Clints RS2000 restoration page 1

Here are some pictures of "Cossie Clint's" Mk2 RS2000,

This car is currently being restored and modified, and will feature a 500bhp Cosworth engine, sequential gearbox, Atlas lsd axle and 5link rear suspension setup. I will be carrying out the welding and will post pictures here as I progress.

Click pics for full size image.

29/09/01 The car was delivered to the workshop and work started immediately on stripping it.

As you can see the worst rust is at the front, so we will start with inner wings, scuttle panel and Bulkhead sides.

06/10/01 The engine gearbox and front suspension were removed today as well as some more minor parts.

Then it was time to cut off the nearside inner wing with an air chisel.

11/10/01 The inner wing is removed completely and the area cleaned

The new inner wing was offered up and clamped in place to be welded at the weekend

13/10/01 The new offside inner wing was cleaned on its mating surfaces, then some 5mm holes were punched and drilled at all the original spot weld areas, these holse are later welded through and once ground will look exactly like the original spot welds. It is important at this stage to re measure everything to ensure it is straight, and again after the first welds.

Once the wing was tacked in place and remeasured the holes are all filled with weld then the raised side is ground flat. This car will also be seam welded to increase the strength of the bodyshell due to the massive power output it has to handle.

Once the new Offside inner wing was fitted and seamed it was time to cut off the nearside panels.

20/10/01 After removing the nearside panels some rot was found in the chassis rail/bumper bracket plate, this item is not available so a replacement had to be hand fabricated. The pictures below show Rob Doyle (Mr Hoarder) making a template from card then using this to create an exact replica of the original panel.

Meanwhile I set about picking off the remains of the old panels and cleaning up the weld area, and admiring the new alloy tarmac arches (very nice)

27/10/01, the new repair section was fitted today on the nearside chassis rail, after this the inner wing was clamped in place, measured, then welded on.

After this the inner wing was clamped in place measured and prepared for welding.

The Inner wing was then spot welded in to place through the holes that had been drilled and punched in it.

Once the inner wing was firmly in place the lower fron box section was cut away to make room for the Genuine RS500 Intercooler, this is essential if the car is going to make the intended power output. The original Ford Sierra brakets were cut off of the intercooler, and it just fits in between the Escorts inner wings, once the body was modded to fit the bottom and sides of the intercooler it was just a matter of trimming the slam panel to clear the top.