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UMU
United Kingdom
343 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Nov 2010 : 07:01:42
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Good luck with everything. Its such an interesting and hopefully rewarding project your doing - look forward to seeing your car when its done
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2010 : 23:17:19
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Isn't really a plan for the car as it started off as a straight resto' and has kind of evolved really. The turbo idea came about because I was planning to put an LPG conversion on the car anyway, so might as well take advantage of the high octane fuel and put a turbo on. LPG needs a CR of about 14:1 in order to burn efficiently and a turbo is the easiest way to get it and up the performance at the same time. Using LPG is easier too as you can buy and fit the required fuelling equipment relatively cheaply and easily. You can boost as much as the engine and transmission can stand without worrying about detonation.
Not looking for extreme performance figures, just fancy a retro with a little more power than folks would expect. The overdrive is the weakest link as you point out and will probably be the limiting factor, but a lot is down to the way you drive it. Will probably have to try to get used to not using the overdrive as anything more than a cruising gear.
If the transmission fails then I might look around for a more modern beefier 5 speed unit. Might end up having to do it anyway if I get bitten by the boosting bug. 
I live in Burnley, Lancashire, but you're welcome to drop in if you are passing by.
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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1922
United Kingdom
549 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2010 : 20:34:23
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Apologies,
Two types of overdrive fitted to rapiers. Cars up 73ish have Laycock type "D", later cars have a Laycock "J" type overdrive. The "J" type was fitted to Volvo cars till the 80s. |
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UMU
United Kingdom
343 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2010 : 19:46:24
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Hey sorry for my total lack of knowledge, but whats a J type
thanks
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1922
United Kingdom
549 Posts |
Posted - 24 Nov 2010 : 14:37:04
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Hi Martin,
I know that a J type will take 130bhp (25 more than an XR3i) as long as you don't try any rally style 6000rpm launches on dry tarmac which can put a twist in the input shaft. |
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UMU
United Kingdom
343 Posts |
Posted - 23 Nov 2010 : 21:52:31
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Inspired!!
Very interesting read there, nice one.
Where abouts in the country are you?
Whats your plans again for the engine and running gear? I want to get mine so itll not just challange others, whilst leaving many behind, as it does now. But have some serious legs.
I have been warned though, that the overdrive will not take anything more powerful than an XR3i - which still isnt enough for what im after.
also i need to sort out the steering, which when its windy, allow the car to drift - similar to a blimin van
cheers
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2010 : 20:47:54
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Went down again tonight cos I promised a friend I would root out some A series Manta parts he's looking for. Came across this. Couldn't help propping it up in the orifice where the lower panel will be welded to the boot lid. They are two reversing lights with an integral chrome strip connecting them. The lenses which I took off them for safe keeping are clear and cover the whole of the units including the black foam bits. Be interesting to see if anyone recognises which model of car they came off. They have been turned upside down.
All I need to do now is find the lenses for them, but I think the integral chrome strip gives it a really good 'factory fitted look'.
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2010 : 16:25:53
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quote:
Originally posted by 1922
Recycling! Your saving the environment too 
Would be a shame to waste good metal! 
Managed to get a little more time down there yesterday. Is now welded and levelled with the grinder ready for filler. Apologies for darkness of the pic but the temporary festoon lighting is tough on the camera. Really need a little sunlight through the door. Also, the job had to be carried out in situ' due to the need to bend the metal whilst tacking it in to place, so as it would level up at exactly the same height as the wings. A little bit of grinding off a slight excess of metal on the curvy bits, and removing the excess weld left me with this.
I need to sort out some rectangular reversing light/fog lamps to build into the strip of metal I need to cut to fill the gap below the spoiler. So... if anyone has any ideas as to where I can find some countersunk types that fit the bill, give me a shout.
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
Edited by - arrocuda on 12 Jul 2010 16:30:04 |
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1922
United Kingdom
549 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jul 2010 : 23:27:58
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| Recycling! Your saving the environment too |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2010 : 22:43:40
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Some time since I posted but lots been happening that has been getting in the way of doing any serious work on the project car. Was made redundant when The company I worked for got bought out at the back end of last year. Was planning to leave to set up my own business around a project that I had been working on. Wasn't ready when I left. so had to devote most all my time to getting it finished so I could get some money coming in again.
Completed that and now find a little time to get back to the car so I welded the new C pillar panels in. They are now waiting filler and priming. A few weeks a go I decided to attack the bootlid. Pics are still difficult due to the lack of space around the car and it's hard to get it all in when you're so close up.
Made a template for the new lid.
Nothing particularly interesting about it.... just 'mapped' the one side and then cut two pieces of card to get the symmetry right. From the template I then cut a piece of sheet steel that I had removed from a scrap Peuguot 405 boot lid. (Modern cars can be useful) ..... and shaped it using the template and an angle grinder into this.
Using the metal from the Peuguot gives an otherwise flat piece of metal the subtle contours of a factory finished piece. I rested it on top and it looks better than I expected. Tomorrow the welding set is coming out so I'm hoping to be able to update with more soon.
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
Edited by - arrocuda on 10 Jul 2010 23:02:53 |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 19 May 2010 : 12:20:06
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quote:
Originally posted by 1922
Hmmm - I think I like it, a baby Barracuda.
Meant to answer but forgot... that really the Barracuda was only used to give me the possible future styling cues that might have been adopted if they had decided to do a restyled later version. When I did the photo editing exercise it struck me that it would be silly to try to reproduce the exact styling of the '67 Barracuda. So I decided to just take the general differences and apply them in a way that might have been done, so as to keep the original Rapier look.
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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arrocuda
United Kingdom
501 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2010 : 13:09:28
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The colour isn't reproduced very well on the PC screen. Least ways on mine it looks more red than in real life. The actual colour is a more 'orangey' shade than it appears here. Is only a tack coat so as I could be sure I hadn't got any bad dents or low/high spots in the panels. I mixed it from paint I had in store cos I want the final paint job in a really deep orange. Hoping for something like this in the end.
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda'). |
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argonaut
Hungary
39 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2010 : 08:59:32
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Nice project, I like the style you're aiming at and you're obviously fairly handy with the welder, good luck with the project and I look forward to seeing the finished result.
@1922 - you forgot "Is that one o' them Oldbay motors?" ;-) |
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1922
United Kingdom
549 Posts |
Posted - 14 May 2010 : 13:21:56
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| Is that colour Wardance Red? |
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bigt80
United Kingdom
1052 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2010 : 20:58:38
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quote:
Originally posted by arrocuda
Thanks for all the positive feedback everybody.... just making a start on a template for the new boot lid and finding the compound curves to be mind boggling. The existing lid curves in 4 dimensions ....add to that the re-shaped rear wings and I refuse to use a flat piece of metal for the new lid as I'm worried it will look too 'kitcar' and spoil the finish. This may take some time. :-/
Building the '2nd series' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda').
Yes; I reckon that's damn good. Don't think I'd have gone to the trouble of reshaping the 'C' post, but I guess as you're for major surgery, you'd best get the look you want. Glad to see the pics - had not realised you'd posted when I did my earlier response. Keep plugging away: it will be worth it in the end. I can't even complete my basic rebuild!! . Cheers. G. |
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The 'Arrocuda' build.
