Damo's Build

[Damo666]

Yes...another build thread! I thought that I'd join the club and post up some details of my progress so far.

I was originally going to rebuild a crashed 96 shell, but it turned that was going to cost more than just buying a complete running car, so I went that way and bought a neat 96 SOHC one-owner thingy.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan003.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan007.jpg

The interior has now been stripped, and after doing it on a few cars in the last 12 months I hope I never have to chip back the interior insulation stuff ever again! I managed to hock off the seats, CD player, carpet etc on Ebay for a few bucks which has helped too.

Got the car back from having the cage installed by Rod Kilby here on Canberra last week, and I'm very happy!

I had previously had quite a few discussions with Skypilot about attempting to do the cage myself after seeing his thread, and was quite keen for a while, but in the end sooked out and decided to farm it out to someone who does it for a living (I had visions of a being speared with a broken bit of cage in a big off...).

I'm very happy that I went that way in the end, the close fit & finish that Rod was able to get is fantastic.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan138.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan141.jpg

I've seam welded just about every interior seam I could find, and have tonight finshed the underbody seamwelding. Just a bit more welding & painting to do in the engine bay and I can start putting it back together....and start saving for some decent suspension.

I'll try to post more as I progress.

[Glenn]

Nice work Damo. Nice cage too. Rod must be getting pretty quick at Excel cages now.

Great progress in such a short time too!

[Trevor]

Geez that is pretty quick work, and to think I only saw this car a month ago without the cage.

Damo do you mind if I pop over at some stage over the weekend (if you will be working on it) to check out the progress, and hopefully get some inspiration for my own car.

[Damo666]

Front end stuff finished (no laughing at the cr@p welding!) -

Plated strut tops

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan153.jpg

Seam welded strut towers and inner chassis plate

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan162.jpg

Outer chassis plate

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan163.jpg

[Damo666]

Engine bay & interior painted.
I'm really regretting painiting the interior white - looks good now, but I reckon it wont take long to start scuffing and looking really crap....oh well.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan180.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan181.jpg

Its all starting to go back together now, which is really exciting.
The only issue is getting the tools off my 4-year old!

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Caravan177.jpg

[skypilot]

Hi Damo when you connect the harness back up again you will end up with a left and right harness.
The left one goes to the back lights and the right harness comes from the fuse area to the door switch rear speaker and CONNECTS BACK TO THE BLOODY LEFT HAND HARNESS FOR SOME STRANGE REASON.
it took 30 min on the phone to Mick and two hours of stuffing around trying to work out why I had no rear indicators. The wires look like they should be going to the seat belts or somthing
The wire, it runs in front of the hand brake. I am sure you wouldnt make the same mistake but I thought I would point it out. right back to the blower not working problem

[Damo666]

Cheers, thanks Justin.
Yeah, I have no idea why they ran that one wire by itself down the drivers side - I'm going to run it back with the main rear-loom on the pass side.

I really hate wiring, so hopefully everything goes back together OK!

[Bevan-L]

Cheers, thanks Justin.
Yeah, I have no idea why they ran that one wire by itself down the drivers side - I'm going to run it back with the main rear-loom on the pass side.

I really hate wiring, so hopefully everything goes back together OK!

Yup, same thing I done, modded the loom that the rear indicators and Door ajar switch wires run with the main loom to the rear and split off with the fuel pump loom.

[Damo666]

Getting closer

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/CameraDownload792.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/CameraDownload787.jpg

[Damo666]

Finally a few more updated photos. She's all ready for her maiden voyage at the LCCC khana tomorrow (if it ever stops raining).

Just need to save for some suspension, sumpgaurd, lights, some wheels....it never ends!

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/CameraDownload970.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/CameraDownload976.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/CameraDownload977.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/CameraDownload979.jpg

[copb8]

Damo - The car is looking great, you might want to watch that mudflap on the front drivers side, it's just asking to be ripped off ...

oops.

[paulie]

Looks awesome, very nice job.

So is a spoiler a mandated piece of kit for the series?

I am off to do some more work on mine now :)

Paulie

[Damo666]

Errrr yes, the spoiler was my one cosmetic indulgence!

I am happy to report that the little Excel passed its first test at the khanacross superbly. The goal was really to thrash it and see what breaks before we get to a proper rally - and it copped quite a beating without complaint, with the only casualty being the previously mentioned front mudflap going missing (note to self, dont let the nav drive).

As many have said here before, they are chuckable, nimble and plenty of fun to drive - I'm definitley a convert.

Technically, I came last (I think I hit about 300 flags....) , but as one of only 2 cars running on road tyres we set some decent'ish times throughout the day. It did so well I'm seriosuly considering running the 'Blue Range' rally here in Canberra in early February next year, even with the standard road suspension and no sump gaurd....

[Damo666]

Thought it was time for another update.
I've finally managed to scrounge up all the little extra bits for my engine conversion, so I sent the wife and kids away & locked myself in the shed for the weekend.

