My mk2 Rally car - Duratec power

[Jon Segger]

This is my mk2 Escort rally car. At my last event back in February (the North West Stages in Blackpool), the diff let go in a big way and completely shot the axle to bits. It was running an English axle, but having already been through a couple of half shafts, I knew this was always a potential weak link. So the time had come to upgrade to an Atlas. At the same time, it seemed sensible to beef up the rear end and covert from standard leaf spings and anti-tramp bars to a nice 6-linked coil-over setup.

And then while I was talking about doing all this, Paul Dunnell convinced me to upgrade from the Zetec to a Duratec.

So, the rebuild commences. My aim is to have it complete in time for the South Downs Stages in January as a tester and then back for another assault on the North West Stages again in February. Mark, my good friend and navigator, will be helping me with the rebuild. Wish us luck!!

I'll be updating this thread with pictures as the rebuild continues.

The full spec will be as follows:

Bodyshell
-- 1976 2 door shell
-- Seam welded and forest arched
-- Polycarbonate windows
-- Heated windscreen
-- Fibreglass bonnet & boot lid

Engine & transmission
-- Dunnell Engines 2.0 litre Duratec ~275 BHP
-- Quaife 5 speed sequential gearbox
-- Fostek Atlas axle with 5.1 CWP

Suspension and brakes
-- 4-link bars
-- Watts linkage
-- Compression struts
-- Bilstein front and rear shock absorbers with coil-over springs
-- Sierra Cosworth rear calipers
-- Wilwood front 4 pot calipers
-- Electric power assisted steering

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So to start if off, some pics from the weekend...

We made a rollover jig from a couple of engine stands:






Then after a LOT of measuring, I fitted the front mounts for the 4-link kit:


And then started on the turrets. Only one side tacked in so far:






Another update after the weekend, hopefully...

[Banishit]

going well. looking forward to seeing done

[marky4]

some nice work there, will be a weapon when done

[graham John]

keep the pics coming, and good luck with the work, it will be worth it,

cheeRS

[Frosticles]

looking good. Like the idea for the jig

[paul spence]

nice work
nice selection of spades you have there!

[hally]

nice work
nice selection of spades you have there!

for digging it out of hedges!

[Jon Segger]

The cars is at Mark's dad's farm (hence all the spades). Big sheds, so plenty of room to work on it.

[grum]

hi jon

looking good there - remember you said it could do with a tidy !!!!!!!!!

some "tidy"

good luck

[Jon Segger]

Cheers Grum!

[madturk]

very nice how long do you think it will take to complete?

[RS_Fiesta]

Looking good
Ill be out watching again on NWS
Matt.

[Jon Segger]

Thanks all...

The 'plan' is to be done by January. This is of course dependent on garage time being allocated to me by the missus...

[Jon Segger]

A brief update. I got a little more done this weekend.

Both turrets are now pretty much in place, but then I ran out of gas for the mig welder:






So then I cut away one of the sills ready to replace it:


And I cut out the floor reinforcing boxes to make way for the gearbox and exhaust tunnel. I've then got these smart looking ones to go back in afterwards:


I've just this evening got a new gas bottle, so work permitting, I should be able to do some more next weekend.

[graham John]

regretting not putting a larger tunnel in mine now............



nice pics Jon, coming along well,

cheeRS