Collecting the Kit

7th October

Collecting the kit

The big day's finally arrived! Spent quite a while sorting out the garage to clear space to not only keep the kit in there but have enough room to work around it. And keep the Evo in there. And get the lawn mower in and out ...

Still haven't rebuilt the top end of the engine, just haven't had time over the last couple of weeks.

Father in law David came on the outing to help out and have a look at the factory. I collected the van at 8.30, a VW luton with a tail lift, Ł65 for the day. The factory recommend the tail lift, it would have been Ł15 less without. It was fairly new, less than 1000 miles on its clock. It was quite good to drive, but ran out of steam at not much more than 70. Bit of a change from the Evo! Got to Kingswinford just before lunchtime without any hassles, offered coffee etc. Nice XTR2 racer parked up outside.

Van with nice tail lift + father-in-law (click for larger image)

Van ready to be loaded up at factory (click for larger image)

Racing XTR2 parked outside factory (click for larger image)

Had to wait ten minutes or so while they got my bits together so had a look round the place. Mark Evans' car from 'A Racing Car is Born' was inside in the showroom, alongside a very pretty silver XTR2

Mark Evans' car from 'A Racing Car is Born' (click for larger image)

Nice XTR2 in showroom (click for larger image)

Found my chassis and bodywork stacked on a trolley waiting to be loaded. Quite a few there waiting to be collected, the place looked pretty busy. I've had quite a few cars over the years, and it's always exciting collecting a new one. This seemed even more of an experience somehow.

There was a brand new Ford Zetec angine and gearbox in the factory and I was struck by how massive it looked compared to my bike engine. I can lift my engine and gearbox up on my own, I wouldn't have a hope with this one!

Factory looks pretty busy (click for larger image)

Here's my chassis and bodywork on a trolley waiting for us (click for larger image)

Me with chassis and bodywork (click for larger image)

Chassis and bodywork wheeled out to doorway (click for larger image)

The guys in the factory were very helpful, they did most of it - they do it several times a week and know how it all best stacks together. They wrapped up all the bits of bodywork in the sheets I'd taken and stacked them around the chassis in the van. They gathered all the other bits in a pile near the doorway before checking them off their list and loading up. I spotted a sump baffle plate - I hadn't realised it was included in the kit and had paid Ł28 for one a few weeks ago. I still had to pay for the modification to the 'Blade wiring loom so they knocked the price of the plate off that. There were a few bits that were out of stock - steering rack, handbrake lever and mirror, so they'll be sent on when they come in.

We got on our way again just after 1pm, I was hoping to get home in time to unload the van and return it to the hire depot to save taking it back before work the next morning. We got back at 4.15 and with the enthusiastic help of the 2 boys started unloading the new car. For the time being we just stacked all the parts on the drive until the chassis was in the garage

Van full of bits (click for larger image)

Unloading the van (click for larger image)

Chris 'helping' (click for larger image)

Back yard full of bits (click for larger image)

Yard getting fuller (click for larger image)

Radiator doesn't weigh much (click for larger image)

A couple of the boxes were quite heavy, particularly the ones with the diff, the reverse gearbox etc. Soon all that was left was the chassis with the main section of bodywork fixed on it with parcel tape. All hands on deck to carry that into the garage ...

Getting the chassis out of the van (click for larger image)

It wasn't really terrible heavy and the four of us managed to lift and carry it quite easily. We turned it round so it was facing the right way and placed it on the stands in the garage. I'd decided to use two wooden trestles I'd made when we built the house. These are fairly heftily constructed and would hold the chassis at a nice height to work on.

Manoevring the chassis round to the garage (click for larger image)

Getting the chassis into the garage (click for larger image)

Chassis lifted onto stands (click for larger image)

We got it all done before 5pm, so I took the van back. Can't wait to start building it! The build diary continues here.

Visits: 14215