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Shaneo's 1978 Ford Escort MK2


shaneo

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So drove it back from Plammy it had new warrent but you could see the road though the floor lol

It was cheap but there was a lot of work to do A quick check and away we went back to Auckland

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Drove well pleantly of power was not expecting it to have gone that well.

I was hoping to limp it home and just get it there but instead after half hour or so you could tell it wanted to be driven :D So the fun began

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

So first weekend was a wash and then a new set of gas shocks for the front and 2" lowered springs and a set of reset leafs 2" lowered and new bushes in the rear new seats and a set of wheels which I had waiting. With a lot of help from Billy

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The handling was like night and day

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So next was the paint it looked like someone had put sand in the gun so 8 hours on a buffer and I had some shine but I'm fussy so wasnt completely happy yet but it did look better.

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Also I managed to find some gold pin striping for it so I thought I would give that a go how hard could it be :lol:

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Door cards drove me crazy trying to find some in good condition for a 2 door was proving to be very hard work. I could get brand new for $330 a pair but very pricey. So I kept looking had a wanted add on trade me but nothing . So I gave up and made some and gave myself a surpise at the result and cost

So I got the following,

half sheet of 3mm ply $20

2 mt of black vinal spot light $17

set of 6" speckers $50

Can of spray glue $20

1mm foam from para rubber $10

Some old black carpet I had from something else I had tried

And had a set of ghia door cards here so I used the crome strips off them and all the pins for the back

And here is the result I got

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Better than $330 and still had left over to make a couple more if I wanted

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So I was slowly getting there had quite a lot of stuff powder coated.And was slowly getting on the car. But then the exhaust died so off to get it fixed 2 1/4" right though 2 new mufflers and it sounded great and went better many thanks to John at Pit Stop Glenfield.

Next was an electronic ignition which i had from a donner I bought. Made a big difference and I found some triple prong titanium spark plugs on trade me which helped as well. It was running well now but still leaked oil Bugger. Didn't know much about the engine apart from that the guy I bought it from said it would make it back to auckland. It did have a loopy idle so it wasn't all standard.

Next the brake peddle was dropping to the floor. Thanks god for the donor car and an afternoons work replacing the master cylinder and booster. Brakes where great again.

Had been running around on a set of old tyres that I had was raining in Auckland strange I know but the car was loads of fun to drive but when it wouldn't stop in the wet. It was time to fix that problem. New set of Hannkook tyres and magic it handled great again.

Then the diff housing was back from the powder coaters. So brand new brakes shoes drums and cylinders powder coated sway bar and new gas shocks for the rear new bushes. And a lot of help from billy yet again and a flash rear end that no one could see.

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So 3 weeks in the diff was starting to show its age and had a wine. I had put new bearings on the axles but didn't worry about the diff. So 2 more weeks it was driving me nuts it was screaming loud so out it came. It's getting new bearings put in at the moment and will go back in later. But a 3.5 diff is great far better than a 4.1 cant wait till I get it back.

A new set of door rubbers from para rubber was nice but one more issue the doors needed the catches fixed so just replaced them from the donor car. As there condition was far better.

Next was the locking issue the key for the car had the end of it missing. So new ignition new door handles and boot lock and alarm and central locking and I felt safe to leave it parked on the road.

It still had a lot of road noise . So after talking to a few people I come across some heat/ sound proof insulation that had a sticky back that didn't hold water so in went the more modern sound proofing all the floor was done. Big difference very quite inside the car.

Then the alternator died not a big problem I had 2 spare's so changed in another.

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Still wasn't happy with the paint. I thought I could get more out of it so another 10 hours by hand and I hand the side's to a standard that I was happy with. But the flats still need work to keep me happy.

A sane man would have repainted it. But that will come later running gear first.

Then another alternator died what the hell so I took it in and got it fixed new dioa plates and away it went good as gold.

In the mean time all the interior had been out again and the roof lining scrubbed and all the gravel road dust cleaned out and paint work all polished. The inside was getting up to my standard now. Painted the back 1/4's black to match the rest of the inside.

Next was a new parcel tray to hold a set of 6x9 ( they get all funny if you cut holes now days) so made that.

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Also found that the whole car had been seam welded. :)

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So still the paint bugged me a trip to colour works and that had the primer patches covered. But some of my painting skills left a little to be desired :lol: Oh well that will come later on.

Then there was the 6 shades of black that the car had. So I thought I would give a temporary colour match. But little did I realise how much masking there was for the sills and around the top of the doors.

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I was very happy with the results. Good job there was no lady in the house the paint smell in an internal access garage not good but funny.

A new steering wheel as a present to myself from 12" to 13" new wheel very nice to drive with helped a lot with the 7" rims

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And slowly in the back ground I had been working on a new engine for it.

