500+bhp Mk3 Fiesta Project
Discussion
Some new goodies.
6 Pot calipers for the front. AP CP5555 motorsport version:
Brand new (not rebuilt) Genuine Ford Street/Sport Ka steering rack, as the Ka platform is a Fiesta it fit my Si. It's a unique part and is cast from a higher grade alloy and has solid mounts rather than rubber bushes.
Ford Focus RS Gearbox, brand new in the crate. Thanks to Tom Peters Ford parts for this. I have three of these gearboxes now so will have to get around to selling one!
It is essentially a regular 2.0 Zetec Focus gearbox but with shot peened gears and a Quaife LSD. I also noticed that the shift weight is smaller, which is good.
I hope to get the Focus rear suspension finished off this weekend.
6 Pot calipers for the front. AP CP5555 motorsport version:
Brand new (not rebuilt) Genuine Ford Street/Sport Ka steering rack, as the Ka platform is a Fiesta it fit my Si. It's a unique part and is cast from a higher grade alloy and has solid mounts rather than rubber bushes.
Ford Focus RS Gearbox, brand new in the crate. Thanks to Tom Peters Ford parts for this. I have three of these gearboxes now so will have to get around to selling one!
It is essentially a regular 2.0 Zetec Focus gearbox but with shot peened gears and a Quaife LSD. I also noticed that the shift weight is smaller, which is good.
I hope to get the Focus rear suspension finished off this weekend.
Beedub said:
i have those ap 6 pot all round on my little ///M, they are mind bendingly good...... you'll really enjoy the pedal feel and consistan braking....
awesome build....
Thanks Byron, I've been following your build with interest. Good work! I had an E46 M3 at one point so I know how much of a peach that S54 is.awesome build....
Today I've been working on mounting the Focus sub frame.
First off I had to notch a horizontal chassis member at each end to provide clearance for part of the new sub frame. The loss of strength isn't an issue for me because the two lateral members on the Focus sub frame will make the rear end more rigid than it ever was in standard form. I also had to cut out a section from each side of the main chassis rails in order to make a level bed for the sub frame as the rails slope down from the rear of the car towards the petrol tank area, you can make this out in the foreground of the photo.
Here's the rear end temporarily mounted, you can see the parts of the sub frame that sit in the new notches:
From the front.
Slightly more advanced than the old twist beam!
First off I had to notch a horizontal chassis member at each end to provide clearance for part of the new sub frame. The loss of strength isn't an issue for me because the two lateral members on the Focus sub frame will make the rear end more rigid than it ever was in standard form. I also had to cut out a section from each side of the main chassis rails in order to make a level bed for the sub frame as the rails slope down from the rear of the car towards the petrol tank area, you can make this out in the foreground of the photo.
Here's the rear end temporarily mounted, you can see the parts of the sub frame that sit in the new notches:
From the front.
Slightly more advanced than the old twist beam!
Rear subframe forward mount
I fabricated a 1.5mm thick reinforcement piece for each side of the car, they have a captive nut and a 20mm hole for the locating peg on the subframe. This part will brace the chassis rail and ensure the sub frame is mounted square in the chassis.
The reinforcement pad sits inside the existing chassis legs and was welded from inside the wheel arch, and also through the outside face of the chassis leg.
Next were a pair of 1.2mm 'cups' fabricated from 1.2mm sheet.
They were welded to the reinforcement pads and the chassis leg which surrounds them.
Etch primed and with sub frame mounted.
Due to space constraints I will change the exhaust layout; rather than an in-line mounted rear silencer under the O/S boot floor I will have a large transversely mounted silencer under the entire rear section of boot floor. In order to support this I've added additional exhaust mounting points made from 10mm round bar:
There are now two on each side of the rear chassis legs.
I fabricated a 1.5mm thick reinforcement piece for each side of the car, they have a captive nut and a 20mm hole for the locating peg on the subframe. This part will brace the chassis rail and ensure the sub frame is mounted square in the chassis.
The reinforcement pad sits inside the existing chassis legs and was welded from inside the wheel arch, and also through the outside face of the chassis leg.
Next were a pair of 1.2mm 'cups' fabricated from 1.2mm sheet.
