Nerd Racing's 94 Ford Aspire Work Log

[Ace]

you damn v6 guys..
i wish my swap was up and going that fast.

[Mazda_Powered]

woot!

[Pommyvince]

you damn v6 guys..
i wish my swap was up and going that fast.

We're just more dedicated ( or mad)

[Damkid]

Glad to see you got it up and running finally lol

[nerd racing]

I would say more desperate in my case! gotta have something to get me down the road as soon as I can!

A lot more progress today, Finished off shifter linkages and got the trans unstuck from whatever gear it was in... I did that must be when I had to whack the old shifter linkage bolt out really hard.

I also reconstructed the Y-pipe and added the matching Cat. flange to it. (the flex pipe just fell off when we pulled it from the 626)

I also cut my stock exhaust to try and get a feel for where i have to place the Cat now (much further back!), I'm going to get a pipe sleeve connector and weld one end on and clamp the other so that my exhaust will have a section in it to remove, just in case I want to gut the cat after inspection.

That's about all I was able to get done, BUT I also found a pair of BG escort front hubs for $50 fairly locally so I'm going to get to the yard as soon as they open at 9am and then get back to my garage and hopefully get everything done except welding the axles and the cooling fan! (I need to order an ebay slim fan.

[nerd racing]

Oh and I have pics, just gotta upload them from the phone still.

[nerd racing]

well my phone is being a PITA this week...

I got my axles cut to length and ground chamfurs in them for the weld to penetrate on the solid portion. Then I test fit my DOM sleeves and the new 626 axle I bought was MUCH larger in diameter than the one I had originally, so I had to "turn" the diameter down on my angle grinder... that was a huge pain, but it came out pretty decent. I'm getting the axles welded tomorrow night! Its going to be a long night tomorrow night because I don't want to leave the garage till all the underneath work is done and the car is setting on the ground!

All I have left to purchase is a longer belt for the water pump (25" was too short, gotta get a 27" belt when you go with the aspire AC Idler pulley), and the two metal hydro clutch lines. Then the beast will be good to go! I am hoping to have it rolling down the road by the end of the week. I really need to be driving it again...

[DeeAOne]

sweet man! almost done!

[Mazda_Powered]

nice! get some damn pictures haha.

[Damkid]

nice! Get some damn pictures haha.

x2

[nerd racing]

working on it, got my axles welded today, just gotta anneal them tomorrow after work while I get the other little stuff done.

[nerd racing]

pictars finally!

All the crap I had to remove from my pre-pulled escort wagon hubs:



and what was left (still may get rid of the almost gone shields):



Picked up a 12" slim fan from Autozone in pennsyltucky:



Mounted to the Volvo 2.3L DOHC radiator:



Installed:



Just about plug and play, except that the fan had the same end as my harness... would have been too easy:





Threw my stock headlights back in since I sold the civic ones (had aiming issues):



Reconstructed Y-pipe:



Installed:



Window Weld filled lower rear trans mount still curing:



Escort tie rod ends, paid $33.82 for a pair with replaceable boots and grease fittings, instead of $49.99 for ONE aspire tie rod end. They ended up being just what I needed as the casting made the tie rod ends longer to match the Escort hubs. This is a Comparison shot of the two:



Axle pieces:



The new axle I bought yesterday was larger diameter than the other one I had so I had to "turn" down the diameter with my angle grinder... but dry fit:



And welded and cooling from the annealing process:



Ok happy guys? lol I know I am!

I'm gonna go back out and put the inner joints on the axles and get the car sitting on the ground again!

[Mazda_Powered]

i like pictures

[nerd racing]

lol, well anyway, I was able to get the axles installed, the front coilover sleeves changed out so I can adjust it again, (raised it up about an inch and a half) driver's caliper and rotor back on, and a couple other little things done up.

I would have had it ready to pull out of the garage just for some back and forth driveway action but the sky went pitch black and its been thunderstorming since. I really didn't feel like getting electricuted while welding... I have to shorting my shift linkage some more too, I can't get it into 1 3 5, but it goes into 2 4 R just fine and its straight enough to not slap the passenger in the leg like my 95 aspire did. (had to rotate the clevis 90 degrees).

[DeeAOne]

pictures ftw bro. keep it up. ill be getting that same fan most likely.