M_C Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 Had one of “Those” night’s in the garage on Wed. Wiper motor was being surprisingly difficult to get in the right place one handed bent under the dash. The heavy brass fitting for oil pressure and warning light fell onto my eye socket as I was lying on my back under the dash trying to get the heater box in. Ow. Heater box would not fit so had to take out the awkward bolts for switch pannel, then only 2 of 4 heater bolts would go in as my homer gasket was a bit thick and 1 heater bolt was behind the wiper motor I had finally got in. juggling the heater box then broke a riveted part, then my nice LED torch went flat and then I got bit big bit of junk in my eye. Time to pack it in… Much better night last night! Wipers now in and working, heater box ducted in and working. Just need to plumb it in to water. Maybe not very exciting to others but made me happy. O-rings to seal wiper spindle from Seal Imports and tap washer to seal inside. Almost done Working Wipers! Eye socket assult weapon. Otherwise known as very oversize oil pipe junction. Since been secured again. Double happy pic. No, not the beers, Stuff getting crossed off the to do list and found a curly pig tail water pipe in the compulsary "box of bits that may one day be useful" perfect to plumb in heater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 Firewall done Engine flushed of old coolant. Hoping any weeping coolant was being promoted by the water wetter so new coolant used without it. Very happy to have no leaks from heater after running engine up to temp! Well one minor on from drain bung not quite tight enough easily fixed with a spanner. Another load of the van ready for first proper motor sport event, Fiat Waikato Club’s Sainsbury Rd Hill Climb. Very Excited! I watched the video’s of earlier event lots to try and get an idea of the road. What it does not show properly is the elevation change and how big the cambers are (Think Large and Large) and the full drama of the car sliding a little as you thrash it up the road! What a Fantastic road and event! Here is one of my runs for my viewing pleasure http://youtu.be/Wr04aS9mjbE Was expecting Mr 7000rpm driveitlikeyoustoleit Shaneo to beat me with his experience thrashing his car around the countryside, much lighter front end and me never having driven my car on anything like this so I was Very Happy to beat him by 0.11sec. Hmmm, may have to cut the tow rope back to him… Bring on the Hampton next event! Log book now has two entries now so can apply for motorsport authority card to get her on the road. Yes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 Really looking forward to the Circuit Sprints at Hampton from the Fiat Tarmac series. A nice little Father’s Day gift for me! Second proper motorsport event and first with racing other cars and starting off the grid meant a building trouser excitement level... Forecast was stunning and day dawned crisp and clear. Engine was a little off song on the Hill Climb, but seemed to smooth out?? But on the practise run at Hampton it has not got better. Darn. Well if I break it I will just fix it I figured. I think my subliminal desire for screaming twin cam 4pot was busy twisting my procrastination rubber arm and leaning on my lead foot as on the last lap I managed to break it. Had (another) moment on the sweeper on the last lap when engine was hot, oil thin and foot hard down seems to have upset the crank and big end bearing as straightening the car out after it and the engine had a very different note. Oh Dear… Limp mode the remainder of the lap. Would have gone into the pits but was on the wrong side of the track after letting people past. Video to first timed run: http://youtu.be/G23Xlv1MULc So now I have 7 weeks to the next of the Tarmac Series to sort something. Plan is to strip engine and see how bad it is. Then price repair and raid toy budget. Or maybe time to bring forward plans for the repower? Was very impressed with Mark’s black Mk1 running standard late gen beams on a link as it lifted the front wheel powering out of corners… 120rwkw looks like fun, and faster than the batmobile of Archetype. Maybe SR20DE as the other contender. Anyone got nice engine that would suit that they are not using…? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 So I am not going to make the last event of the tarmac series. Insert unhappy face icon here. Assorted contributing factors, mainly have not touched the car so its still sitting patiently with broken motor in the back of the warehouse occasionally getting stroked and gazed at as I go past. Also accidentally bought another car, sorry honey, I did sell the donor bodies first! Then to top it off the key salesman was poached from work so now there is a mercy dash to China on Sat. I did consider saddling up mates car after arriving at the airport at 7am Sun the day of the last tarmac series, but pretty sure the handbag would take a very dim very of such gallivanting. Especially after missing daughter birthday. On a happier train of thought I finally managed to persuade Mel that the adjustable front struts were much better looked after in my garage. It took much wangling and many trade offers and some cash before she could finally be convinced to part with them. Pretty keen to see how they go! 300lb spring, new inserts. Just need keeper springs and C spanners. Oh, and make time to put new engine and struts in... Happy Birthday to