Project Car / Motorbike thread. Let's see 'em.

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
As promised, pics.

Here is an assembled strut and the bits that go in it. Trial assembly so the insert isn't tightened fully.



I needed to make up a spacer (blue bit next to the nyloc nut on the left) for the top of the camber plate and a bit of excess adjustable front swaybar link from that I resized to fit the Goluf R6turbo seemed like a good idea. Especially since I have no 25mm ali bar stock. But the 5/8" hole is too close in diameter to the flats that were on the link so I will buy some bar and make new ones up. I wont tap them to suit the thread on the insert, just a nice hole to keep everything centred. The alternative is to use the standard top camber plate sleeve and just put a spacer on top but I like the idea of a single piece spacer/sleeve.



Here is a comparison between the dirty old Monroe insert and the Bilstein rally insert. Much betterer. The insert has a blue plastic condom to protect the damper shaft but it is a tight fit in the coil. Even though the Escort will be a road car I think I will still fit the sleeve and see how it goes.

I will fit these up and put the wheels and brakes on the front. Then I have to make up engine mounts but I have to have a discussion the the certifying engineer first. I want to chassis mount the engine but the stock Kent or Pinto is cross member mounted. Some conjecture on whether chassis mount is ok. Certainly will make setting up the driveline easier. Then nothing more on suspension until it is finished. Corner weighted to get springs then drive test. Sydney shocks can revalve the rear Gp4 dampers if they are too stiff but I am thinking the Borg Warner 78 will need the stiffer dampers. Anyway that is a way off at the moment. Have to track down a TruTrack for the diff too.
 
Last edited:

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Re: the engine mounts, what are the pros & cons? Surely some reputable shops have been here before.

Thanks for the pics BTW!
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Oz rules are a bit weird. Moving the mounts isn't specifically verbotten but most engineers like to leave them probably on the basis that mummy knows best. On the Escorts the front subframe is a solid box and the cross member bolts to that. Downside to using the cross member is that I am limited by how much I can move the motor before the mounts become crazy complicated whereas on the frame I can slide it waaay back. No real pros fgor using the stock mounts other than the tick from an engineering perspective.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Run out to Kowen on the new Eibachs and I’m still calling it a win. Steering is more responsive, ride is still decent, corners flatter and the stock shocks seem just dandy with them. A few highway speed dips and off camber repairs would have shown up underdamping but all good.

It’s only 25-30mm so it doesn’t look much different. Best $220 I’ve spent on the car in yonks!
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
In stop start traffic I slowly catch up to VE series two wagon in redline spec, with lumpy cam and a blower. Manual, driver is struggling. Look in drivers window, grandma!!!!

I'm buying one, waiting for Shannon's insurance to give me a quote with ADR and non ADR compliant blowers. Needs to be 6psi for ADR
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
I have to replace the RHS rear door shell on my Landcruiser.

Is this going to be a nightmare of a job to do for someone not particularly mechanically adept ?
Door complete or door skin? First one just unbolt it...? Second is a panelbeater job and would easier to replace the whole door....
 
Door shell, ie skin and frame but no other bits like trim, glass and guides, locks, actuator, seals etc

I'm having trouble locating a whole door, they seem to break them down, I guess they can make more $$$s that way.
 

flamin'trek

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Replacing all the guts of the door can be a bit fiddly, but if you have one to pull apart first you can learn how to go about it.

Beware of braking the clips when removing the trim.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
On a VW easy, just undo the bolts. Anything else is more of a mouthful. Watch some videos. I have done minis and bettles. Just take your time. In fact one of the videos for the Bad Obsession Motorsport mini rebuild shows them doing a door. Key is to do it gently bit by bit and not crease the skin.
 
the skin is on the frame and its a landcruiser so I'm not concerned about creasing it, its probably the window that's got me the most concerned, also it has a quarter window, getting it out without busting it will be a trick.

I cant find a video of it particular to my car except removing the trim, also haven't found an exploded diagram of it so I guess lots of pics, labeling bits and slowly slowly.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Not reskinning? What are you doing? Just the guts? Easy then, just undo the bolts and screws. You might have to twist the window to get it out.
 

