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Next Engine Fit Check

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2 Apr 2026 I received my exhaust manifold from BigR Motorsports, Renai Chip Givens, and I am excited to install it and re-fit the engine. This will be the first time that I can actually bolt the engine to the transmission once installed. Then I can fit check the exhaust system and the turbo package. The most important next step is to fabricate a set of engine mount blocks to adapt the stock engine mounts to the chassis mounting plates. My SVO engine has 45 degree engine mounts to be compatible with the Mustang chassis, which is designed around handling a V8 engine. The GBS Zero came with 30 degree mounting plates for whatever reason, that mount mostly inline 4-cylinder engines. So I needed to come up with an adapter to bridge the gap and get the engine at the correct height when installed. I had some 3x2 lumber left over from the shipping crate and I used my miter saw to cut a block with a 15 degree face. I made it just thick enough to accomodate the stock recessed bolt, about two inch...
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Seats and Seating Position

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 26 Mar 2026 I actually started out to fabricate the brackets for the swirl pot and finish the fuel lines to the HP pump. But when I got into the middle of that project I realized that the fuel pump feed line, being 12mm heavy hose, will not make a nice 180deg bend out of the bottom of the swirl pot and join to the pump. So I decided to do the line with AN fittings and hard 180deg and 90deg bends - so much neater. So I had a day to wait for parts to arrive. I decided that it was time to fit the seats and work out the seating position and the steering wheel. I had ordered a quick release coupling for the Momo steering wheel attachment to the Ford Sierra steering column. I suspected that the steering wheel would be a little close to my chest in the configuration described in the Build Guide. But the only way to know for sure was to get the seats in and set the position so that the pedals were workable. So I assembled the seats - like it's simple to say. Fortunately, I got onto the Fa...
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Big day

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19 Mar 2026  I had ordered a set of Yokohama A052 tires and today I took the wheels down to the tire store to get them mounted. The people there were curious to see what kind of car I was putting them on. They asked that I bring it by sometime. I was ready to transfer the chassis off the cradle and put it onto its wheels so I got that done. It will be easier to move the chassis around on wheel dollies - the cradle only had pivoting casters on one end. So the plan now is to work on fitting the engine and making motor mount blocks for it. The chassis is far enough off the ground to facilitate the engine hoist. I checked on the progress on my exhaust manifold from BigR Motorsports (Chip Givens) and it should be shipped in a week's time. I look forward to having that all fitted to the engine and seeing how it fits into the chassis.
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Assemble Front Corners

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 The assembly of the front corners was a little more straight forward but not without its foibles. The right corner didn't give me any problems but on the left side the bottom ball joint ferrule, the part that fits between ball joint and the spindle, was too tight a fit. With a micrometer I measured 0.6321", where as the lower ferrule measured 0.6293" Since 16mm = 0.6299" I guessed that the nominal size was that. I don't want to force these parts into place because they may gall and never seat properly so I had to fine hone the ferrule until it fit. I used 600 grit emery cloth and a leather thong to slowly work down the ferrule diameter, taking off almost 0.002". Patience won out and the fit was made. The other problem I had was with the nylon bushings on the upper rear wishbone of both sides. For some reason, those shells were slightly smaller in diameter than all the other shells on the wishbones (this was, of course, after sanding out all the powder coat ...
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Assemble rear corners

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 "Assemble rear corners" - that's the section in the Build Guide. Terminology is so important. The Guide refers to N/S and O/S, which I think is Near/Side and other (or off) side in relation to the driver. So what does that mean for LHD or RHD? Part numbers are listed in the Guide that reference NS and OS but there's no part numbers on the bags or on the parts themselves.  Why bother?  But the salient point was there are no details on installing the ATR upgrade rear brakes and rear suspension. There is a video on the GBS Workshop youtube channel that focuses on the front of the car with no detail about the rear of the car.  I guessed on how to assemble the parts and left a query on the GBS Enthusiasts Facebook page, where I got immediate supportive help. I had done it kind OK and kinda wrong. Finally, Richard Hall himself replied, saying that the upper wishbones were upside down and handed. And the brakes, which are marked "L" and "R" have to be in...
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The Differential

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March 1 2026 I finished installing the low-pressure fuel pump and fuel lines before moving on to the differential. This went pretty smoothly.  It seems like every major part will have a little struggle. The latest major chunk was the differential. I am still working by myself, so to support the Zetec  differential by hand while bolting it into the frame is out of the question. I rigged up my elevating table to support the diff and had to rig some planks to extend the lift so that it would get between the cradle supports. Then I had to get the angle right so that the nose of the diff would come close to the rear end of the tunnel before the rear of the diff would interfere with the frame ahead of the fuel tank. It's pretty tight quarters to get the diff up into that space and then get it to rotate down into position. I rigged safety straps to ensure that the diff wouldn't get away from me while I was jacking and rotating it into the space in the frame. Once into position I had ...
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Parts Ordered and Fit Checks

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 I've taken some time away from working on my project to get some small medical things done and get a little recovery time. I've spent some time to get the McLeod hydraulic clutch throwout bearing ordered. And then I ordered the PiMPxs system. That includes the expansion harness to take the inputs from the PyroPete crank trigger and cam sync as well as the coil-near-plug system and the injectors.  So when I'm ready to do some shop work again I can fit the clutch and throwout bearing and continue on with geting it all into the car to work out the final fit.  19 Feb 2026 I decided to do a fit check with the transmission and bell housing, so I pulled the engine and wrangled the transmission into the tunnel. I had already created clearance with the frame cross member where the transmission mount will go so I can get the transmission closer into the position where it needs to be. But, there's a protrusion on the transmission/output shaft housing that interferes with the RH s...
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