Finally a build thread

[rbrown]

So I've had this little car for a few years now and bought a Capri a couple back. They have sat in storage all this time.

I think it's time to get some work done.

My plan is the B6T and G series (original I know), coilovers, Aspire rear and 2003 Rio front brakes. Completely cleaning and repainting most everything. Leaning to keep the paint Aqua but in satin. We will see. My daughter thinks I should paint it to match the Flex, like a mini-me.

Been gathering parts for some time, still need a few more but soon.

So I will post up some of the things I have already done later, thought I should get me thread started at least.

[FcoBenitez]

Nice! I'm planning to start fixing some things on my Kia Pride, too, but not really that much as you - money its a real issue here lol
good luck with your build and your thread :-) as always, post lots of pictures!!

[rbrown]

Buying a welder.

Finding someone to do welds for me is proving to be a challenge. $150 for one mount, you're nuts.

[Larry Hampton]

Minimum, get a Hobart Handler 140 and get a machine that is ready for gas, gas is SO much nicer than flux core.

http://houston.craigslist.org/tld/3382260925.html

Although this water cooled TIG is the BOMB!!!

http://houston.craigslist.org/bfs/3445639109.html

Here's a 180, likely a 220v machine.

http://houston.craigslist.org/tls/3435413642.html

[rbrown]

Found a Lincoln Pro 140.

Would a Hobart me a better machine?

[rbrown]

All right. Did the Lincoln.
Now I am ready to make the mounts.

Question. How level and straight did you get your B6T

[Movin]

You may be a certified welder but I don't know that so just throwing this out, Practice on some scrap metal that is about the
same thickness and just as dirty to start, Don't just buzz over the top but actually weld two parts together, then try to break
your weld. There is a bunch more to learn ( if you are new ) but at least you will have a good chance without doing something
you wish was not permanent to the car.. Congrats on the new machine, have fun!!!

[rbrown]

You may be a certified welder but I don't know that so just throwing this out, Practice on some scrap metal that is about the
same thickness and just as dirty to start, Don't just buzz over the top but actually weld two parts together, then try to break
your weld. There is a bunch more to learn ( if you are new ) but at least you will have a good chance without doing something
you wish was not permanent to the car.. Congrats on the new machine, have fun!!!

Not a totally new but it's been a long time and that was a stick welder.

I have clean material and will be practicing. I want it to look nice :/ .
Thanks for the heads up.

[M3NTAL]

All right. Did the Lincoln.
Now I am ready to make the mounts.

Question. How level and straight did you get your B6T

Pretty straight I probably have pics in my build thread

[crazyrog17]

What color is the flex? Excited to see some new projects coming around

[zoom zoom]

Do you plan on cooking with gas or just fluxcore welding it? Use at least 3/16th steel. If your just using fluxcore wire, you'll want a flap disk to clean off the splatter, and use thicker .03 wire. If you work with 1/8" or thinner, swap to .035 and it will make life easier, the .03 likes to punch through thinner metals. I only have a fluxcore welder, but it gets the job done.

The way I made my BP/G mounts, there really isn't much stress on my welds, but they do hold things together. First thing you should do is find Eurotivas Photobucket and learn from what he does, the guy really knows his stuff, and will make the job easy.

The most important thing you need to get right is positioning the transmission so the axels will work right without binding, you don't have much play and the transmission needs to be centered right. Have the car on jackstands, remove the springs from the struts, and keep the engine positioned with the cherrypicker. make some type of rough transmission mount that has some play to it, and plug the axels in. Run the struts up and down with a jack on the lca ball joint, spinning the tire to see if it binds at all..adjust the mounts as needed. When you figure out about where you need it, make the engine mount, then the front trans mount which will level it side to side, and level it front to back with the rear mount. Keep in mind everything will droop a little in the stock rubber mounts. Keep an eye on how straight the engine is, I measured off the upper rad support to the head on the front and back of the head.(left right not front rear)

I used a two pieces of 1/4"x1 1/2" angle iron for the front mount,

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/SAM_0423.jpg

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/SAM_0424.jpg

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/SAM_0433.jpg

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/SAM_0458.jpg

3/16th flat stock plates for the rear(no welding, but I might weld a plate to the bottom for extra support someday.)

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/Untitled.jpg

and just used spacers on a b3 mount (1 1/2"x3/8" male NPT coupling for now) for the engine mount after reaming out the holes to locate the engine further toward the passenger side

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/SAM_0429.jpg

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/SAM_0428.jpg

But I put this in an aspire and its a little different from a Festiva..should give you a general idea though, I'm sure you'll do fine. Charlie and Eurotiva are where I got most of my ideas on how to fab the mounts, don't be afraid to message them, they're good guys.

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab2/mykromisfit/1994%20Ford%20Aspire/BP%20Engine%20Install/SAM_0457.jpg

[rbrown]

She's Aqua. Probably going back with a satin Aqua.

I have it pretty straight. But I cannot get it any more because of the steering rack.
I massaged the rack and trans housing to get a little more room, but it isn't much.

Zoom great pics. Your front mount is way over compared to where mine lines up. The driver side (left) of the mount center bushing is directly in line with the bolt holes on that side of the tranny on mine. How much below is the top of the valve cover compared to the front radiator support?

Flux core. Thanks for the tips. The fella lost the gas fittings...

[zoom zoom]

Yea I thought it was weird too, all the festivas at madness with g series transmissions were like that. The bolt holes on my tranny lined up perfect with the holes for the mount on my crossmember. That's actually an 02 Rio mount and I had to drill one crossmember hole out further, but IIRC the aspire and Rio mounts were the same width, one just had better rubber. Anyway, the way it is, all the stress is on a solid piece of metal, and the welds only further support the mount. People have had problems with only one side being on the rubber mount and causing rapid deterioration of the mount. I'd rather drill a couple new crossmember holes and make it as strong as possible.

The valve cover is almost level with the upper radiator support, maybe just a hair higher, not more than 1/2".

[Festevil3]

I like the satin aqua idea. I would recomend painting it the factory color, then clear it with a eggshell (flat) clear.

[Bert]

You may be a certified welder but I don't know that so just throwing this out, Practice on some scrap metal that is about the
same thickness and just as dirty to start, Don't just buzz over the top but actually weld two parts together, then try to break
your weld. There is a bunch more to learn ( if you are new ) but at least you will have a good chance without doing something
you wish was not permanent to the car.. Congrats on the new machine, have fun!!!

This is sage advice. Thanks to under-powered, and cheap, MIG welders make lots of novices seem to think they've become expert welders, until the altered parts suddenly let go. Practice and more practice and then some more, and as Movin says; try breaking the welded parts before you trust them to be sound in use. If your practice pieces break somewhere other than the weld then you're well on your way.