500+bhp Mk3 Fiesta Project
Discussion
ATM said:
What's the plan for the exhaust?
Is it made already?
Who will be making it?
It will be an equal length, divided/twin-scroll manifold into a T4 flange to suit a Borg Warner EFR turbo. The rest of the system will be 3" with a V band cat towards the front of the car, and a single silencer at the rear with a rectangular tailpipe in keeping with the original Ford FRST exhaust, only a little bit larger in diameter.Is it made already?
Who will be making it?
I may go with http://www.ojzengineering.co.uk/gallery_albums.php
Exhaust Heat Shield - Battery Box
The exhaust will pass between the Focus subframe and the boot floor battery box that I had fabricated. Now the rear heat shield is finished I could pay attention to this area.
Space is tight in this particular area, so I chose 4mm thick adhesive foam back heat shield material designed for the inside of motorcycle fairings.
Job done. I used adhesive aluminium tape to seal joints and edges.
Looking to the rear of the car from in front of the subframe and battery box.
Rear ARB - Drop Links
For the Mk2 Focus onwards Ford upgraded from a rubber isolator design to a dual ball joint drop link. I've chosen the Mk3 Focus/C-Max version - part number 1856667 - which use an M12 lower stud.
As with all parts on the car, for increased corrosion resistance I bolster electro-plating with an additional coat of zinc based primer.
I had a small problem to solve for mounting the drop links: the standard Focus arms are pressed steel and approximately 5mm thick at the ARB drop link mounting point. In contrast the bespoke billet arms are 30mm thick, so the upper drop link stud was too short to pass through the arm.
My solution was to adapt a pair of mild steel female weld-in bushes: 16mm diameter, 30mm deep, 25mm head, and M10x1.5 thread. The bore in the lower arms was 16.5mm so the .5mm clearance allows for paint and a bit of grease.
I filed flats on the bushes to accommodate a 20mm spanner, and being threaded all the way through the centre bore allows a 5mm Allen key to lock the ARB drop link whilst the bush is turned.
Job complete. I was pleased that I had correctly calculated the ARB positions for the shortened subframe. Photos show the suspension at full droop and the links at near max articulation.
I've built the car a 19mm rear ARB, which is the smallest that Ford produced (there may be alternative sizes in use by Mazda or Volvo). This should be a benign option until I get a feel for the car and what the best setup is. In preparation for future suspension tuning I have picked up a new 21.5mm bar to suit ball joint drop links, which is the stiffest that Ford produced - part number 1683278. Ford themselves were selling them off on eBay for only £30 delivered.
Battery Brackets
The battery box wouldn't be complete without a battery mounting system. I've bought a ready-made copy of the original Fiesta clamp, remade in stainless. For the other end of the battery, which will be a fixed mount, I bent some 1.5mm stainless to suit the 'feet' on the battery.
Fixed mount riveted to the end of the box. I will add a rivnut for the removable bracket once I settle on a battery type.
The exhaust will pass between the Focus subframe and the boot floor battery box that I had fabricated. Now the rear heat shield is finished I could pay attention to this area.
Space is tight in this particular area, so I chose 4mm thick adhesive foam back heat shield material designed for the inside of motorcycle fairings.
Job done. I used adhesive aluminium tape to seal joints and edges.
Looking to the rear of the car from in front of the subframe and battery box.
Rear ARB - Drop Links
For the Mk2 Focus onwards Ford upgraded from a rubber isolator design to a dual ball joint drop link. I've chosen the Mk3 Focus/C-Max version - part number 1856667 - which use an M12 lower stud.
As with all parts on the car, for increased corrosion resistance I bolster electro-plating with an additional coat of zinc based primer.
I had a small problem to solve for mounting the drop links: the standard Focus arms are pressed steel and approximately 5mm thick at the ARB drop link mounting point. In contrast the bespoke billet arms are 30mm thick, so the upper drop link stud was too short to pass through the arm.
