Bit more work done today.

After a light sand i think I'll call it done.

Can finally see the end of the tunnel.

now you can say the car has a custom, hand stiched headliner!
Might need a windscreen in there too.
 
Our fingers are crossed for you.
 

Just put a coat of clear over it and have a rat Escort

It looks sick!!

Wow,

I've been head down in the garage and missed quite a bit here with other's projects. Definitely need to catch up.

In the mean time, I finished... sort of.

I had been driving it around for a few days, sorting out teething issues. Nothing really unexpected. Blocked fuel filter then carb from the fuel lines clearing themselves out. Stuck (new) thermostat. Handbrake adjustment etc etc.

Main one was the clutch.

The old one was suspect when installed it however the new one hadn't arrived in time, so crossed my fingers and went with it anyway. The friction point was unfortunately down near the floor, then after a bit of driving, starting to crunch on gear changes.

So i needed to make the call, change clutch in the car or out, and unfortunately that devision was made for me. iit soon developed an inconsistent metallic knocking sound, like a sticking valve....

Not good.

Tried adjusting valves etc, however it sounded awful, however strangely not consistent with every cycle. That pulled out valve train, and pulled out bottom end.

I worked out it was a broken tappet, which unfortunately is an engine out job. Therefore, cancelled the RWC, and its engine out time for a rebuild of sorts. Not my doing with the build, and not something I would have expected to change, however, in a way, glad it happened now and not mid way into a 10 hr drive.

I still have 2 weeks......

Lucky but unlucky, at least now you can 'tweak ' the motor a bit if it suits..

Been a crazy few weeks with lots going on, however, the good news is, I got the engine rebuilt, installed, and successfully passed the RWC.
 
Went with a recommended tester who was known to be familiar with older cars, although still making sure everthing is tested and measured up to standard.  I'm sure any other general RWC testing placed would have been put of by the patina...., even though everything under the car was either new or reconditioned!
 
It failed the first test due to handbrake adjustment caused by a sticking rear wheel cylinder, the wiper sweep out of adjustment and a lack of return spring on the clutch pedal.... thankfully all simple fixes. To say I was pleased was an understatement.
 
Getting the Club Permit at Vicroads almost proved my undoing.  It was only that i had a photo of a discarded rego sticker in the car that I was able to prove it was previously registered in Victoria.  And searching through my photos to find that was, well, a very anxious time.  They had a record of the rego, and could tie it that way, however weren not able to search for it via the chassis number in their system... go figure...  Had I not taken this photo, I would have been up for import approval and possibly missed the cutoff.......  
 
Anyway, got there in the end.
 
Wagon drives well, stops and handles quite nicely for what it is.
 
Will strap it down Thursday night, tow it up Friday, and my first 'real' drive will be around the town of Bathurst Saturday morning, with a circuit tour in the afternoon.
 
Cant wait.
 
 
 
 

Brilliant you got it all ready in such short time even the engine rebuild, that's amazing stuff. Enjoy your trip to the track