SS re-build with redtop engine

[Deleted]

Hi folks,

As some of you know I've just bought an SS on ford running gear, but the pinto isn't likely to provide the silliness I need so I am rebuilding.

Todays work involved taking out the interior, dash, seats etc, removing the loom, taking out the headlight cross beam and headlighs and disconnecting various earths etc that are holding loom / parts to the body. Tomorrow I'll finish up and (hopefully) get the body off and have a look at the chassis / suspension etc.

Once I get it down to rolling chassis the plan is to tidy it all up and fit a red top from a written off calibra I have on the drive. I am also hoping to use the calibra instruments and loom in a simple "take out then put it" swap, and fit the de-cat exhaust as well. Box will hopefully come from an omega or similar, suggestions for rear axle welcome!

Cheers,

Gav.

[Gary]

Are you going for the whole rebuild repainted chassis (the works or just tiding) where necessary.

Gary.

[Deleted]

Depends how minnging it is when i get the body off. Chances are I'll use a some de-ox on chassis AND mounts then re-paint the whole lot if i can get away with it. Other wise it will be a full dismantle, paint stripper sanding and re-paint nightmare - we shall see!

G

[Deleted]

i remember the day i said i was just going to clean as much of the chassis as i could see....the rear axle then fell off through some bodgy welding off came the body and that brings me to present day, finished cleaning and rebuilding the chassis....hurrah!

pictures are regularly added to my website (via facebook)

now working on the engine and body! thank gawd for sunny days =)

[sammss]

I think you should put your pics on here as well as Facebook Moodi

Love Samm

[Deleted]

ok i will, can anyone point me in the right direction as to a multiple upload hosting site, rather than having to upload single photos at a time?

[Gary]

If you can handle an Eagle rebuild and you are (of the few photos i have seen) surely you can handle a few photo uploads

[Deleted]

m00d1 said:

ok i will, can anyone point me in the right direction as to a multiple upload hosting site, rather than having to upload single photos at a time?

you could try
photobucket.com/

[Deleted]

Has anyone uprated rear diff and axle to something more substantial? If so what is commonly used on the SS?

Cheers,

G

[Deleted]

Has anyone altered / strengthened the chassis at all? If so how and where? To what effect?

cheers,
G

[chrisbailey]

hi, what axle is on it now?
I wouldn't know as mine is a VW,
Have you looked at putting an atlas axle on? they run v8s on them things.
depending on what car your axle came off, i wouldn't bother changing it, i don't think a redtop would produce the kind of power to rip the teeth off the gears. I'm using a essex V6 on a ford 1300 escort axle, and the v6 has tons of torque and it wont rip the teeth.
Unless you want to uprate the suspension, I would look at putting the sierra LSD and convert the wishbones over.

[Deleted]

Got the steering wheel and pedal box etc off today, plus all the rear loom and lights. Stripped the doors down this week and did some angle grinding madness so I can use some of the bits from the calibra interior and fit the calibra interior ahndles etc. Good times.

Cheers,

G

[Deleted]

Could you not use the rear axle out of the calibra? Would mean some extra welding but there again it would mean that with just about any axle swap. A guy who used to post on here regularly (apparently he has the hump with some so no longer does) fitted the sierra axle and converted to inboard discs as well, it was a very neat set up, well executed. If you look through the site you will come accross his thread that shows the whole job from start to finish.

(Chas where are you? sod the rest start posting updates of your build, have you got the V6 in it yet)

[Deleted]

?

[Deleted]

thekidscar said:

Could you not use the rear axle out of the calibra? Would mean some extra welding but there again it would mean that with just about any axle swap.

Only if it was from a 4x4 calibra I guess

[terryrob]

Chas's modified rear axle is realy good, but if you run with the omega box you could posibly use the omega's rear axle too.?

[Deleted]

C'libras FWD mate - that's no fun

If I got the omega box I'll probably use the axle to if it's possible.
Hopefully I'll get up to the garage tomorrow and get a little further along the road. Time, as ever, is not my own!

Pics up soon showing chassis condition etc.

Cheers,

G

[Deleted]

Got a lad coming to take the pinto and box off my hands on saturday, so that should let me make a start proper. Shelved the redtop idea as need the cash so will sell the red top meantime and buy an engine when the cars ready for it.

Slow slog this, eh!

[Deleted]

OK,

quick update, now have a second eagle, albeit with a little front end damage BUT ...a V5!!! Plan is to make a detachable front end section using the 1st one.

Also have aquired a type 9 box complete with adaptor bellhousing to go to the red top engine, and a set of R1 bike carbs.

Working today on the routing for the coolant. Planning a second rad in the boot space, with the air vents cooling it, and a standard rad + expansion type in the front, with both rads in series. Also remodeeling the bonnet scoop to allow some extra air and general cooling.

