[volcomstone411]

OK. so i've decided to turn the frp into a full on rally car.

Specification for Phase 1 Build (as per job sheet):

Standard items inlcuding/Plus other-

*Custom Cages CDS Certified Multipointed Welded Rollcage
*Custom Floorpan to Include Seat Bars
*Seam Welded Shell
*Replace Modified Pedal Box
*Modified Braking System (BIAS Adj)
*Modified Raised Top Strut Platforms - Rose Jointed Concentric Top Mounts
*Modified Airbox
*Modified Air Intake - Bonnet
*Modified Front Bumper
*Modified Brake Cooling System
*Modified Engine Cooling System
*Modified Engine Plenum Chamber
*Modified Throttle Body Chamber + System
*Modified Cam Positioning
*Remapped ECU
*Modified Exhaust System
*Replaced Engine Loom Harness
*Replaced Interior Loom Harness
*FIA Certified 5 Point Harnesses
*FIA Certified Eye Harness Mounts
*Rejected Floor Strengthening & Replaced to Suite
*Modified Steering System
*Modified Lower Arm Assembly
*Modified Track Rod End Assembly
*Modified Steering Rack Mounts
*Modified Hub Assembly
*Modified Top Strut Assembly
*Sump Guard Attachment
*Covered Front Legs
*Engine Bay Concealment - Various
*Kevlar Coverings - Complete Vehicle [various locations] (On Request)
*Modified Exhaust Mountings
*Modified Rear Beam
*Modified Rear Floor Plan - To Accept Rear ARB
*Added Rear Anti-Roll Bar and Drop links
*Modified Dash Display System
*Interior Switch Board Replace
*Interior Aux Switch Board

Setup to follow - Customer Supplied Setup


Started by buying a new shell. Set me back £500 by the time it was dropped off and stripped.




Got the shell stripped and detarred and soundproof cleared ready for it to go away for a rollcage addition




Sorted out a rollcage from Custom Cages. Plasma cut CNC'd CDS rollcage. £722 on my door



Then set about stripping FRP



Started fitting the Suspension so the shell is rolling for the welder to work on the car easily




Going to have these Dampers modified a little bit and refurbished ready for use on a tarmac. They are adaquete. Ill save the small fortune for gravel. Gaz rods just arnt strong enough. £60 a damper to refurbish. Ill reservice the Alcons too.



Sorted some in date certified seats. Required to get the floor mount bars in the right place



With a helmet on it needs to be pretty low for me. The navigator seat is way back almost on the rear bench seats....very nicely situated mid car.

That's it for now. Ive got all the plans in place. The floor plan is the only outstanding problem, the strengthening and seat mounts already in place needed to be ripped out and replaced....its a bit fiddly. The wiper motor is in the way of the roll cage too so the mechanism has to be modified. It's getting there....want it ready for combe july 3rd....be blasting round the track getting some setups ready.

[mikecat]

dam that looks extremely impresive, takes some guts mate. Your car was awesome before making it a rally car, shame to see it back in bits but really looking forward to seeing this completed.

good luck, will be keeping an eye on this thread

[volcomstone411]

wasn't happy with the car, the rear tubs i think were moving about. The rear beam wasn't quite right, the top strut was never right from ford....Wanna get it spot on. Also there is the safety aspect. But the car should be overall a much better package.

[volcomstone411]

Seat harness mounting eye's have arrived.



Also a sneaky picture of the welds of the cage. It looks like the roof of the puma is going to need to come off.



Also added to the job card was a slight modification to the lever angle on the brake pedal, so the pedal has a further travel, but a stronger pedal.

[eldoodarino]

blimey!..what a project!..

[darrin]

I'm getting a similar (if not the same) in my fiesta. Same TIG welds too with a coded welder. Looks good.

Thought about getting a carbon roof? Mines been chopped off to be replaced with one I ordered today.

[ally frp364]

volcomstone411, on 23 March 2010 - 11:03 PM, said:

wasn't happy with the car, the rear tubs i think were moving about. The rear beam wasn't quite right, the top strut was never right from ford....Wanna get it spot on. Also there is the safety aspect. But the car should be overall a much better package.

When you talk about the top of strut do you mean that fact it was never secured well enough from Ford and prone to excess movement?

Cheers. Ally

[volcomstone411]

ally frp364, on 25 March 2010 - 10:31 PM, said:

When you talk about the top of strut do you mean that fact it was never secured well enough from Ford and prone to excess movement?

