My build

[the maxster]

Hi all,
My build is a 58 Pop I bought as a started project, It was fully stripped and primered when i got it. I have since built a new chassis and full cage from 80mm x 40 mm box section and 1-5/8th CDS tube which is almost complete now as just some final bits to finish weld.
The body has had the usual repairs carried out, rear valance, A & B pillar bottoms. I've also fitted an Astra estate roof into the existing hole, modded the rain gutters and completely rebuilt the front bulkhead and radiused the rear arches so I can fit new tubs which i will soon be fabricating.
The engine is a 354 Hemi and will have forged 10.5 -1 pistons, high lift cam. steel crank,rebuilt heads with a high rise inlet with 2 x 4 barrels (not sure which yet) block huggers, and no doubt plenty of alloy dress up goodies.
The box will be a TH 400 with a reverse pattern shifter and 2500 stall TC.
The rear will be a shortened, 5 linked, 9" with 31 spline axles and locker with 3.7 gears and disc brakes.
The front is shortened leda struts with m16 calipers with RS 2000 vented discs all connected with homemade links and spherical rod ends.
Steering possibly Fiat 124
Interior may end up in full ally, not sure yet (may be carbon fibre)
Wheels are Weld Pro Stars 12 x 15 & 3.5 x 15
Things have slowed down a little as I'm waiting for a load of parts coming in from the states and it takes an age.
I haven't posted any pics as it won't let me due to the file size? but the car and it,s progress are on Mark Harley's website (Blackpop racing) in the garage scene. (Thanks Mark)

[the maxster]

managed to work out the new camera at last!

[gettinonabitmore]

Marcel, did you or do you still have, the peach mk11 Ute???

Or is that someone else in Corby???

[Morris460]

That's Jason Blotts Guy. He has a very nice Mk 2 convertible as well.

[the maxster]

Yes thats Jason, he lives just around the corner. He has still got both cars. he's doing a few engine mods to the ute and fitting nitros.

[Flamin' Anglia]

Nice work.

[the maxster]

Thanks Dean

[gettinonabitmore]

Yes thats Jason, he lives just around the corner. He has still got both cars. he's doing a few engine mods to the ute and fitting nitros.


No worries, just wanted some advice on the front brakes on the Ute.....!!!

Cool pop though....!!!

[the maxster]

Thanks Guy,
If you want me to speak to Jason and if he's ok with it i could give you his number. I should be seeing him early in the new year

[gettinonabitmore]

That would be cool if you could, I think I have spoken to him before about it, but didn't keep his number, I know someone made the brackets for the calipers for him, and he said he would put me in touch, but I have a memory like a goldfish....!!!

My number is 07956 403794....

Cheers, Guy

[the maxster]

Just a bit of an update as the chassis is of the jig. It's fully TIG welded with just the front and rear crossmembers to fabricate now. I'm in the process of making a new jig to set up the ride height so I can make up the suspension arms and brackets for the shocks and struts to hang off.

[the maxster]

Another update on my pop.
I decided to rebuild the front end / roll cage to get the best angle on the front horns and to give me as much space as possible to get the engine in and out. The new front horns now follow the shape of the body line and get as near to the strut tops as possible to mount them.
I've moved the engine back 2" and lowered it a further 1/2". I've also moved the A panels out and made up new panels, once I'm happy with everything I'll be making up a new bulkhead panel too. The engine has been stripped down ready for reboring in the near future as have the heads which will need hew seats and guides fitted. The th 350 gearbox and 9" locker should be arriving shortly along with new tyres and a few other bits. I've got the front crossmemeber in place ready to start making up the links.

[the maxster]

Another update on my pop.
I've now made up the front control and trailing links using 1" CDS tube with 3/4" Rose joints.
I had Wayne at odd Rods make up the threaded cups to take some Citreon threaded ball joints which fit the ford taper on the struts. I've located the trailing links to the front arms with clevis joints and again 3/4" rose joints at the chassis end and I've set them up with some anti dive built in to help the handling under braking. Its all tacked into place at the moment until I'm certain all is right before welding up fully. I have a recon Capri rack which is still to be shortened before fitting. The front bars of the roll cage are now removable as the engine is just to wide to get in or out with them in place. To do this I've welded two threaded inserts into each of the front chassis rails which hold the front brackets using M16 bolts and nylocs and there will be two plates bolted together on each bar which will sandwich the bulkhead using M10 bolts and nylocs. The bars will be cross braced so it all comes out in one piece. The strut mounts will be quite heavily braced as they extend out more than usual because of the location of the bars / engine
While I'm waiting for the 9" rear to arrive I've started to make up the rear tubs and should be rolling them next week if time permits.

[the maxster]

I've made up the rear tubs now. They just need some slight trimming before fitting but as I've still got work to do on the rear of the chassis and the axle links I'm going to etch prime them and put them aside until needed. I've fitted some bearclaw catches also.They work from the original latch by a small lever so that they can be locked /unlocked from the inside using the original levers. One of the doors did twist slightly hence the cuts and welding to reshape. I'm making up some plates to allow the striker to be adjustable and a bit stronger.

[the maxster]

I made up a plate to strengthen the door frame and fitted the bearclaw strikers using a 6mm backing plate which has a small amount of adjustment built in to allow the doors to be lined up easier, once in place they can be locked up using the countersunk bolt/nut. With the door in place it all fits nicely but there is a bit of movement in the hinges that will need sorted out. Drivers side tomorrow.

[V8 100E]

nice work mate you sure have a talent there i"ll be watching this thread closely !! keep the pics comming !!

[the maxster]

Cheers David,
but I think it's more of a determination than a talent! I don't always get it right first time (or second!)

[the maxster]

With both doors fitted and latching ok, I trial fitted the boot lid. I had already repaired the bottom 3" and filled and smoothed all the holes and cleaned up the inside a bit. The rear valance has also been smoothed over as I am fitting hidden hinges made from solid stainless rod and plate which hinge off the chassis as apposed to the body. I've also made some recesses in the valance to take the rear light cluster which are just basic trailer units that slot into place from underneath and are held in place with two m8 bolts either side. With that the rear light holes in the wings have been welded up and smoothed over. apart from some minor adjustment to the floor as the boot doesn't opened quit far enough and a bit of tweaking it all fits ok

[the maxster]

Just a bit of an update on my pop. Things have been slow but I've made up the rear tubs which fit nicely. I wasn't sure whether to weld them in or bolt them but I think I'll be bolting them in as I will be doing the same with the floor and tunnel.

[vin likes diesel]

nice work maxster.:)

[the maxster]

thanks Vin, yours is coming on great too

[the maxster]

another update on my Pop,
To date I have finished off the tubs and bolted them onto the chassis but still need to drill and attach them to the lip on the wheel arches. hopefully will be done tonight. I bent up some sheet to cover the chassis which has been welded to the tubs, this when the floor panel between the tubs is bolted through it into the chassis will help seal out the elements. The same has been done to the rear side of the tubs in the boot area
The floor panels are all cut out and bead rolled, which I'm now a bit better at! All the panels will be held in place by M6 domed cap heads through out and will be sealed with an automotive sealer once painted The body itself will be held down with M10 bolts through the chassis. The bulkhead has been cut out but I need to lift the engine to fit it as the rollcage is in the way but I'm still trying to locate an engine crane I can borrow to move it.