Also planning to ditch the pop ups and put in Fiat Coupe lights...getting rid of the pop up mech should make for more room under bonnett and also i hear they are a bugger to keep in alignment?

Cheers,

G

[terryrob]

Sounds realy good Gavin, just a thought here, will the water pump be strong enough to push the coolant to the back of the car and return it, or maybe you could fit an electric auxiliery pump as well.
Theres a guy lives close to me, only met him once and he was putting a red top into an ss too. haven't seen him for about 7 months though.

[Deleted]

Sorted the rad problem - getting custom built tri-core installed on a bracket out front, exposed like an intercooler. Shweeeeet.

[terryrob]

Should be wel sorted with that. Years ago I had a mini that would get a bit hot, being skint at the time a new rad was out of the question but I had a heater matrix in the shed, so I tied it to the front of the mini and ran the pipes off the heater to it, worked a treat. Eventually fitted a second hand rad and got the heater back.

[Deleted]

Well I've been busy with the angle grinder and my eagle now has no wings! All bits and bobs are out of the bay, and I have made up a template for alu panels to run from the chassis to bonnett height, with a 90 degree lip at the top replacing the dip where the bonnett currently sits. Basically a bottomless alu box with a lip, in to which the engine will sit, with all ancillary engine bits fixed to the panels.

Welded metal earth points will run from the chassis upwards along the panels where practical, making earthing easy.

The new front section will be both wings, the bonnett and a section forward of the bulkhead cut in an arc to match the profile of the bottom of the screen. The tub and bulkhead will remain totally seperate front the front section.

This entire front section will "sit" atop the alu panels lip, and clip on at the wheel arches at the rear, to the panel lips beneath what is currently the bonnett at the top, and the chassis extension (see below) at the front.

The front end of the chassis is to be extended to make a bracket for the intercooler style rad, and this new section will also hold the nosecone and possibly hinging bolts for the new front section, if clearance will allow it to hinge.

Upshot of all this is that I will be able to off the wings and top of the body in about 1 minute (4 clips), exposing the suspension and brakes. From there the panels can be unbolted, so any changes in fittings / placement / earth points can be done away from the car, with the finished panel then being bolted (??) back in to place. This will also give access to the sides of the engine from top to bottom, only the chassis and engine mounts will obscure it.

Phew.

Cheers,

g

[Deleted]

Opinions Please!

I am toying with the idea of rounding off / widening / lowering the eagle body shape a little. It's just too d**n narrow and high (!!lol!!). I hit upon this .....errr....master plan whilst removing bumper panels from the calibra, and after several beers. I took a pic or 5 of the c'lib bumper mocked up onto the gaping hole where the aeagles front end used to be, and thought of a general widening / beefing up of the car. So, am i just pissed, o if you squint right and use the imagintive powers of a ten year old, could this ever look good?


Errr....ta.

G.

[terryrob]

Hi Gavin, you never know, when the bonnet and wings are placed in position you could offer it up for a look and it might work. The good thing would be that you could have a replacable bumper, very handy. Great project keep us posted.
Cheers, Terry
P.S. perhaps I should have a few scrumpys and have another look ;D

[Deleted]

Hey up all,

Any suggestions for a starting point for engine mounts? I know some companys do em for redtop's into Novas and the like but I have no clue as to what might be suitable and dont waste too many pennies figuring it out. Any suggestions?

Cheers,
G

[chrisbailey]

get an engine hoist, hang the engine in posistion and see where that lands you?
you should be able to make your own engine mounts, or atlest modify the calibras, if you are making your own you could use the rubber mounts used on the vintage cars to sit your mounts on, I did that with an essex v6 in a seven style.

[Gary]

Any further forward with the motor yet.

Have you kept any notes as you have built that could be used as an ongoing feature in the new club magazine. Or would you be prepared to do some thing ?

[Deleted]

Useful tips?

1.
Take a grinder and remove the seatbelt supports that run from the chassis by the rear wheelarch up to the tub BEFORE you try and lift the body off...lol. Had the d**n thing a good 6 feet in the air at the nose, still not enough clearance to get the arse end "up and over". Duh. Eeeejit.

2.
Don't believe anyone you don't know who says they'll be round at any date to help / take something away / buy a part / sell you a part. They won't, and it's not their fault, it's just how it happens. Go out and find the bits commercially or through a scrappy - seems much easier in the long term!

3.
If someone chaps your door and offers £700 for your redtop and f18 box, say yes. ;D


I now have 3/4 of an eagle body in poor nick (back end through to bulkhead) minus glass, that is surplus to requirements. What the heck can I do with that? Might end up needing the doors yet, we shall see. Or keep the lot for possible future repairs following hedge / car interactions? Or a wonderful garden "feature"? hehehe. I suspect it may go to the graveyard, . If anyone has a use for it, lemme know.

Pics of chassis refurb up ASA I get it all finished.

Cheers,

G

[terryrob]

It would be a great garden feature though