My solution was to adapt a pair of mild steel female weld-in bushes: 16mm diameter, 30mm deep, 25mm head, and M10x1.5 thread. The bore in the lower arms was 16.5mm so the .5mm clearance allows for paint and a bit of grease.
I filed flats on the bushes to accommodate a 20mm spanner, and being threaded all the way through the centre bore allows a 5mm Allen key to lock the ARB drop link whilst the bush is turned.
Job complete. I was pleased that I had correctly calculated the ARB positions for the shortened subframe. Photos show the suspension at full droop and the links at near max articulation.
I've built the car a 19mm rear ARB, which is the smallest that Ford produced (there may be alternative sizes in use by Mazda or Volvo). This should be a benign option until I get a feel for the car and what the best setup is. In preparation for future suspension tuning I have picked up a new 21.5mm bar to suit ball joint drop links, which is the stiffest that Ford produced - part number 1683278. Ford themselves were selling them off on eBay for only £30 delivered.
Battery Brackets
The battery box wouldn't be complete without a battery mounting system. I've bought a ready-made copy of the original Fiesta clamp, remade in stainless. For the other end of the battery, which will be a fixed mount, I bent some 1.5mm stainless to suit the 'feet' on the battery.
Fixed mount riveted to the end of the box. I will add a rivnut for the removable bracket once I settle on a battery type.
Exhaust Heat Shield - Rear Subframe
A very quick job completed. Moving forward from the rear of the car to some protection for the rear subframe and suspension bushes. The charcoal canister on the Mk2 Focus is mounted on top of the rear subframe and features a heat shield to protect it, which I kept after modifying the subframe my car. I have modified that shield to fit around the battery box to provide some additional protection to that and the suspension lower arm bush.
I added a captive stainless fitting to the side of the battery box, but there was only 170mm clearance available to for the drill when countersinking the reverse side. I've only used the right angle drill attachment a handful of times but given the price it has proved invaluable.
Shield in place, mounted to the original subframe fitting and the new captive fitting described above. Focus ST/RS exhaust mount added to another exhaust mount that I added back when fabrication work was taking place.
I've added a couple of stainless fixings to the rear silencer heat shield to keep it snug against the rear of the battery box.
A very quick job completed. Moving forward from the rear of the car to some protection for the rear subframe and suspension bushes. The charcoal canister on the Mk2 Focus is mounted on top of the rear subframe and features a heat shield to protect it, which I kept after modifying the subframe my car. I have modified that shield to fit around the battery box to provide some additional protection to that and the suspension lower arm bush.
I added a captive stainless fitting to the side of the battery box, but there was only 170mm clearance available to for the drill when countersinking the reverse side. I've only used the right angle drill attachment a handful of times but given the price it has proved invaluable.
Shield in place, mounted to the original subframe fitting and the new captive fitting described above. Focus ST/RS exhaust mount added to another exhaust mount that I added back when fabrication work was taking place.
I've added a couple of stainless fixings to the rear silencer heat shield to keep it snug against the rear of the battery box.
ABS Sensors - Rear
I'm using the Focus Mk1 rear ABS sensors to suit a disc brake equipped car - Ford part 1088606.
I fabricated a pair of brackets from to mount the sensor wires to the rear subframe; much like the brake lines the mounting is completely bespoke. The brackets are made from 1.5mm stainless and involved swaging, folding, and some welding.
N/S/R in situ.
I'm using the Focus Mk1 rear ABS sensors to suit a disc brake equipped car - Ford part 1088606.
I fabricated a pair of brackets from to mount the sensor wires to the rear subframe; much like the brake lines the mounting is completely bespoke. The brackets are made from 1.5mm stainless and involved swaging, folding, and some welding.
N/S/R in situ.
Edited by mwstewart on Tuesday 25th October 10:18
Hereward said:
How do you prevent the threads becoming "clogged" with the hardened zinc primer? Just a very light coating? Cheers.
