Escort RS2000 4x4 2.0 Turbo Conversion

[blacksofstichill]

bang on! got bigger rear brakes than i have front!

 

Cheers, these back brakes do look the part for sure, most 4x4s have standard back brakes because there are very few options out there for bolt-on upgrades

 

Another great update!

 

 

 

 

Cheers!

 

Rear wheels fitted and the back end is lowered back down to the ground, the suspension looks a little high in the photo but it has settled slightly this week, height adjustment will all be sorted out properly towards the end of the project -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01172.jpg

 

At this point Olly had a buyer for all of the original suspension so I had to change over the front struts as well, front wheels off -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01173.jpg

 

Split driveshaft boot which will need sorted later -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01174.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01175.jpg

 

Original front struts removed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01176.jpg

 

New front coilovers along with original top mounts -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01177.jpg

 

Top mount washers after a clean up -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01178.jpg

 

Primed -

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01179.jpg

 

Painted in Satin Black -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01180.jpg

 

 

 

 

Front coilovers built up and ready to fit -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01181.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01182.jpg

 

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01183.jpg

 

And fitted to the car -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01184.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01185.jpg

 

Back onto the ground -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01186.jpg

 

Being inspected by the resident cat -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01187.jpg

 

Back up in the air to tackle the sill -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01188.jpg

 

As we saw earlier, there was quite a bit of rot on the outer sill -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01189.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01190.jpg

 

Starting to cut the old sill off, I could see it wasn't looking clever underneath -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01191.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01192.jpg

 

Rotten section of outer sill cut off -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01193.jpg

 

The inner sill was rotten in quite a few places and wasn't attached at all on the bottom edge -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01194.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01195.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01196.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01197.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01198.jpg

 

I had bought a full sill for this even though I only needed part of it, a skin sill wasn't in stock at my supplier with no expected delivery date for them and for the sake of about £4 in price difference it wasn't going to make a lot of difference to use this instead -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01199.jpg

 

Rotten areas of inner sill cut out and cleaned back -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01200.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01201.jpg

[lee grout]

Looks nice when its on the deck. When its up in the air it really is a different story! Nice update.

[the_big_man]

that looks like a lot of graft is going into this....lovin the updates

[tomsy]

Just out of interest excluding the price of parts what sort of labour costs are involved in a project like this, i'll understand if you don't want to answer this to respect the customers privacy.

[blacksofstichill]

Looks nice when its on the deck. When its up in the air it really is a different story! Nice update.

 

Cheers! Although it was rough underneath there was always some good metal I could weld to, some cars have had really bad repairs done year after year and end up with just nothing decent to start from at all, I had another one here which was pristine on the outside but you just had nowhere solid to start underneath!

 

 

that looks like a lot of graft is going into this....lovin the updates

 

Thanks, there's a load of work gone into it alright and plenty more to come!

 

 

Just out of interest excluding the price of parts what sort of labour costs are involved in a project like this, i'll understand if you don't want to answer this to respect the customers privacy.

 

 

Cheers for your interest. The engine on it's own built to the bare engine stage with no ancilliaries on it is around £600 plus VAT in labour from starting with the old engine built up to finishing with a rebuilt, reconditioned engine. That price also includes a rebore which isn't always needed depending on what the build is.

 

The rest of the work on the car such as the welding and mechanical work I'd rather not say what the cost was as that has to stay between me and the customer but to give you some idea I can say that there was approximately 50 hours of welding in this from start to finish, the most major bits of welding you've still to see on here which are the repairs to the bulkhead and battery tray.

 

A light coat of primer given to the area which will be hidden once the repair is complete -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01202.jpg

 

Repair sections made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01203.jpg

 

First one fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01204.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01205.jpg

 

Second one fitted, both of these were seam welded top and bottom -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01206.jpg

 

This brings me to the rear end of the sill which was more rotten than the front end and needed more work than just one repair section. On the plus side though, the rot was just on the outside of the inner sill, it hadn't extended to the inner part where it meets the rear chassis leg as it had done on the other side -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01207.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01208.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01209.jpg

 

Rotten areas cut out and remainder cleaned back -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01210.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01211.jpg

 

Soon to be hidden area coated with primer -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01212.jpg

 

First repair section made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01213.jpg

 

And welded into place front and back -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01214.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01215.jpg

 

Next section made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01216.jpg

 

And welded into place along the top -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01217.jpg

 

The end of that repair section ended up at a large punched hole in the inner sill so it needed a strap at the end to tie it to the existing inner sill -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01218.jpg

 

And welded into place -

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01219.jpg

 

Other repair section welded along the bottom edge from the back -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01220.jpg

 

You can see I need to fil in the end now -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01221.jpg

 

First piece made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01222.jpg

 

And welded into place -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01223.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01224.jpg

 

Next piece made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01225.jpg

 

And fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01226.jpg

 

It's taking shape now, this was as much as I could do without the outer sill being fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01227.jpg

 

The inner sill was all given a light coat of primer befire it's hidden away again -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01228.jpg

 

Outer sill cut and tacked into place -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01229.jpg

 

And fully seam welded top and bottom with the welds dressed back -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01230.jpg

 

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01231.jpg

[scottybo]

what sort of styling will you be going for with this? back to standard sort of look?