[the maxster]

Hi all, I decided that it would be easier when painting etc to have the floor panels all removable so the body and chassis can easily be painted seperately. after a couple of trials I decided the use stainless socket countersunk screws held in with rivnuts as they will keep the floor smooth when fitting the soundproofing and carpets and they look pretty tidy to. I made up a tool to countersink the panels. It is time consuming doing all the holes but the end result is pretty good. I've just got the drivers floor panel to do then I'll have to lift the body up off the chassis to fit the rivnuts. Progress is slow on as I'm still waiting on parts arriving but hope to get the steering rack shortened soon before starting on the rear axle.

[Blackpopracing]

Coming on well Marcel.

[the maxster]

Cheers Mark how's yours going. must be near completion now

[D COUPE]

Mark what will you do WHEN you get it done!!!

Maxster how did you decide at what height to fit the bear claws?

DC

[the maxster]

Hi D coupe, I used the large ones so I was limited to where they would fit but I tried to keep them near the middle of the door. also had to take into account where the striker would be for access. I can measure it up for you if you want some idea. If you are using the original lock mechanism to operate the bearclaws then you would have to keep them pretty close together

[Blackpopracing]

DC,
Build another, lol.
There are things afoot that will probably use up plenty of my time soon unfortunately, but cant say what just yet.

[D COUPE]

I have fitted a pair with somebody else and I told him they were too low and yours are even lower thats why I asked the Qs. I am eventually going to fit them to mine but was
looking for a modern equivalent? Citroen C15(van) are quiet neat and tidy (but citroen).

Mark have you time todo another project?

[the maxster]

yes DC I see what you mean but they work well and the doors sit square when shut. I could have only raised them another inch or so because I used the original locks to operate them and it would have meant possibly chopping a bit of the door strength out to get access. The bearclaws themselves work really well so whether you are better off with a modern equivalent i don't know and they are pretty cheap. if you look at Marks on his site he uses the small ones I think you may struggle to get something that compact . You can get the whole kit, door plates, strikers etc.

[D COUPE]

Im just looking for something to fit in that small space and I realise the problem with the height thing. Its that sound of a nice positive CLUNK lol. They are a worthwhile mod to do just looking at all the options did you get the kit with the full door plates? Where from?

DC

[Blackpopracing]

I have fitted a pair with somebody else and I told him they were too low and yours are even lower thats why I asked the Qs. I am eventually going to fit them to mine but was
looking for a modern equivalent? Citroen C15(van) are quiet neat and tidy (but citroen).

Mark have you time todo another project?

DC,
I'm not that old lol!
Mine are about that low too. Not as ideal as the original lock placing, but I looked at it that they hold the door closed 500% better than the original clasps, so they are safer than std.
In terms of door closure strength they are fine, just not quite central.
If you want to do yours, see here for a how to; http://www.hotrodphotos.co.uk/bearclawlatches.htm (http://www.hotrodphotos.co.uk/bearclawlatches.htm)

[the maxster]

I made up the plates pretty much as Mark's but you can get them as a kit but not sure where from over here but plenty of sites stateside. If you don't mind the wait it's worth getting them from the US, maybe someone like Langy might have some options for you, if you go to the Tech forum they're chatting about some door hardware and the site does the kits.

[Blackpopracing]

Pop browns are now doing a kit with the smaller latch as a kit.

[the maxster]

just a quick update on my pop. The removable fronts bars are all welded up now and fit ok. you can see the top flanges which will sandwich the bulkhead panel. The bottom mounts are also sorted and should hold everything rigid. The strut mounts are finished and the strut angles are all equal both sides. Next job is to remove the engine and fit the bulkhead panel and weld all the brackets and remaining crossmembers to the chassis.
I've overhauled the rocker assembly so for now it is boxed up ready for the engine rebuild in the future

[the maxster]

I've put all the body back together now to make sure that everything fits ok still after all the welding and adjusting. Fit and shut lines are not too bad and can easily be improved on. I will be concentrating on getting the panels properly prepped now as I think I've done all the repairs and mods now with just one or two bits to refill and sand. It's now starting to look like a car at last. I have also started to get the axle ready to be shortened but I'm waiting on the delivery of the rear tyres

[chris]

I think I've done all the repairs and mods now with just......





....with just the roof chop to complete! :D



keep up the good work maxster ;)

[the maxster]

I'm not that brave!!

[the maxster]

I decided to get the front wings to fit a bit better as they didn't follow the profile correctly down near the A pillar without being stretched a little. Whilst i was doing this I decided to move the headlamps down in a little to try and make the car look a little lower. I cut out the original lamp mount and filled in the hole then repositioned it roughly 3" lower in 1" inboard. After plenty of filling and a coat of primer it all looks quit good and gives the car a bit of a cartoon look.

[the maxster]

The front crossmember is now welded in along with a mounting plate for the shortened rack. The rack is located with Escort alloy mounts after a little modification. The hubs are from a mk 4 zephyr,which has a 5 x 4.5 P.C.D. which have the same bearing dimensions as the capri 2.8 / RS hubs so fit the struts with no mods at all. They will also take any brake caliper / disc that will fit the RS hub so it should be easy to source a decent set of stoppers. I have had the stud holes drilled larger to take the bigger 1/2" long studs.

[Fordzon]

The car's really coming together nicely Marcel,wish i was at the same stage.Did you carry out the body repairs too? Mel

[the maxster]

Yes Mel I've done all of the work except the except the rack and some of the chassis welding. I may have been at mine a lot longer than yours. It's slow going at times.

[vin likes diesel]

keep it coming.............................

[cossie pop]

moving in the right direction like the subtle headlamp mod
adie

[the maxster]

Cheers adie, I did see it on someones car (can't think who's though) and it does make it look lower and longer at the front

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,
Very good quality work there, very impressed with your build, I can see that it will be a VERY nice Pop when complete,
Keep up the good work,
Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

thanks for the comments, they're all appreciated.

[the maxster]

I haven't done a lot since my last post but I did get my wheels and tyres on at the front for the first time as it's mostly finished now. The rears are just sitting in the wheel tubs so that I could check that I got the ride height right, you can't really see it because of the angle of the photos but it looks ok. I did also get the boot floor finished too. again it will bolt in as do all the panels. I can also start to measure up the axle now.

[the maxster]

I made up a jig and shortened the axle and started to make up the four bar brackets. There's not much of the axle left now!! I had to keep the diff housing central as the brackets are fairly close to the center not leaving a lot of space. I will be making up the chassis brackets and panhard brackets next and working out how best to fit the coilover brackets.

[nelstrum]

maxter thats looking really sweet ,and sits well ..keep at it bud..

[40Stude]

Cheers adie, I did see it on someones car (can't think who's though) and it does make it look lower and longer at the front

Could well be Martyn Payne's turquoise Pop. He pulled the headlights in and moved them lower down on the front wings. Mind you, the lower and longer look on his could also be to do with the sectioned grille shell and the front axle pulled forward in the arches. ;)

[the maxster]

Yes that could well be the one Alan. I thought it looked really smart, though I don't think I'll be sectioning tho!

