1994 - Ford Escort Cosworth - power steering fluid tank

I don't think that the tank mount is going anywhere soon Superb fabrication work as always - I'm guessing you are on a 'working from home basis' - Chris

Wow!That rear tank support piece was vert complexed,hats off to you mate, how did you form the dimples that match the original floor swages?

Box welded in

P1030326 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

P1030327 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

and given a bit of orange prevention

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Sunday should be on to starting the top.

I also tidied up the workshop a bit, and started looking at what tools I need for the CNC lathe. Boxford are so kind as to use a custom insert size (9mm) rather than the normal 7 or 11, so I need to buy new tooling. Boxford tips are £12 + vat each and they wont sell them to me as i'm not registered as a machine owner...

Luckily the tips might be an odd size but the shanks are 10x10, so normal tooling can be used.

On the plus side I've learned a bit about the ISO coding on tools and inserts, and cromwell / cutwell have what I need. the downside is a decent holder is about £50+vat, but tips are <£5 each.

with much effort and swearing I managed to re-bend the flange. Sits ok, Just a bit of dressing to do when Its sociable to hammer again.

😁

My neighbor to the rear is only about 3m from the garage back wall.

So I'm always cagey about doing noisy things after 7pm.

I know it's meant to seal off from the cabin... But can you find some swage stickers or something, so it matches the rest of the car?

On the subject of sealing, is aluminium an accepted sealing material? I would have thought it would have to be steel of a certain thickness to hold fire at bay for a while or something. (No actual idea what the requirements are. Could be ok to make it out of cardboard for all I know!)

Drilled off the tank cover for the hold down bolts the side flanges are a bit tighter than I would have liked.


P1030344 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

P1030345 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

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I folded down the edges then made some infill pieces for the corners

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welded them in

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they still need cleaned back

then marked up the fuel filler hole and enlarged

P1030350 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

on to the fuel sender access port

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piece of ali

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rounded the corners and marked out

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marked some more lines

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Which I then ran a bead round.

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The beading pulled it out of shape a bit so I gave it a go with the shrinker/stretcher to get it flat again.

marked out again and folded some flanges

P1030356 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

fitted some riv nuts

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cover in place.

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the panels removable so I can get into the fuel sender connections without having the remove the whole tank cover. just in case.


cut a stip of ali and formed round a handy former (a cutting die)

P1030363 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

ran a bead round it

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start tigging on

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(and take a break for a re-grind on the tungsten after I dipped it :-( )

welded in

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needs cleaned up. but gives a nice 95mm diam stub to clamp some aluminium ducting hose to (to protect the fuel filler hose)

fitted the cover again, all sits nicely

P1030368 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

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looks huge, but is lower and more central than the normal fuel tank location.I also think I went a bit big on the tank size, so I may end up trimming the tank down at a later date.

next session will be looking at a cap for the vent / return points.

<cont>

put a string line across the car so I can assess what the maximum height of a brace bar could be.

P1030394 by jono_misfit, on Flickr

take a load of dimensions, and sketch out a design.

Mark out some ali

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some heel ribs

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fold

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cut out and fold two sides and tack in

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trial fit in car

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the top needs trimmed down still as its touching the dashboard, but feels like it should work nicely. The strange slightly folded bits at the side are so I can roll the edge over some 6mm ali rod I have.

For me in the passenger seat it feels like the right position and angle to be a comfortable sit in the car. Once the trans tunnel to cage bar is in to fix it to it will be pretty rigid.

Will maybe get another go on it later in the week.

I'll take a pic when I'm out later.

For me it's a comfortable position with a bit of room to position feet. The bucket seat pretty much forces you legs to be straight out from the hips not splayed, so you're heels end up pretty close together.

I could probably make a bit wider at the top, but the bottom is tight for space where I need fuel lines to go past.