[shifty]

That sill will be a lot stronger now! Tidy fabrication.

[tomsy]

Nice fabrication work going on there, but i'd be putting a bit more than a light coat of primer on that inner sill, i'd be waxoyling it undersealing it and any other sh*t i could think of to protect it lol.

[blacksofstichill]

what sort of styling will you be going for with this? back to standard sort of look?

 

I think for the short term it'll be staying as it is for styling, in the longer term I'm not sure what road it'll go down though.

 

That sill will be a lot stronger now! Tidy fabrication.

 

Cheers, much appreciated.

 

Nice fabrication work going on there, but i'd be putting a bit more than a light coat of primer on that inner sill, i'd be waxoyling it undersealing it and any other sh*t i could think of to protect it lol.

 

Thanks, I enjoy the challenge! The difficulty with treating the inner sills, etc is that if you coat it with anything much more than primer (i.e. underseal it) it'll go on fire when you're welding the outer sill on. What I will be doing though is waxoyling the inner sills by spraying it and injecting it from inside the back quarters before the car goes back together again.

 

Now I can see what else needs to be filled in on the end -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01232.jpg

 

First plate cut -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01233.jpg

 

And welded in, now I only have a small gap left to fill -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01234.jpg

 

Infill strip cut -

 

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01235.jpg

 

And welded into place joining the inner and outer sills at the end and closing it all off -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01236.jpg

 

With the sill all finished apart from seam sealing, etc I decided to have a look at the passenger side inner wing rail next, arch liner removed, it has seen better days -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01237.jpg

 

Wing Rail was sound where it met the strut top, etc -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01238.jpg

 

But it was rotten further back unfortunately and not the easiest bit to get access to repair -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01239.jpg

 

Front subfame mounting point looks okay from underneath -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01240.jpg

 

Inner wing rot cut out and inside area primed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01241.jpg

 

First repair section made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01242.jpg

 

And fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01243.jpg

 

Second section made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01244.jpg

 

And fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01245.jpg

 

Primed and seam sealed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01246.jpg

 

I then stripped out the rest of the interior -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01247.jpg

 

Rot in the drivers side rear footwell -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01248.jpg

 

Cut out -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01249.jpg

 

Repair plate made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01250.jpg

 

And more rot in the corner of the passenger side rear footwell -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01251.jpg

 

Rot cut out -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01252.jpg

 

Repair section made -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01253.jpg

 

Rot on the passenger side inner arch -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01254.jpg

 

Rot cut out and a bit of poking revealed a hole above the subframe mounting point -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01255.jpg

 

So, I cut that out too -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01256.jpg

 

And made a couple of plates to repair that area too -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01257.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01258.jpg

 

Rear footwell plates welded in -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01259.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01260.jpg

 

Subframe mounting plate welded in -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01261.jpg

[scottybo]

ur close to having fabricated the entire shell

[blacksofstichill]

ur close to having fabricated the entire shell

 

Yeah, pretty much!

 

subframe mounting plate primed before it's covered up -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01262.jpg

 

Inner arch repair plate welded in -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01263.jpg

 

And a smaller plate made for the smaller holes around the corner -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01264.jpg

 

And welded into place -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01265.jpg

 

Rear footwell plates and subframe mount plate also welded on the underside -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01266.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01267.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01268.jpg

 

And all of the plates were primed and seam sealed -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01269.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01270.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01271.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01272.jpg

 

With that all sorted I moved onto some rot I'd spotted on the passenger a-post -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01273.jpg

 

There were splits appearing and the post was flexing when you opened the door -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01274.jpg

 

Door off and at first glance I thought it would be a fairly small repair to do -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01275.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01276.jpg

 

Unfortunately most of the outer skin of the post was made of rust and filler, up to 1/4" thick in places -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01277.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01278.jpg

 

I cut the whole outer skin off between the hinges -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01279.jpg

 

Cleaned up and primed the inner skin -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01280.jpg

 

I made a strip to be welded in at the edge of the door opening -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01281.jpg

 

And welded into place -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01282.jpg

 

I also welded it into the inner skin of the post for extra strength -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01283.jpg

 

I then made a piece to repair the front face of the post -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01284.jpg

 

Welded into place and also tied into the inner skin of the post -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01285.jpg

 

small angle repair section also for the front edge of the post -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01286.jpg

 

Fitted -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01287.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01288.jpg

 

My next repair section will be welded to the previous plates -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01289.jpg

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01290.jpg

 

Holes cut out for multiplug and door stay -

 

http://blackengineering.co.uk/images/Doctor-Evil-RS2000-Turbo-Engine-Rebuild/01291.jpg

[sidrick]

It's quite scary to think that car was being driven around like that :|

[Hezz]

Some serious love and ££££ going into that !

[danj8608]

I have never owned an escort thats rotten in places that has.. I recall another 4x4 rs2000 escort being repaired to quite an extent this is... wonder if theres a reason lol..

 

Keep up the good work

[JC]

really good work going on here, thanks for sharing so many pics!

 

It's a shame you're so far, else i'd be wanting to book you to work on mine!