They were welded to the reinforcement pads and the chassis leg which surrounds them.
Etch primed and with sub frame mounted.
Due to space constraints I will change the exhaust layout; rather than an in-line mounted rear silencer under the O/S boot floor I will have a large transversely mounted silencer under the entire rear section of boot floor. In order to support this I've added additional exhaust mounting points made from 10mm round bar:
There are now two on each side of the rear chassis legs.
payner2008 said:
I am loving this build. OP, when do you anticipate completion? I am keen to see the finished results.
Hats off to you.
Thank you!Hats off to you.
I've set a target of September 1st for all chassis modifications to be completed including application of new underseal, a painted underside and wax injection/corrosion prevention. Christmas eve is the target to have the engine back in the shell and running.
I'm on track for September 1st
Rear sub frame intermediate mount
I started by bolting the subframe up to the rear mounts I'd already made, this enabled me to mark on the shell the exact position of the intermediate mounting lugs. I then removed the sub frame and welded a boss on the marks I'd just made.
Next up I fabricated a 1.5mm plate which would cover the bosses and box in area around them:
strengthening plate welded in place.
Both sides done.
Sub frame mounted.
I started by bolting the subframe up to the rear mounts I'd already made, this enabled me to mark on the shell the exact position of the intermediate mounting lugs. I then removed the sub frame and welded a boss on the marks I'd just made.
Next up I fabricated a 1.5mm plate which would cover the bosses and box in area around them:
strengthening plate welded in place.
Both sides done.
Sub frame mounted.
Mk4/Mk5/Puma handbrake cable
I wanted to replace the Mk3 handbrake cable with something newer as I don't like the idea of jacking up the car, dropping an exhaust and removing a heat shield just to tighten the cable. The later Fiestas permit cable adjustment inside the car using only a 10mm socket, so thanks to a dead Racing Puma I have the bracket for an in-car adjustment type cable. I modified this bracket so that it could be welded to the Mk3 shell in the same places as the original bracket was removed from:
Mk4/Mk5/Puma rear wheel arch liners
Another modification from a later Fiesta: some rear arch liners. I drilled slotted holes in the rear arches to accommodate four push in fastenings on each side.
A slightly modified arch liner can then be screwed into place. I'm using old parts to mock up with but everything will be plated,coated, refurbished or renewed once I'm rebuilding.
Additional exhaust mount
I decided that I will modify the fuel tank so that the exhaust goes straight under it rather than turning at a 90 degree angle to go around the edge of it. A central exhaust mount was added to the rear cross member underneath the boot floor to support the new exhaust layout.
Boot floor modifications
I wanted to ensure thet the rear subframe was mounted using identical bolts for each mount, as per the Focus. This makes maintenance simpler. This did mean that two of the bolts required clearance holes ibn the boot floor, so I made some small 'buttons' and reinforcement plates to conceal the bolts and cover the holes:
Another bonus of fully-independent rear suspension is that there is no longer a beam moving about underneath the entire width of the boot floor, so I've capitalised on this by cutting a section of boot floor from above the new sub frame in order to mount a storage box. I was lucky here in that there is either reinforcement or edges of chassis rails around the entire circumference so I've really only lost a single skin. I will fabricate an aluminium container which will house the battery and fuel pressure pumps.
New rear brakes
I bought some more AP's
These are Escort Cosworth WRC Tarmac spec rear brakes; the calipers and bells are Ford stamped. I bought them for the discs and bells which will be used on the front of my car, but the calipers are really too large and will be sold on with some different discs. I estimate fluid volume is getting on for close to my 6 pot versions, they really are big rear brakes! I had the opportunity to buy the fronts at the same time which were 378mm discs with 6 pot water cooled calipers. Awesome!
Rear sub frame forward mount
The front section of Focus sub frame interferes with the Fiesta chassis rail which give me two options: I could either notch the Fiesta chassis or cut and modify the Focus sub frame. I chose the latter option as an inspection hole revealed that the high tensile steel safety 'cage' is present in the area of the shell I would need to cut. The chassis in this area of the car slopes both upwards and out towards the sides of the car and I wanted to create a platform that would follow these lines and look as OEM as possible. The following photo illustrates what I ended up with:
I filled in both sides of the platform and blended it into the wheel arch.