[the maxster]

just a quick update, I have only just got onto the forum but because of family commitments the car has been on the back burner for a while.
I have fitted the bulkhead but had to remove part of the roll cage to get it in. You can see where the front bars will attach to the cage inside the car, this will allow the complete front end of the cage to be removed to allow the engine to be fitted / removed easily as it's so wide. The 9" casing has been located with the four bars and panhard rod, I haven't sorted out the axles yet as I bought some of Flea bay with the view of shortening them only to find that I had what must be the only set of 31 spline small bearing shafts out there so they are more or less useless now. I have since decided to have some made up in the states instead. While I'm waiting to sort out the finances I tackled some of the body work that I have been putting off such as the sills that I repaired a while back, they are now primered ready for some paint as are the front wings and the A & B pillar / door shut areas. All the interior floor panels are now finished and bolt in nice and easily. I need to sort out some rear shocks and springs for both the front and rear, so if anyone knows where I can get some info on the poundages etc I would be grateful.

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,
Welcome back, I wondered where you went, you where missed ;)

Nice work and good progress as usual,

All the best,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

Cheers Mike
It's good to be back!
I've been reading your thread too and your car is coming along nicely
Marcel

[Rover V8]

Cheers Mike
It's good to be back!
I've been reading your thread too and your car is coming along nicely
Marcel


Marcel,
Appreciate the kind words,
Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

I've now primered the interior panels and it's starting to look like an interior now, I would like to have them all powder coated in the future as it should be harder wearing. using the countersunk allen bolts keeps the floor flush also. I need to sort out some method of fixing the tunnel to the bulk head next

[the maxster]

I put the front end back on while I was in the garage and used some tube to act as spacers for the springs ( a good suggestion ). Hopefully by the end of the weekend I will have the car sitting on it's own wheels for the first time. You can see in the picture where the roll cage will meet the front bars once i get it remade.

[poptony]

wow that looks so good ,top work:)

[Rover V8]

Great work Marcel, really starting to come together,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[chris]

Do i spy cut-outs in the rear panel for the zorst?


Floor looks real good,well done.

[the maxster]

Thanks all. Actually Chris the cut outs are for the rear lights but now you've cot me thinking!!

[the maxster]

To make removing the rear wheels a bit easier I have welded in some blind nuts on the rear wings so that they can be bolted / unbolted from the inside of the car. I have also put the front panels back on just to see how its all looking and so far I'm quit pleased with it. The car is on its own wheels for the first time although I'm still waiting to get some new shafts from the states I used the old ones that came with my axle cut down to suit. I need to roll the car out of the garage to remove the shell to finish off the roll cage but I might just wait until it warms up a little!!

[53pop]

just read through your thread again and m akes great reading and the quality of the work is top draw keep the updates coming looking forward to the next instasllment

[the maxster]

thanks for the kind words Allan. I've been keeping an eye on your thread also, you have a lot of good things going on there, keep it up

[langysrodshop]

looks a nice shell, Sits nice too :)

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,

Very good progress, looks real good, may have to wait for a while longer to push it outside :D

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

thanks Steve, it had the usual but all easily repaired. Mike, yes I think it's getting worse out there!

[the maxster]

The fit of the bonnet was pretty cr*p so I welded in a couple of fillets on the lower and trailing edges to tidy up the gaps a bit. Both the front and rear bumper mounting bolt holes were welded up and along with some new brackets I made that didn't mount the front through the wings helped to tidy up the front. The rear bumper was also narrowed by 8" again to make the rear a bit neater but i may alter it further to get it to follow the profile of the rear valance better. Underneath at the rear i also folded a piece of sheet metal to hide the chassis behind the valance which will be secured with some rivnuts to allow access to the rear lights. I am waiting on the delivery of a hydraulic mandrel bender so i can remake some of the roll cage as it needs modified to suit the removable front bars

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,

I'm glad mine wasn't the only one with too much gap :D:D

Superb work, makes all the difference, keep it coming,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[poptony]

nice build if i can achieve what you have done i will be well happy:D

[the maxster]

Cheers Mike but I did pinch the idea from your thread to be honest. Thanks for the comment Tony, while I'm saving up some cash to spend on the engine I keep finding these little bits I'm not quite happy with and it keeps me working on the car. I never set a deadline for completion (just as well LOL!!) so I have plenty of time to do things.

[Flamin Black A]

Thats gonna be a nice pop when its finished

[Rover V8]

Cheers Mike but I did pinch the idea from your thread to be honest.


No worries Marcel that's what it's all about, we need to keep these Pops looking good, and on the road :D

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

yeah second that Mike, Cheers Pete yours has come on really well, i like the two tone colour

[the maxster]

well the day finally arrived, thanks to the dry weather my car rolled out of the garage for the first time in about five years. I was a bit worrying when I lowered it off the jig as it's never had to support it's own weight before but all was ok While it was on the drive it gave me a good excuse the clear out the garage and some eight hours later I had enough room to push her back in! I'm still going over the panels to get them to fit better, the bottom leading edge of the passenger door didn't quit follow the contour of the A piller, so a fillet piece was welded in, the same with the rear valance return under the car as it didn't meet up with the main body very neatly. While i was at the back I reworked the rear light apertures which i wasn't over happy with and I think i'm on the right lines with the new ones. With the car on the drive I could see the bumper better as I wasn't sure if I was going to keep them but I'm happy with the look albeit a bit squint at the front as I want to retain the overall original look as much as possible. It's a bit tight in the ****pit so I'm going to redo the main hoop of the cage and make up some new forward bars as the original ones weren't right. then I can start on the steering column etc.

[chris]

Stance is bang on Marcel,bang on!! :D:cool:

[Tiki Des]

yup, it does sit nicely. :)

[langysrodshop]

I'm not a huge fan of Pops but this one sits real nice.

[Flamin Black A]

Thats looking real good

[the maxster]

Thanks all, that's really encouraging

[KICKSY]

I'm not a huge fan of Pops but this one sits real nice.Got to agree with you there Steve, it sit's perfect.:cool:
Dave.:)

[the maxster]

again thanks Dave the comments are really appreciated. It all helps when things are going slow.

[jsf55]

Looks spot on :D will look even better when your sat behind the wheel ;)

[Morris460]

Looking good Marcel.

I still need to come and see you, just been so busy.

[the maxster]

yeah second that John but it seems an age away at the moment! No problem Paul it wont be going anywhere that's for sure, just give me a call when you get time.

[Rover V8]

Looking really good outside there Marcel,

Quality build for sure :)

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

hi all, its been a while since my last update as I decided to move the main hoop of the rollcage back by about 4", this was due to the cramped interior and hopefuly it will allow a bit more room for the seats and that I had to change the bars that come from the A pillars to the hoop to accomodate the removable front bars to allow the Hemi in and out. Obviously because I moved the main hoop it meant that most of the existing cage had to be replaced or modified to fit the new setup.Its all in place now and welded up with just the door bars to finish and some bracing in the engine bay which I cant do until the engine/heads are in place with the water crossover set up sorted as I dont want to redo that if things are a bit tight or touch. The finished rear axle is in place now also. I managed to get some Alcon racing Puma front calipers from my son (at dads rates !!) so I.m sorting out brackets and discs at present. I should be able to lift the body back on (with help) some time in the next couple of days then I should be able to make a start on fitting the steering column and link

[20vT_pop]

Very nice....................

[Morris460]

That was a lot of work Marcel! Keep going mate.

[Flamin Black A]

nice to see some progress keep it up

[v8pop]

It's looking good, Marcel keep them up-dates coming, I need stuff to read when it's raining!

