[KOBI-Dave.]

Yes, exactly that!
I was OK at it with the Escort too. I'm briefly on the 5th gear video on utube. Tiff used Dick Bolts red Escort. Part 1, my Escort back then was orange with a black front. Check it out!!!
The old bird in the back of the Rialto is one of the big wigs in the MCC, organising body of the Landsend.
The very last time I trialed was a Landsend. Only two of us in class 3 got round clean. Me in my Zetec Escort, and Dick in the duratec Escort . On special test 2 a fkin woman stepped out in front of me and I lifted. Dick beat me by less than a second over the full trial. It will haunt me till I die . I never got a class win at Landsend.

As an edit, the Tiff video was an Exeter trial. I think the tiny clip of me was the bottom corner of Simms hill. I did once get the class win at Exeter

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

When I picked up my SU, I got roped into sorting out an electrical fault on a lathe.
The positive side of this was that I was gonna get the lost bits back.
Well, of course I didn't! I got two bits back, both wrong, but as we know, two wrongs DO make a right! I just need to weld them together.

As a bit of a Brucie bonus, I was given this raaaaather splendid grille. I was told the M is for Moss. It's cast alloy and oy loyks it!!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I didn't get much done due to running around fixing lathes etc, but I made me a door frame
There is nothing straight about it , every tube is curved, it isn't square, but it fits the hole

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

Just had a scary thought, maybe that M is for Medusa
Nurse, NURSE, bring me some tranquillisers

 

[budetta]

See you are thinking about a fuel tank, have a good Austin Devon one . What size do you need ?

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

Aw, thanks for that offer, I don't know what a Devon tank looks like. An Escort one won't go in. Too tall for the boot( or is it a Trunk!). I want it to fit over the top of my turret brace, and sit in behind the rear bulkhead, so something fairly rectangular will be needed. What I'll do is cut a square of ply to represent the required end profile. The length wouldn't matter too much, as long as it fits the width of the boot.
I'll post dimensions of the end profile and we'll go from there.
I had thought that getting one made would be a good idea. Even get it made in 2mm plate, over the axle in a trials car, big weight is an advantage, and of course mechanical strength is also good if a jack or something breaks loose and clatters it.
The inside of my Escort boot looks like father Ted's been panel beating again

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

My ply turned into cardboard but still did the job. As you can see , to maximise fuel capacity the tank needs to be fairly accurate.
I realise that if I made the bottom less than 210, I could have it taller as it would still 'tip' into place but it's all swings and roundabouts really. So 800 max length (or width across car). If using these sizes that gives 50.4 litres by my calcs.

If a Devon tank goes inside these dimensions Budetta, I'd be interested

 

[budetta]

Will chuck my rule at it tomorrow.

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

OK, thanks Budetta 😊

Soooo, today, after a spell of landscape gardening to keep the missis happy, I set to sorting out my carb.
I cut up the two brackets and made them into what I needed. No MIG or TIG round here, it's stick or gas for me.

Stuck it all together and cabled it up.
I had to take a spring off another set of carbs as I didn't get the original back. I've got a box of springs somewhere, but haven't seen them in a while . Onwards and upwards.....

 

[budetta]

So tank slapped with the rule , its 780 wide 700 without flange, 210 deep 180 from flange to bottom and 380 inc flange or 310 without.

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

I had a measure up and unfortunately the Devon tank is not a goer. The brace box section is 200mm above deck and the brace to the rear bulkhead is 280mm. So it won't slide underneath or go behind even if it would go over the top and tip over. I don't want to fit it on its end as the filler / breather / outlet would be wrong, but thanks for trying.

I made the mistake of thinking it was gonna be a nice day today. Got the cement mixer going and about 10 minutes later it was raining. Building in the rain is bad enough, but try it when you're building with cobbles, what fun. Used that batch then went in the garage .
I set to and made the other door frame. I just got it finished when I noticed that I'd managed to swap the top rail with the A post strengthener. Laugh, I very nearly started.
Alls well that ends well though, soon had it cut up and the right bit welded in View attachment 636466

 

[budetta]

Aho , never mind thought it would work on its side turning the filler round . Had my alloy tank made by Brake Comp to my spec . What about a Mini Countryman/van tank ?

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

Don't know what they look like either!
Getting a steel tank knocked up will be cheap enough. I have some really good engineering contacts. Nearly 40 years as an electrical engineer, I've got lots of contacts in many different trades, so no worries 👍

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

Nowt much to report.
Building this morning, fitted, or tacked in , radiator supports this afternoon. Needs rad back off to finish welding and fit shorter bolts. Fan sits probably too low in relational to the rad, but if its no good, I'll fit a leccy one. Hey ho

 

[mygasser]

you could make a simple shroud to make the fan more efficient in that position.
neil.

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

Aye, suppose I could go that way, it may work ok anyway. The water has to go down the way to get back into the engine so should it make a difference where the fan is?
Back when I first started trialing I just used standard Escort set up and I never had overheating problems......which was probably just as well, the amount of other problems we had

 

[mygasser]

i'd try it and see how you get on as you say, easy to make a shroud later if the cooling is marginal.
neil.

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

Exactly that Neil. Also the rad is a Cortina one, about 3 inch taller than a standard Escort one. I had it in the Escort years ago and it was fine, a bit more capacity than standard. Even the standard one was OK, got this one on one of many scrap yard scavenging missions!!

Just finished my building work for today, so a little garage therapy this afternoon

 

[mygasser]

it'll be fine then. did you know the mk4/5 cortina's had the same radiator core in all models from the 1.3 right up to the 2.3 (only change was late 2.3 that had a plastic tank rad' like granada's) so it'll be fine for your x/flow.
neil.

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

No, I didn't know that one, every day's a school day

Rad mounts done, rad back in. Started on the nose cone. I just set it on the highest point, kind of worked out how much lower it wanted to be with the aid of the spirit levelling device, then drew around the bits of chassis that it was sat on and attacked it with a grinder.
I hope there are no tractor fans reading coz I'll be in trouble.!
I used to like them myself, but now I don't.
Yes, I'm an ex tractor fan.....tishhhhh.

I'll get my coat

 

[KOBI-Dave.]

I got the nose cone fixed on, bracketed to the chassis , and drill n tapped to the rad supports. Sits good.
Made a bracket for the bulkhead to fit a tie rod to the top of the nose cone. Painted the bracket, so will conclude that bit maybe tomorrow.
Now that I know where that bit is going, I tried on the headlights. Two existing brackets on the chassis, presumably body mounts in its previous life seem to fit the bill perfectly.
It occurred to me that this thing could actually turn out tidy. I started thinking about shiny paint rather than the mat black I'd originally envisaged. I'll go and have a cold shower, that should sort it

OK, your homework for today. I got a Yazaki oil pressure guage and I dont know what thread it is to get/ make an oil pipe.
It isn't the same as either end of an Escort pipe. I'm thinking gas thread or something. With a vernier across the outside of the thread it is about 11mm.
I'm guessing that Neil will be answering this one with RD experience! So the question is, can I get an oil pipe to fit the Escort mk1 engine fitting, and this guage?
cheers, Dave