Subaru WRX powered Mk1 Escort

[perky555]

On another subject, what's the front chassis legs like off the mk1? I'm after a set for my rs2000 project.

[Dobbo63]

Some project there mate . Good luck.
A bloke I know has done same thing using Honda s2000 floor pan and suspension..

[16vmini]

ok , finally got some time to work on the scooby chassis .

propshaft / exhaust / hand brakes all came off :





i came up with a cunning plan to help shorten / control the shortening ..



basically once cut through , i would then slide bars to there new position ( well that was the idea)

so all cut through :



read end tipped up to make it easy to work on :



then excess / spot welds drilled out.



front end part cleaned up , with spot weld holes drilled for me to plug weld



test fit , and my bars bolted up in there new position :



after adding some trianglation bars , to stop car from bending , i seam welded the top , then lifted car and then plug welded underneath



its now back on floor , awaiting escort shell .. but thats another day.

[lee bishop]

I'd like to see someone section a Mk1 shell so even with standard arches you could run wheels with a bit of a rim to them.

Mark im pretty certain it been done to a mk2

[16vmini]

propshaft has been sent to http://www.cpsdrivelink.co.uk , to be shortened.

hopfully they can turn it around soon , would be nice to get mechanics running again.

Matt

[16vmini]

phone call from propshaft company at 10.30 this morning ,saying it had arrived , and they had done it !!!!!

took payment, and sending it out today , next day .... really cant argue at that !

should have it all back on car at weekend !!

[16vmini]

propshaft arrived this morning , they even slapped some paint on it
cant wait to see if it fits now !

[Aaron P.]

looks like a great project....looks like you know what your doing so that's a big start on this mammoth task.....if your going this far why don't you make your own custom arches for it instead of using the typical mk1's???? keep the progress coming.....

as for mark saying about the escort that would be a sweet task to take on.....rather do it to a 4dr than a 2 dr though...........but Lee is correct in saying it was done before...the car is in one of them cold countries in europe like sweden, norway, denmark or finland ....im sure it was in classic ford mag

[16vmini]

Sadly bubble arches allready bought.
Also got complete front wings with arches

Matt

[waggy1600]

theres a fubaru in ireland that does the rallying. Its a mk2 shell with a scooby floor pan and running 4wd

[16vmini]

propshaft / handbrake cables and exhaust all re-fitted .. did this more for me to keep the bits and not loose bolts ! LOL

but does allow it to stay running / moving.

escort shell will be trail fitted tomorrow

[16vmini]

start of the day , we had this :



now it really did not look like it was going to fit , but i was confident ...

we removed inner sills off the escort , the plan is to run roll cage tube inside the sills , then make new thicker inner sills once its attached to the subaru floor.

pic showing that all the old door post has to go :



rear arches cut out on escort ( have bubble arches to go on )



more trimming on subaru , we spent hours cutting metal off ! thank god for jerrys plasma

its now getting lower :



and finally after 6 hours of cutting , it slips on like a glove









bubble arches will work really well i think :



anyway , thats where we left it , its not even tack welded yet , but thats the next stage , confirm position of shell is good , and make car all strong again !

ps , got to find room for a rad :

[ESCORTBAZZA]

Looks like the plasma cutter realy saves time when cutting bits off
Bit boy thats looking tight at the front for the rad

[CEARACING]

start of the day , we had this :



now it really did not look like it was going to fit , but i was confident ...

we removed inner sills off the escort , the plan is to run roll cage tube inside the sills , then make new thicker inner sills once its attached to the subaru floor.

pic showing that all the old door post has to go :



rear arches cut out on escort ( have bubble arches to go on )



more trimming on subaru , we spent hours cutting metal off ! thank god for jerrys plasma

its now getting lower :



and finally after 6 hours of cutting , it slips on like a glove









bubble arches will work really well i think :



anyway , thats where we left it , its not even tack welded yet , but thats the next stage , confirm position of shell is good , and make car all strong again !

ps , got to find room for a rad :

Great Job!, unvelyebeable

[mark2marty]

will the shell drop any lower maybe untill rear strut tops are level with window to get sills closer to the ground ? Looks like your bubble arches should allow plenty of suspension travel, some sweedish turbo escorts have rad in boot would solve one problem for you