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

cheers all, hopefully I'll be able to keep up some sort of momentum for a while.

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,

Superb work as always, great to see you back on track, keep up the good work,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

Thanks Mike as ever its good to be getting on with things again. I put the engine and box in to allow me to sort out the steering linkages and column as its very tight in there but just to see the engine sitting in there is great and hopefully will spur me on even more

[34 Kev]

Great looking build Marcel, keep up the good work, its great when the big bits go in as you see some real progress after all the litle niggiling jobs, I know just how you feel.

[the maxster]

thanks for the compliments Kev and yes it does make a big difference I keep going into the garage just to look at it!

[chris]

Fantastic...
http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m334/50Anglia/stuff/hemipop.jpg

:cool::cool::cool::cool::cool:

[34 Kev]

Funny that, my car is now at home and I keep doing the same, the wife thinks Im up to something, and she is right, Im spending our holiday money. Keep the pics coming.

[the maxster]

If my car looked as good as yours Kev I would happily give up the hols, then again I could always suggest skeggy instead!!

[Rover V8]

Marcel,

As Chris said FANTASTIC that looks the dogs :cool: must spur you on now, it works for me also ;)

Keep up the great work,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

Thanks Mike, It sure does and I look forward to seeing your progress too. When cars start to come together it 's a great inspiration for us all

[the maxster]

I've now completed the steering linkages and have used an escort rod but have had to extend it by 4" to get things to connect properly. The tube I used is from a fiat steering rod I had in the garage which was left over from work I did on one of the kigs cars, luckily it was the correct I.D. so was easy to sort.I also made up a support bracket for the end of the column but I.m not yet sure if I.m happy with it or not. Time will tell.Since I built up the bulkhead I knew I was always going to have problems gaining access under the dash for wiring etc, so i've decided to build in a glove box which will give me enoough access and allow me to put some of the electrics amd possibly a heater in there too. To strengthen around where the dash has been cutout I made up an insert and bowed it as best I could to match the dash. Then I cut out the lid to suit also. to the back of this I will glue some ply to give it a bit of strength and for something to attach the hinges to. If all goes to plan and I haven't knackered my dash it should look as if it was part of the original, if not it'll be a good excuse to fit a different one!

[v8pop]

Nice bit of progress marcel - keep it coming mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[53pop]

coming on well .it is a bit tight behind the dash ,so i bought mine forward ,but like you idea of the glove box ,keep the up dates coming

[the maxster]

Cheers Allan, Tim.
Hopefully it will work out ok and I'll do my best to keep things moving in the right direction

[Rover V8]

Looks good to me Marcel, nice touch with the glovebox, I'm hoping your not going to wear some of those black with holes driving gloves :D:D:D

Keep up the great work,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[mygasser]

my first thoughts on reading pop and hemi were gasser but i agree its sits spot on. well done. neil.

[the maxster]

Thanks Neil, you are right about the combination. Originaly the car was to have a SBC but my heart ruled my head on the engine. Don't worry Mike, I've already got the brown with deige mesh backed ones!! Updates coming soon all being well

[the maxster]

Hi all, I've more or less finished the glovebox now and it was a lot easier than I expected. Once the insert was welded in a bit of filler was needed to tidy up the edges. I then cut out the lid from some 1.2 mm sheet and bent it to match the curves on the dash, I used some thin ply on the back to give it some depth which I bent to suit the cover then a skim of filler to finish. the lock is from an old locker and was perfect for the job as were the hinges which I had in the garage. I just need to sort out a stay to hold it when open. I also decided to have a go at making a column shroud out of stainless, this has proved to be a bit more dificult but so far its looking ok. I hope to have it finished in the next week or so but I haven't decided on what to do for a column drop yet. Hopefully it will polish up nicely.

[v8pop]

Some nice work going on there Marcel, just colour match the tape to the glove box and that should do it. Keep it coming mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[Rover V8]

Real nice Marcel ;)

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

cheers Tim,Mike. I.ve had a weekend away so hope to get some time in the garage during the week.

[the maxster]

Hi all, it's been a while since I did an update on my build, mainly because there hasn't been much happening but I have made up my brake pedal and fitted the master cylinder. As can be seen in the photo I've made up a small box to fit to the chassis this will mount to the plate that holds the master cylinder and will hopefully keep the elements at bay. The pedal has a dog leg in it due to the location of the main chassis rail that it will be mounted to so there will be enough room for the throttle pedal too. The pedal is made from 10 mm stainless and drilled to smarten it up a bit. The foot pad is made of ali plate with some stainless 5mm grub screws fitted to give a bit of grip. The ratio is 7-1 and is fitted with a 1/2 "bronze bearing and grease nipple. I 've made up a threaded insert which will be welded into the chassis rail to mount it. The system will be servo less.
I,m making up a throttle pedal to match also but don't know what ratio to make it at the moment. I made a foot plate in ali chequer plate which bolts to the floor.
I will be removing the engine as soon as I can get the car off the stands (hubs are off having disc bells made up) so it can be rebored ready for the start of it's rebuild.

[ross@rmrrestorations]

Personally, I think checquer plate should only appear on breakdown wagons.
Make the pedal ratio fairly large so the weight isn't too bad. Pressing a heavy gas pedal gets tiring on a long run.

[the maxster]

Cheers Ross, It could be altered if the braking is too heavy. I fitted the plate because I couldn't think of anything else to use but it will save the paint if I don't fit a carpet.

[Morris460]

Coming on Marcel. Your parts are jigged up on the lathe and part machined, just need to finish decorating before I get back in there.

[langysrodshop]

Certainly getting there now Marcel, Looking good but as Ross said lose the checker plate mate.

[the maxster]

Ross, Steve, point taken, plate gone!!
I'll have to think of something a bit more original.
No worries Paul, I fully understand, you have to keep her indoors happy or we would never get anywhere with these cars.

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,
Great work as usual, I know the feeling of not doing much, not to the Pop anyway :D

Smooth Ally with a bead would be better than the checker (oh that rymes :greet:)

Keep the updates coming.

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

cheers Mike, Good idea with the ali, I'll have to dig out the bead roller and practice!

[the maxster]

At the moment the engine is away for a rebore and should be sorted by the end of next week.
In the meantime I spent a bit of time building up the axle with the diff and new shafts. Then I made up some mounting brackets for the calipers which are cosworth vented which I had left over from my old car. The discs are Merc 500 which I had turned down from 300mm to 275mm to fit the sierra pad better. The calipers have been resealed and given a lick of paint to tidy them up a bit. Next on the agenda is the handbrake cable / lever and some rear coilovers. In the picture also is the front calipers which my eldest lad donated from his racing puma. They too have been resealed and fitted with porche 9something or other pads which have more pad width than the puma ones as my discs are slightly narrower (Wilwood 2 piece). They too have been given a lick of paint to keep things matching front and rear.

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,

Great progress, brakes look good and should work good also. Good luck with the engine work, looking forward to seeing it in place soon,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

I also mage up this engine / gearbox stand out of some bits that where lying around the garage. I'm waiting on a delivery of epoxy primer so I can start to paint up the box, so it's already cleaned up and deburred. I'm not sure of what color I will go for yet.
I will use it also to paint and build up the short engine when it's ready but I don't know If I would trust it with the weight of a fully built hemi without some extra bracing!!