Essentially, yes - just a dust coat on the threads, but even so I find zinc primer less likely to clog than regular primer, and the zinc acts as a lubricant for mechanical fastenings too.Evap System: Charcoal Canister
The Mk3 was launched with carburated engines and without evaporative emissions control. EFi, catalyst, and evap came along in 1992, with the charcoal canister mounted in front of the O/S front wheel. I need to liberate that space for an A/C dryer so I decided to relocate the canister to somewhere at the rear of the car. I found a lighter and more compact canister fitted to the fuel tank of a Mk7 Fiesta - Ford part AY11-9D653-AB.
Its white securing bracket was plastic welded to the side of the fuel tank, so I cut that off, ground off the mounting tabs, and made a black plastic backing plate to stiffen it for mounting to my chosen location in the rear of the N/S/R wheelarch. Stainless fastenings were used and the outer nuts & washers are hidden behind the rear bumper.
I've modified the arches to accept some fabric Mk5 Fiesta liners, and the N/S/R liner will now require modification to clear the canister.
Being in proximity to the rear silencer location I thought it prudent to add a heat shield. I fabricated a stainless bracket and cut up what was left of the Mercedes CLA heat shield that I used as a prototype for the rear silencer shield. The canister shield was an odd shape owing to various angles in play around the wheearch.
Completed.
ABS: Rear Loom
I made the rear ABS loom and finished in black corrugated conduit. I had an original period correct Focus rear ABS loom decal lying around so I added that for an OEM look.
Rather than drill the subframe to secure the loom I used epoxy to bond on some Thomas & Betts cable tie mounts. They are very light, and very neat - no surprise that they are used in F1. I sprayed them black to match the subframe.
PAS System: Pump
I had planned to use an EHPAS system in the car and already had a new TRW pump for the theMk2 Focus. I'm not 100% focused on weight with this car - the aim is a GT hatchback - but I am quite interested in weight distribution, so the benefit of an electric pump in this case is to move weight that is otherwise mounted at the very front and top of the engine to somewhere behind - or close to - the front wheels.
Whilst browsing one day a newer type alloy HPAS pump caught my eye - Ford part 1470514 - and, after some visual inspection I noticed that the mounting pattern was the same as the Mk1 Focus. I bought one to research further and results are as follows:
EPAS pump inc. additional fluid capacity: 5248g
Mk1 Focus pump: 3137g
Alloy pump: 2119g
Given the bulk of the EHPAS pump and the added wiring implications it just didn't seem worth it, so I shall proceed using the alloy pump.
I compared the pulleys and the new pump is 11% smaller. I'm going to try it out and if required I can swap to the Mk1 Focus pulley using one of the cheap (£13) pulley extractor kits available on eBay:
Brakes: O/S/R Disc and Handbrake Adjustment
I hadn't built up the O/S/R disc so I've now done that. I painted the disc in zinc to prevent rust around the edges.
Bobbin fastening torque is 14Nm (10.5lb/ft). I've had course to use AP customer service a few times now and they are always very helpful.
After mounting & torqueing a wheel to check all clearances I have noted that the handbrake caliper is not sitting perfectly central over the disc, so I've removed both brackets to have the caliper mounting bushes milled down by 2mm.
The Mk3 was launched with carburated engines and without evaporative emissions control. EFi, catalyst, and evap came along in 1992, with the charcoal canister mounted in front of the O/S front wheel. I need to liberate that space for an A/C dryer so I decided to relocate the canister to somewhere at the rear of the car. I found a lighter and more compact canister fitted to the fuel tank of a Mk7 Fiesta - Ford part AY11-9D653-AB.
Its white securing bracket was plastic welded to the side of the fuel tank, so I cut that off, ground off the mounting tabs, and made a black plastic backing plate to stiffen it for mounting to my chosen location in the rear of the N/S/R wheelarch. Stainless fastenings were used and the outer nuts & washers are hidden behind the rear bumper.
I've modified the arches to accept some fabric Mk5 Fiesta liners, and the N/S/R liner will now require modification to clear the canister.
Being in proximity to the rear silencer location I thought it prudent to add a heat shield. I fabricated a stainless bracket and cut up what was left of the Mercedes CLA heat shield that I used as a prototype for the rear silencer shield. The canister shield was an odd shape owing to various angles in play around the wheearch.