Day 1 - The physical mounting was really easy, much easier that I was anticipating. Just a small mod to the front engine mount and it bolted up to the stock SOHC mounts (mine is one of the really early SOHC shells, with the 'other' engine crossmember & mounts).

Day 2 - Also pretty easy, spent the day plugging in the new loom and putting driveshafts and oils back in it.

So, she's gone from one of these ->
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/CameraDownload1024.jpg

To one of these, yay, too easy! :clap: ->
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Picture048.jpg


The old battery was dead, so I stuck it on the charger and went back out tonight to fire it up.
:splat: Not so happy. Turning the key gives me a nasty buzzing relay sound behind the dash, and no broom broom.
Similarly, attempting to turn on the headlights or blinkers does a similar thing, along with pulsing dash lights...

I'm really hoping thay I've just plugged the wrong bits of loom back into each other (as some of the plugs near the ECU are the same connector type), but I just couldnt face pulling the dash out again tonight!

[Damo666]

Yay, all happy again! :clap:

I have no frikken idea what was wrong, but just pulled all the fuses and relays and unplugged the loom connections in the drivers footwell near the ECU. Then I plugged everything back in exactly the same spot, and she started first go...:wtf:

Very happy, and now thanks to a very generous offer from Glenn, I'm pushing to have it ready for the NSW series round at Batemans Bay in Sept. Cant wait!

[fro]

Damo, the offer is always there... you need a hand, let us know. Particularly after the parts supply you've given me!

Although, hopefully with the lessons I've learned, you won't bend quite as many things as I have...

[Damo666]

Thanks Fro - your efforts as 'guinea pig' in finding what parts bend have been invaluable!!
(although I reckon mine in going to be grossly overweight with all the extra plating....)

[Damo666]

Thought i'd better update this and throw up a final 'finished' picture of the car, before its first proper rally at ROC in March.

Although not alot has changed externally, it now has a twincam engine to replace the original single, some DMS suspension, sumpgaurd, lightbar, some underbody protection, a heaterectomy etc (and most importantly, stickers!).

Hopefully this does not turn into 'before' and 'after' shots, with the next one of it in the back of a box trailer following ROC....

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Picture264.jpg

[fro]

Damo, it's looking good. Now I'll just need your welding skills to start Dream v2.0

[haggers]

Thought i'd better update this and throw up a final 'finished' picture of the car, before its first proper rally at ROC in March.

Although not alot has changed externally, it now has a twincam engine to replace the original single, some DMS suspension, sumpgaurd, lightbar, some underbody protection, a heaterectomy etc (and most importantly, stickers!).

Hopefully this does not turn into 'before' and 'after' shots, with the next one of it in the back of a box trailer following ROC....

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/Picture264.jpg

Noice

Haggers

[skypilot]

Well done mate, it would look very cool at Rally Q as well :clap:

[Damo666]

Thread from the dead.

After realising that "bigger and better" is not always better, I have another white Excel rallycar back in the shed....almost 18 months after the first one was built. Groundhog day anyone?

Just a few little things like the front mudflaps and sumpgaurd etc to sort out, and then I'll be off to try and get it through rego. Cant wait for that!

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/022.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/029.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/024.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/026.jpg

[SCROOD]

nice clean job-its inspiring to see stuff like that....

[Damo666]

Not a very exciting update, but got one of the final accessories for the Excel, number plates! The guys at rego were actually really quick & painless, which was a refreshing change.

Also added some new head-restrainty type seats. Just needs a sump gaurd, lights and an exhaust, and I can get back out there.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/24July2010007.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/24July2010006.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/24July2010003.jpg

[shake]

Nice job on the rear tower tops on the cage, they look farmilar :)

[Bevan-L]

How do you find the Sabelt seat Damo??? Same one I have in the Lantra...

[Damo666]

Yep, I love the seat, very comfy - the wings are actually much less intrusive that I thought they would be, you dont even notice them when driving (reversing is interesting though!).

[raicuandi]

Looks awesome!
Any modifications to the shifter or just raised it?

[Damo666]

Just raised a bit closer to the wheel (plus it was an auto originally, so the shifter bolt pattern was different).

[John C]

damo

Sump guard should hit Yass at midnight friday 27th
cheers

[Damo666]

John - picked it up today, massive thanks for organising to get it down here!
I will call tomoroow to finalise things.

Cheers
Damo

[Mooa42]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff126/damop/026.jpg

Very neat looking setup, a couple of questions.

What are the three harness loops on the rear floor for?

and do you have a bars that run forward to the main hoop from the rear towers? (I can't quite see in the picture)

Cheers
Tony

[Damo666]

Hi Tony,

The harness eye bolts are so I can attach a ratchet strap and mid-mount the spare wheel up inside the wheelbase, to try and get some weight out of the things bum.

Yep, its got the bars running from the rear legs forward ('Fro bars' as our local cage builder affectionately calls them!!).