[the maxster]

Cheers Mike, Hopefully things will move along smoothly with the engine as I had a lot of grief with the gearboxes (this one being my third!). I know that the car will be over braked but I'm hoping that my set up will be ok but I would rather have too much than too little I suppose?

[Rover V8]

Marcel,

I wouldn't think too much and Hemi should be in the same sentence :D

You will need all the help you can get ;)

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

thats true Mike, there will be a fair bit of weight up front for sure I think the hemi comes in at about 750 lbs standard. I'm trying to avoid using a servo because of the chassis layout I don't have a lot of room under there.

[langysrodshop]

Looking good mate, onwards & upwards :)

[the maxster]

Cheers Steve, yes all being well things will move in the right direction.

[Morris460]

Coming on very nicely Marcel.
Should be around to see you next week.

[v8pop]

Some good progress Marcel, keep it coming mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Thanks for the comment Tim.
Paul, just give me a call when ever you are about I could always pop in to save you the journey.
I got the engine back from being rebored during the week, so at present I'm cleaning up the block ready to paint. I hope to have some photos later in the week.

[the maxster]

It's been a while since I last posted but i have been busy on the engine.
So far I put the short block together with forged 10.5 pistons, steel rods and crank. A pretty fast road cam with a gear drive. I am now starting to put the heads and valve train together.
i did keep the original valve covers to save a bit of money and cleaned them up and had them powder coated and painted the highlighted lettering. and I'm pretty pleased with ethe results. i also cut the petrol pump flange off the original timing cover and plated that over then coated it to match.
I will look to make up the valley cover and hopefully the inlet manifold next if i can get the materrials ok.
The front brakes are complete also with just the plumbing to finish. but need to sort out an anti roll bar to finish off the suspension.

[Rover V8]

Hey Marcel,

Welcome back, I was thinking you had gone fishing :lol::lol:

Great progress, glad to see your getting the engine done, keep at it, summer will soon be here :cool:

Cheers,
Mike C.

[Flamin Black A]

good to see you're still at it Marcel looking good well done

[v8pop]

Nice bit of progress there Marcel, that motor looks wikid mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[langysrodshop]

Looking great Marcel, what colour are you using on the motor & box ???

[the maxster]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I have been about but I let my membership lapse (shame on me) and it took me a while to get around to sorting it. I've been doing those little jobs like lining up the doors and sorting the locks so that I'm happy with the locking / unlocking.
At the moment Steve I haven't got a clue!
I am thinking of painting the car in a dark metalic green, cactus green metallic is one i like but can't think of a color for the engine to compliment it so far except maybe a different shade of green. I have considered an off white similar to the color you used on the T I did want to avoid bright red / yellow or orange as there are a few Hemis out there in those already also the color needs to compliment the covers so I open to suggestions believe me.
I am looking to get some new valve seats fitted to the heads but two chambers on each head have been pitted badly with rust. I have cleaned them up but obviously the finish is nothing like the good chambers and was wondering what is used to polish the chambers on heads?

[langysrodshop]

Marcel i use a die grinder to polish the chambers with vary degrees of grit, very much like how i polish steel ready for chrome. It doesn't take as long as you think with the right tools.

[the maxster]

Cheers Steve, I've got a die grinder but but not much else in terms of tools to go with it. Do you have a supplier I could use?

[langysrodshop]

My polisher mate gets all my stuff for me trade, Very cheap, If you want anything drop me a PM and i will see what i can do.



Cheers Steve, I've got a die grinder but but not much else in terms of tools to go with it. Do you have a supplier I could use?

[the maxster]

cheers Steve, I have PM'd you

[the maxster]

While I've been saving my pennies to get some new valve seats fitted to the cylinder heads I made up this valley cover in ali plate. I may have some slots milled into it at a later date but did think about having "HEMI" laser cut out of some ali and attaching it just behind the oil filler for something different. The oil filler is just an M20 s.s. bolt machine down and then polished to a mirror finish
I fitted a remote breather to the axle casing, i'm not sure if it is nessacary but the casing had one on it when I got it although it wasn't in the braided stainless hose I used that I knew I would find a use for one day.

[cossie pop]

Just had a flick back through your build Marcel Some quality work cant wait till the front grills on for a tea cup pic :cool:
Adie

[langysrodshop]

Motor is looking great Marcel :)

[the maxster]

Front grills back on Adie but been having a nightmare with the computer so will get to it ASAP
Marcel

[Rover V8]

Nice work Marcel,

glad your back,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[MoreCubes]

Just re-read your thread Marcel - it's an inspiration - keep it going !

[v8pop]

Still heading in the right direction Marcel, keep it coming mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Thanks for the kind words all of you but believe me when I say it's your encouragement and seeing what you guys do that keeps it all happening, even when things are a bit slow.
Yes Steve i'm pretty pleased with the motor so far, considering the covers etc were done as a stop gap, as for now I would sooner put the money into the engine as apposed to on it. i just hope i get the colour right to keep it looking good.

[the maxster]

Just a bit of an update.
Between sorting out my eldest,s Puma and becoming a grandad for the 4th and 5th time in the last two weeks I managed to get some time in the garage.
I decided to make my own inlet manifold for the Hemi as the one I wanted is no longer available from the states. Although there is a guy over there making them from stainless but I thought if he can make them, so can I.
I was unable to get a hold of any 2 x 1.5 stainless box section so I took a leaf from Steve,s book and "squared " the end of some peices of 2" round stainless with a home made dolly. The squared end actually came out very close to the port size.
I had 8 holes machined into some stainless for the manifold plate which I will finish off by hand to get the port angle correct as it isn't square to the face of the manifold surface.
I took some 1.6 sheet and cut out the shape for the plenum chamber then marked off the holes and cut them out with a 2" holesaw which took an age to do. I bent up the sheet to form the shape I needed.
I then put the heads on with some stiff card between the block and heads and bolted them up with a couple of rocker shaft carriers I have spare. this will hold everything in place when the final welding is done. I put the manifold gaskets on and bolted the plate down on each head. It was then a case of putting all the tubes and the plenum together, tacking on some mild bar to hold things steady while I lined up the tubes and tacked it all up. I will do the ends tomorrow but will be using some 3mm stainless for the top plate. The shape of the plenum is staggered so it will not interfear with the distributer once in place.
All I'll need then is to talk one of the welders from work into welding it up for me.

[Morris460]

That's looking good Marcel!
Any thoughts on carburation?
Must pop round for a look-see sometime and catch up.

Congrats on the grandad again:cheers:

[v8pop]

Nice job Marcel, looks like that's going to work out well mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[langysrodshop]

Looking good Marcel, thats a lot of work :eek: Could you not have used one of the Aussie intakes like i put on this one ???
I havn't forgot about your polishing bits, my mate is on his holidays at the moment.


http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/stevelangylang/Workshop%20stuff/Headersleftside15.jpg



Just a bit of an update.
Between sorting out my eldest,s Puma and becoming a grandad for the 4th and 5th time in the last two weeks I managed to get some time in the garage.
I decided to make my own inlet manifold for the Hemi as the one I wanted is no longer available from the states. Although there is a guy over there making them from stainless but I thought if he can make them, so can I.
I was unable to get a hold of any 2 x 1.5 stainless box section so I took a leaf from Steve,s book and "squared " the end of some peices of 2" round stainless with a home made dolly. The squared end actually came out very close to the port size.
I had 8 holes machined into some stainless for the manifold plate which I will finish off by hand to get the port angle correct as it isn't square to the face of the manifold surface.
I took some 1.6 sheet and cut out the shape for the plenum chamber then marked off the holes and cut them out with a 2" holesaw which took an age to do. I bent up the sheet to form the shape I needed.
I then put the heads on with some stiff card between the block and heads and bolted them up with a couple of rocker shaft carriers I have spare. this will hold everything in place when the final welding is done. I put the manifold gaskets on and bolted the plate down on each head. It was then a case of putting all the tubes and the plenum together, tacking on some mild bar to hold things steady while I lined up the tubes and tacked it all up. I will do the ends tomorrow but will be using some 3mm stainless for the top plate. The shape of the plenum is staggered so it will not interfear with the distributer once in place.
All I'll need then is to talk one of the welders from work into welding it up for me.

