Hi,
As I am working stupid hours this week and cannot get in the garage I thought I would post some back pictures of the rear end developement.
I knew from the start I wanted to run a better axle than the std Lotus item and the Atlas from a Cortina with the lugs on the top gave the idea replacement. All the options of CWP and Fully Floating made it the natural choice. I have already posted pictures of that but how to mount it was going to be a challenge.
Where to place the Turrets (having never done it before was an interesting challenge). I asked about but no-one could tell me how to determin where to mount them. In the end I made it up at what I thought was logical (Looks right now so, fingeres crossed when I drive it first time). Basically I put the axle on stands, took out the rear window and drew a virtical line, up both sides with a spirit level, from the center of the drive shaft. Then placed a piece of wood across the whole width of the car and dropped a plumb line down to the inner arch to find the middle of the turret. I used modified Escort turrets.
I had aleady cut most of the boot away which made it easier to see. (the old axle looks a bit tired).
I then bought the plasma cutter and what a difference. This shows the axle in place with all the new linkages.
Obviously the big whole where the boot was would be an issue, a bit noisey and cold to drive. I wanted to mount an internal tank and stiffen up the back end, so built the frame to weld in. Few things to notice, The down legs are extended an extra 15mm to mount a tank guard, I fitted a threaded bar to add a tow hook and manufactured weld in spacers to fill the box section for mounting a redesigned bumper hanger.
Looks good with the Guard on and nice and strong.
As with all development there is the odd issue... The back of the axle was way to close to the front of the tank guard and the diff cover wasnt on yet. I had to take it out and modify the tank enclosure by moving the centre guard stay internal of the tank frame. It gives me an extra 25mm of clearance.
You will notice a safety devices Roll cage in one of the pictures above. I have used the removable diagonal cross section for make the brace between the turrets but have decided to build my own cage. Therefore I am gonna sell on the cage. I can easilly manufacture a new diagonal for it. If anyone is interested or knows anyone who is PM me please. Guess in the end when the time comes if I have not sold it then it will go on E-Bay..
Keep up the good work... I'm reading away at your posts.... My own sunbeam build feels like its in high reverse... Good to see somebody getting somewhere!!!
Hi, Been a week or two of work and no chance to get in the garage, and therefore no progress.
Had plans of a full day on the car today but things seem to have been stacked against me. Got all prepped up to carry of with the wheel arch and found I had run out of Gas....... So plan 2 make a part I have been planning for a while, (not needed yet but I have the bits in so......), meant using my mini lathe, buy I had to fix it first. Almost said sod it and worked on the house, but I dont get enough time in the garage and I was not gonna waste the day. Took a couple of hours to manufacture the parts to fix the lathe. Its only a model lathe but suprisingly useful.
I contacted Cossymax from on here a while ago. He recently built a Sunbeam with an S2000 engine in it (interesting thread on here). I saw a part on his radiator that I needed and was interested where I could get one. Unfortunatly it was a one off part he had made and was not a stock item anywhere. I need to connect the inlet manifold coolant breather to something or blank it off.
I have had the radiator a couple of years. I think it was a return (I assume because they put the lower hose connection in the wrong place) cos I got it for a song and is ideal for me.
The Fan switch is a standard part with a 22mm x 1.5mm pitch. It's this area I needed to make a part for. I bought a lump of alloy hex bar from E-Bay and a couple of taps and made this:
The 2 brass fittings are for this unit and the inlet manifold, Unfortunatly the 1/8th NPT tap has not arrived yet. But here is is fitted.
cousin rallys a sunbeam in ireland
Who's that?
I did my BARs test in an escort but have only ever rallied a Sunbeam. Understand why the escort is loved so much but Sunbeams are just a little bit different. Just as much fun though. Just a shame the spares are not as easy to get.
Hmmmm...... Day in the garage working on the car or big coat and off to Wales for WalesrallyGB .......??????
Last edited by rallysunbeam; 16-11-2013 at 10:46.
WalesGB sounds there's a real buzz at it on wrc.live.com
Well......, I decided, the lady of the house drags me Xmas shopping and makes me suffer soaps on the TV, so I feel its payback time. The upshot is I had a couple of hours in the garage today and tomorrow morning I will drag her kicking and screaming into a welsh forrest for the WalesRallyGB.
Anyway I wanted to crack on with the O/S/Rear wheel arch but it was not as easy as I thought it would be. Ended making strips to weld in so I could get the shape right. Then made a cardboard former for the new inner arch. I ran out of time to be able to weld it in but at its all prepped now,
Great project you got yourself and makes a very interesting read , well done on all your work so far and look forward to more updates
What a cracking day and hat's off to my lovely lady who got wet, cold and hungry and didn't whine once, even when her boots fell apart and her feet got soaked.
Thats why I love that lady.. She enjoyed the day but OMG.... WRC cars are so fast but what a mess they make of the stages. Here's a few pictures from the day..
Excellent day. Not that I needed motivation to get the Sunbeam done. Just wish I had a kind benefactor to help with the finances.
