SFS 447V Harrier Project

**SimonD** · 17-10-2019, 14:50

I’ve been reading everyone projects and thought it’s about time I posted up my own project.

I was originally looking at buying a reproduction shell from Motorsport Tools but a work college knew about a mk2 that had been stored away for 12-15 years.

It turned out to be a Silver Harrier (SFS 447V), around 12 years ago the work was started to convert the car into a GRP4 rally but it was never finished and its been stored ever since.

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**SimonD** · 17-10-2019, 15:59

**Colr6** · 17-10-2019, 19:53

It’s a pity it’s been hacked up so much, original Harriers are worth somewhat of a small fortune these days.

**SimonD** · 17-10-2019, 20:56

It is a shame really I wasn't looking for an arched car originally, the more I look at completed cars they are growing on me

**SimonD** · 17-10-2019, 21:16

**SimonD** · 17-10-2019, 21:22

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**SimonD** · 17-10-2019, 21:28

Another part that was started but never finished was the rear turrets, trimmed back the excess and filled in the gap on both sides

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**Pikey15** · 18-10-2019, 00:19

Nice find, good luck with the project

**SimonD** · 18-10-2019, 19:15

**SimonD** · 18-10-2019, 20:19

All the work on the shell is happening at the weekends but I have been making the most of my free time at work.

I've been teaching myself CAD at work so my skills are quite limited but i'm getting better and better all the time, I'm very lucky to be surrounded by some very skilled engineers that have been helping me. I know you can buy these stands off the shelf but wheres the fun in that.

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**SimonD** · 18-10-2019, 20:55

The next CAD project came about because I found a pair of AP calipers at a fantastic price, unfortunately there isn't an off the shelf disc and bracket that would work with them. I found a pair of 295MM X 24MM rotors online so it begins the design of the bells and caliper brackets. The first picture is a model of the brake setup to see if it will fit inside the average 15" wheel.

The first problem was the AP calipers where originally intended for a 20mm disc, after scanning one half of a caliper in the photocopier I had the spacer drawn up. 3d printed a prototype spacer set to check they are dimensionally correct, and then ordered the laser cut parts in a high grade T6 aluminum. I've gone through the same process for the bell and bracket, I've still got to finish the bracket before having it machined in the same T6 aluminum but its getting close.

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**SimonD** · 18-10-2019, 21:07

Originally Posted by Pikey15

Nice find, good luck with the project

Thanks Pikey

**wildo105e** · 19-10-2019, 16:31

I can feel a hi spec build coming here. Looks like a good start

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**donnie** · 20-10-2019, 12:03

Nice job on the repairs and it coming

**SimonD** · 20-10-2019, 21:17

Originally Posted by wildo105e

I can feel a hi spec build coming here. Looks like a good start

I'm on quite a tight budget for this build but the more parts I can design and make myself will keep the cost down.

It's going to be predominantly a track car, I've done loads of research and I’ve got a good idea on what direction I want to go in so it will be interesting to see what spec the car ends up.

Originally Posted by donnie

Nice job on the repairs and it coming

Thanks Donnie

**SimonD** · 30-10-2019, 13:54

Found a few more photos of the horrendous repairs done by the previous owner/owners.

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**SimonD** · 06-12-2019, 16:05

Continuing the rust repairs the floor and chassis rails where next, they turned out to be a lot worse than first thought once the homemade chassis protection was removed. In places the floor was three layers think

We are in the process of fitting new half floors, chassis rails and new transmission tunnel to remove the exhaust tunnel that isn’t required.

**turbo m** · 07-12-2019, 15:40

Nice build, that's one hell of a cage there.

the sporting escort owners club has a harrier register so might have some history on the car..

**Erikmex** · 07-12-2019, 17:09

Nice work

**cossymax** · 08-12-2019, 20:49

My old car in 1987

**SimonD** · 10-12-2019, 11:35

Originally Posted by turbo m

Nice build, that's one hell of a cage there.

the sporting escort owners club has a harrier register so might have some history on the car..

Thanks, the cage is quite substantial.

I'll have a look on the Sporting Escort Owners

Originally Posted by Erikmex

Nice work

Thanks

Originally Posted by cossymax

My old car in 1987

Really! Do you have any photos or history of the car when you had it?

**SimonD** · 10-12-2019, 11:40

Little more progress at the weekend, the updates will be slower now because I've posted most of the work thats been done in the past year

Fitted new front chassis skids and the rear valance skid, I really like how the rear valance looks with this installed

**cossymax** · 10-12-2019, 18:35

Originally Posted by SimonD

Thanks, the cage is quite substantial.

