[David]

This project started last year when I picked up a project rolling shell from Mark at MGT.

This is where the project starts

 

[TAZZMAXX]

Always nice to see new projects being started, do you have a rough spec for it yet?

 

[David]

Before I got stuck into the car I first had to clear some garage space as although I have a tripple garage it was full with cars. So after toying with the idea of selling my mk1 Mini Cooper s. I made the just as hard decision to sell my Autograss car I had built from scratch and give up racing to spend more time at home with the family.

This is the car if anyone is interested with 162bhp 1400cc 8v engine and 2 speed dog box an awesome machine.

 

[David]

I then shipped my s15 off to the body shop and had space to get the r32 in.

The picture below is the image I have currently in my head as to how the car will look when finished. I am now thinking slightly wilder but more on that later.

Now my aim for the car is to be able to compete in it on the circuit possibly in one of the ccsc classes but this would limit me to h pattern and I really want to go sequential and have a go at TOTB

The car came with some nice bits, at the moment basic spec will be (*= I already have the parts)

2.6 basic forged engine for 700ish *
Dry sump
Efr 8374 on sinco manifold *
Syvecs *
Tarox 10 pots *
Sequential gearbox or Getrag *
Nitrous for TOTB

Other bits I already have

cs2 shocks with remote canisters
cusco 1.5 rear diff

The main aim at the moment is trying get as much weight as possible out of the car. Get it running with a fairly simple engine while I debug everything then step up to a stroker or rb30 based engine (as I also have one of them)

I am still undecided and I***8217;ll show in pictures later if I will cut the front and back off the car from the strut tops forwards and backwards to really minise weight.

The first job was to start stripping and find out how bad the rust was. That will be tomorrow***8217;s update.

 

[David]

Always nice to see new projects being started, do you have a rough spec for it yet?

Thankyou it’s in the next post, hopefully this will be interesting and will certainly contain lots of welding

 

[TAZZMAXX]

Okay, maybe I jumped the gun a bit and should’ve waited for your next posts! I’ll be following progress as it’s always nice to pull ideas out of other people’s builds.

 

[David]

So onto the fun bit, car in for full strip although it’s complete it all looks rusty and uncared for.

Engine bay first

 

[David]

Then interior

 

[David]

Followed by rear subframe which had dw hicas lockout and then the boot

 

[David]

Then came removing the sound deadening and although easy to chip off with a chisel and hammer it did cause my neighbors to come arround and complain about the noise at 10.45pm

 

[David]

I could then really inspect the car to see how bad the rust was this was when I started to realise this shell needs a significant amount of work.

Front bulkhead needs work and the heel board and inner sills have holes in them without even picking

Next step is to get the shell upside down

 

[kevr32]

Hi David,

Your pictures have already convinced me I definitely need to do some more on Project B, I miss this bit so much.

In the first picture of the last five you posted, it looks like someone drilled the hole for the nearside turret stay in the wrong place, but instead of correcting there mistake, just pushed down on the tube to make it fit, forcing the inner wing to bulkhead seam apart, must have run out of either mig wire or gas at this point as well, keep the pics coming, I already feel like I'm missing out, makes me want to jump in the car and come for a look.

Kev.

 

[David]

Hi David,

Your pictures have already convinced me I definitely need to do some more on Project B, I miss this bit so much.

In the first picture of the last five you posted, it looks like someone drilled the hole for the nearside turret stay in the wrong place, but instead of correcting there mistake, just pushed down on the tube to make it fit, forcing the inner wing to bulkhead seam apart, must have run out of either mig wire or gas at this point as well, keep the pics coming, I already feel like I'm missing out, makes me want to jump in the car and come for a look.

Kev.

Hello Kev, I think your right followed by leaving the car outside with no bonnet on for a year or so.

 

[David]

So next task was to make a roll over jig, I borrowed the orange main stands from a friend and then shamelessly copied Kev32’s mounting brackets.

My frame is a bit lower are I think Kev’s roof is higher.

I also really didn’t enjoy using an engine crane to lift the car up to this height

 

[David]

I’ll be happy if all my welding turns out as good as this

 

[David]

Onto the rear I welded some nuts into the tube to slide into the rear chassis legs and built the bits below

 

[David]

So how bad was it underneath ...........

Drivers side sill first

 

[David]

This is the point I wondering if it I had taken in too much fabrication. But no going back now the sill needed to come off to see how deep the corrosion had spread......

 

[David]

So It's bad the rear of the sill is worst with basically none of the inner sill left at the end.
The front was also just as bad.

This is the point I started looking at new shells, before finding many fabrication videos to inspire me.

So I got the spot weld drill and grinder out and kept cutting until the rust was gone

Many holes but looks much better without the rusty bits

 

[David]

So time for an update