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Hey Bill —
I’m gunna have to get me some of those Rivnuts!!
So the fenders stay on and you can lift the cowl panels off the car (after taking the front grill off???)
Could I do the same if I use nuts and bolts per the kit build manual?
(I have just a touch of experience with using Rivets — the electric retracting running boards that I installed on my GMC truck uses Rivnuts to hold the motor assembly/mounting bracket to the truck chassis…..The running board set came with a bolt/spacer/washer/nut which was used to install the rivets — hokey but worked fine on just a few rivnuts….. (my spell “fixer” kept trying to change Rivets into Rivets…go figure……!!)
Happy Jack
Yes, Jack. Remove the three at the grille and the three at the rear all the bolts under the fender and lift. I was doing it so often and some of those nuts were a bear to get to that I went with the rivet nuts. With a small impact all those bottom bolts are removed quite quickly.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"More on the Mustang II rear end. Did you narrow it? My Chevette rear end is 54 inches and 4 bolt. The Mustang is a little wider. Did you have the same issue? My wheels are at the outside edge of the rear fenders now. Adding a 1/2 inch to either side would put them outside the fenders.
1986 British Coach Works Type 52 (Sammy)
Chevy 2.8 V6, 5 speedNo, the rear was a bolt in. The MustangII was just a rebodied Pinto. I use three different sets of wheels. My Cragar Truspokes, 14”, push the tires right to the edge of the fenders. The 14” Fairmont wheels require a 1” spacer to clear suspension components and then fit nicely underneath. The 15” Mustang police wheels with the race tires fit real nice on their own.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Not a lot done this weekend as there was things to do around the house.
I did get the fan brackets removed and got the oil cooler installed. Got the plug wires on.(I hope number one is where I think it is)
Then I cleaned up the shithole my garage has become. Folded up the cherry picker and threw out a bunch of now empty boxes.
Started a shopping list of little odds and ends needed to finish this part of it.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Ric: The important thing to know is that the Ford-based TDrs were made to use the Pinto rear end and rack & pinion setup. To that purpose, the whole car was made substantially (about three inches?) wider than a BCW body—either VW or Chevette-based. The BCW body is very close to the width of an original TD, though the wheels (in any version) sit further out than Abingdon would have endorsed. The BCW body, though close in width is about three inches longer than the original TD, most of that extra length in the hood (i.e. “bonnet”).
So the bottom line is, you can use the same rear axle as Bill, but you’ll have to get creative with the wheel offsets if you don’t want to section the fenders like I did.
Bill: I hate to be that guy, but is there any place you could mount that oil cooler where it won’t preheat all the air going through your radiator? I think you’re going to need all the cooling for this motor, and the more consideration you give it during the build, the happier you’ll be on the road.
Thanks for being “that guy” Ed!
I had the same thought. Now I don’t have to write it down! 😉
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
I’m with Paul & Ed, BUT holy mackerel, he’s got a V8 crammed in under the bonnet. I really can’t figure out a good place for the oil cooler. ???
OK, I put an off the shelf pipe elbow on the header collector only to find it hung four inches below the frame rail. I had a local shop bend a piece of pipe as tight as he could and had it “belled” so it would fit the header and eliminate the collector, making it as short as possible. It still is below the frame rail, but we’re kinda stuck with what we got. Painting it black should mask it.
I was going to go back and see if we could shorten it up a little until I moved it to the other side.
We are definitely going to have to get some exhaust heat wrap.
I need to get check the rulebook on where to place the cut outs. Some people claim they must be beyond the midpoint of the wheelbase, others say they must be behind the driver. I’m currently replumbing the accusump and the engine oil cooler to utilize larger hoses.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Hmm —
I can see where the fellow who came up with the phrase “10 pounds in a 5 pound box” got its inspiration — Bill’s TDr project!!
Keep squeezing’ Bill ……What Fun!!
Happy Jack
This weekend I managed to build a support along the right side of the engine to hold the catch can and heater control valve. They used to be bolted to the fiberglass side panel. The side panel will now have to be easily removable for quick access to engine bay. Also, it will be drivable without any front body panels installed.
Differential is now refilled with gear oil, transmission is now topped off, driveshaft is back in place, hydraulic clutch is connected and bled, accusump replumbed with larger hoses and engine oil cooler redone.
Tomorrow, I’ll drop off the exhaust pipe to get a matching one made.