I'll have a look on the Sporting Escort Owners

Thanks

Really! Do you have any photos or history of the car when you had it?

When I sold it a fella in Enfield, I see the car in a garage in Essex years after I sold it. when I bought an XE engine. It had a 1700 x flow built by bob shepherd on 45’s and blue strutbrace. Had an LSD and car was ziebrated and was really clean. I had loads of pictures but lost them. Good to see it’s still about, the wings were a different colour as I hit a fence and smashed my cibies

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**SimonD** · 11-12-2019, 17:23

Originally Posted by cossymax

When I sold it a fella in Enfield, I see the car in a garage in Essex years after I sold it. when I bought an XE engine. It had a 1700 x flow built by bob shepherd on 45’s and blue strutbrace. Had an LSD and car was ziebrated and was really clean. I had loads of pictures but lost them. Good to see it’s still about, the wings were a different colour as I hit a fence and smashed my cibies

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That's interesting thank you, shame you have lost the photos. The guy I brought the car from had the car has had the car twice, he sold it on and then stumbled across it again 12 ish years ago and managed to buy the car back. He's had the cage, 15" tubs, turrets and other group4 parts fitted and its been in storage for the past 8 years or so.

**SimonD** · 11-12-2019, 21:17

Christmas has come early, the new tunnels and other little bits have arrive today from Motorsport Tools

**goldy** · 12-12-2019, 19:05

Making good progress there Simon

**SimonD** · 20-01-2020, 17:43

Small update on the car, before the new gearbox tunnel and prop tunnel go in the bulkhead is being repaired first. At the same time the heat bowl is being put back.

**Graham** · 20-01-2020, 19:47

you got some great progress going on there

**SimonD** · 21-01-2020, 14:26

Thanks Graham, its amazing how long all these repairs take but it does fell like where getting somewhere now

**SimonD** · 17-02-2020, 12:30

My dad has put loads of work into making the infill panel for under the header bowl, next weekend should see the heater bowl welded on and the bulkhead strengthening plates

Finally got the rear valance skid welded in

Couple of eBay bargains added to the mountain of parts already collected.

2007 MX5 6 speed gearbox and a Simpson exhaust manifold / Longlife system

**cossymax** · 12-03-2020, 16:04

Cracking progress and will be a great strong car, you keeping it Stratos silver?

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**SimonD** · 19-03-2020, 11:42

Originally Posted by cossymax

Cracking progress and will be a great strong car, you keeping it Stratos silver?

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Thanks mate, I keep changing my mind on the colour but I think its going to be Jaguar Opalescent Gunmetal

**SimonD** · 19-03-2020, 11:46

Little update, the heater bowel is welded in now and started to trim and fit the brake reservoir platform. The platform fits really nicely after a small amount of grinding and trimming

**dave_cos4x4** · 22-03-2020, 20:15

excellent work.

**SimonD** · 06-04-2020, 10:58

Progress has really slowed down on the car with all this Covid-19 self-isolation going on but I have been isolating myself in the garage of an evening

Bulkhead is all welded up now. I'm getting very low on gas now, the gauge has been showing zero for quite some time. I bet a trip to Adams Gas isn't classed as essential travel

**SimonD** · 06-04-2020, 10:59

Originally Posted by dave_cos4x4

excellent work.

Thanks Dave

**SimonD** · 24-04-2020, 09:25

A lot of progress has been made on the car in the past month. Me and my dad have been doing shifts on the car to stay safe with this COVID-19 going around, I have been working from home so I got the nightshifts lol.

The sill stands couldn't be saved when fitting the new floors, we already had the correct size tube so a homemade kit is was. New front roll cage feet have also been made up and welded in by a friend who is a much better welder than me. I couldn't be happier with fabrication of the feet and sill stands.

**SimonD** · 24-04-2020, 09:50

Next up on the hit list was the fuel tank stand, it was only welded in at the ends and one small strap in the middle. It's now got 6 straps welded to the floor and the swirl pot cutout was also too small and open, this now has a nice cover that removable to allow the tank to be fitted and removed. The stand also didn't have the matching strap points for the Ralloy tank I have.

**SimonD** · 24-04-2020, 09:59

While we were in the boot it seemed like a good time to look at the dry sump tank platform. I caused a headache with this because I thought it would look nicer if the side was capped off. The turned out to be a complete plain but I think it's been worth it.

**wildo105e** · 24-04-2020, 11:45

Nice work

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