Completed.
ABS: Rear Loom
I made the rear ABS loom and finished in black corrugated conduit. I had an original period correct Focus rear ABS loom decal lying around so I added that for an OEM look.
Rather than drill the subframe to secure the loom I used epoxy to bond on some Thomas & Betts cable tie mounts. They are very light, and very neat - no surprise that they are used in F1. I sprayed them black to match the subframe.
PAS System: Pump
I had planned to use an EHPAS system in the car and already had a new TRW pump for the theMk2 Focus. I'm not 100% focused on weight with this car - the aim is a GT hatchback - but I am quite interested in weight distribution, so the benefit of an electric pump in this case is to move weight that is otherwise mounted at the very front and top of the engine to somewhere behind - or close to - the front wheels.
Whilst browsing one day a newer type alloy HPAS pump caught my eye - Ford part 1470514 - and, after some visual inspection I noticed that the mounting pattern was the same as the Mk1 Focus. I bought one to research further and results are as follows:
EPAS pump inc. additional fluid capacity: 5248g
Mk1 Focus pump: 3137g
Alloy pump: 2119g
Given the bulk of the EHPAS pump and the added wiring implications it just didn't seem worth it, so I shall proceed using the alloy pump.
I compared the pulleys and the new pump is 11% smaller. I'm going to try it out and if required I can swap to the Mk1 Focus pulley using one of the cheap (£13) pulley extractor kits available on eBay:
Brakes: O/S/R Disc and Handbrake Adjustment
I hadn't built up the O/S/R disc so I've now done that. I painted the disc in zinc to prevent rust around the edges.
Bobbin fastening torque is 14Nm (10.5lb/ft). I've had course to use AP customer service a few times now and they are always very helpful.
After mounting & torqueing a wheel to check all clearances I have noted that the handbrake caliper is not sitting perfectly central over the disc, so I've removed both brackets to have the caliper mounting bushes milled down by 2mm.
Vapour Blasting
I've sent off some Ferrari and Fiesta parts to be vapour blasted. Included within this batch is an early Fiesta RS1800 alloy thermostat housing. The subsequent thermostat housings were plastic: an early, more reliable single piece unit that is reasonably reliable, and a later, cheaper, two-piece version that is not.
Before:
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After:
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Fuel System
I've decided on my fuel delivery system: Focus RS Mk3 in tank. The Mk3 uses a twin electric lift pumps with integrated baffle container and a secondary Venturi pump unit to draw fuel from the opposite side of the exhaust tunnel, which I've added to the Fiesta tank. I've read of fuel starvation issues during hard track use, so I'm going to add a secondary baffle container to my fuel tank.
The Focus RS uses a standardised fuel pump cartridge mounting system which I've seen referred to as 'USCAR'. It is used by Ford, GM/Vauxhall, Mercedes, and a few other manufacturers. It uses a tab orientation system and a large o-ring to seal. I tracked down some very nice CNC billet mounting rings that can be welded into my new fuel tank, making this conversion much simpler.
I've sent off my mock-up tank to my friend, Murray, who is going to make a (much better looking) version from aluminium.
Some of his work:
Handbrake Adjustment
The Racing Puma handbrake cable that I'm using is now obsolete, so to future proof as much as possible I was aiming for an effective handbrake on the minimum adjustment setting. I found that a couple of nylon spacers were required to achieve that.
I should now have sufficient adjustment to last the lifetime of the car.
Misc
The rear end is finished and the bumper now on for good. I've waxed the rear valance, and I added a felt washer between the bumper and bodywork. The black air exhausts are new.
I have a nwe number plate light cover as the originals tend to fade, but I am missing the internal bulb holder. If anyone has one then please get in touch.
For the sake of expediency I will get the car on the road with Sport Ka front suspension: it is bolt-on and will save a lot of time. I will focus on a redesign of the front end once the car is MOTd and tested. The parts are pictured below ready for powder coating.