[the maxster]

Thanks Tim
I hope so, I need to trim the runners down and finish off the porting apart from that it should work.
Thanks Paul you are welcome any time.
I'm not sure what to run at the moment but I might keep it modern and run 2 x 500 eddlebrocks because they are progressive and shouldn,t bog the engine down (so I'm told) I like the look of the trick multi carb setups like 97s? but don't know what they are like to get and set up. for the moment I'm just going to weld a blank 3mm carb plate on and decide later when needed.

[the maxster]

Hi Steve,
I didn't realise there was an Austrailian one. Is it the same as the Hot Heads one as it looks very similar? If so they don't list it any longer in thier catalogue and the other one I looked at was from PAW who also stopped listing them, hence having a go at making one. It is a lot of work but i enjoy it and hopefully it will give the engine even more visual impact. Also I suppose what i save here and there I can spend on the bits I have to buy. No worries about the polishing stuff just let me know if you are able to sort something
As can be seen I've made up all the parts now and are all tacked up ready for final welding.

[Jon100e]

Just read this from the start. Great work Marcel. Thats going to be oustanding when finished. Hats off to you!

[Morris460]

Unusual plenum setup Marcel.

[langysrodshop]

Not sure if the aussie one is the same Marcel, There is a thread on the HAMB where the guy that makes them posts.



Hi Steve,
I didn't realise there was an Austrailian one. Is it the same as the Hot Heads one as it looks very similar? If so they don't list it any longer in thier catalogue and the other one I looked at was from PAW who also stopped listing them, hence having a go at making one. It is a lot of work but i enjoy it and hopefully it will give the engine even more visual impact. Also I suppose what i save here and there I can spend on the bits I have to buy. No worries about the polishing stuff just let me know if you are able to sort something
As can be seen I've made up all the parts now and are all tacked up ready for final welding.

[the maxster]

possibly not then steve but very similar.
Yes the plate in the middle is to be finished paul it is really to put a bit of strength in it rather than to devide it. The shape is actually a copy of ones i saw being made in the states. not sure how efficient it will be but Im sure it will be better than what was on it when I got it.

[the maxster]

Thanks for the kind words jon

[Paul 32 Ford V8]

Blimey Marcel you have been on a mission !
Just read all your posts after your question on the hemi. I just had to see what you were up to. Pop looked fantastic up until i saw the motor in the car, then it became triple fantastic ! Look forward to following along.
Only problem i can see is... bigger pictures please so i can drool more easily !

[randrhotrodimports]

Wow looking great there young man, cant have enough Hemis in the world. keep it up mate.
Russ

[the maxster]

Thanks Paul , Russ.
I'm not very good with computers and struggle to get the photos on that I do. I personally don't think there's much out there that has the same visual impact that the hemi has and you're right Russ there aint enough of them, parts might be a bit cheaper/more available if there was! Should finish the inlet this evening so hopefully more of an update later.
cheers
Marcel

[the maxster]

Hi all, managed to get the inlet manifold welded, although a week late due to a problem with the unit. it's been acid cleaned and apart from finishing off the carb mounts, reshaping the manifold flange plates and a bit of polishing it's all done.
I fitted the block hugger headers I picked up from the states to see how it all looked. The one thing I do realise is that the headers will foul the chassis rails, so I will use the flanges and the collector and re route the pipes to suit each side to avoid not only the rails but the steering, starter etc. I will tackle that job when I get the engine back in the car
You might be able to see in the pictures that a piece of one of the engine mount lugs has broken off and was wondering if it is possible to repair? A motor plate was considered as an alternative but I want to mount the alternater low down at the rails so it would foul a motor plate.

[the maxster]

Just added a better photo of the damaged lug.

[langysrodshop]

Have you got the broken bit Marcel ???



Just added a better photo of the damaged lug.

[ROCKIT]

If the lower lug could be used then the lower and the top one would be sufficient to support the motor IMHO. It may just be a matter of re-jigging the motor mount itself.

If it was me and I had the missing piece then there is no reason it couldn't be put back using an Arc and a cast stick, then a quick dress up. I doubt it would put enough heat in there to distort anything. I would still bring into play the lower lug though.

I'm sure that Steve will call it as he would do it, and bring his Tig set into the equation!

[the maxster]

Sadly Steve, shaun I don't have the missing bit but if it could be rewelded I could most probably get a piece off another engine and grind the pieces to fit if that's possible.

[langysrodshop]

To answer your question yes it can be welded Marcel.



Sadly Steve, shaun I don't have the missing bit but if it could be rewelded I could most probably get a piece off another engine and grind the pieces to fit if that's possible.

[Morris460]

I have some rods that will weld that Marcel.

[the maxster]

Cheers steve, that's the route I would like to take
Thanks Paul i will give you a call at some point and maybe we can sort it. I need to sort out a piece froman old block first though.

[the maxster]

A bit of an update but more to see if I can upload pictures taken from my new camera. As you can see my new polishing kit has been put to good use! Still a bit to go yet but it takes an age and I've now got tendonitis in my right arm from doing all the buffing (on the manifold) just waiting on some parts being machined for the engine then might get a bit more done.
Marcel

[v8pop]

That's got some shine on it Marcel, nice one. Keep it coming mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Cheers Tim. Things are a bit slow at the moment, I've a lot on at home and at work at the moment.As soon as things quieten down I'll be getting on with it.
Marcel

[the maxster]

Hi all,
it's been a while but I have managed to sort out my steering column shroud. I've used a cortina ignition lock which is a bit more compact than the other fords that would fit my column. Even so I had to box it in but it turned out ok. I may put some of the switches in the box to make it look a bit more purposeful. I need to decide on the indicator as I might mount it elsewhere. I'm not sure whether to polish the whole thing or have a paint and polish combination. The lug on my block has been successfully repaired by Paul (Morris 460). Many thanks to him as he's done a brilliant job of it. We decided that it was my engine mounts that most probably broke it so now I'm making up some new ones in the style of the originals, more on those soon.

[28modelagra]

great work looks good

[Flamin Black A]

glad to see your progressing Marcel steering column looks good

[the maxster]

Thanks Graham, Peter for the comment, they are always appreciated. Starting to get things together now. I need to get new exhaust seats fitted to the cylinder heads then the engine can be built. That'll be another milestone covered.

[v8pop]

Looks good Marcel, it's all progress mate as long as your going forwards no matter how long it takes. Keep it coming.

Cheers. Tim W.

[Morris460]

Coming along nicely Marcel.

