For phase 1 of my project Escort's modifications, I need to get rid of the inner wings and replace with a lightweight tubular or box section chassis from the A pillar/bulkhead forwards.
Like this!
Now, this is something i've been planning for a while, but I don't have anyone to turn to with the technicalities of these things, which is why I seek guidence from you fine folk!
Man plan is thus:
1- Buy scrap mk3 Escort and strip out the engine bay
2- Measure all critical suspension points carefully, and every other concievable measurements that may be needed
3- Build a jig to preserve the suspension points (maybe out of wood)
4- cut inner wings off the scrap Escort at the A pillars
5- Start constructing a front end out of box section using my amazing wooden jig, loosely basing the design on a Kit kar chassis in terms of the layout of the bars.
6- Mock fit it to the scrap escort to see how it fits, then make adjustments accordingly before taking the grinder to the front of my car
Now this seems ok so far, i've pretty much decided that I can do the jig part accurately and I can cut the box section to the correct angles and lengths, then i'll tack weld it in place and take the thing to a fabricators to be welded expertly, just for peace of mind.
Its the mounting it to the rest of the car that i need reasurance and guidence on:
My plan was to weld box section down the length of the A pillars, then weld the new strut front end to that, so it will spread the load and not concentrate any force on a small area of the comparitively flimsy pressed steel A pillars.
Then I thought i'd re-enforce the bulkhead with a few horizontal bars between the A pillars for extra strength. How does this sound?
Obviously it would be nice to build a complete tubular chassis instead but thats just out of the question at the moment.
At best I could get a roll cage and tie some of the bulkhead strengthening in with that maybe....
Who's got a bit of an insight into doing a strut front ends? Can anyone suggest better methods of doing this that my planned approach?
Or anyone got any pics of some tubular front ends that I could look at? (I couldnt find many!)
Thanks for reading ;D
Like this!
Now, this is something i've been planning for a while, but I don't have anyone to turn to with the technicalities of these things, which is why I seek guidence from you fine folk!
Man plan is thus:
1- Buy scrap mk3 Escort and strip out the engine bay
2- Measure all critical suspension points carefully, and every other concievable measurements that may be needed
3- Build a jig to preserve the suspension points (maybe out of wood)
4- cut inner wings off the scrap Escort at the A pillars
5- Start constructing a front end out of box section using my amazing wooden jig, loosely basing the design on a Kit kar chassis in terms of the layout of the bars.
6- Mock fit it to the scrap escort to see how it fits, then make adjustments accordingly before taking the grinder to the front of my car
Now this seems ok so far, i've pretty much decided that I can do the jig part accurately and I can cut the box section to the correct angles and lengths, then i'll tack weld it in place and take the thing to a fabricators to be welded expertly, just for peace of mind.
Its the mounting it to the rest of the car that i need reasurance and guidence on:
My plan was to weld box section down the length of the A pillars, then weld the new strut front end to that, so it will spread the load and not concentrate any force on a small area of the comparitively flimsy pressed steel A pillars.
Then I thought i'd re-enforce the bulkhead with a few horizontal bars between the A pillars for extra strength. How does this sound?
Obviously it would be nice to build a complete tubular chassis instead but thats just out of the question at the moment.
At best I could get a roll cage and tie some of the bulkhead strengthening in with that maybe....
Who's got a bit of an insight into doing a strut front ends? Can anyone suggest better methods of doing this that my planned approach?
Or anyone got any pics of some tubular front ends that I could look at? (I couldnt find many!)
Thanks for reading ;D