me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted November 5, 2013 Author Share Posted November 5, 2013 So I got out for a sneaky little track session at Hampton last night. Was supposed to be co driving Sparky the keen 4dr escort with mildly angry pinto but her owner got tied up at work (literally…?) and insisted that I clear the cobwebs out of her by shifting at 6,500 and testing re-kited brakes. This is an offer I could not refuse… Forecast looked OK, but day became more threatening as it went on. High cost of leaving work early and risk of bending a mates car on a damp track had me wavering. Shaneo had firm words and so suitably hardened up I headed out running late and under pressure to make it on time. Cresting the Bombay’s I was greeted with heavy showers scattered around and wet track. OOoooooooooh this will be interesting on worn semi’s…. But track quickly dried out and great fun was had Spanking Sparky around the track! Mildly angry pinto of mystery specification definitely has more urge than the old V6 Essex and the semi’s can be lent on way more than my street tyres, but only after they are up to temp… Got down to 1.26.9 so 4sec faster than my car. Finished drenched in sweat and exhausted, Sooo Much Fun! Worked pinto is now high on list of possible engine swaps as race engine. Advantages of classic ford in classic ford. Disadvantages of limited to about 170hp before costs are too much. But my eye was turned the way of the 3sge beams in Mark’s Mk1 Escort. As fast as I was passing the ailing Shaneo’s 1600 cross flow, Mark was wailing past me doing 1.21’s… (I did get him back passing him up the Bombays with my new company tow wagon, but while enjoyable that’s not really the point.) So still considering candidates for new engine. Most fun is with similar speed cars and dicing it up and learning to drive properly so need to find a suitable class. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted November 13, 2013 Author Share Posted November 13, 2013 Engine transplant #1 is a modest step closer with the belated arrival of another heavyweight V6 essex into my garage. Digit up the port test suggests the heads may have been cleaned up a little? Got to find time for strip, check and rebuild in between dreaming of engine transplant #2... Hmmmmmm 3sge or hot pinto... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 Fuel for some Summer Time Dreaming... SBF fits a Mk1 Escort engine bay pretty well and the happy side of 350rwhp makes for a good sound track. Would need a little more firewall trimming to go around corners. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 A new take on Xmas stocking stuffers. Who cares about stockings when you can stuff some Bilsteins into coil overs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 So I have been diligently working through my critical list to get the car running again. Mainly by slacking off over Xmas holidays swaning around on the parents boat with the family, talking and drinking and working on a white boy tan… Garage time has consisted of accidentally buying another and another Mk1 2dr Escort, (Sorry Honey) Now though the garage fleet has not been thinned somewhat. The mint shell went to a good home to be Rob’s Reincarnated Racer after a BIG rear end shunt. Almost neckbreakingly big but his head bounced off the roll cage saving him. Maybe its time for that Hans…? So back on track and getting withdrawal symptoms and looking at all the cool events going on I headed down to the garage to get my engine sorted, and ended up trying on some hand me down mags from a mate. What do you think? Imagine painted black and car + 2” of lowness. Shame that is the two 16x8 rears on one side… They fill out the guards very well and are nice and wide. They style looks pretty passable if I squint and price is right. But really they are 80’s style larger rear 16x8 and smaller front 15x7. This makes the large front arch cut out look even bigger and just wrong. Ah well. Anyone got another 2 16x8 whatever these are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 Sooooooo, confession time… Felicity has been rather ignored and been pouting in the corner of the garage as I have got rather distracted buying other escorts and smoking up varying degrees of garage points as they come home in varying states of repair. Suffice to say that dragging a rusty shell to sit in the garden did not earn garage points from handbag. (That didn’t seem to stop me.) The collection currently stands as below. So to deal with this drastic situation we had a run out to Karaka garage night to see an even bigger garage filled with even more escorts. Hmmmm, I need one of those. Must. Resist. But its sooo hard to resist. A strict talking to myself ensued that degenerated and got somewhat confused after some beers. The cold light of sensibility means Smurfette has to go. Let me introduce you to Smurfette my little garage queen. She is Now For Sale and will post add shortly as soon as I dry my tears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 A little more progress. Smurfette sold to guy with big smile coming back from the dark side of turboed moderns. Sad to see her go, but went to good home. Looking forward to seeing her progress. Stripped down the donor v6 for inspection. First time I have ever pulled an engine fully apart. Pretty sure I can get it to go again. Spot the rust flakes coming out all over the floor. Not sure that is supposed to happen? Must be weight