Build Day 21

Build time today 1.5 hours - Total build time 66.5 hours.

 Man time today 1.5 hours - Total man time 79.5 hours.

Managed to spend an hour or so preparing for the engine installation. Needed to get the prop shaft installed before the engine is fitted. Quite a straightforward task. I used a cable tie to support the gearbox end while I fastened the other to the diff.  I did a bit more fiddling with the handbrake while I was at it and that seems to be working much better. It now pulls up four clicks and holds the wheels firmly in position. To tighten the bolts into the diff I lined each one up just off top dead centre and used an extension bar on the torque wrench to tighten each up before rotating the wheel to move the next bolt hole into position. 

Once completed I considered the engine install and looked for any relevant nuts and bolts. There is no Zetec specific engine installation instructions, so I looked through the 1600i and sport 2000 instructions supplied. there is an mounting plate that goes on the left hand side, found the plate easily enough but it says that it needs to be fastened with 25mm M8 hex nuts and bolts, and I could not find any, found some M10s but not M8s. for the moment the plat is held loosely with M8 Allen key bolts, that are too long. Will have to add them to the list of questions for the factory when it re-opens in the new year.

As we will be lowering the car to the ground  I put on the wheels on, it is looking more and more car like, once the engine is installed I will put the car on axle stands and take them off again.

I guess we are as ready as we can be for the engine installation, picking up the engine hoist tomorrow.