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Introduction / Advice


Guest JabawokJayUK

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Guest JabawokJayUK

Hi fellow Hoodies? if that is indeed the correct terminology!

So I bought a RH2b+ in Feb for my birthday for that needed some work. Since then I have been getting her ready for the summer, sorting a few issues that were show stoppers for me and generally getting the car back to a "fun" state.

I have been (and will continue to) tracking my progress in a build diary on my blog. So far this consists of:

This was just the list of jobs to sort before summer, and I only just made it too!

Now the introduction part is over, I would like to get some advice and thoughts on my plans. As its stands there are some fundamental issues with the cars build I just don't like. Firstly the engine sits very low in the bay, so low that the sump is a good 3" below the floor. The original builder has added a very hefty sump guard that has saved the engine more than once, but the net effect of this is that the car sits higher than I would like while achieving far less ground clearance than I want. Also, the gearbox sits quite far below the tunnel top and with the converted rear end on Gaz shocks now I have literally got them on the lowest height possible to the effect of barley any piston travel.

Overall my plan is to strip it all back to the chassis, pull out all the wiring (its had an ECU/Engine upgrade along the way so most of the stock wiring and dash is surplus and can be minimised / simplified), lift the engine, gearbox, diff etc (I have a new 1.7 Zetec S to go in to replace the 1.6 Zetec SE), and rebuild the suspension mount points. The front suspension is layed back like a chopper and it looks to me (I have not measured it yet) that its running way to much caster. Also the upper wishbones are mounted to high. On the rear end, the sierra sub frame cuts into the cab where the wishbones / diff mount to the centre point which reduces seat travel on the runners etc...

All in all, I just want to fettle it a bit and get it right :) Removing the sierra setup entirely would be ideal and fabricating wishbones, but I think that's a step to far for me unless I can get some help!

So, thoughts, ideas, advice, the number of a local mental health expert for my impending madness on this journey? all greatly received!

Cheers

Jay

 

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Welcome on board!

 

Just a head up in case you aren’t aware but the 1.7 puma engine, although badged zetec, is actually a sigma engine, and completely different to the 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 zetec engines. If I remember correctly, Intake and exhaust are on opposite sides and uses a different bellhousing. Unless you really have your heart set on the 1.7, it might be easier and cheaper to go for a 2.0 zetec. 

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Guest JabawokJayUK
1 minute ago, theduck said:

Welcome on board!

 

Just a head up in case you aren’t aware but the 1.7 puma engine, although badged zetec, is actually a sigma engine, and completely different to the 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 zetec engines. If I remember correctly, Intake and exhaust are on opposite sides and uses a different bellhousing. Unless you really have your heart set on the 1.7, it might be easier and cheaper to go for a 2.0 zetec. 

The engine installed in the car is a Sigma 1600 (Zetec SE) so the 1.7 is bolt for bolt the same (certainly looking at them they are). I know the 2.0 is different which is why I didn't go this route, and I have also heard great things about the 1.7's with sorted heads and high lift cams, which is the plan for that engine. I also have a better set of ITB's (GSXR750 38mm ones) whcih will improve things over what is in there.

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Welcome to the club, please use this resource to your benefit. Ask as many questions as possible and invite us around for bacon butties and endless cups of tea. We will help and resolve your issues, welding, building, electrics or general pi55 take we are your support. 

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Guest JabawokJayUK
Just now, MarkBzero said:

Welcome to the club, please use this resource to your benefit. Ask as many questions as possible and invite us around for bacon butties and endless cups of tea. We will help and resolve your issues, welding, building, electrics or general pi55 take we are your support. 

haha, legend. 

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Guest MrToad

I had a Puma with the 1.7 engine, the engine of which was produced under license by Yamaha. This engine was fantastically rev hungry and was smooth and ran like a sewing machine.

Being bought in by Ford the Puma in this version lost on every sale and is the reason why they replaced it with the much cheaper 1.6 Ford engine.

The 1.7 is a great engine, especially if you can get hold of the high tune version, the costs for tuning and maintaining are more so it may be better to consider the bigger Ford alternatives.

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Guest JabawokJayUK

I have the 1600 version already in the car, it's a great engine. But a 1.7 came.up for 120 quid so I grabbed it. Mainly so I could.build the new.engine out of the car and easily swap it in when it's ready. Plan is for race cams, polished/ported head, arp bolts etc on a.standard bottom.end, so should be 1000-2000 quid depending on how much I can get done myself.. mated to the 38mm bike throttle.bodies I picked up for 200 quid and running on the MS2Extra ECU already installed it should be good for around 200bhp which will be about right for the car.

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