Mk1 V8 rebuild

[NorthernBloke]

OK, if you remember the car came back from the Retro Car mag track day at Elvington in October 2003 looking like this.






It turned out to be a compressed rear spring but, one thing lead to another and, the car ended up like this











So in just 2 days I'm left with a bare shell and a pile of bits. This was November 2003 and here are a few pics of the progress to date.

First the shell was bead blasted to get rid of any rust and identify any major problems.

As you can see the shell is not exactly original but it was, on the whole, very strong.





Apart from the rear arches which had been filled with about 20 lbs of filler








Again, you can see here the bodge job of the rear arches. There were a couple of bits on the rear of the chassis rails that needed plating but, again, the majority was solid.





The next stage was to repair those rear arches and do the other welding and then etch prime the car to keep the surface rust at bay

[NorthernBloke]

The original intention was to create a Zakspeed replica but I tried for months with no success to find a supplier who had a kit or someone who had a set of moulds. I then decided to simply replace the fibreglass wings and bubbles with some new ones so took delivery of these (and a set of rear bubbles) from Smith & Deakin





About this time I also changed jobs and found myself working away all week and unable to spend much time working on the car at the weekend so things stalled for a while - about 18 months in fact



We now find ourselves in October 2005, 2 years almost to the day that the car was last on the road, and Ken (RSEcsorts) and I were chatting.

It was decided that he would finish putting the car back together for me and the car was shipped up to his unit.

However, during the 18 month gap I'd managed to track down a supplier who had a set of Zakspeed moulds so I now found myself taken delivery of a set of these





As you can see this changed the job ahead a bit as there was just a little bit of blending in to do on this kit vs the usual bubbles and the one piece front wings from S&D

[NorthernBloke]

We now find ourselves in Ken's unit and the car being prepped for the body kit










While this was going on I'd also sourced a fibreglass bonnet and boot from Lee (Popee) and popped over to pick them up before dropping them at Ken's to find him progressing with the blending in of the wings etc.





Skip forward a couple of weeks and loads of progress is being made and the new wings are really starting to look the business

[NorthernBloke]

Another couple of weeks have passed and the rebuild is still going strong

The cage is painted and welded in, the underside, inside, engine bay etc. is painted up along with the bonnet and boot





While all this was going on Ken was also busy rebuilding the engine

This was the cam that came out of it after the Retro Cars track day in October 2003. As you can see it's a little warn




Anyway, an order was placed with RPI and lots of shiney bits duly arrived




Ken also spotted an ad for a set if flowed and ported heads so I gave the guy a call, money was exchanged, they arrived in the post and were then assembled






Now, along with all of the nice shiney stuff that would never be seen again, once it was inside the engine, I needed some shiney stuff for the outside so these were purchased





and just to top it off, and make sure we can extract all of the power from the new cam, one of these will be going on as well

It's an Edelbrock Performer series 500 cfm carb to replace the Holley 390 cfm carb that's currently on the car

[NorthernBloke]

Now we come to the end of May and the majority of the shell is painted and it's time to drop the engine and box in so we can sort out the manifolds. As you can see the engine sits a little further back than is normal in a Mk1



The nearside manifold flies in but the drivers side fouls the steering column so we sort that.

It then fouls the engine mount so it's back out, bit more beating and heating and back in. Then it fouls the chassis, again out - then the starter - out again, then the clutch So it took us most of one afternoon to sort it out but at the end of it we had a manifold, albeit with a coupe of cuts, and a new bend required. Ken then welded it all back up and the job was a good un

Front suspension etc. is all in




as is the rear and we test fit the lights etc.

[NorthernBloke]

Another week passes and we're into June and it's time to test fit the front panels and see how the car is looking

First a couple of pics of the engine in situ - still with the old carb, rockers etc. for now, the shiney bits and the new carb won't go on until the engines run in






It's funny but 8" wide rims usually look quite bit on a Mk1 Think we need some slightly bigger ones





Luckily, here's a set I prepared earlier (although back to front as we have to sort out clearance etc.)




and this is the shot that Luds lowered in Photshop to show the intended stance

[NorthernBloke]

and this brings us right up to date

The front wing painted and ready for polishing



and, very important, we got the wiring in, the starting circuit fuel pump etc. hooked up and were able to start the car for the first time in 2 1/2 yrs - play it LOUD

http://www.northernbloke.com/video/v8/itlives.wmv


And I just want to say thanks, again, to Ken.