Getting antsy.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Well, last week I had every intention of firing this mother up. It had other ideas. She would crank but not run. Thought maybe the wires were off 180*. Changed them. Maybe I was off one post. Changed them again. Nothing. Finally got tired of that and pulled the right side rocker cover. As I was turning it over by hand with the rocker cover and distributor cap off I noticed the rotor turning counter clockwise. Doh. Everything I’ve worked on for the last few decades went clockwise. Never gave it a thought. I got everything back to where it belonged and in the right direction, but she still wouldn’t run. Swapped coils even though both coils speced out the same. Finally realized that with the elimination of the Duraspark system the hot feed for the start circuit was missing. Ran a jumper and she came to life. She sounds good.😁 Of course, the wife said it was too loud. I thought it was on par with the old engine. When one of the mufflers slid off, then it was loud. Tomorrow, I’ll try to run a permanent start circuit. The temp gauge pegged in a matter of minutes. I put the old sender back in so we’ll see what that does tomorrow. Fuel pressure needs adjustment. I had 6# while cranking and the gauge was zeroed out while running. Headers turned a nice shade of red. At least no oil or coolant leaks.
Progress.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Hey Bill,
Glad to hear that I am not the only one in the whole universe to put plug wires on plugs 180 degrees out — but I only had 4 plug wires to play with — and the 2.3L motor sure ran better when the right wire was on the correct plug!!
By the way, my hat is WAY OFF to those of you who have built your cars from scratch (Bill, Paul, etc…..)…..
I’m working with a rolling chassis that had the engine, transmission and front end/brakes already installed and it is still taking MONTHS to get my arms around the amount of work still left to do to get this TDr up and running. So you all can take a well deserved bow!!
…and the pictures do not do justice to how little room we have under the hoods of our front-engined cars…….!!! and mine is only a 4 cyl engine…..
And tell your wife that the noise your new ride is producing is really “the sound of Freedom” — err — maybe that’s the tag line for the Marine Corps Air folks talking about their really loud Vertical Lift aircraft………
“Happy I don’t have to deal with a V8 along with the fiberglass cutting, patching, wiring, etc. etc. etc……..” Jack
It’s Alive !!!
This is a 40 year old wire harness. Colors have faded. Red with blue stripe closely resembles red with green stripe. Luckily, in 1989, I had a local Ford dealer where I used to work copy the factory wiring schematic for the Pinto.
Working from the component back to the ignition switch I was able to put the wires back where they belonged.
The Accusump worked as planned. Pressurized oil collected in reservoir to prelube engine prior to starting.
This site doesn’t support video, so here’s a link.
The clutch needs work, as I can’t get it into gear. Just incidentals and we should be on the road.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"I stand corrected…video works.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Hey Bill,
AWESOME!!!!!
I’m envious that you are about on the road — I’m still trying to understand why one of the previous owners mis-cut the spare tire holder fiberglass “hat” and what I can do about it……
Happy Motoring — Go forth and DRIVE — post a video of your first run around the block……
What fun, this!!
Ford-Powered TDr’s RULE!! (or at least compete well with the plethora of VW and Chevy-based variants, and maybe even a Subie-Powered one or two)
Happy Jack
The fix for too-much-cut on fiberglass is not mysterious, Jack.
You know what you have to do. Also, it isn’t difficult. The material is easy to work and very forgiving.
Have fun!
Fired it up again today. Reset the timing. Bled the clutch again. No Air. Cannot get enough travel from the slave cylinder to fully disengage the clutch. I’m contemplating a hair brained scheme to extend the original clutch cable. Haven’t made up my mind yet. So close…
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Bill, assuming that you can actuate the clutch disk (disengage) manually with a long bar or a big wrench applied directly to the arm on the bell housing, can we assume that there is no wasted motion of the pedal and you have the correct pairing of the master and slave cylinders?
We’re pulling for you Bill.
Well, we replaced the Toyota slave with a much longer Land Rover unit. Initial installation made it almost acceptable to get into gear.
So I took it off the stands and pushed it out into the sunlight. The first it’s seen since August.
Such a beautiful day, we drove to my son’s house.
The exhaust is much too low for my liking, but there is very little that I can do about it.
Yes, that’s an electrically operated solenoid that opens exhaust cut outs. That should make a statement.
I pulled the car back in and put it back up on stands. I made adjustments to the clutch slave mounting and took all the free play out of the clutch master. The clutch fork seems to have enough travel now. This weekend we should have our road test, then we can start putting the body back to rights. Carlisle is only 3 weeks away.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"
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