Week 24 - The Build

 This week its all been about the rear supension and brakes and the cooling system

All that was required on the rear suspension was to attach the track rod ends to the hubs and tighten everything up. The rear callipers are from a Ford Focus that has disc brakes and a handbrake lever. The callipers need an offset piece to set them further out from the hub to accomodate the disc.

Port side...

Stbd. side ...

So, back inside the cooling system needs connecting up. The space between the front of the engine and the rear bulkhead is very restricted. If I were doing this again I'd do more preparation before putting the engine in. The bottom hose was extended by 8" or so with a piece of aluminium tube. This was quite time consuming due to the poor access. 

This is now the view through the rear bulkhead. Lots of the control and services are here and it will all get worse when the radiator goes in as it will fill that hole! 

 The last job of the week was to reinstall the big red Gearbox and belt to the water jet and the bracket for the shaft and clutch to that gearbox from the pto. 

This project is being made from a kit of parts and almost from the start I have been having problems with the supply of kit components. Communication from the vendor is very poor and mainly just a chain of excuses without providing any reasons for not supplying parts ordered 18 months ago and paid for in full six months ago. It's all become very frustrating as I'm still bereft of critical parts for the water drive. Apparently I'm not getting them as I don't need them yet!! If anyone is thinking of a project like this they might want to bear this in mind!

Anyway, here it all is in the engine room complete with the exhaust manifold..

Finally, you might recall the Fiesta donor body shell is being used to make a trackday race car. Here they are together - the gruesome twosome!