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Donor done, build started


Dommo

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Yeah it does bolt on and off, but wiring loom coming through it and fairly combersome with a screen on. I am glad I bolted mine from underneath, it had been hanging down in the footwell for weeks until I bolted it back up today

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Dom

The scuttle does un bolt, but then you'll have to

Take the dash off as well.

My ecu plate is also hinged and fixed to the underside of the

Hoop.

Makes for access to the ecu etc on the Ali tray

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looking good

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Likewise with the ECU plate, Dommo. I found that the strip of ECU plate I cut off to trim to the dash hoop was perfect to make the mounting strap. A few 90 degree bends in the vice and voila!

IMGP1353.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Unperturbed by my unintentional 'improvement' to the ECU mounting plate I've been a busy boy!

First off, I've been busy making a bigger mess of the footwells and floor by fitting the tunnel top panels. The prop isn't back yet, so they'll have to come off again but that's not a big job.

P3070112_s.jpg

The rest of the panels have been fitted including the plastic diff cover. All done with rivnuts and countersunk bolts. I think I'll swap the overlap over when I refit them though, give water less of a chance of getting in.

The middle steering column has arrived back from Westfield at the desired length.

P3120112_s.jpg

I've kept the splined end on it so that I can use the standard Mazda seal on the bulkhead panel. It wouldn't slip over a UJ. However, everybody on the planet apart from me will notice that a Mazda spline is not the same as the Ford one used on the lower column. Nobody makes a Mazda/Ford UJ so I'd dropped a mild clanger there. Fortunately, the hero of Mazda SDV builds happened to have a couple of Ford splines and sent them in my direction. Thanks Mark!

On my visit to the factory the other week I picked up a set of locks for the bonnet. Not really security minded, more because they're flush. The fact they lock is just a bonus.

P3130113_s.jpg

Tricky to fit, lots of measuring, masking, measuring, drilling, filing and general creation of orange dust. All ended well though and it clamps down a treat. Lucky really, stuff like that isn't my strong point!

I've finally finished painting the aluminium coolant pipes:

P3150115_s.jpg

Just need to secure them now. I've knocked up a right angle to go from the passenger side engine lifting point which should secure the long pipe. The elbow from the water pump gets scarily close to the fan belt but I can use the outlets on the pipe after it to 'pull' it away.

On to todays work. The coolant header tank got attached to the scuttle. I think I spent more time looking for instructions that actually fitting the thing - there's nothing in either manual. Fortunately the odd looking piece of aluminium that I always wondered about revealed it's true purpose.

P3180113_s.jpg

Just the final bits of plumbing for the cooling system then. I think the vent on the radiator should go to the top of the coolant tank but I'll research other build diaries first.

Lastly I got brave and started fitting the headlamps. I'd already removed the standard headlamp mounts which don't get used on the FW bonnet. I test fitted the cover and taped it in place.

P3180114_s.jpg

With the bracket held in place I marked it out and attached it to the bonnet.

P3180115_s.jpg

The FW build supplement suggests the covers should be in two parts, where as mine is just in one. I'll check if I'm supposed to cut them in half before fitting them as one or two pieces.

79% through the entire project now. Home stretch can't be far away :d

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Looking good Dom

Yes, connect the rad breather vent to the header tank

Where is your wiring loom gromet for the scuttle?

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Tucked into the scuttle at the moment. Fitting the bonnet locks had the scuttle going on an off more times than I care to remember.

Which reminds me, another job done: scuttle is bolted down!

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Coming along nicely Dom.

Are you as excited as me about getting finished and on the road? I've become more excited the closer I'm getting, even though it's one step forward, two back for me.

Doug

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If you class impatient as excited then yes!

Know how you feel about taking steps back. I think I've taken the last one now though. It's just that annoying stage where you can do lots of jobs but visually there's not a lot of difference.

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But soon you will get a day where all those little jobs come together and it feels like a day of massive progress

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So the light covers aren't cut in half and they're fitted as one piece. Doing the nut up tight could be fun at some point, but I'll deal with that later. Why do today what can be put off until tomorrow?

P3190111_s.jpg

Then the other fitted the next evening:

P3190113_s.jpg

It doesn't quite fit flush on the front edges - the covers seem to be straight where the bonnet isn't. I might just silicone them flush later on. With that done, I wanted to do something else 'visual' so attacked the rear arches with the infamous devastation from the dremel and drill. Arch on, holes marked, arch off, holes drilled, arch on, tub marked, arch off, holes drilled. Faint when holes actually line up! It's fitted using Playskool's finest plastic bolts in the hope they break before the tub when I bend it.

P3210115_s.jpg

And from the rear:

P3210116_s.jpg

The prop has now been shortened by bailey morris and is on it's way back to me. I'll soon be able to put the bolt in to suss out where to stop the clutch pedal.

In the meantime, I've ordered some stuff to clean it with. There's lots of fibreglass dust all over it, and it'll be good to wheel it out. I'll also clean the garage out as the floor is covered with dust and swarf. I'll have to wait until the steering column is back though, else God only knows where the car will wander off to without that attached...

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In the meantime, I've ordered some stuff to clean it with. There's lots of fibreglass dust all over it, and it'll be good to wheel it out. I'll also clean the garage out as the floor is covered with dust and swarf. I'll have to wait until the steering column is back though, else God only knows where the car will wander off to without that attached...

I was amazed at how much rubbish I swept up off the garage floor when I rolled mine out for its first airing!

Looking good Dom - are you pushing on this weekend?

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I've got my son this weekend so it's down tools for me, but the spreadsheet is open right now and I think with some well aimed time off work, there's a mid April IVA in here somewhere

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Perfect for sending up the chimney footwells :d

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