I have my front brake discs: AP Racing CP3948-128GA / 129GA. These are a NASCAR disc measuring 305mm x 33mm. I've gone for a larger width to aid with cooling given the constraint of a diameter to suit my OEM 16" wheels, yet these particular discs are still very light at 4.47kg each. I got an extremely good deal on them so I picked up a spare pair.
I've sent off some Ferrari and Fiesta parts to be vapour blasted. Included within this batch is an early Fiesta RS1800 alloy thermostat housing. The subsequent thermostat housings were plastic: an early, more reliable single piece unit that is reasonably reliable, and a later, cheaper, two-piece version that is not.
Before:
After:
Fuel System
I've decided on my fuel delivery system: Focus RS Mk3 in tank. The Mk3 uses a twin electric lift pumps with integrated baffle container and a secondary Venturi pump unit to draw fuel from the opposite side of the exhaust tunnel, which I've added to the Fiesta tank. I've read of fuel starvation issues during hard track use, so I'm going to add a secondary baffle container to my fuel tank.
The Focus RS uses a standardised fuel pump cartridge mounting system which I've seen referred to as 'USCAR'. It is used by Ford, GM/Vauxhall, Mercedes, and a few other manufacturers. It uses a tab orientation system and a large o-ring to seal. I tracked down some very nice CNC billet mounting rings that can be welded into my new fuel tank, making this conversion much simpler.
I've sent off my mock-up tank to my friend, Murray, who is going to make a (much better looking) version from aluminium.
Some of his work:
Handbrake Adjustment
The Racing Puma handbrake cable that I'm using is now obsolete, so to future proof as much as possible I was aiming for an effective handbrake on the minimum adjustment setting. I found that a couple of nylon spacers were required to achieve that.
I should now have sufficient adjustment to last the lifetime of the car.
Misc
The rear end is finished and the bumper now on for good. I've waxed the rear valance, and I added a felt washer between the bumper and bodywork. The black air exhausts are new.
I have a nwe number plate light cover as the originals tend to fade, but I am missing the internal bulb holder. If anyone has one then please get in touch.
For the sake of expediency I will get the car on the road with Sport Ka front suspension: it is bolt-on and will save a lot of time. I will focus on a redesign of the front end once the car is MOTd and tested. The parts are pictured below ready for powder coating.
I have my front brake discs: AP Racing CP3948-128GA / 129GA. These are a NASCAR disc measuring 305mm x 33mm. I've gone for a larger width to aid with cooling given the constraint of a diameter to suit my OEM 16" wheels, yet these particular discs are still very light at 4.47kg each. I got an extremely good deal on them so I picked up a spare pair.
Edited by mwstewart on Wednesday 11th August 11:25
Thanks all. Burn him 
He isn't local to me - I send the parts via courier and he sends them back as part of the deal.
ajprice said:
Will the bulb holder internals of the old light cover go into the new casing?
They would, yes, but the trouble is that I can't find my old one dom9 said:
Looks fantastic and always great to get an update!
Who did your blasting for you?
Thank you. I forgot to mention that: https://www.facebook.com/jcaquajack/Who did your blasting for you?
He isn't local to me - I send the parts via courier and he sends them back as part of the deal.
properphatboy said:
Nah, I copied you though! Back in the day on FiestaTurbo.com I had twin fogs with a Euro OSR light on my Si.
IMAG3306 by properphatboy, on Flickr
I finally remembered to look! The bit on the left you're after Mark? Unfortunately it has been modified to fit the LED wires past it! So would guess at n good for you.
Thank you for checking - I'll take that off your hands. I can plastic weld in the missing section. IMAG3306 by properphatboy, on FlickrI finally remembered to look! The bit on the left you're after Mark? Unfortunately it has been modified to fit the LED wires past it! So would guess at n good for you.
Edited by properphatboy on Wednesday 1st September 07:49
Drop me a PM and let me know what you want for it, and I'll send over the money.
