JR’s Mk2 Capri

[JR]

So, I've had this Capri for 23 years now (shit that makes me feel old). She was my very first car.

I took it off the road few years ago... The last rego still sitting on the windscreen says otherwise, 2006! I seriously can't believe it's been that long.

So years ago I took it off the road with big plans of an engine swap. I put a 1uzfe in her, ran out of money and never got her going. 

A few months ago I decided I was going to get her going again but with a change of direction for the build. The plan now, is to make it how I really wanted when I was 17 years old but couldn't afford. Nothing too crazy, just a reasonably hot Essex V6, good brakes and an LSD.

About 3 months ago it started, my son and I uncovered her, gave her a clean and took stock.

She didn't store quite as well as the pictures suggest, there are quite a few spots of surface rust poking through the chrome on the wheels, bumper and on a lower rear arch there is a small bubble under the paint...

The first step was to undo all the Mc fuckery I did a few years ago when installing the V8. This time I had some cheap labor to help. He is only 11 but he's all over it. He managed to drop the box.

I managed to find a set of these bad boys.

Tripe DCNF Webers on an original Ford manifold. I found a dude in South Africa selling them via face book. It was pretty sketchy, even my bank called me up and asked me a heap of questions like "how do you know this person" I was like, nah it's all good, I met him on the internets... So, after sending a fair chunk of change to some random bank account in a very foreign country I wasn't quite sure they were actually going to arrive. 

 

I want them to look nice and purty, so I got a few quotes to get them vapor blasted and the cheapest was $250 bucks! So I decided to make a vapor blaster (basically a sand blaster with a slightly different gun that shoots tiny glass beads, water and compressed air). Best move ever! I clean all sorts of shit in it now.

 

 

[JR]

I managed to track down a V6 rear end, some idiot got rid of mine when I was going down the V8 route.

I gave it a good freshen up with new bearings, shoes, piston, an LSD from Palmside and a lick of paint.

Finding the engine was a lot harder than it used to be.

I managed to find this one quite far from where I lived. I bought it sight unseen had it shipped and hoped for the best.

I stripped it down and there was good news and bad news.

 

The bad news was that it was a bit fucked and needed a bore and new pistons.

The good news was that it was a bit fucked, and needed a bore and new pistons.

So I did a quite a large order from Burtons in the U.K. I got some 60 tho over high compression forged pistons, bigger valves and various other goodies oil pump, alternator, gaskets, cast alloy rocker covers etc.

The engine is currently in the loving hands of Kennally Cams here in Christchurch. They seem really great there.

I also treated her to a badly needed brake upgrade. She now has some 285mm discs up front, and new calipers.

[JR]

I need some advice.

How do I un fuck this..

When I put the V8 in I was very short of realestate and cut out the radiator mounts.

Ideally I would like some factory looking mounts to go back in.

Something like this.

Problem is, I'm a shit fabricator. If I could find replacement panels I'd happily do that but I can't find any.

Any ideas?

Cheers.

[JR]

Progress is slowly happening. I managed to find a front cut to get the radiator suports at Kiwi Auto Spares here in CH. I had no idea that they actually have a heap of old cars there.

They said it will take them about a month to get around to cutting it up though.

In the meantime the guys at Kennally Cams have been getting to working on the engine.

 It's been balanced, the new pistons and cam are in and just the last of the head work to go.

Sorting out a gearbox has been a lot trickier than I thought, I just couldn't find a bellhousing to mate a type 9 up. I had a heap of help from some oldschool G.C.s who offered me a 4speed ford box for free until I could sort a 5 speed out eventually Cheers @dmulally and @Adoom

But then I realized I have a W57 thats been sitting in the garage for almost 20 years, in the end thought if I have to get a bellhousing made to suit the type 9 I might as well get one made for the better Toyota box.

So, long story short I have a Dellow bellhousing being made to suit the W57 to the V6.

I started having a closer look at the Toyota box that's been sitting for decades in my garage, I had never really had a proper look at it. It was sold to me as a good box way back when. Now that I've taken a look, the gear selector bushings are completely worn away... like non existent. I managed to scoop out the remnants of them from under the gear shifter, it seems like it all got caught in the rear of the housing that's separated from the main part of the box (that's what I'm hoping for).

The white plastic bushing on the bottom end of the gear stick was non existent too.

This is the crap I scooped out. I've opened up the drain plug and as far as I can see there doesn't seem to be any rubbish floating around inside the box. 

What are everyone's thoughts? Get the box rebuilt to make sure there is no rubbish floating around or go new bushes, a flush and hope for the best? My wallet say hope for the best.

Cheers.

[JR]

She goes 100mph just sitting there. Pretty stoked. I picked the engine up a few days ago, the guys at Kennally Cams did a brilliant job. I've just been putting the shiny parts on.

