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Xr4x4 Tidy

Started by Daz, June 15, 2007, 15:24:54

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Daz

Hi

I thought I would show what I am upto with my XR4x4. Some may have seen the threads on XROC and FSOC but thought I would pop a copy on here too. I am mainly trying to bring the car up to standard before looking for more in the engine dept.

I got my new XR4x4 in April 05 which was pretty much standard but with a recaro interior. And some small issues.




Once home I set about removing the ICE that the previous owner had installed as I had the Sony kit I removed from my old XR4x4. As I was leaning in the passenger footwell resting on my elbow I noticed it was getting wet  :?

So earlier than planned the interior was set to be removed. After a very nervous few mins removing everything I was pleased to report only very minor issues and no big holes like my one one    

 





So while the sound proofing dried I set about investigating the floor closely and found a little surface rust appearing under some small sections of the sound deadening, seat mounts and two small slits in the transmission tunnel. The plastic gromet at the front passenger side had got distrubed and cracked the sound deadening. I treated the rust, had the 2 small slits welded, refitted the gromet and replaced the sound deadening and painted the floor.






This looks worst than it was as the we only 2 small sections of rust.








While working in side I set about some other jobs. Fitted new header tank, old one was manky, changed plugs and leads and began to clean engine bay. Just done the servicing here.



During this time I had my 4x4 cosworth alloys sent away for refurb and got some new centre caps from ford


And got them fitted


Once the underlay was dry I set about cleaning years of dirt off the carpet. I used our small steam cleaner with its stiff brush and Autoglm interior shampoo and lots of clean water. I am pretty pleased with the results.






The car is a late model with the dark dash and red and blue interior. The previous owner had used early cosworth light grey seats but I had a late model cosworth dark interior stashed in the loft. I have got the rears fitted the fronts are next on my list.



I still need to get all of the plastic trim cleaned and back in along with the lower half of the dash but need to get some wiring sorted first. ICE and security. I want to try to re do this to get the fully closure working again.



So with the main interior well on the way I turned my attention to the boot. I knew the wheel well had some rust in it so set about cleaning and treating it.




I took some time off work and put some effort into making a dint the my list of jobs to do on the car.



I set about stripping the front end to see what condition some hidden areas were in. Started by removing the bumper as was reasonably please as there was minimal rust. I know the bect thing to do you be to cut it out and replace but that is not in my budget at the moment so containment was as far as I could go with rust kill and POR 15



Looking at the drivers side it has had a new wing not too long ago so things we not bad at all.

Cleaned up

Treated and painted

Looking a little sad for its self


I then set about the engine strip to fix the broken exhaust stud (passenger side back at the very bottom) :roll:




Inside the rocker covers looks nice and clean

So did around the heads - looks like it has had regular servicing





Heads


The heads have gone off to Bogg Brothers to have the exhaust studs replaced and the broken one removed
While away I got on with the rust proofing.
Waxoiling the front end..



I got these the other day which are now fitted


I got the engine back together again and once the dstributor was in the correct position fired up straight away 8)

I only got 1 rebuild picture as I was under a strict time deadline to get the car off the drive, as the "it'll only be there a week" was wearing thin with my girlfriend getting on for four weeks later :shock: Four weeks of not doing anything as I had other things to do.


Since getting it back and running it flew through its MOT with no problems not even an advisory 8)  I dropped it off at Ford the weekend before as I was working away during the week it was booked in. The day of the test I waited until lunch before giving them a ring as I had not heard anything. The conversation went something like this.
Me "You have my XR4x4 in for MOT"
Ford " Yes its all done"
Me (Sounding very surprised) "It's passed?"
Ford "Yes"
Me (Even more surprised) "What with no problems??"
Ford "Well I have a certificate here"
Me "WOW!!"

I was used to my old XR costing £500 or £600 for an MOT and that was a cheap one! :shock:

Any way back to the current one and a few things I have been buying.
Door weather seals



New reverse light connector for the gear box, my reverse lights packed up just before MOT, luckily its not a testable item (phew) I spotted this on ebay for a few quid so got it incase it would come in usefull.



