we had the Speed trials last weekend, unfortunately 36+ degrees on Sat, then rain forcast for Sunday kept numbers down.
No escorts or small Fords, just Austins, vintage bikes, a few Mustangs  and big blocks.
 
In the display sponsor tents was a guy selling these things, EyeMuffs.
I'd seen them before on a  YT Ian Rousells/ what was the old Full Custom Garage.
He's the distributor in US, but they were actually designed in Aus, Canberra actually.
It turns out the guy selling them on the weekend was the inventor, who was an ex tradie tiler and an ideas man.
There are bluetooth versions, and an insert is being designed for bifocals also.
 
I bought a pair to help out a little to give to Santa, and make sure I dont get in strife when I'm grinding next.

Exhaust planning
Here are some pics.
Like you guys, when you've pretty much built the whole thing why stop now, plus the exhaust can come off and not damage anything else one bit.
 
After a chat with Deano (thanks again mate) I now have a start of a plan.
 
I'm sure I'll have some 3" SS bits left over. That's the big prob with buying online and wanting to complete a job in a decent time frame. Patience is not one of my better virtues.
 
I plan on using a couple of V Band joiners so the exhaust is pull apart(able), and will go for the stainless mesh type bellows as they seem to allow for more movement than the 'harmonica' shaped ones.
 
I have the 'around the pipe' clamps for the exhaust hangers on the other car and they have worked well (and allow for adjustment along the exhaust pipe).
 
Main area is over the diff housing as I have the watts bar to be mindful of. I suppose I'll just have to take my time and hug the body fairly well and heat wrap the whole unit.
 
So just fingers crossed on the muffler. Even though this is not a road car I have to be mindful of dB as this is getting to be a real thing nowadays.
 
You may have a view on this Marty as I was told today to weld with the normal steel mig wire/Argoshield light I use now. SS welds are brittle and prone to fatigue. I have heard this before but not sure if this is being a bit too extreme?
 
Any thoughts appreciated
 

That looks a tight axle tunnel there, good luck squeezing 3in pipe over that, even 2.5in is tight on a stock leaf spring car . I think I seen on Retro Power Cars with the BDA escort they used squashed tube (flat oval) add their rear suspension is IRS .

Welding SS with mild steel wire and Argoshield should be fine as Deano did. Mig weld is harder than SS so as long as it's a good sunken weld all should be fine . I done my zorst with Tig using SS filler rod but only when needed , had the settings so it melted both sides fusing together, it's still held up fine over the years..

that diff isn't going anywhere.
 
After plugging that exhaust mob online, my order for the last hanger bits still hasnt arrived.
I think they just forgot to key the order in, as 1 item was outa stock.
 
So much for paying for express post, and I was on a roll too!

Well went to my local exhaust shop today and got all my bits. Sorted it so I can take anything I don't use back and he will bend stuff when and if I require. That being said I left without a kidney, but he's a good guy and said any questions as I go just call.
As an aside, I know turbos quieten the exhaust down so I'm going to go out on a limb and run the exhaust out the side. (basically sticking my head in the sand re running it out the back).
 
I'll try and get it started shortly and post some pics.
 
One day when I get the RS on the hoist again Marty i'll get a pic for you. Its got a 3 1/2" SS exhaust going over a 9" diff housing and it has never hit the body or housing. I bought that car as a shell with a few bits like the exhaust, so I have no idea who made it.

Not sure about turbo quietning noise, my focus st3 has a 2.75in system and sounds like a rally Audi S2 . Years ago I owned a Cordia GSR turbo and got a exhaust built, it was also loud but one day the pipe broke near the gearstick, deafening till 3k revs then went quiet from there on. Boost was cushioning the sound waves or something, so you could run a short zorst but it won't go quiet till boost comes on..,!

I'm hanging out to hear how the engine and homemade exhaust sounds.
Hopefully it will be a little rally like also.
 
The hangy bits just arrived finally.
With about $20 bucsk for freight, the below was about $50 worth. Hmmmm.......
Anyhow. 
On the plus side, an original air cleaner turned up on marketplace, which will do for now.
 
And I have the strut inserts, which need drilling out to suit the dampener shaft.
 
So dumb question, I expected to need to use the both parts of the pair: longer one from below on the strut facing up, and the shorter one as a washer from above the top mount, albeit with the longer one trimmed down accordingly.
However  one of the catalogues suggests they are a kit providing both 'short' and 'long' option.
Neither of the sleeves, or a combination of both,  match up with the corresponding spherical bearing depth/thickness as is, so I thought i'd ask.
 
Typing it out might have helped. I think i'm on the right track. You just have to trim the long one down, taking into account the thickness of the top one, , so that it the top surace finishes up in the thread range? simples?
Marty mentioned about washers, but I think thats what the top one can do.
Overthinking as usual.
 

 
 

It looks like they only can go on 1 way, from memory the bearing is rounded on the bottom and square in top as you see the radius to the thin shank part, long is curve, short is top , and if they don't match the thickness of bearing you should shave the long one down but not too much that the bearing will bind up when tight

thanks Marty, I got a 5/8 reduced shank drill bit and will give it a go.

If its ok, I wouldnt mine seeing some detailed photos of when you get it sorted out?
 
I remember years back trying to get the inserts and shock combination right (on mk2 corty roller tops) and having all sorts of issues. Maybe it was the uk/aus thing, i dont know, I was using what I had spare though....
 
Thanks