The wrecker run was interesting, some cars of forgot had existed like a mk1 Vauxhall Viva, Nissan NX coup , even a mk1 Ford Mondeo. I went there for the sole purpose to get a navara d40 tailsharft and to my luck there was one already unbolted and sitting under the ute waiting for me. I wanted the front shaft but it proved to hard without the correct leverage tools. The tailsharft is all alloy and weighs nothing and for $63 it's a bargain.
No Volvo calipers to be seen unfortunately.

Made use of the panel stand with the door on 1 side and the mk2 Escort bonnet on the other as both were ready for a shot of primer, handy having the stand on wheels so it can be moved about the shed after painted !

This little bracket is what's going to hold the spare wheel down to the boot floor, I have offset the position to the right more so there's going to be pockets on the left side for whatever stuff they're might be. The jack and handle will be pulled straight from a mk1 Focus as it's neat and tidy that fits inside the rim.

Decided to mount it here like this but won't weld in place until the wheel lock cones from Ebay . I suppose I could weld it in and have a pilot hole drilled and then use a metal nutsert , should hold fine but would rather weld a captive nut for strength

The wheel is from my Focus zetec mk1 which has the same stud pattern as Escort, offset is a little questionable but fits ok. This is lined up what's it'll be seated.

RWC requirement is that any spacesaver needs to be yellow....
 
 
......... only kidding, but it would not suprise me in Vic at least.
 
I bet that idea  will be on Dave's next week, although I think his boot is all topcoated already. Happy days.

Gawd, in Vic if your headlight is pointing half degree out, your done for !

Big decision was to just weld it in, it's got a M8 on the right side and a M6 on the other side for mounting the jack and handle etc .

Plug welded and sealed

Another small job off the list.
Getting late in the day I was thinking about the battery tray placement, first is to measure a battery. The battery I'll use is a optima D51 yellow top dry cell, they last for ever and I've had one since the blue mk1 van was built 11 yrs ago, that battery is in the ute now and still good as gold. With the measurements and added about 5mm overall, I found a plank of ally sheet of about 2.0mm, then designed a plan to create it. My first design was a cross shape in which the 4 sides are folded up but I binned that plan as it uses a big piece of ally.
Next design was to do the wider sides and base in 1 part but adding mounts at the base and wings at the top for the t bolt down brace . This is it so far after folding.

Checking the fit in the old wheel pocket, I did remove the spare wheel strap bracket as that's not used now

The ends still need making and once done I'm going to do a lot of Tig practice on the ally offcuts until I'm happy.

Carrying on with the battery tray/box , after setting up the Tig welder and test strips welding till happy with how it welds I moved onto the battery box and got stacking dimes as they say. I reckon I had the settings just about right, played a bit with frequency which I need to learn about more on. Everything went well however my welds weren't up to show spec, having said that there was some good beads that I thought could stay visible but all were sanded back flat

Welded blocks under the top return which will be drilled and tapped for a couple of 6mm cap/button head screws

Out came the hyd hole punch machine, kinda silly having to drill a 20mm hole for the hyd ram rod to go thru, anyway the holes are 50mm, 32mm and 40mm no specific reason on size, just for looks !

This is it almost complete with the top lock bar in place. I will still DA sand the outside and leave in ally finish but will clear-coat it so it doesn't go manky

Come on guys NSW has to be the nanny state here. At east Vic doesn't have to get pink slips every year on cars (over 5 years old), trailers or pretty much anything for that matter.
The first Escort with a spacesaver I reckon Marty.
 
Battery tray/cradle looks great. The holes always add that professional look.
 
On batteries. We use various Optima's in our Ocean Cylinder Marine Rescue boat and they are still going some 7 years later. Except one funnily enough, we just changed the House battery (yellow top) a few weeks back. It really gets a caning from all the electronics.
 
I put a redtop in the Capri. Now 4 years on, so I can't complain.

Not sure Mark, I was helping a local guy out here and he used the complete boot floor from a Focus connected into his mk1 Escort so I'm not the first unfortunately .

This weekend the weather got good for a change and doing stuff to the mk1 Escort was non stop. Making the standoff mounts for the battery was interesting fun as the shapes and panel angles kept me thinking. The ally battery box is removable easily and I made the platform level with the ground and car, not tipped forward .
The mount off the wheel arch was the second version and I think it looks pretty cool and almost factory spec. After watching a episode of Retro Power Cars showing how to put that divet in the fold actually adds heaps of strength over just a fold. Cleco's for test fitting and lots of slight adjustments till the battery box sits flat and solid

The 2x holes were just hole saw and ball peened over some pipe, the function is to gain access behind there to clean if required.


I can't think of anything else needed to add under the car so I'll be thinking of shooting some colour paint on there this week

Nice and solid Marty. Good work

Had 4 cans of stone guard in grey for the mk1 and used 3x on the underside, I was debating whether to leave the whole floor except arches and trailing areas to be done but decided to coat nearly all of the floor.

This is the texture but it's since got a bit flatter now it's drying off

I didn't do where the struts go as they been done in white early this year

Dave is getting nervous.