Engine Mount - Inclination Adjustment
I mentioned in a previous post that the 'Black Top' Zetec engines are mounted with a forward inclination, and with that in mind I had redesigned the front crossmember to allow for a larger radiator with intercooler, A/C condenser, and sufficient room for a four branch manifold to mount the turbo over the gearbox. I've since decided to use a manifold with shorter primaries for better turbo response - which means that I now need more space around the front of the engine.
Here is a shot of the engine mount bracket which clearly illustrates the inclination. I decided to re-engineer this part to mount to provide purpendicular mounting of the engine.
Finished result below. The process involved welding up the original tapped holes, and some pockets on the rear which would have been exposed as holes after the mounting surface was milled at 90 degrees.
Mount bracket installed on my engine, and another photo of the mount installed.
The Focus RS MTX75 gearbox I have is suited to the forward inclination, and after studying it I decided that are too many bellhousing reinforcement ribs to make modifying it a realistic option, plus there is a real risk of heat distorting the differential bearing mountings. I researched alternative MTX75s and was surprised to find at least 15 different variations - I found a version from the Mk3 Focus that will suit my needs; I'll rebuild it with the Focus RS internals.
Mock up engine and gearbox below. I will modify the engine sump and lower gearbox mount to suit the new engine position.
I mentioned in a previous post that the 'Black Top' Zetec engines are mounted with a forward inclination, and with that in mind I had redesigned the front crossmember to allow for a larger radiator with intercooler, A/C condenser, and sufficient room for a four branch manifold to mount the turbo over the gearbox. I've since decided to use a manifold with shorter primaries for better turbo response - which means that I now need more space around the front of the engine.
Here is a shot of the engine mount bracket which clearly illustrates the inclination. I decided to re-engineer this part to mount to provide purpendicular mounting of the engine.
Finished result below. The process involved welding up the original tapped holes, and some pockets on the rear which would have been exposed as holes after the mounting surface was milled at 90 degrees.
Mount bracket installed on my engine, and another photo of the mount installed.
The Focus RS MTX75 gearbox I have is suited to the forward inclination, and after studying it I decided that are too many bellhousing reinforcement ribs to make modifying it a realistic option, plus there is a real risk of heat distorting the differential bearing mountings. I researched alternative MTX75s and was surprised to find at least 15 different variations - I found a version from the Mk3 Focus that will suit my needs; I'll rebuild it with the Focus RS internals.
Mock up engine and gearbox below. I will modify the engine sump and lower gearbox mount to suit the new engine position.
Thanks all.
Rear-View Mirror Upgrade #2
I had retrofitted a Mk3 Mondeo auto-dimming rear view mirror together with its auto lights and wiper system. The Mondeo mirror is made by Gentex, and I noticed that there were some later models equipped with an electronic compass, and garage door opener. I wanted one. Gentex are the OEM for many manufacturers, and despite looking similar, there are actually many different variations of the auto-dim mirror; I found a suitable candidate in a 2018 Nissan - it has green compass letters to match the Ford illumination. Most Gentex mirrors look similar, and I wondered if I could place the upgraded internals within the Mondeo mirror, but when the mirror arrived it turned out that everything was different.
The Mondeo mirror is a Gentex 370. Its mounting system uses a screw-in boss to which the swivel ball is mounted.
The Nissan mirror is a Gentex 536. It's mounting system features a self-contained swivel assembly which bolts to a metal mounting plate within the mirror case.
Swapping to the Nissan mounting system would involve finding a new solution to mount the Ford rain & light sensor, and dictate removal of the mounting button from the windscreen to bond in the Nissan version. It would be too much work and too disruptive - I also preferred the Ford trim piece around the light sensor.
After a little bit of thought I came up with a solution that involved modifying the Nissan mirror case to accept the Ford swivel ball mount. First, I had the rear case of the Nissan mirror milled to accept the round part of the Ford boss as an interference fit.
Next, I drilled and countersunk the Nissan case so that I could use machine screws to secure the Ford boss. For added durability, and to prevent the countersunk heads migrating through the plastic case over time, I used JB Weld to reinforce the inside of the case where the fastenings pass through.