Here's the modification I made on each side of the sub frame.
Back together with hubs attached. The eagle eyed will spot that I've welded a reinforcement box section to the trailing arms.
Thankfully that's it for chassis modification!I can now get on with the application of underseal and paint, then start to reassemble the car
I wanted to replace the Mk3 handbrake cable with something newer as I don't like the idea of jacking up the car, dropping an exhaust and removing a heat shield just to tighten the cable. The later Fiestas permit cable adjustment inside the car using only a 10mm socket, so thanks to a dead Racing Puma I have the bracket for an in-car adjustment type cable. I modified this bracket so that it could be welded to the Mk3 shell in the same places as the original bracket was removed from:
Mk4/Mk5/Puma rear wheel arch liners
Another modification from a later Fiesta: some rear arch liners. I drilled slotted holes in the rear arches to accommodate four push in fastenings on each side.
A slightly modified arch liner can then be screwed into place. I'm using old parts to mock up with but everything will be plated,coated, refurbished or renewed once I'm rebuilding.
Additional exhaust mount
I decided that I will modify the fuel tank so that the exhaust goes straight under it rather than turning at a 90 degree angle to go around the edge of it. A central exhaust mount was added to the rear cross member underneath the boot floor to support the new exhaust layout.
Boot floor modifications
I wanted to ensure thet the rear subframe was mounted using identical bolts for each mount, as per the Focus. This makes maintenance simpler. This did mean that two of the bolts required clearance holes ibn the boot floor, so I made some small 'buttons' and reinforcement plates to conceal the bolts and cover the holes:
Another bonus of fully-independent rear suspension is that there is no longer a beam moving about underneath the entire width of the boot floor, so I've capitalised on this by cutting a section of boot floor from above the new sub frame in order to mount a storage box. I was lucky here in that there is either reinforcement or edges of chassis rails around the entire circumference so I've really only lost a single skin. I will fabricate an aluminium container which will house the battery and fuel pressure pumps.
New rear brakes
I bought some more AP's
These are Escort Cosworth WRC Tarmac spec rear brakes; the calipers and bells are Ford stamped. I bought them for the discs and bells which will be used on the front of my car, but the calipers are really too large and will be sold on with some different discs. I estimate fluid volume is getting on for close to my 6 pot versions, they really are big rear brakes! I had the opportunity to buy the fronts at the same time which were 378mm discs with 6 pot water cooled calipers. Awesome! Rear sub frame forward mount
The front section of Focus sub frame interferes with the Fiesta chassis rail which give me two options: I could either notch the Fiesta chassis or cut and modify the Focus sub frame. I chose the latter option as an inspection hole revealed that the high tensile steel safety 'cage' is present in the area of the shell I would need to cut. The chassis in this area of the car slopes both upwards and out towards the sides of the car and I wanted to create a platform that would follow these lines and look as OEM as possible. The following photo illustrates what I ended up with:
I filled in both sides of the platform and blended it into the wheel arch.
Here's the modification I made on each side of the sub frame.
Back together with hubs attached. The eagle eyed will spot that I've welded a reinforcement box section to the trailing arms.
Thankfully that's it for chassis modification!I can now get on with the application of underseal and paint, then start to reassemble the car
Edited by mwstewart on Wednesday 31st August 19:12
joe_90 said:
Stupid question.. how do you know its true? without a full jig?
It's not a stupid question at all. I modified the trailing arms/hubs so that the attachment points were identical to the original Fiesta as this ensured the wheel placement was identical to standard and gave the same hub mounting, shock mounting and trailing arm bush mount positions. This meant I could bolt the entire subframe and suspension together and attach it to the car by the trailing arm bush and shock absorber. I ensured that when all load was off of the Fiesta shocks the Focus suspension was at full droop and mounted the subframe at that height. The only thing I really had to ensure was that the subframe was mounted parallel to the chassis, and to achieve that I measured from various datum points on the shell. I did use a jig to shorten the sub frame, as it was the quickest and easiest way.
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