I started my Model A Ford with Jaguar suspension/Rover V8 etc when my daughter was born in 85 so i well remember!
Your car will fall in the sports Libre class where anything goes, but the safety regs are stringent.
With the good cage you will be ok, just always ensure there are no holes in the bulkhead and you follow sound engineering practice all the time. The cage MUST be made from the right steel CDS tube (seamless) and the welding has to ne superb.
Libre cars get a good looking over at meetings as they are so bespoke.
Excellent Hot Rodding.

Graham.

 

I'll be using a proper safety devices cage or similar, weld in type with plenty of extra bracing. I built and logbooked a mk2 escort for rallying back in 1999 so have a fair idea of whats to be done, sadly never used it as couldnt afford to. so sold it.

 

Had afew hours in the barn today, was hoping to try out my new air hacksaw, but i fired my compressor up and as it built its air up it stopped . Turns out its this valve thats fcuked :

Anybody know where i can get a new one from?
Anyhow out came the angle grinder, 3 cutting discs later i had the car looking like this:



Theres definately no going back now!
Next weekend im going to get whats left of the floor out.

 

Aint done much this last month, but realy got stuck in yesterday
Started by cutting the floor inside out.


Then the boot floor and rearseat panel


Then the hardest bit to cut out, both inner arches



Theres only afew rusty bits ive got to repair now(sills inner and outer, a pillars, tankwell and wheelwell. The scooby floorpan isnt bad and doesnt need any repairs.
Thats the next job to do, strip the impreza (so if anyone wants any bits pm me)

 

Nice work on the progress. Welding the WRX floorpan in is going to be fun with that much rust! Are you going to get it acid dipped first?

 

I applaud your optimism on the rust front (ans sides and edges and...)

Great going and you know we are kidding (just) a great project and i envey you for having a go at it all.

Keep us in touch with progress.

Graham

 

Thats not much rust really, once the inner/outer sills are replaced there is plenty of solid steel to weld to. Most Escorts of this age would need the sills doing anyway. I like a challenge.

 

I understand, my old 911 (1973) took 8 months of part time welding to get it right...had a real GTX oil can pop rivited to the front crossmember and MkII Cortina sills (label on the inside)...and an MoT.

 

I know what you meen, they used to get away with some dodgy repairs back then.
Heres a cereal box fibreglassed in that i found!

 

OMG is that a real mexico!!!!

 

Been a very long time since i done anything on the project due to a new baby coming along afew months ago.
I got alittle done today, stripping the subaru front.



Have to completely strip to bare shell, then cut the roof off, then the rear quarters, back and front panels,sills, b pillars, till im just left with the floorpan bulkhead and front bays. Then i have to take 120mm out of the wheelbase.
All un-wanted parts are forsale to fund project so PM me if theres anything you need.

 

Nice to see you are back in gear again, but well done to you both with the baby!
Better get going fast as your time will soon evaporate!
Will you add a roll cage to help 'connect' the bodies together?

I've seen Audi's cut and shut very well (to make a short wheel-base version) buy cutting the floors at a diagonal to lengthen the welds used for strength, another way is to 'Z' cut the floor to increase the weld length. (Beach buggies were done this way)

The cage can give some great strength to the shell(s) in general, especially if you take it out to the suspension towers.

Graham

 

Plans are for a complete weld in Mk1 escort rollcage, im planning on using quite afew extra bars picking up front and rear suspension, tunnel bracing, A and B pillar bracing.
Im going to get my cage direct off Safety Devices so will explain what the project is and hopefully they can give me some pointers aswell.
As for cutting the impreza floor i was going to cut the floor straight along the back of the rear footwell and then stagger the cut on the tunnel.

 

Sounds a good scheme to me.
Hope you will flood the thread with pics for us all
Graham.

 

Back at it again, i managed to get a whole day up the barn, took me packed lunch with me and got stuck in
More stripping of the impreza shell.

Doors, tailgate off


Interior out, soooooo much plastic! took ages


Dashboard out.

Cant get over how much sound deadening they use on here!


Pretty much the whole floor is covered, started to hit it off with a screwdriver. Try with a hotair gun nextime.

 

keep up the good work perky mate.must be hard to find time now mate with new baby.good to see these projects should be a top motor when finished

 

It will come off better when COLD as it goes very brittle then and chips off easier.
Can't wait to see it without the body and cut-n-shut.

Good going!

 

nice work mate , id love a project like that, pity ypour not up my way id love to get my teeth into that

keep up the good work

 

Done alittle on the car, but not much.
Started on chopping the scooby up.
Hope to do more in the next week.

 

Glad to see you back.

 

Had afew hours on the cars today, fixed my compressor so got the air chisel out, heres the results:



Then got the engine out:


Will try and get afew more hurs in on the weekend

 

Abit more done today, got the car up on two wheels ans stripped off the prop, exhaust, gearbox. Tried getting the tank out, but it looks like the rear subframe has to come off first . Am i right?

 

Yes, rear frame either loosened or off. 12 bolts of all sizes, easy with a gun.

Lot od fuel connectins inside the car just where the rear seat back meets the boot floor under a cover.(driver's side.)

 

Havent touched the project since January, been to busy starting my bussiness up on weekends and doing the House up.
The Escort/Subaru has been tucked in the corner of the barn for ages


So dragged the Subaru floorpan out into the light and proceeded to chop!



120mm has to come out of the wheelbase to get the same wheelbase as a mk1 Escort.
Im joining the floorpans along the original seam along the seat base, so i clean off the seam sealer to unpick the spot welds.




Then unpicked the spots and removed the excess metal.


Thats the back half ready,the front half needs trimming back to the blackline.That'll have to wait for now.


Really motivated to get on with this now, just have to make time now.

 

Go on my son,

This is going to be am amazing build can`t wait Greig

 

Wow
wish i had the time and space to do this
imagine it to be awsome when complete

 

now this project looks like like an awesome one!

just one question, escort mk1 are fun due to there rwd, even with 300bhp you think it will be as fun, faster for sure but not as tail happy?

 

wow that is a insane project looks like a lot of work.

Good luck

 

could you not make it rwd???

 

i think you can, im sure they do kits for rwd for the impreza