fiestaturbo.com

[XRMike]

Looking good matey!

[moondustka]

Another nice project Popping up left right and centre!

Everyone is going zetec turbo

I've got a rover inlet I'm not using if you're interested, complete too.

[sikora]

Think i'll be changing engine plans again
The garage i'm using belongs to my aunty and shes found a buyer for her house. Not sure how long i'll have but i need to concentrate on the body and look for somewhere else to at least store the car. Definately putting the turbo plans on the back burner for now, so it'll either be an N/A 2.0 or the 1.6 back in

[sikora]

Looking good matey!

I'm probably at the garage this weekend if you still want to pop down. I'll let you know

[jayrs]

been a while since i looked in on this, rust looks bad on the bulk head mate, i hope its surface and not gone though

[sikora]

The rust under the scuttle panel is only surface rust. The lower bits of rust go through to the front arches so i can cut that out easy enough.

[jayrs]

not tto bad then mate

[sikora]

Update

Boot and doors are off. The 2 top door pins came out relatively easy, however the lower ones proved to be rather stubborn. I bought a door pin remover specifically for Fiesta's which last all of about 10 blows with a hammer. What a waste of money that was!
Passenger side was removed by clamping a pair of mole grips under head of the pin and a combination of a pry bar under them and hammering down on the grips :rolleyes:
Drivers side had snapped in half and just wouldn't move. As i have a replacement door for that side, i decided to just cut hinge on the door off and then through the middle of the remaining metal.

Broken pin removal tool :x



Next up was making the spit to mount the car on so could work on the underneath alot easier.
After reading RS Rob's project thread, i decided to use the same method to mount the rear support as the bumper holes aren't as strong as the front ones. I opened out the ends of the chassis legs to allow me to slide a piece of 40x40 RHS inside and bolted up using the holes already in the bottom of the legs





Rear mount welded up and bolted up to the car



Here are the stands that i made up



And the car fully bolted up on the spit.







I've made it to only allow 180 degrees rotation rather than 360 as it would have to be made alot higher to clear the corners of the roof, plus i dont really need it upside down anyway

[jayrs]

looks good mate.
i wouldnt of cut the rear panel though, i would of put a large plate on the inside of the boot though.

[sikora]

Its only opened up the holes that are there already. The rear panel is being replaced eventually anyway

[jayrs]

ah right, if its being replaced that explains it

[moondustka]

Must be soo nice work on the car when it's like that! Good job

[sikora]

Must be soo nice work on the car when it's like that! Good job

Removed the rear beam and front subframe on the weekend. Effortless on the spit

[sikora]

Well i missed the Ford Fair deadline Maybe next year

[jayrs]

we have all said that
im hoping to have the xr2 done by then, but tbh, prob wont touch it till next year now so cant see that happening

[sikora]

we have all said that
im hoping to have the xr2 done by then, but tbh, prob wont touch it till next year now so cant see that happening

I'll give up setting a deadline. Its done when its done

[jayrs]

its not a dead line, i dont make them, im just saying i would like it done by then

[sikora]

Desperately need this on the road soon as though. Its been over 12 months since i last drove a car. Just got my clapped out Escort van to get me around

[jonyb4]

take your time with it mate, dont rush, the longer you take the more thorough you can be

[sikora]

Wow is it really 5 months since I last updated this??

To be fair, there's not been much progress due to the money drain that Christmas usually becomes.
I have however gained the services of an ex panel beater/painter who recently started work at my place. I've been picking his brains and taking on board alot of advice on what direction to go with the restoration.

First off, I've given up looking for genuine rear quarter panels and have decided to go down the fuel filler repair panel/ new arches route. Nothing was getting done while I kept looking for the quarters and I feel alot more confident doing it with repair sections now I have the help of a professional.
He's also offered to paint the car for me, which has helped a great deal in getting my mind back on the car as I saw the potentially large bodyshop cost as quite a stumbling block.

So I have a genuine fuel filler repair panel and 2 pattern arches on there way to me this week. I'm also hoping to give my garage a bit of an upgrade this weekend with new lighting and workbench in preparation for the work ahead.

[jonyb4]

ah im glad your getting back on track

dont give up on the little Xr

[sikora]

Time for an update

The dirty work has begun. Started on the n/s first. Ripped the sill off to be, as expected, treated to some rust. Cut away the rot and replaced with fresh metal. None of this is available in pre made panels, its all made from cardboard templates and cut from 1.6mm steel.





Rot cut away



New metal in place, ready to weld



Ive also sorted the rot inside the front inner arch. Photos dont really do the work justice as it doesnt show the great big curves i had to shape for the strut and wheel clearance on full lock





I have now also sourced an engine from Carbonboy67, a 1.8 Zetec E with all the parts to convert it to 130ps RS1800 . Made the trip down to Dorset for it, heard it running then ripped it from the car

[FRSJON]

nice bit of welding there take it thats the engine out of his track car,run sweetly that one

[knuckles]

nice progress

only just noticed this. Spits are awesome. Lets you get to every part of the car with ease.
excellent welding too !

will keep an eye on this one

[jayrs]

looking good mate, some metal working going on there

[jonyb4]

nice to hear you got the right engine for the Xr mate

glad to see some progress coming too

great fabrication work

[RS rob]

good effort,
lots of work ahead, keep at it!

[sikora]

Suppose an update is due, even if not much has happened

Little bit more welding done, but not much. Strengthened the rear of the sill and cut away the lip that's corroded slightly. Seems silly to just put the sill over it after the metalwork i've put into it previously.

Really need to get back into this. Been held up by a lack of a mig welder. Despite being a welding by trade, I don't actually own one myself I've been using my uncle's machine, but he's needed it himself alot this year. Thinking of investing in one myself in the new year





Another reason for the lack of progress is this:





Picked it up for £300 off a friend. Its had a slight knock, which the gearbox and n/s wheel took the brunt of. Fitted a working gearbox, n/s wheel, wishbone and track rod (All included in the price of the car too ) as well as a new clutch. Needs to get the tracking done to see if its bent anything else.
Picked up a water pump and timing belt, as well as new filters and fluids. As long as the tracking goes ok, should be mot'd and taxed and in a few weeks.

I'll add that this is to replace my Escort van as my daily. The XR project will continue

[jonyb4]

aah nice, good little Zetec s, love them in red with amber indicators, very cheap too, should be a lovely daily


glad the XR is still breathing, even if its still on life support atm

[sikora]

[jonyb4]

comedy!

[jayrs]

[jonyb4]

only the one side?
come on more pics!

this wont get old haha

[Rs Adz]

hows this coming