5 GT Turbo 11 years later silver bullet comes home

[DaveL485]

You need to triangulate those steering rack mounting things I reckon... otherwise its taking shape!

 

[Duncan Grier]

110% @DaveL485 working towards cage in and then can before any weight added to car look to triangulate and strengthen these areas. Along with know the space I have/need v where I mount.

Same with lower wishbone pickups etc

 

[Norwich Nick]

Getting there a bite at a time

I was curious about the grill you’d made for here,



Then I realised what it was

 

[Duncan Grier]

Could only muster enough energy to do an hr today.....after a day's full on labouring fighting trees, hedge removals and other garden joy, along with running around with the kids almost never bothered ......

.......sooooo started rack plans, cut a nice pretty hole but quickly never had a bigger size so die grinder and angle grinder worked lol. Will prob use oem boot and copy hole which is not a circle so all good but that finishing details.

Feel the angle of U/J's a bit more than I would like but will get braced and measured properly - cant feel any binding which is a good sign. Looking to get a bit of my solid steel tube and machine/weld onto oem 5 upper rack/column U/J but remove the joint section so just a solid extension.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Recovered and with clear mind spent some time thinking, measuring and playing with carboard CAD on how I was going to do the suspension pickup.....

With design finally settled on got out some 3mm sheet, cut out, bent and welded a back on....forgot to take picture of CAD insert on how ot will sit....next time gadget

 

[Spooky]

The welding is looking good Big D

 

[Duncan Grier]

Spent most the hour odd trimming car, getting in correct position and drilled pilot holes, opened up a size and test fitted great.....just pickup sat 10mm too far in and forgot to subtract after adding 10mm extra body to it lol

Welded holes back up, measured and drilled pilot holes 10mm out lol, looks fine but playtime over for tonight.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Frustrating couple of hours with little progress just, but half welded in and where it should be, need to weld in some cut tube in half and reversed to add strength. Decided to change access of rear top wishbone to the arch side l, can then plate inside to segregate.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Few hours of fun weld knitting thin old French tin and filling gaps with some strips of fresh metal, welded in a notch and made plate for inside to weld next time... plenty to dress and tidy up but leaving some weld on until cage and full strength added

 

[Duncan Grier]

Some Sunday joy

 

[Duncan Grier]

Your marvelous Monday 2 hour quota pics in no particular order.

 

[gordini stu]

Dunc fabulous stuff mate just a slight concern the chassis leg at the bulkhead strength seams to be gone at quite a crucial point
You probably have this covered and tell me to do one , from experience of repairing bent ones back in the day that point was a pivot point . Please don’t take my comments as negative. I reckon you’re doing a great job.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Welcome any feedback @gordini stu so all good

You are spot on and the chassis leg strength compromised atm, it only has to be strong enough to sit on the trailer. A full custom roll cage going in shortly including through the bulkhead and tie into the front end etc. Also will be some tube action to brace/support the wishbone and suspension pickups. Once done can review any addition gussets and or strength needs, same with small things like subframe/wishbone pickups that will get some attention.

Until this stage no exciting fun mounting engine and box and addressing last of rust/rot joy

Lastly also will be reviewing as cage built to have some crumple zone to help absorb any impact if worst case ever have to crash test dummy in it

 

[gordini stu]

I new you would have it covered . Now haven driven a Megane 250 I’m getting the tape measure out myself . The T2 dream still on. With a transverse lump in my mk1 5

 

[Duncan Grier]

Not much time this week with work and school holidays but couple hours progress and hopefully sign off front tomorrow after cutting some sheet up and bridging gaps and final welds etc

 

[Steve Swan]

I thought you were on holiday. Didn't get any notifications of posts which is odd as It's set to do it, never mind.
Do you favour U/J's in synch or out of synch ?? from the mock up pics they are in phase/synch. I was always told that as hookes joints accelerate and decelerate as they turn it is better to phase them 90 degrees apart to prevent surging as they revolve, but I notice Car builder solutions suggesting the opposite.
Any other offers ??????

 

[Duncan Grier]

Hi @Steve Swan your a step ahead of me on this one atm. Need a working rack for moving and cage fitment and goal atm was no binding so more a bit of a short term fix. Going forward will be closely looking at angles with steering wheel in correct position rather than just stock and review options and take from there

 

[Duncan Grier]

Power hour double today and got most of the sheet welded in and gaps filled. Will need to tidy welds once cage/bracing in but my view is keeping some extra weld/material for now no bad thing imo

 

[Duncan Grier]

New phone seems to have no logic over picture order regardless what order selected so bear with on random photo bomb order

 

[Duncan Grier]

Must be getting serious I have done a burn down list of jobs to finish before can drop car off for cage greatness

Have even ordered some new brake discs and some seat mounts and sliders

So finished welding few holes and gaps and last of suspension pickup at the front, quick lick of primer to keep it ok before revisiting after cage works.

Had a play with rack and while need to cut and weld a section bringing the upper U/J to base of R5 column has helped angles and look to be able to mirror just under 20deg at both emds.....lots to consider with rack as per Steve's note on the topic but for now will allow steering and the priority.

Bit of a change and got on with measuring and made some suspension braces at the back, got the angle worked out and started to cut access and move brace bars tacked on to help keep all true until in.

And of course you couple hours Monday installation