1990 country squire resto/lowrider in UK

[andyfanshawe]

Remember this rusty thing?


That was acid dipped to look like this?


Well I welded it up and painted it. Now it looks like this




Funny how the simple little things like this are really pleasing!

Onto my hood release cable. Not to make it too simple, I drilled the right size hole through, then enlarged the sheet steel on the outside of the firewall to smoothly join with the emergency brake cable slotted hole!



From the inside



Heater box next!
Andy.

[sly]

That fuel filter holder is epic.

I see cancer behind that bolt/washer to the right of the 2nd to last pic. that just surface rust to be sanded and painted?

[andyfanshawe]

That fuel filter holder is epic.

I see cancer behind that bolt/washer to the right of the 2nd to last pic. that just surface rust to be sanded and painted?

Hi Slymer.
Bit of surface rust there certainly. Wont matter because that part of the fender that bolted there doesn't exist now anyway! So it will be welded up.
Well spotted though.

Had an optimistic completely mad thought that the heater box would just about fit! Never know, just MIGHT......

Well, did it fit? Err,......no. Not a piggin' chance. Why did I even think it might?

More photos to come-as if anyone else will do something as stupid as this!
Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Bolted the heads down on the block so I can start to see where various things need to go! Photos soon.

Meanwhile for a break from the metal fabrication, its seeing if I can get the heater to fit time!

First the "air inlet assembly ducting" as its called in the shop manual.
This thing


Here's a temporary fit and you can see where the bottom of it is touching the firewall before it sits flush



So I need to cut the bottom off so it has a chance of sitting flush.

Here's the cut line planned to completely flatten the bottom





Here's my airsaw in action


Here's the bottom cut off flat



And a side view looking across the bottom showing the flat profile



I'll make a new base and bond it in, then produce a water drain hole.
Then its onto the other heater boxes...
Andy.

[marquis_82_withneons]

i have yet to see a lowrider wagon.. much less a Ford product.. i cannot wait to see this finished product!

[sly]

I've seen many lowrider Lincolns... a few slammed F-series... and of course, the lowered road hugger mustangs... but yeah... this will definitely top dang near all of them... if not all of them, by a long shot.

[andyfanshawe]

i have yet to see a lowrider wagon.. much less a Ford product.. i cannot wait to see this finished product!

I'll see if I can hop the pace of this build up a bit for you!! Need it painted this summer.

Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

I've seen many lowrider Lincolns... a few slammed F-series... and of course, the lowered road hugger mustangs... but yeah... this will definitely top dang near all of them... if not all of them, by a long shot.

Hi slymer.
I'll try not to disappoint!

Been assembling the engine so I can trial fit the throttle linkage etc.





Back onto the heater box. Fabbed a closing off plate for the base and a water drain hole. Now its completely flat on the bottom and actually fits the firewall now!







and a view to the inside



Andy.

[andyfanshawe]

Onto the A/C fan heater box that goes on the firewall under the hood.

I don't need the AC matrix now so I split the box open to remove it





The other side of the matrix (fan side) was filthy and partially blocked with debris



And here's some more debris in the case



What I intend do here is cut the box diagonally with a saw to remove the bulk and close it off with a steel plate and incorporate an oil pressure gauge in it perhaps! To show everyone what I mean, this is the exact thing I did when I built my 77 Trans Am back in the early 90's



Here's my saw in action







A trial fit and the base is touching the frame (just) so tomorrow I'll remove the bottom "bulge".



Andy.

[marquisman]

Holy shiz! That under hood pic is really nice. And I like the sticker, "dont brag it- drag it" lol.

[sly]

Holy shiz! That under hood pic is really nice. And I like the sticker, "dont brag it- drag it" lol.

+1 This

[tjc78]

What do you do for a living? It seems you could make a bundle of money opening a shop for this kind of work.

[andyfanshawe]

Hi tjc78.
I teach math to 11 to 18 year olds as a full time job, but I am qualified in many things.
Just enjoy building radical cars.

Andy.

[tjc78]

but I am qualified in many things

Well we can certainly see that in your work!

[andyfanshawe]

Had to shorten the height of the box and then plastic weld a bit of it back together. Hopefully the pics will tell the story.





Steel closing off plate bonded in to the base and left to set.



Still got a flange to weld on and a corner to cut, but not far off finishing this bit now.

The main heater box that contains the heater core nearly fits!!! But it may as well be miles off.

Finally got the inlet manifold on and the fan and alternator, but it looks too tall to me! I will relocate the alternator down low on the other side and most likely use an electric fan.





Has anyone got one of PCM's these lying around? Need a spare just in case!



Andy.