[AustinHarley]

i think the rover wheels actually suit it

It's almost in the family isn't in, Austin Rover.... Funny how they suit it. It might just be that the wheel sits in the arch nicely, and any wheel would be good. I fancy a plain steel with a chrome cap but finding them in a 17" with a 4*100pcd is tricky.

 

[mygasser]

you may end up with pcd adapters so you can use more readily available wheels. like everyone used to on volvo rear axles.

 

[AustinHarley]

I've got a few hubs, later mx5, and kia that with a bit of messing around I might be able to use. That would give me 5 studs and open up options.

 

[AustinHarley]

Morning all,
So, there's been progress but some of the photos don't explain it well.
Finished the rear of the chassis complete with bumper mount. (though the pic is work-in-progress)

the top and bottom rails are now tied together, and there are threaded bosses for the bumper.

 

[AustinHarley]

Then I added all the oval washers for the eccentric adjusters on the lower suspension arms.

 

[AustinHarley]

I then moved on to the seat mounts. This is built as a subframe from 100mmx50mm box. It's got to be strong as my seats have inbuilt belts. The threaded bushes go all the way through, welded top and bottom. There's also a 5mm plate on top for the seat feet to sit on. Subframe will be welded into the main frame. This gives me a good point to diagonal/K brace from.

 

[AustinHarley]

The seats angle in by about 2 degrees. The body tapers to the front so this was the only option- other than narrowing them.
Note, the feet perches hadn't been fitted in this pic.

 

[AustinHarley]

I think you're up to date now, the rear frame and the seats have probably taken 3 weeks to get done but they're fairly fundamental and worth getting right to pass BIVA.

I ran out of gas, so that was the end of play.
Next job is to square the chassis up, then weld in the seat frame. More pictures once that's done.

 

[AustinHarley]

I'm not a fan of all the plastic on these seats, but it's a compromise worth having. The plan is to keep the outside 'ratrod' but the inside/underside fully painted and trimmed, so maybe the seats will blend in better then.
Maybe I can trim the plastic bits with whatever material I do the door panels with to tie it all together. Ha! listen to me thinking about interior trim! Maybe I'd better get engine and gearbox mounted, and a steering coloumn, and a prop, and an exhaust, an ecu, some wiring, lights, glass, widscreen wipers...........

 

[29stude]

Nice work you’re doing there. Look forward to seeing it progress.

 

[AustinHarley]

ok, slow to update...
Cut the floor braces out, replaced with new to give me space to fit seats

had to cut the body side rails as well, but there's bracing to go back in there. This is for clearance of the seat mounts

 

[AustinHarley]

and finally both seats bolted in

The door shuts! and there's actually more elbow room than I imagined.

 

[AustinHarley]

Now I know the limit to how far back the gearbox can go, I plan to stuff the engine and box in this weekend and maybe make some engine mounts.

 

[dazee]

Now I know the limit to how far back the gearbox can go, I plan to stuff the engine and box in this weekend and maybe make some engine mounts.

Nicely done, always good when things work out better than expected

 

[AustinHarley]

Got a few hours in yesterday.
Had a look at my gearbox, thought it was a 6 speed, but it's a 5. Mine was a MK2, the MK1 is a lot easier to move the lever on, so I went and got a MK1 box.
Here's what they look like

so, the simple thing to do is unbolt the remote, and bolt it back on using the rear holes on the mount onto the front holes on gearbox, shorten the shift rod.

I went a bit further.

Cut the front off the remote (actually there's a section missing here as I'd trimmed it down by the time I decided to take a photo)

and then cut a new set of holes as far foward as I could. Had to mill a flat surface as well

I realised I could add support by using the bit I cut off the front to pick up on the rear holes.
So, badly welded (I'll get it tig'd later) and assembled;

150mm further foward than standard.

 

[AustinHarley]

That last pic shows the MK2 box in the background. I'd hoped I could move the shifter fwards to that inspection cover, but under that is the reverse lockout, and the centering springs are all in the rear housing which I'd have to cut off for clearance.
I think there's a possibility that the MK1 tail section would bolt on to the MK2 box, but I can't see any gain there apart from I know my MK2 box has done 80k miles.

 

[AustinHarley]

Managed to keep to the plan! Engine and box mounted

 

[AustinHarley]

Next job might be to do the lower diff mount now I know the pinion angle. or I might do the steering column. Now the engine's in there's a realisation that if the rack was rotated so that the input spline is horizontal it will clear lots of stuff. Shame really as I spent a while hacking the front cross member about. Once I've got those 2 sorted, I can crossbrace the rails and do the finish welding.

 

[AustinHarley]

For the steering I could do with a steering shaft to suit escort splines that's at least 400mm long. Any ideas for a source? I'll support it at the non-rack end with a bearing then UJ up to the mazda column. I'll need to convert from escort to Mazda splines along the way somewhere.
How would IVA view a welded column extension- mazda female spline, ford male spline?

 

[mygasser]

rally design keep splined each end escort column shafts and metre lengths of tube that's a good fit so you can lengthen them. re biva, if it's welded and painted neat it won't be obvious that it's altered. and it's not altering a factory original austin part. as an example mk3/4 escort columns are welded at the ujs under the dash to get the needed offset.
just had a thought i seem to remember car builder solutions do a 400mm shaft, worth checking.
neil.