[Kizza]

hahhaha crap aint it but progress never stops it just slows down />

over the past week or so ive been working 14+ hours a day so today im going to work for a couple of hours then spend the rest of the day working on the puma (as a break from fibreglassing ). just got some more welding wire through so I might start on the other side of the front suspension as well as drilling the other side for the 5 stud conversion. will upload a few pics once ive finished.

[Kizza]

small amount of work undertaken today with the rebuilding of the top mounts. the old design I had for the top mount needed remaking due to it fouling slightly and starting to bend, so I cut out the old design and started to build it up again with new thicker steel so it wouldn't bend again. I have also chopped more material away so now there is plenty of clearance. the new steel it tacked into place ready to be welded up properly. knowing what I know now and having one side to measure off it wont be too long before both sides are completed.

I did take more pics but the camera went of a mad one, here are the pics it decided not to mess up.







more to come over the next couple of days.

[happy-kat]

Slowly slowly making progress but taking time makes for much better finish :-)

[Kizza]

I would like the progress to be faster but never mind. the last thing I want to do is build the car and not be happy with some aspects of it />

[Kizza]

Done some more welding today so the drivers side should be finished tomorrow. once both sides are finished I should be able to start mocking up the custom strut brace and the finally start mocking up the braking system. then I will be able to re fit everything and mock up the new radiator supports for the after market radiator and align the bumper with the wings and lights.

pics of the work completed today.







the other side soon to be started



not done as much as I wanted today but never mind, more to come tomorrow.

[Kizza]

Great news, I have now finished the drivers side top mount. its had a coat of rust killer and etch primer ready for a fresh coat of paint. I've had a couple of orders come through today so I wont be able to start the other side yet. but with the new orders I should be able to buy a couple of little things for the puma />

I haven't got any pics yet as the batteries in my camera went flat on the first one /> I will get some tomorrow through.

[Kizza]

lying in bed last night I was thinking about my puma, I have moved my top mounts over 40mm and raised it by 30mm to lower the centre of gravity. My thought is along with the 40mm could I make it an additional 30mm wider by using an frp front hub and strut, custom built wishbones, drive shafts and track rods? or would 70mm a side be way to far to extend each side by?

I was looking at it yesterday before I came home and it should be possible with some tubular custom build wishbones.

is there anybody out there with more experience with such extensive alterations?

cheers Kieran

[CartMan]

Hmmmm, can't say I have any experience in the matter but look at race cars, compared to theyr original counterparts, some look like the tyers are on the outside of the original wings. I would think it would be posible, but you would have to considder custom drive shafts as well, and keep in mind, if it gets wider, than the car is long, it might look a little weird

[Kizza]

cheers cartman, I know I could to it and it wouldn't be as difficult as it sounds. its just would it destroy the cars handling completely or would it improve it by the track being wider and lowering the centre of gravity.

[CartMan]

I would think it would be awsome on the track, and rubbish on the road

The frp is much harsher on the road, than the standard one, but is grate omn the track. add to that, and you have your answer

But your not using it on the road are you so why not go for it


I'f I recal the bodykt fitteed to warrens cossie puma is even wider than the standard frp kit, to acomodate the much wider track of the cossie running gear.

[Kizza]

Here if the first side completed with a coat of rust preventative/killer.



started on the other side









more to come over the next couple of days.

cheers kieran

[Kizza]

today I cut away some of the material inter fearing with the suspension in it new location and made a start on welding in the new suspension top, after 20mins and measuring, measuring and erm measuring I finally made the first weld. I them welded it in to the place it will be staying....until I change my mind and want to make it 4 wheel drive or something it still needs more work until its finished. the puma's stance looks wide right now just as I like. I forgot my camera so haven't got any pics yet, I will upload some pics some time tomorrow.

cheers Kieran

[Kizza]

Here are the pics of the work I did the other day.













then I decided to throw some frp panels on the car to take some snap shots (The passengers wing is a dud that needs some remoulding /> )















I might have a chance to make a kit for my car one day instead of using customers for pictures hahaha /> />

cheers kieran

[Kizza]

does anybody know if there is any other ways could I get rid of even more weight out of the car???

I've wracked my brains thinking about things I can do on a cheap budget.

[Perfect Dark]

Looks good can't wait to see it finished.

[Kizza]

hi all not done anything to the puma since I moved units but had a thought and want to know what you think.....

I'm going to be using hub centric top mounts on the front suspension so wont be using the original top mounts, can I get rid of the rear top mounts and use something like the front mounts? was thinking a 5mm plate with just a hole in the centre where the suspension top will bolt through.

I will be deconstructing the rear top mounts and raising them by 40mm to allow the car to sit lower but still keep the same suspension travel as before so any work to alter the set up wont be to difficult />/>

This post has been edited by Kizza: 22 August 2013 - 11:52 AM

[FordBeast]

Did you measure the castor / camber before and after seems like massive undertaking all this work. Good luck

[Kizza]

FordBeast, on 25 August 2013 - 02:38 PM, said:

Did you measure the castor / camber before and after seems like massive undertaking all this work. Good luck

to be honest buddy I didn't, I took loads of measurements from every possible place that I could. they now sit 30mm higher and 40mm further out. I measured the angle I needed for the top mount to sit correctly as well as the distance from the two mounts and added 40mm to one side then the other.

I'm going to be using concentric top mounts front and back (eventually) so a mm here or there on the camber or caster wont be a problem. also as I will be using adjustable coil overs if the height was out a touch that wouldn't be an issue either.

I will be making a jig so I can change the position of the top mount in a couple of hours easily rather than spending days doing it again.

also sorry to go on but when ford fitted the top mounts they weren't all the same anyway, they had a mm or so movement either way anyway.

[Kizza]

Well just got a chance to work with another engineering company today for the foreseeable future so I will be cracking on with the rebuild of the puma soon and should have some real progress to get up ready for next years track sessions. there wont be much for a month or 2 until I have everything that needs sorting, sorting.


cheers Kieran

[Xenocide]

What's the latest then? Hows the job going? Looks like a interesting build.

Not sure I like the geometry of the brace in the strut tower here. Is the corner tied in anywhere?