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Thanks to Basis in Blenheim I had got some new outer window rubbers. Budget restraints meant that I couldn't get all the window channels but I will get them when the repaint happens.

I had thought myself on how to do pin striping not a bad job I was happy.

The engine had the head away getting work done on it and a 234 cam and new vaule springs had been bought from Auckland cams. Then there was the carbs which I had had for 2 months before I bought the car.

So then was the front and the rear the bumpers wear nothing short of crap didn't line up bent etc etc.

The driving light mounts had been flattened so they where had it as well. I didn't even have a set spots for the front. Many thanks to "Bantam" gifting me a set of spots and in got a new set of mounts off trade me the front had a tidy up with the front bumpers being straightened and repainted the front was looking ok now. And there was one old head light left From the new warrant that had I asked for pre purchase so It needed one more head light as they only put one in . So why not up grade the candles at the same time so I went from 55/60 to 80/130 next was a relay so I didn't burn the wiring out . Morrow Auto Electrical took care of that great job and good price.

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And the rear end had a new bumper put on and the tail lights had the best of what I had lying around from donor cars primer painted over and result I was happy.

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Still have to find a set of over riders for the rear seen it's a 1978 and not many models came out with them.

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So next I got to look after a house with a big work shop so up she went on axle stands for a week.

Engine bay got a make over and paint work had another 20 hours spent on the flats this time that enough I'm happy now. And the ugly wing mirrors got removed. Still searching for a set that will suit but no real luck so far.

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And the engine bay got prepped for the new engine. The new engine had a paint job oh getting so much closer now

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Time to teach myself how to rebuild carbs how hard could it be :lol: I've had them for 5 months now and the head was back and all finished,

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Next was the carbs. How to do? I re jeted them and clean them out and a couple of other little adjustments. Billy built the manifold so here it sits already to go. But disaster had struck fire not good

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As for the fire thank god for a fire extinguisher saved the car.

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I could tell later that all that powder was going to be an issuse. Loads of detailing work would need to be done :( It was every where

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So last time I seen it was like this.

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I cant wait to get it back. So the new engine can go in and few more bits that I have waiting here for it. Aiming for the march old school meet so fingers crossed that I get back in time to get the rest done.

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So I got it back yesterday. Was stoked just to be able to drive it again. I got to drive it around 5 km's :( nothing really. But better was to come. This morning loaded it up with all the parts I had been collecting ready for it's repower. Today we got the following done.

The part of the engine that I forgot to paint??

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Who know's why masking this part off was a real pain in the ass

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Still have to replace the front part of the loom and then Billy and I started talking about other jobs that could be done at the same time. De looming the engine bay?? Taking the front struts out and painting them and on we went with job after job. Some times being fussy is a curse. :scratch:

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The list is growing very fast the old list was almost finished now I need to write a new list tonight and move the finish line. Now I'm working I dont have as much time. I think Old school nationals is a more realestic date.

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Trustee old engine still not sure what to do with this as it went so well. I'm just going to hold on to it for a while and might make a super bottom end from it. All the money has been spent on the head cam and carbbies this time round. And I just dont know if the new motor will take it well. Only time will tell.

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I have new bushes and new A arms and tie rod ends good thing as the slop was quite shocking in the A arms.

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Sunday work aghh but have to keep pushing on to make it in time.

Got the steering rack all painted new boots tie rod ends all done

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I thought why not do a little painting

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Then I could get on with the fun stuff putting the new parts on

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Gear box is ready to go back in just a oil change and new tail seal to go

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got to this stage today but dont think I will get much done durring the week this week

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Also ordered a accelerator cable from the UK making one up could be tricky and why when I can buy one ready made.

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With time not on my side I pushed on a little more today and got all the sound proofing and insulation in. I decided to go with something a little more modern. 10mm thick doesn't hold water sound proofing and has a high heat rating as well. so should make the car nice and quite. inside I hope.

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Then for the fun stuff a brand new set of carpets and ford mats . I still have to cut them to fit but they looked great just put in place. Hope fully I will get them all finished tomorrow.

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I just have to work on cleaning up all the interior now fire extinguisher dust goes every where

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Accelerator cable arrived today just clip in and go great.

New spigiot bearing and gear box rear oil seal arrived as well. slowly getting there. Wrapped the extrators with 10m of wrap. It was a nasty job dont want to do that one again. looks ok but didnt really have enough.

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Worried about the time line have to get on with it.

LSD not great news broken clutch plate and damaged housing. But not the end of the world. A new housing can be got from the UK and at a good price. So will end up being like new and a lot cheaper. But will have to go on the back burner for now till the magic funds fairy pays a visit.

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3.5 diff is in getting brand new bearings in it at current so I might just wait and do it all together

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