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Project Phoenix
as most already know we (Buffy and myself) are building an S13....
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so after the little fire we had while mapping my car (wheel spinning at 140mph :eek: )
it was time for a new plan...
with thanks to Mel B I got my hands on a new shell (well he gave it to Buffy and buffy then graciously passed it on to me :thumbs: )
the end... :cry:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1838.jpg
the start...:nod:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1699.jpg
we had to get it back to Buffy's garage and as she was still drivable I drove it there, but I had to stick £2 in petrol (if that wasn't embarrassing enough Buffy took a pic of the fuel pump :o )
once at the garage it was time to prep her....1/2 hr into the strip we got this far..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1706.jpg
at this point Mel B came around and said "that was a compleat car 3 hrs ago.."
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1719.jpg
back to the shell prep...
as we wanted to do something thats never been done to a 200 the thinking caps went on...
ND came up with a few as did Buffy and myself
so it was time to put them into practice
first to go was this...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1851.jpg
Buffy set to it with some power tools.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1860.jpg
and a few hrs later the bastid was out...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1868.jpg
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ok, now for some weight saving..
the first thing we cut up was the doors...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_1855.jpg
we also removed the lecy window
loads of weight there
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_1857.jpg
as for the drivers door the lecy window will be staying..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_1914.jpg
we then had a look at the bummper..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2215.jpg
now to lose more weight the subframe came under scrutiny..
so off came the counter weights
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2036.jpg
bit of a twaty job but we managed to remove all 4 lumps of metal..
if its not needed its coming off...
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re fitting the front subframe and power brace
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2143.jpg
I have to say fitting the power brace was a pain...
watch out for the captive nuts they can snap off, as did mine..
so we cut out the side of the inner rail to gain access to the little bugger..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2146.jpg
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now the painting of the shell is compleated its time for the rollcage...
you would not believe the trouble we had finding a company to make us a cage..
4 of us went to the autoshow at the NEC thinking we would find one...
and we did, unfortunately they are based in Yorkshire...
now the first challange we faced was to get the car to Yorkshire..
as we didn't have a trailer Buffy came up with the idea of an A Frame...
so we made one (it did an awesome job)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2347.jpg
I would like to say a big thank you to Protection & performance for an
awesome job they did on the rollcage..
The cage is all T45 to keep the weight down..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2197.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2199.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2201.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2204.jpg
and now all painted up..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2268.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2267.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2264.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2255.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2253.jpg
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now with all the pads in place its time to sort out the brake lines and as we are diching the ABS and servo we are fitting 2 new master cylinders...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2272.jpg
we are also fitting a line lock
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2399.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2400.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2402.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2415.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2407.jpg
to the rear
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2410.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2414.jpg
we bent the bracket slightly to get a nice stright fit (brake line to braded line)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2412.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2413.jpg
ok with every thing in place it was time to bleed the brakes
with the first few pumps of the brakes we found 4 leaks
1 at the rear T (the pipe going to the drivers side)
turns out to be a fecked thread inaside the T so we need a new one
the other T also leaked (we fixed that)
and the thingy with the wire leaked out of both ends
so we changed fittings and managed to stop the leak
the only leak we still have is out of the rear T...we'll change that next time..
fitting brake pipes is not the easyest job but if you have time (we didnt)
you can do it (we need to slow down abit)
the thing is for Mike and Myself time is something we dont have a lot of
as we have to travel just over an hour to get to ND's before we can start work
its not in Mike's garage anymore so you cant just pop up and do stuff..
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now for the real twat of a job....
setting up the brake bias..
We are using .75 rear and .625 front cylinders with the bias bar attached to
the brake pedal...
Mike fecking about with the bias
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2448.jpg
this is what it looks like under the dash
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2020.jpg
by welding the tube on to take the bar
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2029.jpg
we had to cut this away
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2021.jpg
so it woulden't foul on the brake pedal when pushed..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2027.jpg
nothing is ever easy is it
time to re bleed the brakes (thanks to Jimmy Somerville for the help)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2454.jpg
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so Dave could make a new engine loom we had to fit the engine
so he could get the measurement right....
so this is the first time this engine has been in this shell...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_1839.jpg
allmost there..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2367.jpg
and in...well bugger me it fits..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2368.jpg
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going to try something differnt to the front so we cut away the slam panel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/000_0029.jpg
and finished off the ends like this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/000_0028.jpg
as far as I know this has not been done to a 200..
we also plan to fit an angle bit of ally accross the opening to make it a removable
slam panel.
should also make it quicker to remove and re fit the engine if ever needed..
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to save even more weight 1 of the wipers had to go..
so we came up with a single wiper conversion...
first off we had to cut up the 2 arms and re weld them together to get the
correct lengh
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2224.jpg
then shape them (bend, twist) so as they rotate they miss the bulkhead and give a clean sweep
on the screen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2223.jpg
we also had to cut, shorten and re weld this to make the sweep the correct arc
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2226.jpg
a bit trial and error to get the bend and lenth right..
we also hooked the wiper motor up tp a battery to see what the final sweep was like..
then we had to remove the screen (without any screen removing tools)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...1/100_2181.jpg
that was fun..
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now for the rear lights..
didn't want standard or a set of Kouki's so went for R32 rears..
first we cut away a load of waste metal
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...rearlights.jpg
then made new by placing the lights where we wanted them to sit and cut and welded in new metal to take up the space between them and the lights
All the other 13's we'v seen have mounted the R32 lights in a way which requires cutting the tailgate. This was something we wanted to avoid doing, so we chopped the back of the car instead (explanation by Mike)
The bodshop will make a new surround to blend the car and lights when finished.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2096.jpg
and fitted the new lights
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2093.jpg
and should look something like
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2322.jpg
and one with Mike in it...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...d/100_2283.jpg