[Supersonic]

Right, i've been thinking about this for a little while now, toying with the idea, planning what to do. It won't happen for a few years yet though as there are things i'd like to get done and dusted in my life away from cars.

Im just asking you all what you think and wether you have any ideas. I DON'T want to hear "buy a faster car anyway" as I could very well with the cost of what I have planned but I don't want to as I love the puma's shape, size, looks, everything about it.

Well, here we go.
I'm going to take apart the car and rebuild it, nothing crazy there you may think but a 4cyl Cosworth turbo engine'll take the place of the 1.7, 4WD courtesy of an XR4x4/Escort, light 17in alloys under FRP arches, F2 spoiler, I might look at the wider 1600 rally car arches but I don't know where to find them. (any help much appreciated on that one). Other body mods will be taking place but need to finalise what.

Obviously big brakes though im not sure how big yet, brake bias valve, fully adjustable suspension, castor, camber the lot, an ECU capable of launch control (will be fitted), anti lag (not so sure as it kills turbos and manifolds), im also hoping to lay my hands on something like what Reyland has got on his new Escort, a Skyline centre diff with the adjustable torque split, fom 50/50 to 0/100 rear bias.
Pretty much everything will be fully controllable from in car.
It'll be fully (I mean fully) stripped out with a proper rally cage installed, would like pics on the 1600 rally car cage if possible too please. I don't know wether to keep the radio! it'll be nice on the long journeys but I don't know wether i'll be able to hear it!

Im hoping for massive power, about 500-600bhp in the end, maybe more if everything runs well but im not sure if i'll go that high to start with, I have insurance to worry about!!!

Still not entirely sure I should do it with my own car either, maybe keep mine relatively like a standard car and buy a knackard red one to do this too, but it will be staying red!

Any ideas very welcome and sorry about the length of the post. You may fire away.

P.S. Also planning to junk the rear axle beam and develop independant suspension.

This post has been edited by RedMan: 17 June 2007 - 12:10 AM

[southpaw]

What I'd really like to do is strip the rear of a Puma and mount an R1 engine in the boot, link it up so its RWD, much like the Z Cars Mini's and Saxo's

Would certainly be different! Only problem would be the cost of making a frame to mount the engine on and finding a way to make it RWD reliably.

[BOK]

P.S. Also planning to junk the rear axle beam and develop independant suspension.

From what you're saying, junk the entire floorpan and fit a shortened one from an Impreza or Evo. The Puma floorpan isn't designed for wishbone or multilink rear suspension.
And 'developing' suspension will cost thousands if not millions of pounds if it's bespoke.

Ford basically welded in the floorpan from a Sierra Cossie to make the Puma 4WD, and that's from a company that had million pound budgets.

This post has been edited by BOK: 17 June 2007 - 03:42 PM

[Brutus]

Right, i've been thinking about this for a little while now, toying with the idea, planning what to do. It won't happen for a few years yet though as there are things i'd like to get done and dusted in my life away from cars.


Any ideas very welcome and sorry about the length of the post. You may fire away.

OK

last time i had a dream like that, i fell out of bed

This post has been edited by Brutus: 17 June 2007 - 04:35 PM

[PUMAJEDI]

you would have one mental puma if you did manage to do it

[Supersonic]

I agree!
Hehe, I know what you mean, it does sound madcap but when or if I can get some money together (hence the term "in a few years") it'll be happening.

Unless I decide to flog it, which could happen instead.

I can get the engine and transmission relatively cheaply (helps when you know someone who can get the bits cheaply anyway) Yes I admit the floorplan will be the main problem, will need to look around but if I can get hold of an entire XR4x4 for a few hundred quid, thats many thousands saved.

The suspension is just a possibility at the mo! yes there are plans but I don't know wether to do it, I might stick with the rear beam, it'll be the cheaper option I admit.

I aim to become a pro pilot before this happens though and i'm about to become single for seemingly a very long time, (extremely complicated for a variety of reasons) so I won't have many worries money wise, it can all go on the car.

This post has been edited by RedMan: 17 June 2007 - 04:51 PM

[BOK]

Got a budget?