The internal wiring turned out to be a case of matching pin position with wire colour, as both mirror types use the same wire colour scheme internally; the vehicle manufacturer wiring scheme starts at the external mirror connection. The terminals and pins were slightly different between mirrors, however they turned out to be compatible.
Conversion complete. I'm happy with it.
Rear-View Mirror Upgrade #2
I had retrofitted a Mk3 Mondeo auto-dimming rear view mirror together with its auto lights and wiper system. The Mondeo mirror is made by Gentex, and I noticed that there were some later models equipped with an electronic compass, and garage door opener. I wanted one. Gentex are the OEM for many manufacturers, and despite looking similar, there are actually many different variations of the auto-dim mirror; I found a suitable candidate in a 2018 Nissan - it has green compass letters to match the Ford illumination. Most Gentex mirrors look similar, and I wondered if I could place the upgraded internals within the Mondeo mirror, but when the mirror arrived it turned out that everything was different.
The Mondeo mirror is a Gentex 370. Its mounting system uses a screw-in boss to which the swivel ball is mounted.
The Nissan mirror is a Gentex 536. It's mounting system features a self-contained swivel assembly which bolts to a metal mounting plate within the mirror case.
Swapping to the Nissan mounting system would involve finding a new solution to mount the Ford rain & light sensor, and dictate removal of the mounting button from the windscreen to bond in the Nissan version. It would be too much work and too disruptive - I also preferred the Ford trim piece around the light sensor.
After a little bit of thought I came up with a solution that involved modifying the Nissan mirror case to accept the Ford swivel ball mount. First, I had the rear case of the Nissan mirror milled to accept the round part of the Ford boss as an interference fit.
Next, I drilled and countersunk the Nissan case so that I could use machine screws to secure the Ford boss. For added durability, and to prevent the countersunk heads migrating through the plastic case over time, I used JB Weld to reinforce the inside of the case where the fastenings pass through.
The internal wiring turned out to be a case of matching pin position with wire colour, as both mirror types use the same wire colour scheme internally; the vehicle manufacturer wiring scheme starts at the external mirror connection. The terminals and pins were slightly different between mirrors, however they turned out to be compatible.
Conversion complete. I'm happy with it.
Fuel Filler Neck Part 1: The Problem
The original Fiesta filler neck wasn't going to work in standard form. It follows a route from the N/S/R wheel arch diagonally across the boot floor to the fuel tank mounted under the rear seats, but the problem is that there is now a Focus rear subframe & independent suspension components occupying some of that space under the boot floor.
The following photos illustrate the problem - I had to cut the end off of the original neck (just a scrap test part) to even mount it inside the wheelarch.
Due to various constraints, the new filler pipework must pass inside the wheelarch. I cut open the test filler neck to determine if it would be feasible to maintain the original Fiesta opening and fuel cap, to which I could add modified pipework to connect the tank, however due to the construction of the original neck I would have nowhere to attach a new section of pipework.
Note the grounding strap employed to prevent issues arising from electrostatic discharge whilst filling.
Given that no parts of the Fiesta filler neck could be used, a clean-sheet solution was required.
The original Fiesta filler neck wasn't going to work in standard form. It follows a route from the N/S/R wheel arch diagonally across the boot floor to the fuel tank mounted under the rear seats, but the problem is that there is now a Focus rear subframe & independent suspension components occupying some of that space under the boot floor.
The following photos illustrate the problem - I had to cut the end off of the original neck (just a scrap test part) to even mount it inside the wheelarch.
Due to various constraints, the new filler pipework must pass inside the wheelarch. I cut open the test filler neck to determine if it would be feasible to maintain the original Fiesta opening and fuel cap, to which I could add modified pipework to connect the tank, however due to the construction of the original neck I would have nowhere to attach a new section of pipework.
Note the grounding strap employed to prevent issues arising from electrostatic discharge whilst filling.
Given that no parts of the Fiesta filler neck could be used, a clean-sheet solution was required.
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