Build day 22

Build time today 0.5 hours - Total build time 67.0 hours.

 Man time today 1.0 hours - Total man time 80.5 hours.

The time does not include running around. 

Picked up the engine crane at lunch time then popped to the local Staples to get a couple of paint pens to mark up torqued nuts and bolts. Once home I spotted that there was not chain or anything with the crane so gave them a quick ring, they explained that it does not come with anything else and when he had hired them in the past people had coped. He did say that he did have some heavy duty chains though used to support waist shoots and a 1 ton webbed support strap. Back to the hire shop to collect from the helpful HSS staff.

Oli explaining to Becki how the hoist works.

Now to lower the car from its stands. The plan was to use the hoist to lower the rear while Oli and I lowered the front, we therefore needed an extra pair of hands, Becki came to help with the task of leasing the hoist down. The front of the car was heavier than expected but nevertheless it got lowered. Part of the problem was access, Oli stood in the engine area while I stood at the very front. Once the supports were out of the way we lowered it a quickly and safely as possible.

Car lowered to ground

Once lowered there was a little playing and imagination. Then we tried to adjust the front track as there looks to be too much toe out, even fully adjusted it does not look correct. 

Brrooom Brroooom

Done for the day and ready to have a go at the engine tomorrow (new years eve) need to stop now as we have a family party later.

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.