clean up before they went back to TubeTech....





Old and new



Next biggie smalls was getting the engine over..... Fuck yeah in the back of the focus!! Scrapping on bump stops along the M4 in rush hr - 'Like a boss'. It was super tight in the back and pissed gearbox oil all over the back seat - 'Like a cunt'







Next up was the charge cooler rad...





Got started on a couple of brackets













Front panel needed some extra vents for the rad

Mocked up some test bits to c how it would work and look...





Got drilling



I got some hole press cutters of the bay, a hole saw is too shit a finish for the swagging







Got swagging



Was too flat and needed a curve to match the front panel, tacked it to the small rsj and slammed a scaffold tube into it a few times.....









The focus rs charge rad has go three helicoil inserts along the bottom, I'm using these to help tie in the front panel

[capri v8 driver]

Alote of fab work, but you are getting there.

[mak1cozzy]

this is going to be such a nice looking wagon when its done..
man its gune donut an sound the nuts...

[Dave]

A lot of work is an under statement but boy oh boy this is gonna be some fun when finished.

Keep up the good work. 

[dr knockers]

big update coming today..... about 150+ pics i need to sort throu and get in a logical order for sensible update, will be on and off on this all day so bare with me....

Enjoy

charge cooler pump needed a bracket







sourced a cossie 60mm rad, needs brackets repositioning




Biggest stress and task over the last 6months has been the roll cage! U would think its only and few bent bits of tube - how hard can it be, but its unbelievably labour intensive. i was fortunate enough to know the fella from Tubetech prior to needing a cage, his help was invaluable. Even still it was a mission as i had never done one before and this was a one off for the van.

Tubetech lent me a fishmouthing machine, its really just a super powerful belt sander with interchangable drums to match the tube u are itersecting - it was nevertheless a godsend. Unfortunately it was 3ph machine and the unit only has single phase power so i found another home for it which had 3 phase and got started....

quick video of it in action.... flammables where keep well away!!



the sparks fused themselves together it was that intense



the results thou where perfect....



Many of my insects where on start of bends and on the bend itself and my brain could not coup will the 3d geometry intersections so i found a cheat..... using the old exhaust tube sample cage and fibreglass i set about moulding the complex ones and in the end i moulded most to make sure i had no mistakes and to stop my brain from frying!



i set the angles on the machine using the moulded sample. The machine had 2 adjusts for notching a tube, first the angle of the tube against the sanding drum and secondly the rotation that the the tube was clamped at. Sounds simple but at times i was left head scratching.

On the pictures below you will see exhaust clamps on almost all the tubes it was the only way i could think of to keep tabs of the tube rotation when going back and forth to the notcher. The ipad angle app was also very handy and getting the angles right....









I had purchased a tool to sample the joints thinking it would sort it all, not so, used it only on a few occasions, the front turrets being one.






One of the main reasons it was such a difficult task was my lack of experience and confidence. i worried i would over cut and fuck it up. I had used all the tube which was special order and tubetech had moved up north, a mistake was not conceivable. Many times i under notched the tube and would on many occasion  ferry the same piece back and forth from unit to fishmounthing machine which was 30mins away dependant of traffic, it was a pain too say the least! Glad to write now thou my judgement on where to finish the notch has greatly improved!

anyways enough typing for today, i'll leave you with just pics of the mocked roll cage.....















p.s plenty more pics still to come over the nxt few days

[capri v8 driver]

Good tools are halve the work.

Top job.

[whiteestate]

Lots of hard work there pal ! great workshop you have there too something i need to sort out 

[limey]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!, i love seeing builds like this.id love to be capeable of building a car like this but wouldnt know where to start.
is that a mk2 granada with quad headlight conversion in the top pic???????????

[dr knockers]

Many thanks. Indeed Capri v8 driver, being lent the fish mouthing machine was a godsend!

Limey its a mk5 cortina with an aftermarket grill, tbh the grill didnt stay for long

More update pics for u

was finally happy with the front half of the cage and i have been highly spurred on by the other fellow mk3 rwdrivers on passion ford getting there cages done and in paint..... it was just a matter of putting in the hrs






















Cage time....









planned to have the cage touching the screen pillars, after the roof crosses where weld the legs went all over the place, was not confident i could get them back where i wanted but few hrs later i had them welded to the pillars front and back.....












Needed to get all the cage joins welded. Couple off access holes proved handy

[Lemon-Ade]

This just gets better and better  top job mate , keep up the good work and updates 

[revhead]

This will be evil when it's finished....