Going to slow down a bit now, I spent roll cage funds on a holiday, back to saving again...

Not much happened over last few weeks been on holiday so now need to get back in to car mode,

Need to finish a list of small welding/fabrication jobs while I save some money and order the cage. I have decided to go for the clubman cage from custom cages then fit some extra bars to it, a bit pointless buying the full multipoint as front and rear will be incorrect shape…

Some good news is the front lower cross member off the Subaru piece can stay where it is I just need to trim the corners off (shown in green in pic) and refit the bumper bar off of the Astra... the cross member will be a nice place to mount an intercooler,

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car69.jpg

I decided to move the fuel filler move to the middle of the car so I got one from a Yamaha R1 and a scrap tank to chop the fittings from.

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car67.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car66.jpg

Chopped the hole ready to weld the new piece in

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car68.jpg

Trimmed the Subaru chassis legs and front cross member the Astra bumper now wraps around although a bit tight so may need a little more trimming but I will have to mod bumper to allow air flow to intercooler,

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car70.jpg

Then started to build up around headlight panels

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car71.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car72.jpg

Welded in the fuel cap got a bit of distortion in the panel, still needs some work on the rim…

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car73.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car74.jpg

Popped over to see Paul @ CCD Wolves now got the correct bolts for the front suspension, all changed over now looks even better aligned, also picked up a prop shaft to check tunnel height is ok (job for tomorrow)

Finished attaching the front panel to the Subaru section

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car75.jpg

Trimmed the driver’s side up ready

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car76.jpg

Made up some plates and welded in place

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car77.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car78.jpg

The joining is now complete on the front, just the bumper mount to make up…

Nice progress mate.

Just one thing, i think you should have used the standard filler location to keep it a real sleeper looking car but that just imo.

Cheers, i doubt when i have finished it will look much of a sleeper will have no interior trim and a cage and will be sprayed plain white, but i know what you mean if i could of left it std looking it would shock a few people :thumb:

Pushed it out today to have a tidy up so took a few better pictures of it I will have to take a proper camera down one of the days,

I also checked the propshaft although not the easiest to do on my own the tunnel is definitely to low (about 25mm) so a bit of rework to do there but nothing serious, I did a bit of measuring and was surprised to find that the propshaft is not long enough,

The wheelbase on std 3dr Astra is 2606mm, The measurement I have for a Subaru is 2540mm and my car measures 2590mm so at that I’m 50mm short…
Some pics…

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car81.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car82.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car83.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car84.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car80.jpg

Looking very neat, the finish is looking very factory:thumb:

Looking fantastic Ian! At least with mounting the rear of the floor to low you may have gained some positive caster on the front end if you get my drift.. But then again that's why you did it ay!!!'😉

James

Keep up the good work mate
http://www.rdox.info/2.jpg

Cheers James... never thought of that.... I mean yes that's exactly why i did it.... lol

Done much on yours ??

Cheers, problem is the neat parts will all be hidden !!!

Decided to make the front panel removable to help engine install/removal, Originally I was going to chop off the slam panel and get a new replacement one and make it fit over the top but then decided to make one from scratch,

So chopped the old one off

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/car85.jpg

Used some 20mm tube had to cut and bend the ends to the profile of the front panel, its not going to hold the bonnet down so really only needed for Rad mount and stop headlights moving.

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/car87.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/car86.jpg

Made some pieces to bridge the two bars, clamped it up and welded it together, Then drilled the front panel and new frame and welded some nuts in to bolt it up, just need some new bolts.

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/car88.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/car89.jpg

Then thought I’d have a play with the bonnet scoop as I’m going to use a front mount intercooler position is not important, I will use the scoop for extra cooling

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/car90.jpg

A bit more work than I thought... it needs to be sunk in, and that grille has to go.

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/car91.jpg

Great job, but aren't you worried that the scoop will make the car look like a Halford's-special chav wagon despite the lump:wonder:

I know what you mean but hopefully once the car is re-sprayed it won't be as obvious... the car really isn't going to be built for looks just a striped out track car.

If it does look like a chav wagon I will shove another bonnet on!!!

You could always go old skool and get it louvred:D

I was tempted to do the triangles off the Manta 400 :)

That would be cool - I nearly did that an old Nova of mine (over a decade ago mind:wonder:)

not a fan of the scoop!! always gonna look weird on a car that doesn't come with one

some louvres, or maybe a smaller scoop would be better imo. bmw mini?? new legacy??

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bon...w=1366&bih=625

Could be right guys, may have a rethink, this is just resting on he bonnet which makes it look bigger but I do like the legacy bonnet....

angle suits it more

Go FMIC don't cut the bonnet. it will better with FMIC IMO.

amazing work, i hope you can go for as OE a bonnet\scoop\vent arrangement as possible...be awful to spoil it with a ruddy great scoop :)

no no dont put scoop on mate front mount the way

A bit more progress... got the front bumper bar brackets tacked in place… took a fair bit of getting right I ended up chopping the lower middle out of the old bumper so I could hold in place easier, will be getting a GSi bumper or replica at some point.

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car93.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car92.jpg

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car94.jpg

Still not sure about the bonnet scoop but I sacrificed the bonnet so I could see it flush to the bonnet although I had no M5 nuts to hold down!!!.... (I can always pick up another bonnet if I don’t like)

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car95.jpg

I picked this up off eBay last night think it will suit the car more than the std SRi spoiler :thumb:

http://www.ian-rachel.co.uk/Car/Car96.jpg

Sell me the bonnet scoop & go front mount :norty:

lol... it was £16 of eBay....

i will most likely still go front mount and use this for extra cooling, i bought it as i thought i needed to give it a subaru look, but not sure at the moment if i like... looks better when you look at car than in pics plus when all same colour is wont stand out quite as much...

Looks like this is going to a animal can't wait to see it finished

Please dont put the scoop on
Attachment 56779

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3210191813...84.m1438.l2649

Front mount would be better

I know but I got to see how it looks and give it a bit of time so I either like it or hate it, can get a bonnet for next to nothing so will just replace it if I don't like,

Also a good idea of my mates is to have two bonnets keeping the scooped one for the track....

Rest assured if it does stay it will fit loads better than the vectra pic above "sorry vectra owner lol "