Duddley

Sorry to keep you waiting. I know this is a long overdue update so I'll keep it brief with lotsa photos Here's it's current state Removed the subframe and struts then water blasted the muck out and had a look for signs of serious rot - which there was none! Just some light surface rust. The boots almost ready to go. Just need to cut, fold up and weld in a support bracket that spans the lock assembly support (took ages to hammer that back into shape) to the end between the shock towers. Then it's ready for base coat (that's POR-15 painted there so far) I was lucky enough to get a pair of awesome mounting brackets form a chap in the states that was making a few for himself and his mates! This will make the m20 mount onto the standard subframe mounts! Another benefit is it will push the engine further back into the center of the car and means I don't need to hack the nose-panel up to make it fit! Woo! Here's the test fit on the subframe - lookin good! I'll need to drill new mounting holes in the drivers side subframe mount as it sits roughly 15-20mm out which is no biggy. I'll do that once the subframe is bolted back into the car and the engine is resting on there naturally. Don't want to drill now in-case it's not straight etc and don't want to put extra stress on the mounts. So vice grips will do for now. However, the passenger side is perfect! Will add a strengthening plate to the inside of that subframe mount as thats a classic spot for stress cracks. One issue is the steering box vs the headers. In short.. It fits! but... The guibo heat shield is touching the headers. Not by much, but those headers will cook the guibo and the steering box in no time. I'll have to make up some headers myself one day. I'll also need to look into an oil filter relocation kit as the steering box definitely interferes with the filter. All in all - I'm very happy that the engine fits and there's space for future headers to flow around the steering box! I was starting to stress if there was going to be enough space and would have to forego the M20. I always figured I'd need to make up some headers and think about relocating the oil filter anyway. So next up is bolting the subframe back into the car, dropping the engine back on and align it all, drill those holes and check the clearance on the firewall end (thinking of taking out the rain tray there) then get the engine tested to see if it's worth building back up. I'll also be prepping the engine bay ready for paint. EXCITING!

Have finally done some body work! Today's effort was cutting and replacing the manky big rust hole in the spare tire well in the boot. Started by drawing where I gotta cut Cut along the lines Make cardboard template from original, cut new piece and smack with a hammer until matching, grind and tweak until it fits in hole Weld and grind Now to do the same with some of the other bits here and there.. Gona leave the exterior welding for someone that can do this proper. Not a half-wit like me Other stuff I've done is to start stripping the new engine down a bit. It all looks pretty good so far! Have got in touch with a chap in the states that's just made a set of engine mounts to mount a m20b25 into a 2002 and said he'll be making a few sets. He's making the mounts so the engine will sit further back into the car, which means I'll need to give the firewall a nudge with a hitter. Better that than cutting up the nose and having to fab up a heap of strengthening supports etc. Mean maori mean

Cheers Ed for the freight run! Obligatory coils and shock out test fit They're perfect fit. Can't wait to hoon with coilovers set to banana.

Cazz and I are cruising up sometime Friday morning

What a choice turn out

Need some advice please! The little fins on the aluminium front grills have snapped off and was wondering what the best way to fix it is? Could some solder hold it together?

For some reason, I just saw your build thread for the first time. I think it's cause I'm dumb and don't spend as much time on here as I should.. Can't wait to see ya this thing at nats!

Cazz and I will try make it! woo

In keeping with tradition of not doing what I said I'd do next from my previous post.. This'll make it heeeeeeaps easier to mount the M20 and jazz it up A popular fix for fitting the M20 into these engine bays is to hack the top of the nose so a larger radiator can be installed and be brought forward. However, I've read that people have opted for not cutting up the nose by using a wasted spark setup and an electric water pump for the M20 as these can be remotely mounted. Doing this can save a fair bit of space at the front of the engine. So I might look into that! Been having a tough time deciding whether to restore the bottom of the nose back to original and roll as is, or buy a fiberglass airdam and stick it on. The airdam option will be by far the easiest, but I'm liking the original bumperless look more and more. Restoring the nose to original is beyond my amature tom-foolery, so I'll have to way up the two options financially and do some pros and cons. Hmm. Next up: get the engine in there and make up some mounts. Might be hard to do it properly without gearbox/clutch/bellhousing

This will hopefully be me one day Such a lush build. Inspiration peaking!

