1972 Firenza "chassis swap"

[bstardchild]

Dec 23, 2014 22:36:07 GMT don1 said:

Are these not the questions that need to be answered ? Is that not what this thread is about ? Is that not what some one asked about on this thread ? Is that that why poss this thread stopped ? , I like the idea and agree with what he is doing but what I would like to no is why so many clever ?! People say what about the sva etc but can never answer the question ?

Absolutely yes to all of the above - however I am asking you to start a new thread in general board so that this one can be left in peace

Dec 23, 2014 22:36:07 GMT don1 said:

Want to see more of this build and loads of pictures as I think a old motor with a new floor pan is a great idea just don't like people trying to kill people's ideas and builds by trying to be a no it all

It's great I love it but it's been derailed once and I'd like the OP to come back to a relatively clean thread

Dec 23, 2014 22:36:07 GMT don1 said:

More builds like this should be done and if there was poss not as many people trying to be clever sticking there nose in then more would be done , safety and law is a must but ? Unless you no the law and can say why and what is right or wrong with proof then poss better not say anything at all . I do not no the in' s and out of the law but just get fed up with clever keyboard warriors that seem to like telling people what they think and not listen to anyone else because they no everything all ready

So start a new thread - please

[don1]

But I am part of this thread ! As my car is in this thread ! So think it is part of this thread as people have asked about it then it must be part of it ? Again no answers , this build is a very good idea and want to see it done with plenty of pictures I just don't like it when no it alls start trying to be clever asking about sva , iva etc etc when they no it will have a knock on effect , people will chose not to put there car on here when doing there build as I did because I new there are some very jealous people out there just looking to start a argument , this build needs doing but these so called clever people that are stiring it should think of the knock on effect as said probably most old classics on this forum would be banned and many more , so sorry if you think I am polluting this thread but ! I am mearly asking people to think about the build and enjoy it rather than try to stop it and put people off from showing us all the good work ,

[bstardchild]

Dec 24, 2014 11:52:08 GMT don1 said:

But I am part of this thread ! As my car is in this thread !

Did you start this thread? (or are you firenzaboxer with a new user ID?)

If the answer is yes to either of the above please carry on and apologies for any missunderstanding

If the answer is No to either the above - then please refer to my previous comments - this is someone else's build thread that I'd like to return to when it starts up again not pollute it all with pages of discussions about SVA IVA or VOSA or any other train drivers or aquatic mammals.

[don1]

No I am not either but my car is the one that firenza boxer has used in his first post so as I said I am on the thread , I did not put my car on this site for this reason but as someone else has put my build thread on here then yes I would say I am part of it , I am not trying to pollute it I am trying to get people to stop with the sva questions as so many people have started post like this on here but never Cary on with it because of this very reason , so please either take the link to my thread from the first part as said I have seen so many arguments on here about the same thing which I do not what my build to be dragged through with so called clever people

[firenzaboxer]

Don, if that is your firenza on migweb, nice car mate! I've removed the link as requested; sorry it took so long, I've not been on here (or in the workshop) for ages.

I've been struggling for time on the firenza, but have recently picked it back up with one eye firmly on the IVA. I've finished the front end (will need to get some pics) and have moved onto re-doing the rear end.

It's never nice having to do something twice, but it wasn't going to pass IVA (radius's and insufficient number plate space), and I simply wasn't happy with it. Hours with an angle grinder cutting out countless hours of previous work left me with a clean canvas. Only just started, but half the challenge is coming up with a plan....I find that once you know what you want to do it comes together reasonably quickly:

[firenzaboxer]

A couple of catch up pics...

New bonnet:


Inner front wings coming along:






Front end being crafted (will need to take a finished pic):

[jonsey]

Love that someone is doing this to something other than an Escort. (Even though I have an Escort myself). Please keep the updates coming. Do you have any other photos of the body and floor going together?

[bstardchild]

Great to see you back on this - been waiting for the post to jump up in my bookmarks

Looking forward to some progress - congrats on becoming a dad but glad you now have some time again to finish this

[firenzaboxer]

I'll dig around for some more original pics when I get a second. Modifying a mk1/2 escort is a brave financial decision these days; I got the firenza when you could still pick them up for a few hundred quid.

[bstardchild]

Aug 2, 2015 7:53:33 GMT firenzaboxer said:

I'll dig around for some more original pics when I get a second

That would be great

Aug 2, 2015 7:53:33 GMT firenzaboxer said:

Modifying a mk1/2 escort is a brave financial decision these days; I got the firenza when you could still pick them up for a few hundred quid.

Well Retro Vauxhalls are still a heck of a lot cheaper than similar age Fords however they just don't have the support in terms of parts and panels that the Fords have and probably never will

I'm currently putting together an 1972 Opel Commodore body on a 1985 Opel Monza floorpan - at least the wheelbase is the same

[chris y]

What a fantastic project.
Any chance you get to post pics would be appreciated, I'll be following your progress.

[firenzaboxer]

(Very) minor update. Not been on it much this month (only a few evenings), the rear end is coming along though:




Ready for inner boot panel...just need to figure out how to put in some swages without a swager (We sold it when we downsized workshop).


As an aside, I'm properly excited about this: Custom steel wheels

Now that I've found this, I can hopefully ditch the alloys...making a call on Tuesday

[firenzaboxer]

Managed to make it down to the shop after work. Spent most of the time measuring up for the steel wheels, but had a play at making swages (of some description) for the boot floor joining panels.

Toyed with a few methods, but settled on hammering around a small former (read: bit of roughly shaped scrap bar, screwed to an old bench top):





Not the prettiest method but, with a little secondary work with a planishing hammer, good enough for the boot (I reckon anyway).

[firenzaboxer]

This must be a contender for the slowest project ever award. Stuff is getting done slowly (boot floor done), but I thought that these turning up may just justify an update:





It's going to be wide!!



Well chuffed

[don1]

Hello mate , wasn't having a go at you really about putting my viva on here but I have found with this site there can be some clever arses that just like the sound of there own fingers tapping away on the keyboard without think what they are weighting or really no what they are on about , but now that's out of the way I do like the work you are doing well done

[markp25]

Fantastic project mate and can't wait to see it finished,pity about the thread drifting off topic and sadly that happens a lot but keep up the good work

[skozra]

Awesome project matey, has to be one of my favorites on here - keep the updates coming - please !

[firenzaboxer]

A quick update, I have been working on it...honest

The internet lies! Dispite many Impreza forum based threads on how gd series (2001 onwards like my donor car) bits fit straight into gc series (like my donor shell) cars, they don't... I've spent a lot of time fiddling about under the dash making everything fit; ignoring all the modified mounting studs (nothing lines up), this included needing to modify the bulkhead to allow the hvac system and steering column to fit:





It was 'fun' lining everything up.

After cutting my head (yet again) on the original viva dash, I attacked it with an angle grinder and started on building a new custom dash:







Now, I'd appreciate your thought on dash design..

Option 1 with full width body coloured panel:


Option 2 with two body coloured bits separated by the centre console:


Apologies for the drawings but let me know any thoughts about which way you'd go

[VW]

Most deffinately option 1 for me

[bstardchild]

I'm easy with either