23 Sep 04

Sadly, not much work has been done on the Escort for a while, mainly all the time consuming horrible jobs like paint stripping, underseal stripping.  I have one turret almost ready to weld, but thats about it.

At the end of August I did 3 1/4 mile runs in my XR4i.  This was the first time I had done anything like this and as don't normally push the car that hard I was pleased with my times of:

17.13

16.74

17.02

The car can certainly go faster with a better driver and a few more revs, but not bad really.

Many thanks to all you who have given me feedback and sent in details on your conversions.  3 of which are no featured on the site.

 

12 Aug 04

I have now removed the diff from my 2.8 Special and have started to strip all the brake drums and brackets of it.  I popped over to TJ Motorsport at the weekend and picked up some Grp 4 turrets.  The next stage is to start cutting the holes in the rear of the car ready for the 5 link and turrets.  I have also got to fit the brackets for the rear callipers and rig up the original handbrake system to them.

At the weekend I also fitted twin cossie electric fans to my XR4i.  They are just running of a switch through a relay at the moment, but will soon have an adjustable thermostatic switch.  These fans keep the engine much cooler under normal driving and once the thermo switch is fitted the fans will hardly come on unless stuck in traffic or on the motorway.

The Omex ECU has arrived ready for fitting to the XR4i and I am researching what I need to do to fit it.  I am going to have to rig up a crank wheel sensor system for it and get a coil pack from a 24v Scorpio.  Once that is done I need to get it so the engine runs, no matter how roughly and get it to my local rolling road who charge £80 and hour for tuning.  I am not expecting huge power gains, 2-3 bhp at most, but the responsivness of the engine will improve and possible up to 5 more mpg.  With petrol prices continuing to rise this should pay for it self in less than a year.

03 Aug 04

My plan to remove the diff from my 2.8 Capri has been stopped becuase of the weather, still plent of other stuff to do.  The variety of places I sell spares to continues to expand.  This weekend I sold some spares to someone from Sweeden.  The furthest I have ever sent parts is the Czech Republic, but it is only a matter of time until I send parts to somewhere further away...........

After a bit of tactical bidding on e-bay I have picked up a brand new baffled alloy fuel tank and alloy platform with all the trimmings for £220.  I wasn't intending to buy one yet, but you can't look a gift horse in the mouth can you?  Must have saved £50 or so and I don't know of any one who sells alloy tank platforms?  Less weight = more BHP is alway in the back of my mind.  With a ZETEC converison even in basic form you ar looking at somewhere near 180 bhp per tonne which puts a lot of performence cars to shame.  Keep the weight down ladies and gents.

25 July 04

Quiet weekend apart from picking up a rear roll cage I bought for £40 through e-bay, not bad for an unused Safety Devices rear cage.  I thought this would easily fit in the back of my XR4i, it didn't.  After unbolting part of the rear seat and a few trys it finally fitted in.

20 July 04

A busy evening has resulted in a removed diff and rear suspension.  And also a remove rear firewall/bulkhead to make way for the turrets and 4 link.

19 July 04

I have got someone lined up to make me an alloy inlet manifold so I can use the motorbike throttle bodies.  He is happy to make as many as I want, although it will take a bit of time as they are being made during his tea breaks etc.  Please let me know if you are intrested in one.

The same guy is going to make me a alloy centre consul, navigator (wifes) foot rest and will modify my XR4i inlet manifold as the 2 ports per head design is a bit restrictive.

18 July 04

No work on the Escort today, but some work on my XR4i over the weekend.  I finally got round to fitting the new fuel filter, easier said than done as it's hidden under the airbox.  It is these simple things that keep the fuelinjection system clean so worth the effort.  I also re-fitted the RamAir air filter after it's clean. 

I also checked the tyres for the first time since they were fitted and was suprised that they were all to high.  I double checked with to tyre guages and reduced them down to 30 psi.

I also decided to fit the quick shift kit I had bought for the Escort to the XR4i as I had decided to get a proper 'Quaiffe' quick shift for the Escort.  This was a pain to fit (I had already fitted the spacers to the stick ages ago) and was on and off the car about 6 times as I tried to trim the bottom spacer enough for all 6 (including reverse, I'm can't afford a 6 sped box!) gears to work.  Eventually I used 3 washers as an additional spacer and plugged the gap between the spacer and gearbox with instant gasket.  The kit definately works and has a completely different feel to it.  It has also raised the stick approx 8mm so the next stage it to cut 25mm of the stick and re-tread it.

The above changes seem to have helped the car as she is running very smoothly, has a slicker gearchange and has stacks of grip.

My Grp 4 4 link kit has arrived from TJ Motorsport and co-incides with articles in both Classic Ford magazine and Practicle Performance Car magazine in how to fit the 4 link.  The job certainly seems do-abl with my limitted experience, but will need some careful measurements.  The hardest part looks like cutting the old metal out, I may higher a plasma cutter if I can find a mate who needs one too so he can go halfs!

 

12 July 04

 

I have just constructed the website however the car is still in pieces!

The car is currenly without front wings, has no gearbox and is still sat on it's standard rear suspension.

The good news is both rear bubble arches are on and all the hole have been plated.  The car also has a large gearbox tunnel that I see as a must for a 5 spd type 9 conversion although some people just use a hammer on the old one.