BMW Rallying Forum

Hope you all have patience as this is going to take a wile.

I had a new a new non M3 shell in storage for years,
Thought the time was right to build a replacement shell for my rally car, not that it's in need of replacing as it still in great nick,
I always wanted a proper GRP A Prodrive car, but seeing as there now making big money and getting very old I though why not build one,

New shell


I took all the under sealer and sound deader of it over 10 years a go and basically forgot about it, surprised how well it aged as some parts where left bare metal.
There is some surface rust, noting to worry about as a light blasting would remove it.
Brand new quarter panels, new inner arches, new rear panel and new evo 3 front wings are all on order from http://www.genuine-parts.de, a lot cheaper that the stealer.
As for the rear window frame I have to use one from a salvage car as there no longer available new,
If some has a new one for sale please PM me.


Once the quarter panels and rear panel are removed I will have shell soda blasted,
Does a great job on light weight panels, no pitting like sand,

A full Matter spec roll cage has also been ordered from Custom Cages in T45 which is described as a factory spec cage,

As I understand it the shells used by Prodrive where in fact supplied by Matter.

I'm all so very lucky as there is a Delage and a Proper Prodrive car, which is in for restoration at in the workshop where most of the fabrication will be done so easy for cross reference.
More info on the Prodrive car in the future, ADZ 9667,
All the metal work will be done by my long term engineers http://www.croziermotorsport.co.uk/
Check out the Mk2 on there site, very tidy in there work.

All the running gear will also be much the same as having a few GRP A parts reproduced.

Next update in a few weeks,

Declan.

Thanks Declan, looking forward to the next installment

yes me too!!!

X3.

Well my guys have been busy this week, All the panels have all been delivered.
Roll cage is on it's way, It should be here Monday,

1st job was seam welding the engine bay.


Chassis legs and wheel housing,

Rear shock pick up, May open these up a bit with fabrication of new turrets,

1/4 panel removed. New tub welded in, ( any one want E30 1/4 panels )


Declan.

Well things are coming along nicely,
Most of the seam welding of the upper part of the body now done,

New rear turrets.
These are only for strengthening as the original are still kept.


Right rear tub with filler hole closed up.

Seat belt anchors are from a different car, we will make up new ones.

More seam welding.

Rollcage should be ready to go in shortly.

Looking good Declan, nice to see the original type seat belt anchors being used. Did you fabricate these yourself, or buy them in?
Peter

Hi have you made anymore progress on this car ? So far looks like it will be the business

All the metal fabrication now done,
Was considering acid dip, but no one over here doing it, so looks like a trip to http://www.prostrip.co.uk/
Also waiting on some GRP A parts to be machined up, Front hubs and rear axle part,












There is a lot more info on s14.net http://www.s14.net/forums/showthread.php?t=52210

lovely stuff declan,

Any updates Declan?

i really like this, makes me want to do another shell at some point!

Sorry guys for not keeping things up to date, probably just getting lazy,
Had car dipped, and is now sitting in primer in a mates spray both since last year,
We will be going to paint very soon, once my man finishes up a Prodrive restore, pictures of that soon,









Decaln

What we have been doing is developing parts,
Heres a few pictures of what we have done so far.
All these are like org prodrive parts only in new modern metals,
Been testing these out on current car, very pleased, made a big difference to how it handles, and no more broken shafts or diffs.

Control arms, you wont bend these in a hurry, they will fit a standard car as well with only a few mods,

Front hub



Rear axle and E28 diff
[url=http://s3.photobucket.com/user/mck287/media/DSC00386.jpg.html]






A little video from last outing

Springs are a little soft for venues like these and no front sway bar,
Roads over here in Ireland are very bumpy.

http://youtu.be/-KuGk2BczcM

http://youtu.be/d-rTYR_Z8NA

5 seconds slower than the some of the best Mk2 escorts, car is fit to do a lot better, driver may not,
Time to maybe lose some weight, 1140kg dry weight,

Great

Car sounds lovely and looks to handle so well...

Very nice