During the week the 1/8th NPT tap arrived so I finnished off the Radiator mod and took the inlet manifold off to tap that. No picture I'm afraid of that. Cracked on with the rear though, cutting a hole in the new rear panel then using a joggling tool to recess a plate. Drilled a few holes and bolted them back together before welding the nuts to the back.
Got carried away then and started framing up the rear tank enclosure..
very interesting and good work being done .your giving me a lot of ideas to do to my sunbeam. keep the pic and info coming
Glad your enjoying it. The only frustrating thing is the slow pace, but I guess that's the price of doing it alone. I am learning loads as I go but really look forward to when all the mods and fabrication are complete and I paint it. Then I can start putting all the shiny bits I have been collecting for years on. I do very much appreciate the comments though. Thank you
I love the old sunbeam. Last one I saw was shortly before leaving the mother country for Australia. They are totally unheard of over here loving the build. I'm not posting much but Def looking at every post!
1970 Mk1 Escort Tarmac Rally Car
The advantages of having 2 sons and 2 daughters is the girls think about clothes and shoes for me for xmas and the boys just say "what do you want dad". Well today I picked up the pressies from my boys and before they take them away to be wrapped I just had to pre fit one of them...
There will be two of these hanging out the back. One either side of the tank. Just looking at the one I can tell its gonna look really nice and shoud sound sweet.
As it turns out Cobra Seats happens to be based 6 miles from my house. Every year they have a factory sale. I told the wife-to-be that I would just pop down and see what they have and what kind of saving there is...... Well
As this is my kitchen and not the factory......... they sorta fell into my car dear.
Thankfully she's very understanding and offered to give me some pennies towards them and they can be my Xmas pressie. WHAT A DARLING
wow a real keeper!!!!
1970 Mk1 Escort Tarmac Rally Car
Managed a couple of hours today but unlikely to get many more for a week or two. Took the silencers off to give to my boys to wrap up and find under the tree on the 25th. Drilled a few holes, for the power cable and tank breather and finished of the right shelf welding. Then made a battery brace:
The back of the car is coming together nicely now. Few more jobs and I can start working forward.
Last edited by rallysunbeam; 06-12-2013 at 22:53.
Loving the thread, keep plodding on.
Just been reading through some threads on here and looking with envious eye's on the amount of new perfect panel's available for escorts. Basically everything available to make a completely new shell. I wish there was as many parts available for Sunbeam's that didn't involve me having to remortgage the house to get them. The upside I guess is oh yeh.... My fabrication skills are improving.
Seasons greetings all and looking forward to more fun in 2014. Hope you all have a good one.
You are doing a marvelous Job of the Sunbeam, its far more rewarding seeing your own fabrication work than just going out and buying everything.
Was that your Sunbeam that Rolled on a 90 left in Clipstone on the 2012 Premier Rally?
Hi. No not me.... Unfortunately I haven't been behind the wheel of a rally car for 7 years. It's been a long recovery from my divorce. Hoping 2014 see's DAC19Y being MOT'd and testing to do some events in 2015. Just at the moment seem to spend my life fabricating and welding.
I was planning on spending a lot of time over the Christmas period in the garage but unfortunately my lovely ladies father is seriously ill. Family has to (and will always) be priority. Soon as I can I will crack on and continue to post my progress.
Kevin have a look at my old beam consul think it cost about 20 to make I mite still even have the templates
Looks interesting. I am really looking for a carbon fibre one that fits a bit more of an angle though. However appreciate the idea.
Hi mate, making a great read. Found some of the info here really helpful. Can i ask where you got your engine mounts for the c20xe from? also i see you used envirostrip, would you recommend these? thanks
adam
Loving the car mate, bringing back some memory's from the 80's for me
Hi. Sorry been a while since any updates. My personal life has taken all my time since before Christmas with the loss of my farther in law (a great man I miss dearly) and my own wedding and honeymoon. Life only started to return to normal when I went back to work Monday.
So to answer your questions. Yes I fabricated my own engine mounts on the first car but have bought chassis mounting kit for this car. They are readily available from most suppliers just do a net search for c20xe rwd engine mounts.
As for enviro-strip. They are in my top 5 of companies I will go out of my way to promote. I cannot speak highly enough of them and will recommend them to anyone looking for this service. Cannot remember he guy's name but I have it written somewhere in the car records if needed.
Hope you get on well with your car. Always interested if you start a post on it. Nice to see others endeavors.
Kev
Last edited by rallysunbeam; 02-04-2014 at 05:26.
The difference between men and boys... is the price of their toys!!!!
Stunning work.
Hello great build keep at it it will be worth it, why are you using 2 back boxes, just wondering.
The early works cars had 2 rear boxes. I wanted to run a large bore exhaust for future power increases ( possibly even turbo) plus I know it's a little heavier but it does look pretty swish.
The difference between men and boys... is the price of their toys!!!!
Exhaust is finished now and has been removed and stored ready for final build. I will put the front section back on again to build the manifold when I pre-fit the engine. But for now I have moved onto something else...
The difference between men and boys... is the price of their toys!!!!
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