Cheers. Ally

yea, the angle it is mounted is also incorrect, so it will just bend the damper. Its like a lot of ford stuff...ok for a granny to get to the shops...poor for any form of motorsport. Thats why there are very few group n fords.

darrin, on 25 March 2010 - 09:41 PM, said:

I'm getting a similar (if not the same) in my fiesta. Same TIG welds too with a coded welder. Looks good.

Thought about getting a carbon roof? Mines been chopped off to be replaced with one I ordered today.

whats the price for a carbon roof. Dont reckon there is much in the weight though tbh...its only the skin. If i was that fussed i woulda got t45 cage...costs a small mortgage though lol

[bouncy]

Should have said Ive got a stripped out shell you could have had!!!

[darrin]

Not sure if there is a Puma one but the Fiesta ones are £500.

Can I ask where you got your eye mounts from? I only need two...

And how much is the cage getting welded in costing you?

[volcomstone411]

darrin, on 26 March 2010 - 08:37 AM, said:

Not sure if there is a Puma one but the Fiesta ones are £500.

Can I ask where you got your eye mounts from? I only need two...

And how much is the cage getting welded in costing you?

em cage from custom cages was £722 and the bloke needs about 5 days labour on it @ £150 per day...but he is adding the top mounts, and modifying the chassis legs for the wheel travel, and also he is taking the floor bracing out and putting seat bars across so for the money its cheap.

I may have 2 eye mounts spare...when the shells back ill let you know when we put them in. They were only £5 per eye mount.

"Should have said Ive got a stripped out shell you could have had!!!"

AHHH!! gutted....it took a lot of my cost that shell, and its not even straight. I might call on you if i roll this one! LOL

[darrin]

Not bad, nice idea with the floor bracing.

Hope it all goes well. And Thanks!

[Turby]

You'll find the harness eye bolts will go straight into the existing seat belt mounts (unless you are going to relocate the harness mounts somewhere else)

Rollcage - its either roof off or hole sin the floor to drop the legs of the main hoop down through... I'd favour the latter as its got to have 3mm plates fitted anyway... unless of course its too late...!

[volcomstone411]

Turby, on 26 March 2010 - 02:11 PM, said:

You'll find the harness eye bolts will go straight into the existing seat belt mounts (unless you are going to relocate the harness mounts somewhere else)

Rollcage - its either roof off or hole sin the floor to drop the legs of the main hoop down through... I'd favour the latter as its got to have 3mm plates fitted anyway... unless of course its too late...!

well, he has already drilled the main hoop holes in the floor, the problem is is that the chassis rails underneath taper in so it will only go down a few inches. I'm in favour of going right through and then repairing the chassis. They do that on the evo's now anyway. Still perfectly legal and if anything stronger.

We are contemplating changing the triangulation angles from the front struts so the energy goes up through the cage, instead of on the cage joints. But we need to clear that with custom cages...that could take a week of phone calls.

[bouncy]

I like this thread!!!!!!

[volcomstone411]

Went to check the progress of the roll cage. Custom cages had mismeasured all the bars except two, so its taking longer and more £££ than expected. Its looking good though, and the modifications to the floor no longer look necessary so thats a bonus. The tig welding quality is just amazing, this guy is really really talented. If the cars ready by rs combe in JULY which i really hope it is, you must come and take a look at the quality. Its the best i've ever seen.

The cage is doing its job also because its pinched the roof skin, which is no biggy, but show the integral strength of the whole shell now.

The cage sits nice and tight to the A pillers too which is good, because it means it wont require any gussets which arnt always as strong as getting the cage as close to the pillers as possible.

Here are some pictures...not quite finished, but nearly there. Sorry its a bit dark and wobbly.









On a sad note, i lifted a t45 cage last week, and its soooo much lighter. Even so, i feel confident i can get the car back to its original weight which is still going to increase performance massively.

[darrin]

Looks good. Mine was at the same stage a few days ago too.

Looking forward to seeing the rest!

[00fergie]

great progress thats the cage i was going to get but how far out are the problems with length? 

[happy-kat]

Fabulous thread to read thanks for sharing your project

[volcomstone411]

00fergie, on 29 March 2010 - 06:25 PM, said:

great progress thats the cage i was going to get but how far out are the problems with length?

well not too bad, the fabricator is just changing them to size. He makes cages from scratch all the time, but i wanted this one to be signed off so it took a little more effort. Thankfully they are all too long, not too short.

He is a good bloke, if you want a cage done, he needs to do it for ya defo!