I'm digging big holes, I may come calling:eek::D

[the maxster]

Just give me a call Paul,
don't fall in!!

[the maxster]

Hi all, now that the block has been repaired I made up some new engine mounts along the lines of the originals but using "hockey pucks" for the insulation. now completed I think they look better than the ones I made previously because I didn't like the look of the original design! With the engine in place I will start to fabricate the exhaust manifolds. I was going to make it in mild but have decided to go with stainless, no doubt it will be more expensive but I should only have to do it once. I have a large plate of 10 mm stainless which I will have the flanges cut from after the holidays are over.

[langysrodshop]

Hi all, now that the block has been repaired I made up some new engine mounts along the lines of the originals but using "hockey pucks" for the insulation. now completed I think they look better than the ones I made previously because I didn't like the look of the original design! With the engine in place I will start to fabricate the exhaust manifolds. I was going to make it in mild but have decided to go with stainless, no doubt it will be more expensive but I should only have to do it once. I have a large plate of 10 mm stainless which I will have the flanges cut from after the holidays are over.

Marcel, stainless bends are only about a quid dearer than mild ones and being mandrel bent so much nicer, what size primaries are you using ???

[the maxster]

Hi Steve. Will be using 2" although the ports are oval and a bit wider I should be able to work them with a dolly and hammer to fit. it seems to be the size that is selling in the states. Once I have a rough idea of what I need i will contact you.

[FadT]

I have a few 2" S S offcuts here. If you are going to Billing then let me know. They are yours for the asking
Gerry

[langysrodshop]

Hi Steve. Will be using 2" although the ports are oval and a bit wider I should be able to work them with a dolly and hammer to fit. it seems to be the size that is selling in the states. Once I have a rough idea of what I need i will contact you.

Yes they are easy to reshape cold, on my willys thread a reshaped them square so you shouldn't have any probs with oval.
What CC is your motor ???

[the maxster]

Steve its a 354, with the later large port 555 heads.

Gerry, they would certainly be appreciated. I will be over on the Sunday if that's any good .
If you pm'd me your mobile # I'll give you a call on the day
Cheers
Marcel

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,

Great progress, the polishing, engine mounts which are "pukka" by the way :lol:

and the way the motor sits and looks are all really good, good luck with the headers,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

Cheers Mike, I should get the flanges back tomorrow so will soon make start.

[v8pop]

Tidy job that Marcel, it's coming on mate, good luck with the headers.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Thanks Tim, knowing me I'll need it, I never seem to get things right the first time!

[the maxster]

I finally managed to get somewhere with the headers. Some kind friends had donated some stainless tubes and bends and after a lot of trial and error I came up with these fender well ones. These are the second attempt but the first would have meant cutting into the rear of the wing but decided against it as I want to keep them discreet with just the ends showing under the bottom of the wing. I have had difficulty getting some stainless collectors so had a go at making them and they came out ok. They may not look a good as some bought ones but they didn't cost £160 each! The system will be in 2.5" stainless and will exit the collector to go under the car

[Blackpopracing]

They look good to me Marcel.

[Morris460]

I know how tight you are for space around the engine Marcel, good job!

[langysrodshop]

They came out good Marcel, well done

[v8pop]

Nice tidy job that Marcel, looks like you needed all your patience on that one mate. good result on the collector as well. Keep it coming.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Thanks for the positive comments everyone, Yes it was very tight and I couldn't keep the lengths the same so I may have to forego a few horses but I think I can live with that. I've now got a new lead liner for the welder now so the other side should be a lot easier and quicker.
Thanks again

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,

Great work as usual mate, headers are good, can't wait to hear them :)

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

Cheers Mike me too, sadly that seems a long way off at the moment!!

[the maxster]

Still working on the headers so I thought I would have a go at the handbrake. I bought a sierra lever from fleabay as I had sierra rear calipers I thought it would be easier to keep it all the same. I used the sierra cable but I split the cable because it was far too long but bought a second so I could use the adjusters from each. expensive but at least I have a spare now!!
The ferrules at the ends of the cable I got from a chandlers site and make a tidy and secure finish and now there are three points for adjustment. The lever was modified slightly where the clevis is attached but I will look to see if I can sort out a better grip . The bracket was made from stainless sheet and will match the gear lever one when done. just needs polished up now. The grommets will be further sealed with some black 10 mm plastic air line to keep the elements out.

[53pop]

that nice and neat will look well when polished

[langysrodshop]

Still working on the headers so I thought I would have a go at the handbrake. I bought a sierra lever from fleabay as I had sierra rear calipers I thought it would be easier to keep it all the same. I used the sierra cable but I split the cable because it was far too long but bought a second so I could use the adjusters from each. expensive but at least I have a spare now!!
The ferrules at the ends of the cable I got from a chandlers site and make a tidy and secure finish and now there are three points for adjustment. The lever was modified slightly where the clevis is attached but I will look to see if I can sort out a better grip . The bracket was made from stainless sheet and will match the gear lever one when done. just needs polished up now. The grommets will be further sealed with some black 10 mm plastic air line to keep the elements out.


That should do the job Marcel, neatly done.

[v8pop]

Nice tidy job that Marcel, that reminds me I'll have to sort mine out as well. Keep it coming mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Thanks all, I just need to get the polisher out now.

[the maxster]

Hi all a bit of an update. I decided to keep the original window winders instead of fitting electric ones but realised as my seat is now somewhere where the back seat used to be I couldn't reach the handle. So I made up some plates to relocate the mechanism a bit nearer. To make it all work I then swapped the drivers side mechanism to the passenger side door and visa versa. The plate is removable so I can get the window inside the door. I also connected up the original door lever which still operates the original lock which opens the new bearclaw catches. It all seems to work nicely.

[newboldspeed]

Very nice work going on their chap. Keep it coming.:yes:

[53pop]

nice bit of thinking there glad it worked out ok

[langysrodshop]

Good think, I had to move mine in the willys as once strapped in couldn't reach the handles :(

[the maxster]

Thanks all, I would have had the same problem Steve as will be using a harness and I think the interior looks better with a bit of chrome so wanted to keep and be able to use them

[v8pop]

Nicely thought out Marcel, better now than on a hot summers day, do you remember those:lol:. Keep it coming.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Cheers Tim.
Hot and summer in the same sentence! what on earth are you talking about????

[the maxster]

I managed to get a bit of time on the car again last week, the headers are almost finished now with just the flanges to be tig welded on. The flanges and blanks were laser cut by a local firm and saved a lot of time and effort. The exhaust system is made in 2.5" stainless and can be seen going under the bottom of the A pillar and into a 12"long 5" diameter box. I couldn't fit anything bigger so hopefully they will quieten it down enough. the system will exit just in front of the rear wheels. I still need to finish off the drivers side tail piece and need to fit a balance pipe between the two systems which I should get sorted next week. The brackets will need welded to the frame and will support the system with the small bobbin type hangers
.

[v8pop]

Nice job Marcel, another bit almost ticked of the list mate. Keep it coming.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Cheers Tim, I'm just ticking over getting as many of the smaller jobs done as I can
It's getting cold in the garage now so not as keen as I was, although I do feel for you guys out on the drive with the the dark evenings and crap weekends

[the maxster]

Fitted the rear shocks and springs this evening. That's the rear set up finished apart from prep and paint.