Cheers Mate

[NRspeed]

Just read this thru. That is the biz! You gotta get the guy with the moulds to make them again as he's onto a winner. I have only seen them in photos but to see one for real is great. Castrol colours! gotta be the only suit it should wear!

Nat

[BIGJAY]

them arches r the nutss........proper old school,never see these mk1 escorts with these kits anymore i love it

[Dom]

Looking really good, I love those arches I am secretly very jealous

[super six]

Totaly OTT
Fookin luv it

[Dave]

Well done mate.
That's impressive stuff.

[NorthernBloke]

Cheers lads - and those are exactly the colours I'm going for

The car is not actually wearing the front arches I bought and Ken blended in as he knows a guy who is a genius with fibreglass and he took a mould of the completed front wings and made me a new set of one piece wings and I now have a set of moulds for the complete rear quarters and about 3 front spoliers

He's also in the middle of making these at the moment




They're "race weight" at the moment

[sambo]

Wow man, that is amazing. I was wondering when someone was going to do a mk1 zakspeed escort! Looks the absolute dangleys mate. Well done!.

[NorthernBloke]

Nat, I had a clearer pic of the intended colour scheme so I thought I'd post it

[BIGJAY]

how much would he do another set of arches for and front spoiler?

[NorthernBloke]

Something I've got to sort out with him Jay - will let folk know

Getting a bit twitchy as Ken phoned me last night to say that he'd bedded the cam in on fast idle and the unit was being lit up by blue flames on the overun

[NRspeed]

Andy, I had tweeked my pic ages ago in photoshop but must have deleted the original. Anyways it's gonna look good will be nice too see it in the flesh all painted up. Notice the front spoiler in pic is slightly different.

[NorthernBloke]

Yeah, we have to have a play with the spoiler as we'd reinforced it (and that one was painted), as it seemed really flimsy, but then discovered that it needs to be bent round the wings to fit - gonna lay another one up and keep it bendy and have another go.

Don't think it will be exactly the same but should still look OK

[ludsonline]

Are these the same arches that John Cross does?

[NorthernBloke]

No, the original ones I got were from Fibresport - would be interesting to see a pic of these ones though

[NorthernBloke]

Went up to Ken's unit today to progress the build.

Got the dash wired in, sorted some iffy wiring on the lights, got the gauges fitted and lit, windscreen in, wiper and washers, boot rubber and boot lid, bled the clutch and the car moved under it's own power for the first time

Also took this small video clip - not much to see but have your speakers ready. It sounds awesome

http://www.northernbloke.com/video/v8/under-rear.mov

[BIGJAY]

do love the sound of a v8 .reminds me of my v8 capri. does the car shake a bit on tickover ?i loved that too

[NorthernBloke]

It does if the ignition is advanced as, it was there, very dragster, but then smooths out beautifully from 2,500

[Stevie]

and i can vouch for it as i was there wen it was running
its gonna be a scary one i can tell u

[RSescorts]

cool details Andy, I'd forgotton what it came in like, it's been so long!

but soon it will have an OK form me an you can do with it....... what it....... was intended for.... To have fun. but i do love the v8 sound so much i ran out of fuel today....... ooops!
another (VlCC) tanker on order for monday morning, i always thought a Vlcc was a very large crude carrier, not Very Large CC's.
anyway "another 3500 litres of fuel on it's way"

cheers.............Ken

PS
Never knew how full my units look,.................

[Ian0x]

That sounds fookin lurverly

[rwd_paul]

[DarthVader]

Hey who gave u permission to speak for me!

[NorthernBloke]

No more pics at the moment I'm afraid lads - later this week though

[Stevie]

andy u saked hehehe see ya on satureday m8 u will have to give me directions unless kjen is goin

[RICKB]

CAN I AV IT BACK NOW PLEASE????? NO!!!! Ah well least im back on line

[Stevie]

hellooooooooooooooooooooo rick boot time u showed ya face

[RICKB]

Ayupp Steve Just head for the A66 an keep on till just after M/bro turn left an ya cant miss it. See ya Sat

[LUKE261]

nice!

[Jimsiss]

I want that car!

[POPWORTH]

nice!!

[NorthernBloke]

and now it even moves

http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthre...84#post1227784

How chuffed am I

[NorthernBloke]

A couple more pics taken at the unit last night (with the phone so not the best) still with the original wheels on - gotta get those 16" baby's on there.

Can you believe that the fronts (and rears for that matter) are 8" wide and I've also fitted 20mm spacers

[NRspeed]

Looks good. Think you need a Capri engine crossmember conversion at the front to bring the track out, like retro Gary has done on Dave Whites mk2.