Mine is £7k and that's only for an engine/trans conversion- to at least double the power of a standard 1.7 without any increase in weight.

There is of course the rear/mid engines widebody Puma but that's a pipe dream.

[Supersonic]

Got a budget?

No, not really to be honest!. Just adding parts up in my head and deciding on them at the mo, though I do know the cost of a few things.
The FRP arches and bumpers'll be around £1200, hopefully pick up an XR4x4 for around £800 so thats £2K. Im expecting the engine and turbo to be about £2K as well, but im thinking thats worst case senario, F2 spoiler around £300, ECU around £1K, Suspension=£900 and you need to take into account all the other things like cage, seats, wheels, steering wheel, brakes, the engine mods, pistons etc probably add up to another £4K. I'll be able to make some back from selling the interior, engine and other parts though and there are bits that i'll add/delete as it goes on.

I reckon i'm looking at £12K. There won't be many cars that'll go as fast as this will for 12 grand!

Im looking forward to seeing your conversion Colin, should be great and go really well, was it a CTR engine you were adding?
I think sticking an engine midships in a puma is fine if you want to but I don't want to go that far, cost more than mine though.

This post has been edited by RedMan: 17 June 2007 - 05:27 PM

[pumapilot]

Have a good chat with Richard at Tremona, if he cannot help you, i bet he'll know a man who can.

Link below.

[rboteler]

Sounds like a great plan.

You will have to take me for a spin when you get it done

[Midnight Blue]

Good luck !!

[Dr_B]

That sounds like a really good plan and if you do it and make it work well then well done. Just don;t do what loads of people seem to think works. Which is make it and then try and sell it for the amount it cost you to build. In fact if you do keep it till it dies.

[Supersonic]

Good idea Jacko!, glad i'm not the only one whos planning something mad!, trouble is, how easy is it going to be picking one of those up? I'm looking at parts now and theres alot thats going very cheap, which is good news but nothing on the older Escorts at all.

I dare say Tremona will be able to help me out with parts and knowhow, I also intend to talk to Tony at Pumaspeed for obvious reasons!

That sounds like a really good plan and if you do it and make it work well then well done. Just don;t do what loads of people seem to think works. Which is make it and then try and sell it for the amount it cost you to build. In fact if you do keep it till it dies.

Thanks, if I do this it won't be sold...ever...unless something bad happens, then it'll go for parts but I do intend to keep it, i'm expecting things to break on a regular basis until every weak spot has been found, but I know that the 4cyl cossie unit is very good. Don't know much about the gearbox though.

I'll take you all out for a go if you wish, shouldn't have much difficulty trying to keep up with everyone at meets either!

This post has been edited by RedMan: 18 June 2007 - 04:41 PM

[ally frp364]

Don't know if this seems a logical answer but sell your puma for 3grand put 12 towards it and buy tony's cossie puma today for 15. Yee ha

[R5CPD]

Warren is another good person to speak to as he has put alot of research into 4x4 conversions for the Puma.

[Brutus]

I feel like Simon Cowell replying like this but isn't this whole thread a bit pointless?
I mean talking about something that MAY or MAY NOT happen in a few years time
In a few more years you may think Pumas are old hat and be on some other pipedream
Anyone can say "Oh i'm thinking of doing this in few years" and put anything they like as it will be old news by next week
EG: "I'm 'thinking' of getting a Testarossa in the next few years, but i've got things to sort out before then...........(like winning the lottery)
Personally i'm more interested in what's happening NOW..........we may not be here in " a few years" you may be bankrupt or banned from the road, so what's the point?
Come on.......Lets get real!

either that, or start an "I'm thinking of" Section, for Dreamers

[southpaw]

but isn't this whole thread a bit pointless?
I mean talking about something that MAY or MAY NOT happen in a few years time

Maybe. In 4 years time I plan to have a E46 M3 or similar, so my plan for my Puma won't happen, unless I come across a fairly large sum of money and so decide to have a track toy, in which case I may decide to play with my Puma

Surely this is the kind of place for people to bounce ideas off each other with like minded people?