New Escort Cosworth gear knob




One of my other purchases was another recaro interior. I was not happy with the condition of the one I had so I bought another but with a cunning plan :twisted:  It was an identical late model dark recaro interior but from a left hand drive. The logic being that what was worn on my current interior the opposite would be on the left hand drive and therefore I could put the 2 together to make a near perfect interior. The other bonus was that it came with all the door cards which looked and was described as in very good condition. I came from a breakers in the south so only had photos and description that I was given so went a head and bought it. Well when it arrived I was not too impressed. For starters the left hand drive drivers seat (normal passenger side) had been retrimmed in a different material that was not evident from the photos and when I contacted the breaker about it he said he had not noticed it but when he came across another he would swap it - but when that will be I don't know. Luckily my original passenger side was in good nick so this was not a disaster. Then when I looked at the door cards closer I notice that the vinyl was shrinking on the front door cards. So after combining the 3 door cards I had with the 4 "new" ones I now have 2 ones that I am happy with and 2 that are ok for now. The thing I was impressed with was the rear seat which is a massive improvement over my existing one. The came the amalgamation of 4 recaros began.

Orignal passenger seat good back, good left hand lower bolster

but has small burns

and the outer bolster was streched and was marked

Original Drivers, poor upper and lower bolsters

"New" right hand passenger seat with replaced upper bolster (can just see they are shinier

It had a fag burn and the outer bolster was worn

The strip down began

Good outer bolster foam

Foam being replaced

Replacement in place

Covered

I was not happy with the centre of the rear so it came out

There was a mark a the bottom

There were some marks on the head rest so swapped this while the back was apart

Back - back together again

This was the original drivers bolster

and this was why

And the replacement

And covered

Replaced base

Back together

And the other


After lots of cleaning and swapping I now have a near perfect set of seats. Just have to keep an eye out for the replacement door cards and I will be happy.

That's it for now

Daz

sjwag

looking really good,i have been busy spraying my front and rear bumpers,some similar rust spots to yours behind the bumper. keep up the good work.

Taps


Daz

After nearly 12 months I thought it time to bring you up to date with what I have been up to.

One of my main aims was to sort they poor wiring under the dash and have the alarm sorted out as a 10 year old could have made a better job than the so called professionals that threw this one in from 10 paces. I looked for an approved toad installer and came accross Ian Mewse in Leeds. I also came across some of his posts when looking for a manual for my alarm. He always gets very good comments from customers and is always happy to help. While I was working on the fuel pump wiring I had the dash out which up set the alarm some how. I rang Ian and he was
very helpful even though I was asking for advice. After all I had seen and my conversation I was more than happy to organise for Ian to come to my work and sort out the alarm.

I completely removed the dash and Ian set about rewiring the alarm connection to much more secure locations within the loom. He also fixed
the remote boot release and fitted a full closure addon and we worked out a few tricks to make the installation even more secure. Ian's web site can be found here http://www.mobilecaralarms.com/]http://www.mobilecaralarms.com/ I would recommend him to anyone in the Leeds area.

After the reinstallation of the alarm (and removal of 10 ton of un needed wiring) a lot of my strange glowing lights and junping rev counter when indicating were cured.

No pictures for security reasons  :D

Next came the MOT.

The only things I had to do was replace 2 front drive shaft gaters and sort out the exhaust. The pipe to the back box had broken and needed a proper bodge to reconnect it for the MOT.



Peco box was not my choice - it was already on the car when I got it.

I am saving for a full stainless system so do not want to be buying new sections for this one as the whole thing is about ready to drop off. Amazingly it passed with only an advisory on some minor leaks. The only other thing noted was that the break pipes will need attention for the next MOT. I have borrowed a flaring kit to make up some new ones this summer.

Once the MOT was out of the way I replaced the standard front shocks with my System 2 shocks and springs.



I bought these for my old XR4x4 and they were only on the car for a few hundred miles and about 11 months before it died due to chassis rot. While the wheels were off I gave the arches a good clean and also did the wheels.








Since then I have been buying parts

New Ford Mats


New Indicator and lights sticks


Cosworth Fans


Nearly new Ford radiator with hole for temp sensor and seperate loom



New boot release lever


For months I have been driving around with only 3/4 of a dash so I thought I better get my butt in gear and finish the interior and give it a good clean. I also picked up a Cosworth leather stearing wheel.

Some random interior shots. (The gear stick surround is still off as I am waiting on a new rubber cover that goes under the leather gater and I am also getting my spare gear box reconditioned so it will have to come out anyway.



















I am hoping to crack on more soon - hopefully my next update will be soon :D

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