fiestaturbo.com

[SLEEMAN]

well no doubt when its finished it will look completely factory!

[Excursion]

I did a bit more today. I fabricated the second tank extension on the rear of the tank and used my bead roller to match the existing swages along the bottom of the tank.

There is still a large section to add directly underneath the new addition, that will slope down to the bottom right hand corner of the tank as pictured. I'm not really happy what I've done here so plan to restart it from scratch. It's a difficult balance between maximising use of the available free space and making the additions look quality.


Welds etc. have not yet been dressed.

[Excursion]

Fuel tank - part 7
I remade the second tank extension as on my first attempt I finished the swage lines too close to the rear side radius making it difficult to get a neat curve. This time I finished 50mm from the start of the curve and achieved a smooth result. I also fabricated the third extension - it was not possible to make the 2nd and 3rd from a single sheet due to several compound curves on the top side, and my metalworking skill level - and have that lined up neatly against the other areas of the tank.


The third extension slopes in towards the bottom edge of the tank to follow the shape of the Focus rear subframe.

Still a way to go...

[rsturbonutter]

I just done a quick google search mark trying to find out the thickness of the rear roll bar on the rs turbo and came across this page
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/ ... ?car=30547
It states that us spec fiesta had a 11 gallon tank which is bigger than the rs maybe you got look into it if it could work

Absolutely love this project mate a real credit to you

[Smo]

I just done a quick google search mark trying to find out the thickness of the rear roll bar on the rs turbo and came across this page
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/ ... ?car=30547
It states that us spec fiesta had a 11 gallon tank which is bigger than the rs maybe you got look into it if it could work

That's just quoted the same tank in three different units. US gallons are smaller than UK gallons, so in US gallons, the figure is larger, but equates to the same volume

[rsturbonutter]

Just had another look mate what nob I turned out to be lol

[Excursion]

I just done a quick google search mark trying to find out the thickness of the rear roll bar on the rs turbo and came across this page
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/ ... ?car=30547
It states that us spec fiesta had a 11 gallon tank which is bigger than the rs maybe you got look into it if it could work

Absolutely love this project mate a real credit to you

Thanks mate, thanks for the link as well!

Fuel tank - part 8
Next was to modify the tank to facilitate a new exhaust route underneath it. I will use a single 3" pipe for the new exhaust - standard Fiesta is 2.25" or 2.5" depending on model - and so I chose to use a 4" pipe to create a recess on the bottom edge of the tank. 4" will give sufficient clearance for the exhaust and a heat shield too.

I worked out the new route and ordered a 4" mild steel 60 degree bend to suit. Jetex were the only UK supplier I could find who stock 4" mandrel bends in mild steel, and with rarity comes cost!

Here's the 4" pipe next to the standard exhaust from the Ka I'm working with.


I cut the 4" bend in half lengthways and used each piece to work out the route and draw an outline on the bottom of the tank. I trimmed the pieces at a matching angle and welded them together.


New tank extensions seam welded and exhaust recess in place. I need to sink it into the tank another 20mm yet to provide the necessary exhaust to ground clearance, but it's looking good so far.

[SEG1]

lovely work mark but make sure you heat wrap the exhaust or heat shield it.
That exhaust will be very close to the tank, and with a 500bhp turbo and lots of boost theres no doubt the exhaust will be very very hot.

[Excursion]

Cheers mate, I've left enough space for a decent heat barrier.

Fuel tank - part 9
I made some reinforcing tabs and welded them around the mounting hole positions. These will help spread the weight of the increased fuel load.


To finish off the exhaust recess I welded a 25mm extension to it to provide necessary ground clearance for a 3" exhaust.


I then seam welded the recess into place.


This shot shows how much clearance I have. Just a small infill piece to do next where I joined the two tank sections together.


Front Suspension
I decided on Clio RS 197/200 front suspension. I would have liked to use a Ford offering to keep to the same manufacturer - and parts counter! - but the RevoKnuckle in the Mk2 Focus RS weighs more than a boat anchor. This lot came from Norwich...My girlfriend is now used to jaunts across the country visiting dirty scrap yards followed by a pub lunch - how spoilt she is

The first step was a strip down to learn how it's built and put together.


Here's the strut layout with Renault's PerfoHub; this arrangement means that the base of the McPherson strut is further inboard than with a traditional hub, and in order to keep the required Steering Axis Inclination (SAI) - purple line- acceptable, the strut is angled outboard at the top rather than the usual inboard inclination - light blue line.

To negate the requirement for a different suspension turret in the 197/200 models Renault use a canted top mount to adapt the outboard tilted strut to the standard inboard tilted suspension turrets.


Clio strut - 47mm base (left), Fiesta Mk5 KW V3 strut - 45mm base (right). The Clio weighs 176Kg more than the Fiesta.


As it happens the M12 locking bolt tab is in an identical position on each strut, so the Fiesta strut can be mounted and tightened, however the 2mm difference in diameter means the Clio strut must clamp further than designed which places undue stress on the hub. This is obviously an absolute no-no. The solution will be a machined shim, or potentially a complete remake of this part of the hub in billet 7075 aluminium.




The purple lines in the photo below show the angle that the Clio lower arms are mounted; it will not be possible to mount them this way on the Fiesta due to the route of the chassis rails (blue rectangles). Based on this it's looking like the approach I'll take is to retain the Fiesta lower arm mounting (green lines) and modify the arms to suit the Renault PerfoHub. I'll possibly end up with billet arms.


