Suspension Bits

The last couple of weeks have seen me in Cape Town for a friends wedding, but some progress on the car was made.

Cleaning/preparing donor parts is ongoing.

Poly Bushes were inserted into the wishbones, then metal sleeves inserted, using silicone grease. Have installed the front and rear wishbones and shocks, leaving the bolts loose. Now I need to clean up and paint the front uprights and install those.

Floor Panel Fitted

Following marking the drill locations on the aluminium sheet, the holes were drilled. The holes were then deburred and the floor panel was clamped back in place on the chassis.

Then the chassis was drilled by drilling through the holes in the floor panel. The panel was then removed and sealant was applied to the chassis members, panel put back in place and rivets inserted into the previously drilled holes. Then the rivets were closed up using a manual rivet gun (hands were hurting after doing them all!) working from inside to out.

Floor Panel Marking and Electrolysis

To prepare the Sierra donor parts I initially tried wire brushing by hand and by electric drill attachment. Seeing this woulded take a very long time I decided to try electrolysis and have set up a tub to do it in. Started the process on one of the front uprights.

Also today the chassis was upturned, floor panel clamped and chassis members marked onto it. Then the drill locations for the rivets were marked.

Kit Collection

I currently drive a Clio 182, and although it is fast and fun I have been on the lookout for something faster/more fun/different for around the last 6 months. I considered many cars, including BMW M5, Megane Sport, Golf R32, Nissan 350Z and and American muscle cars. I then thought about getting a second hand Westfield or Caterham.

Then I decided that it would be more fun/rewarding to build a kit myself. But which one? I did a bit of research in the kit car magazines and on the web (locostbuilders forum being a great source of information), and decided to go for the MK Indy R.

I wanted to build the car with a bike engine and so considered a few of the options there too, going for a 2005 Yamaha R1 engine, supplied by Yorkshire Engines.

Anyway, the kit, various parts and engine were ordered and I faced a 190 mile drive each way to the MK premises amongst the worst snowy weather for 18 years. The kit, parts and engine were collected and I had a look round the workshop at the cars they are currently putting together. Also had a ride in their Hayabusa powered demo car - very impressive.