The bellhousing and clutch kit arrived from Dellow Conversions. On the whole I'm happy with it. The bellhousing is perfect, but I'm a bit worried about the clutch assembly  they supplied and would appreciate any input.

They supplied a kit to mate the engine to a w57. Pressure plate, clutch, slave cylinder, bellhousing etc.

They modified the pressure plate that they supplied. The original ford pressure plate has 6 bolt holes plus 3 holes for dowels that are on the fly wheel.

The one they supplied has 6 holes total. 3 line up with bolt holes and the other 3 have been drilled out by them where the dowels go.. But over sized so the dowels no longer locate the pressure plate. 

That is one of the holes they drilled out.

This is it sitting on the fly wheel.

I have just had the engine balanced. My concern is that without the locating dowels (they are useless as the holes are now too big) the 3 bolts alone won't locate the pressure plate exactly in the center necessarily. 

They guys that built the engine don't think it's a good idea to run as is. What are your guys thoughts? 

I queried Dellow, and they said yeah, nah, it's sweet.

Also, the front cut for the radiator suport panels seems to have fallen through. I think the dude literally died. No answer to calls, txt or email. And the shop (kiwi auto) is chained closed.

Cheers for any input!

John.

 

 

[JR]

I've been chipping away a fair bit lately. 

I managed to find some radiator suport panels. This was my first time doing any sort of panel work, after a fair bit of tweeking I managed to get them good enough to where I was happy.

I also filled in the 2 big holes in the engine bay.

Years ago I hacked off the washer bottle mount to make room, luckily I kept the remains of it. I made new ends for it to replace the bits I hacked away.

Replaced the battery tray.

I did a test fit of the engine to sort a few things out. The main things were the gearbox cross member and where to fit a clutch master cylinder and sorting the exhaust.

Not a hell of a lot of room, but it worked out OK.

The wee fella helped modify a toyota gearbox cross member.

I've just finished painting the engine bay today. It's not going to win any awards, but I'm happy enough with it.

I'll start the final reassembly now.

I sorted out the flywheel/clutch issue too. The guys who did the engine work (Kennally Cams) did some magic to the fly wheel and machined it to accept shouldered bolts to locate the pressure plate as it's being torqued down.

 

Hopefully this week I'll get the engine in for the last time.

 

 

[JR]

Here is a wee update. The fist job was to sort out a couple of issues on the hydraulic clutch setup. I realized that the slave cylinder I had that came with the bellhousing fowls on the headers. After a bit of head scratching and hunting I found another slave cylinder that just fits.

I heated the headers then tweaked them out about 15mm to give a bit more clearance, it is still very tight.

 I still only have about 10mm of clearance. I'll make a heat shield I think.

That is the new one, only problem is that the bolt holes don't line up with the holes on the bellhousing.

So I milled slots in it. I was going to TIG the bellhousing holes and tap them but I decided not to just incase this new slave cylinder doesn't end up working out.

For the master cylinder I welded a backing plate to the fire wall and mounted it in the engine bay between the booster and the header. Tight fit but it works.

That picture makes it look much closer to the header than it is.

I couldn't have it directly behind the clutch pedal unfortunately, so it's off set from the pedal. I used some steel rod linking them all together and threaded the ends. It's nice and smooth, I'm hopeful it will work well.

Engine in for hopefully the final time.

I couldn't mount the gearbox as when I went to fit the fly wheel I realized I don't have any flywheel bolts. Doh.

ARP ones are on the way.

 

Next I'll start wiring her up and put the dash back together.

 

Cheers guys.

 

P.S.

Pro tip...

Don't spray a car in jandals.

That was taken after 2 showers.

[JR]

After a bit of messing around I've got the flywheel, clutch and master cylinder sorted.

I was looking into the different types of sound deadening, Dynamatt seems to be the go to but fuck it's spendy. Just to do the front half of the interior it was going to cost about $450.

I went the cheap Chinese route instead. I bought enough to do almost the entire inside of the car and it was $45 including shipping. Time will tell if it's any good, but it seems about right.

I pulled the dash and trim parts out from under the bench and gave them a clean up. It was the first time I've seen them in about 16 years. The stored really well.

I have had the instrument cluster in at Parrot and son to have a little work done, the main thing was having the tacho modified to suit the 6 cylinder and they fixed a couple of small issues.

I've wired the engine up more or less. I'm waiting on the electronic ignition to arrive, I'm going to run some hard fuel lines, install a fuel pump, regulator and make some new brake lines. The drive shaft is being built and should be ready in a week or so. Hopefully not too much longer until she's running.

The interior is mint apart from the front seats, they need recovering and probably some new padding. Does anyone have any recommendations for someone in Christchurch? 

Cheers.