loss program as goodness know it could do with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted March 28, 2014 Author Share Posted March 28, 2014 So after an interesting conversation with a mate who had been on the receiving end of a large rear end punt I bought one of these. The in car video from a few cars back was interesting watching as the little escort pirowetted through the air.. His neck would have been broken over the back of the seat if his helmet had not hit the diagonal brace on the roll cage at the right moment and bounced it back... Hmmmm, I dont think I like the sound of that. He recommended the ears to contain your helmet rattling round and hopefully keep spinal cord intact in worst case scenario so I grabbed a buy now an new KW seat from TM. Some progress has been made on the engine front. I have bought a celica gearbox with pinto bellhousing so now I can return the borrowed celica box and essex bellhousing and put in an angry pinto. Theory being a angry pinto is more suited to thrashing, will reduce (slightly) the weight out in the nose of the car and keep me in the classic arena so parable with garage mates and still elegable for Classic Trials. I just need an angry pinto now... WIll put up wanted listing. Anyone want an essex with run big end bearing plus stripped donor motor in pretty good condition? Hey! Wait, what is that car in the background...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 I had the boys over last night to help with the secret squirrel project and was hit with a stinging (and accurate) riposte that I have been doing more posts on my car than actual work on my car…. I answer to your cheeky jibe Shaneo I have been working hard on my car recently! It was hard work buying these And these… Nice celica gearbox to (hopefully) suit pinto and near new 15” 5 stud minilights. I couldn’t resist the mags even though they are only 6” wide. Now I just need a pinto! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post M_C Posted April 8, 2014 Author Popular Post Share Posted April 8, 2014 So the engine dilemma has been solved by buying this little forged and forced beastie And it came bolted to this… 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post M_C Posted April 27, 2014 Author Popular Post Share Posted April 27, 2014 My wish for shouty angry pinto has been answered, Oh Yeah! (thanks Ben and Chris) Reputedly from an escort with some sort of land speed record and approaching 200hp! Both of these have some salt to be taken with them but even with a large helping of salt this should do the trick. Big bunch of custom banananananas and 48 sidies should produce some good shouting… Will get it stripped and checked out before running just to be sure I think. For now it has been stashed under the bench while I sort out a few things. 2 complete cars + 3 engines + 3 gearboxes + 6 kids bikes + assorted stuff is getting a wee bit cramped in the double garage… 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Finally got some actual work done on Felicity! Inelegant pose with bum in air attempting to drain all coolant out. When does this man look so happy…? Engine outed. Has been sold to good guy who will rebuild it before dropping it into his Mk1 2dr Escort road car. Nice! Car will now sit for a while so I clear some other projects and get TripleR going again. Looking forward to shouty 48’s!!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 Spent the day preparing to get ready to nearly work on the car.Plan to get the mystery package pintos down to engine builder and "temporarily" stored mates stuff onto pallet for shipping so I can clear and sort out my garage and get to work on my car slowly unravelled and I spent the day moving stuff around. My ridiculously over stuffed and inefficient garage seems to be breeding engines, gearboxes an car parts! I can see the floor only because one car and and two engines are out... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 So been a while... Got a bit distracted with Geisha while Felicity has been collecting dust in storage. Nothing too exciting, just pulling borrowed gearbox to return to mate. Worth a quick snap though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted April 19, 2015 Author Share Posted April 19, 2015 Getting tools on car made thoughts start to turn and I wondered if maybe the mystery package shouty pinto may just start without extensive rebuild... So with the supervision of my nephew we checked it over. New sump is needed. I wonder what sort of story this would tell if it could talk. I think it would likely involve a brown trouser moment. The list is not too long for bench start. Somewhat surprisingly its still on points and they look shagged. Shaneo has donated a sump. My small collection of alternators do not fit so will sort something out. Bolt gearbox to back and maybe swap out monster sidies for known good carb. Even got so keen I bolted together the second pinto to stave off the rust demons and make sure all bits were present. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_C Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Another minor moment of progress. With the sad sale of Geisha I could finally get the green one back home. Dragged out into daylight for the first time in far too long. How can a car get so dirty at the back of a clean storage unit...?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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