As an observation: going from pictures on the internet I thought the Clio RS subframe to be pressed Aluminium, but it isn't, it's just galvanised steel. It is really heavy and in fact it and the one piece discs add a significant amount of weight to the suspension assembly.

[SEG1]

That ka is becoming very useful

[SLEEMAN]

so does that mean a lot of it will be custom made billet products like your rear suspension setup?

[Excursion]

That ka is becoming very useful

Earning its keep

so does that mean a lot of it will be custom made billet products like your rear suspension setup?

As little as possible because the Renault parts are already forged alloy, but I think at least the lower arms will be billet like the rear arms

[FRSJON]

just seen this dash and thought it would be perfect for your interior lol

[Excursion]

just seen this dash and thought it would be perfect for your interior lol

Pumice Gold paint too! I have a brand new carpet in that colour The shade got lighter with the Mk3.5 so the dash and the rest of the plastics were like the centre console, and I really like it - the Mk3 shade is a bit beige. That's a real early car with that seat design, must be one of the '89 Ghias

Decided on black plastics in the end. Probably for the best

[FRSJON]

sure is...f reg ghia

[SLEEMAN]

so does that mean a lot of it will be custom made billet products like your rear suspension setup?

As little as possible because the Renault parts are already forged alloy, but I think at least the lower arms will be billet like the rear arms

nice! I can't wait to see that lot being done!

[GavStyli]

looking great mark

i came across this today on my old hard drive from 2007 . hope it helps you decide on the green strips. ithink they look brill on this colour similar to yours

[Excursion]

looking great mark

i came across this today on my old hard drive from 2007 . hope it helps you decide on the green strips. ithink they look brill on this colour similar to yours

Cheers Gav! I agree - that looks pretty good actually. I think I need to do what smo suggested and fit a full set then decide again.

[FRSJON]

i rember driving in to silverstone next to that.. cheery red,looked good

[SEG1]

+1 Green trim!
FTW!
Who's with me?

[Max M4X WW]

+1 Green trim!
FTW!
Who's with me?

Nope not for me, too many colours going on with the paint, interior, wheels..

[Smo]

+1 Green trim!
FTW!
Who's with me?

Nope not for me, too many colours going on with the paint, interior, wheels..

Having seen that photo, I agree...

It could just be that example, just too much going on.

Mark's could still work, though, as it's far more subtle as a whole, and the colour may have nothing to do with it!

[Excursion]

I'll get a pic up guys, when all the strips are on.

Minor update. The tank is finished but I'm not happy with it - neither the look of it or its weight - so it's now being used to get quotes for an aluminium copy.

I'm also in discussion with ATL regarding a custom moulded HDPE (plastic) version.

[Dave G fsi]

Sorry to hear about the tank mark, although a fresh new aluminium one will look smart

Im not sure the green strips will work, can you do a photoshop to test first?

[Excursion]

That's a good idea, Dave!

This morning Ian sent through some engine progress photos.

Here are the custom forged rods. Ian chose the dimensions and I chose the type: I-beam:


The block required various clearance pockets for the billet crank



The standard Ford oil jets were fouled by the new crank, so Ian has worked out another solution.


Here's the crank fitted.


The next step on the engine is to finalise the piston design and then order a set. The car itself is going away in two weeks time to have the front suspension designed and machined. The estimate for that work is 4-6 weeks.

[rsturbonutter]

Will this be getting finished and driven this year mark??????

[Excursion]

Will this be getting finished and driven this year mark??????

It's a distinct possibility mate

[Smo]

That's a fat old crank!

[Smo]

What's Ian going to do? Modify the jets so that they come out 90 degrees first and then out and under the piston?

[MK4 Rick]

Im excited by this car and its not even mine

[Dave5300]

Fairly beefy bottom end, love it

[Excursion]

Cheers guys

Because I'm doing something weird with the coilovers - keeping them near maximum ride height - the helper springs are redundant and when compressed under load rob me of a good 50mm of further adjustment. The standard rear configuration was 20-60-80 helpers with a 30-200 main spring, which is KW parlance for the following:

20-60-80 = 20 N/mm spring rate (114.20 lb/in), 60mm dia, 80mm length
30-200 = 30 N/mm spring rate (171.30 lb/in), 200 length. Not shown: KW part number 60110069 (10mm wire diameter, 124mm spring travel)

I've got rid of the helpers and ordered a pair of rear springs that are the same length as the uncompressed original springs and helpers - ~300mm. Original configuration on the left, modified on the right.


The new springs are 50-300, so 285.50 lb/in. They are KW 60110057 (12mm wire diameter, 135mm spring travel). This is a 60% increase in spring rate, which is my estimate at the new baseline that takes into account he additional weight of the rear suspension & larger fuel tank, and the way I want the car to respond. Further tuning will obviously take place once the car is ready for corner weighting.

For reference here is a KW motorsport spring brochure http://www.kw-suspensions.co.uk/pdf/KW- ... 10_nop.pdf It took me a while to find that.

[dontpannic]

For reference here is a KW motorsport spring brochure

I'm waiting for the autumn collection.

Looking good Mark.

[Excursion]

Thanks Nick

This evening I fitted the new rear springs and also adjusted the rear camber & toe to a reasonable baseline ready for further tuning.

The rear ride height now quite civilised.

[muz]

What settings for the car will you go off? As obviously none of the suspension is standard to the chassis etc so is it a bit of trial and error?