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
yeah the guts, twisting the window = twist in my stomach :)

Ahh, what's the worst that can happen? If I cant put the door back on the car still has seatbelts, "right turn Clyde"
I've done this a few times (not on a L'Cruiser mind you).
You'll need a lot of time & patience, a few weird hand tools + the usuals....and some skin off your knuckles...but it's not technically difficult.
A 1/4" drive socket set with a couple of different length extensions. And about 2 million different sized screwdrivers! :)

From memory it should go a bit like this (it's been a few years....so might have forgotten some details)

1. Remove interior skin with flat blade drewscriver or plastic interior tools. Just accept that you will break at least one clip.

2. Remove horizontal weather strips from top edge of door

3. Wind window down & remove bailey channel felt from inside of upper frame (this step may not be needed on some doors...but you might need the channel for the new one anyway?)

4. Carefully wind window all the way up.

5. Identify & remove screws that connect bottom channel of main glass to winding mech (or motorised "arm").
The goal in this step is to get the glass disconnected from whatever attaches it to the up/down hardware. It should still sit in some smaller lower channels inside the door.
Look for a metal moulding strip that is bonded/pressed onto the bottom edge of the glass. It will be pushed/pulled by a fitting/pin/clevis etc that is connected to a leverage arm. Sometimes you will need to remove the little winding box assembly (the one that the winder handle connects to) first.
The simplest arrangement will have an exposed row of teeth (bit like a rack and pinion) driving the leverage arm.

6. At this point you may be able to slide the glass up & out of the door slowly with a bit of patience & wriggling. But if not....

7. Look inside for small internal channels that guide the glass when it's wound down. Undo the screws/brackets that hold those channels to the door.
Once you do this the glass will be about as loose as it can be in the door (be careful not let it drop too far down - jam some rags or wood in the bottom of the door while you're undoing everything.

8. Wriggle the glass up & out slowly.

There is usually a position somewhere between fully up or fully down where most of the stuff will line up & allow you get a couple screws back in/out.
If it's electric glass.....then, good luck. Prolly more difficult than Armstrong glass. The motor will have 3 or 4 bolts/screws holding it to the door. You should be able to detach the glass from the moving arm before you have to remove the motor. Some doors have a single moving arm, some might have a double scissor jobbie - just means more screws & more fiddly.

Don't worry about breaking the glass too much - it's much stronger than you think. The real weakness will be if it is struck on the end, not the face.

The locking hardware, handle, button etc is pretty fiddly too. It helps to lay it all out on the bench in the correct configuration before reinstalling.
Take note of orientation of connectors & push rods etc.

....but it's all just screws & bolts....and the odd wire. Take photos as you disassemble too.

Actually....I think from memory you can't usually get the glass out until you've removed the locking arms & handle hardware.

Bailey channels & seals either go back with a lip/edge to lock then in, or contact adhesive on the frame & the back of the channel.

Door hinges are pretty straight forward, but mark the alignment & spacing plate location with a perm.marker (or chalk) before removing. Then line it up the same at installation.

I'm sure I've missed something but that's the guts of what I remember.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
I've discovered the Alfa's Canbus system is super sensitive to the resistance values of the indicator globes... Am attempted an LED indicator globe conversion and the basic 6 ohm resistors are not cutting it. Some more thoughtful calculation of the ohms values needed has been done and more ordered...

Indicators are fecking hopeless. Its got a pissweak 10w globe in the rear, and the front is small and up against the DRLs which dont dim when the indicators are on... It all looks very cool though :rolleyes:
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Bab is exaggerating. You will only need 239,701.3 screwdrivers and a trim removal kit.

The Alfa is expecting at least 1A current draw so double those resistances at least but not in parallel.
 

scblack

Leucocholic
I've discovered the Alfa's Canbus system is super sensitive to the resistance values of the indicator globes... Am attempted an LED indicator globe conversion and the basic 6 ohm resistors are not cutting it. Some more thoughtful calculation of the ohms values needed has been done and more ordered...

Indicators are fecking hopeless. Its got a pissweak 10w globe in the rear, and the front is small and up against the DRLs which dont dim when the indicators are on... It all looks very cool though :rolleyes:
Sounds somewhat similar to an Amarok. My trailer wiring/brakes does not recognise a trailer with LED lights as the resistance is not enough to register. So you have to drive while ignoring the "light out" indicator on the dash. Annoying but no real effect.
 
Top