[the maxster]

hi all, managed to get the exhaust system finished yesterday. not a lot to show but the brackets are all welded in and the balance pipe is in place underneath the gearbox cross member. This proved to be the difficult bit to get aligned as it had to drop slightly because of the cross member and I couldn't fit it in anywhere else. Now that its completed I will get the valve seats fitted to the heads and rebuild the engine. I will be looking to size up a fuel tank to be fabricated next.
http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1598.jpg

Drivers side completed

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1594.jpg


the finished article

[Blackpopracing]

Got any photos of the balance pipe Marcel?
Be keen to see how that done.
Well done for putting up full size photos too :)

[the maxster]

Hi Mark, not the best of photos as the car isn't up high enough. Hope you can see but I used two 45s and the flanges I had cut.
http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1603.jpg

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1601.jpg

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1599.jpg
what should have been the finished article!

[the maxster]

Putting the 45s in cost me two drills, well me one and dewalt one! the metal must have hardened? as I had to cut through the welds?

[Blackpopracing]

Cheers, don't think I have enough room to do that on mine :(

[the maxster]

No problem Mark. mine is no lower than the sump so should be ok. I have considered putting in a braided flexi just in case.

[Blackpopracing]

I'll have another look at mine once the engine & box go back in, but that will be a while yet.

[the maxster]

As long as it not lower than the silencers or sump it should be ok. A flexi may be the answer as at least if it does catch it will have some give.

[v8pop]

Looking good there Marcel, takes forever don't it? Keep it coming mate.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Hi Tim, your not kidding there but it's a great feeling when another job is complete. I've come to a bit of a halt now as I need to get the valve seats done in the heads so that'll take all my savings up. no doubt I'll find something I can do

[Rover V8]

Hi Marcel,

Great work on the hand brake and exhaust, hope the valve seat job is going ok,

Looking froward to the next progress report,

Cheers,
Mike C.

[the maxster]

Hi Mike, things not moving on the cylinder heads as yet, I'm waiting to see if Santa will boost the funds a little. Now that the exhaust is done I've had to redo the gearbox mount as it was sitting a bit to close. It's not a big job, just enough to keep me occupied of an evening.

[the maxster]

New gearbox mount made up and primed. There's now about 1 1/2" of clearance now.
I have since removed the engine block and gearbox with the view to build the engine over the holiday ready for the cylinder heads when done.

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1665_zps9a7a567a.jpg

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1669_zps0cb2eeb1.jpg

I will finish welding the gearbox mounts and exhaust brackets when the bodies off and I can turn the chassis over

[langysrodshop]

Marcel just a thought before you weld up your exhaust but are those rubber mounts in this pic in tension ??? They look like they are



http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1669_zps0cb2eeb1.jpg

[Brizey]

Marcel just a thought before you weld up your exhaust but are those rubber mounts in this pic in tension ??? They look like they are
They are Steve :(, well spotted...

[langysrodshop]

They are Steve :(, well spotted...

I'm surprised they havn't broke already !!!

[Brizey]

I'm surprised they havn't broke already !!!
No doubt they will sooner or later with some road use :(!...

[the maxster]

Hi Steve, Brian. we live and learn eh!!
Not quite sure how best to mount them, any suggestions/

[newboldspeed]

Hi Maxster,
cross member needs to be solid "Bolted up Tight" then you mount from your cross member to your trans.
This needs to be with a poly joint. Hope this helps Chap:cheers:
http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh549/Newboldspeed/2012-12-21102357_zps705effe8.jpg

[Ford34/2]

is it possible to cut the piece off the silencer hanger and extend the vertical up past the chassis bracket, so the rubber mount is under compression in between, possibly weld a bit stainless flat bar in place and still use the piece you cut off.
?? or just bend a new bracket and bolt it to the piece left on the silencer.
Stan

[the maxster]

Thanks for that, I can see it now. I will be able to move the chassis brackets and make up new exhaust ones. As I said before, I always seem to do things twice!

[langysrodshop]

Hi Steve, Brian. we live and learn eh!!
Not quite sure how best to mount them, any suggestions/

Marcel that type of rubber needs to be in compression not tension, they won't cope with the weight, thought you should know now rather than later after welding

Something like this


http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h229/stevelangylang/Malcs%203W/3DE87E87-8523-494D-801A-D117155ABBE8-16096-000010DB571D9F22.jpg

[the maxster]

Yeah I can see it now Steve. it won't take much to sort. Thanks for pointing it out

[Blackpopracing]

You can mount your box the way you have done it Marcel, but ONLY if you have the motor on urethanes as well. If not the motor will twist on it's rubbers and split the trans casing.
It's more usual to mount the urethanes on a nice tube across the car with the 'ears' fitted to the chassis rather than the other way around as you have it.

[the maxster]

Hi Mark, My engine is mounted on hockey puks so not sure if it will be a problem. I mounted the trans that way round to make up for the lack of ground clearance as the mount itself is only 1" deep and bolts direct to the trans. That way I could mount the exhaust crossover pipe with plenty of clearance as it sit directly below the mount.

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_0643_zpsd300cdff.jpg

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1603.jpg

[Blackpopracing]

Hi Marcel,
That wont work then (sorry). The hockey pucks will allow twist, but the urethanes won't which will crack the gearbox casing.
You need to use the same pucks on the gearbox crossmember, or use urethanes on the engine.

Re the gearbox crossmember comment, what I meant was the urethanes are usually mounted on the ends of the crossmember with the 'ears' coming off the chassis.

[the maxster]

no worries Mark. Its a bit of a pain to have to modify the mount as there's not a lot of room in there. I could cut down a pair of pucks to make the diameter smaller and then sandwich them as on the engine?

[Blackpopracing]

That should work ok, would need to see to say for definite though.
You need the same amount of movement at the gearbox as the engine mount.

It looks tight, but I think you have enough room to do it, might not be the prettiest bracket though!

For both your exhaust & gearbox mount you need to make them this style;
http://imagehosting.rodsnsods.co.uk/6450d365c6d02ea.jpg

[the maxster]

That looks pretty neat Mark. I'm sure i'll be able to sort out something, cheers

[the maxster]

Some progress at last!

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1742_zps18eb8f05.jpg

chambers are polished, new exhaust seats, all recut, mild porting, new guide inserts and faces skimmed.

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1743_zpsa391d836.jpg

just trying to locate some new head bolts so it can all go together proper

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1744_zps68feb492.jpg

[v8pop]

Looks well Marcel, still going in the right direction mate. Keep it coming.

Cheers. Tim W.

[the maxster]

Cheers Tim, it's good to have something that I can get on with. As soon as I sort out some head bolts the engine rebuild can be finished off.

[the maxster]

I decided to strip off the primer on the engine and redo it in black epoxy primer. I was really impressed with the stuff and the finish was excellent.
I put the parts on the engine to see how it all looked and to help me decide whether to go with a light or dark top coat.
Although I think it looks great, I'm steering towards a lighter colour to help show off the tins a bit better.
http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1770_zps6475bd1e.jpg[/URL]

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1769_zps92e99a23.jpg[/URL]

http://i1259.photobucket.com/albums/ii557/marcello212/IMG_1768_zps34c22250.jpg

The engine is all built now apart from water pump, alternator etc . My good friend Paul (morris 460) will check my cam timing in the near future, as I have never built an engine before so I want him to give it the once over.

[dwgunn159]

engine looking good and the inlet manifold turned out real nice.