Ahh that makes sense now! Although, they were pretty shoddy welds.. Ahh well, I'll make even shoddier welds when I put them back on to keep up tradition. I get super motivated each time I read up on your project on the FAQ! Do you recon there'd be much of a difference running single line boosterless brakes without the twin brake boosters?

Got the fenders off. What a bugger of a job. They were held on with 12 screw/bolts each with some of them easily accessible from the outside, then most of them were up under the guards under an inch of muck and underseal. It's as if the guy who previously tried to restore this had the bright idea of painting five cars worth of underseal up under there, then parking it in a swamp. Great work Here's the fun part. The 2002s were braised with lead on the very top end where the fender meets the nose so it's nice and flush with no gap. I've read that it's a simple job of melting the lead away and separating the fender away from it. The guy who fixed this up previously not only leaded the seam but also spot welded it. You'll have to imagine me flailing away on the end of a fender trying to rip the thing off, fighting some shitty welds. I'm surprised I didn't rip any sheet metal, or worse.. Careful application with an angle grinder soon fixed that. I should be a surgeon Next update will be after all that old underseal/filler muck has been cleaned up as well as fixing some rust holes n shit.

Congrats man, that's indeed a sweet find! What's the bonnet logo of?

I'm getting a Renault Alpine vibe from this...

One day it shall be a 2.something stroked turbo weapon! That 2.7ltr turbo m20 makes me feel funny in my pants. In the mean time though - I need to rebuild and lush the engine up, along with the rest of the car. What's the process to rebuild an engine? I'm guessing: Take it all apart Degrease as much of it as I can Figure out which ancillaries are bung and what's to keep Take stripped down engine block and head somewhere to get test/cleaned Block/head rebored, honed, crank polished, valves ground etc. Start buying rebuild bits like: gaskets, seals, valve seals, oversized pistons, rods, a lush cam, megasquirt etc Figure out how to put all this shit together Is this right more or less?

Hell yeah! Been lookin at cams and stroker kits and the like. Stoker kits are super spendy but cams are not too badly priced for these things! What's the best way to get an engine cleaned up? Take everything apart and take the head and block to get hot bathed or similar?

Unsure if seen or not.. but motivation!

So this m20b25 happened.. It's missing a few bits and it's in pretty rough condition. Nothin but a bit of spit n' polish and a small fortune on rebuild bits can't handle I WILL MAKE IT FIT BY CRIKEY

Oh sweet, yeah that would be awesome thanks! Cazz and I are off up north for the weekend tomorrow so could drop them off and leave the bits round behind your shed there. But yeah nah, no hurry at all on the things though.

Anyone know of any friendly blasterers in Hawke's Bay where I can take in a bunch of smallish bits (eg. a stripped down pedal box and pedals etc.) and get em blasted?

want need more

Keen! Will ask Cazz if she's keen. Failing that, I'll ask if she'll let me pinch the mk1 seeing as that's the only going OS car we got now. So 9.30 at the Westshore pub again Sunday sunday sunday?

A sweet site for any kind of parts is this site Wallothnesch.com. They often have deals and stuff too. Can't wait till I can make orders from there!

Decided to take this center boot support out so I can figure out where the rust began and ended. So drilled the spot welds out and broke the super crappy brazing/welds off and found that it wasn't too bad under there. Will ditch it and fab a new one soon Decided to also to take the boot catch assembly out as well so I can tidy what's in behind there too. However someone put the dick on this thing.. It's structurally strong still so will bash it back into shape, clean it up and reuse. I'm thinking someone previously replaced the boot floor and bent this thing up (where the rusty bits are towards the top of the photo), then bent it back down and welded it in place and called it a day. Stink. Anyway. Time to get stuck in and get it ready for paint

Let me know if you're gona get new wheels and wana ditch the old ones.