My ex AA spec lift.

[jay]

Progress of my spec lift..its a ex AA thats ha a few owners since new,The spec is a brimec with a APEX body on it which wa made in 1986 according to the spec plate.
My spec is going to slowly be updated with mk5 interior dash and the best bit(well I think so)A TD engine and auto box.


As bought and dragged home.

engine on its way out.

forgot a few wires.

out now..

big empty space

[jay]

this is going in there


The metal bit is a metal weight,no way am i lifting that..

battery tray this is 1 of 2 defo not ford but works well and not rotten

more weight on the front end and its been welded properly before along with new hangers.

under the steps are good not surprising really as they are replacements.

The floorpan which is solid but lots of surface rust,seems like it has had a mt75 in it at 1 time as the gearstick floor is a diffrent color under the paint compared to the rest of the floor also underneath is a diffrent color.well its getting cutout again so i can fit the auto box and stick.

[jay]

dash out..

And then fully out to reveal the extent of the rot which i knew about on the nearside shock absorber top.

This hole along the left side was after i had been digging with a screwdriver all thats left is solid metal.looks like it had only rotted round this side as the window had been leaking at the top corner for a long time as there is a rust trail all the way down the piller..but the rot is weldable and it does only hold the shock.
Had to move the spec today as well as i had left it hard against the garage.Had to move it slowly as the prop was still attached to the diff.

[dark legend]

Have you got the full donor van or just the engine?

Are you keeping the EPIC or going for a mechanical pump?

[jay]

i got a P reg van a few weeks ago with mot and tax but is not to good underneath for next mot..the van came with electric mirrors and central locking and rev counter dash clocks..i drove the van for a while to make sure everything is ok.

[Guy88]

Have you got the full donor van or just the engine?

Are you keeping the EPIC or going for a mechanical pump?

cant do that, the EPIC controlls the gearbox

[jay]

well if all goes well ill keep the auto box and epic pump..but if things dont go well ill put a clutch and flywheel on and mt75 box and bosch pump.

[jay]

been underneath it and have found the spec lifts are converted vans from new.The front cab is ford till the back of the front doors then its fibreglass to the rear bulkhead which is a ford metal chassis cab part.The roof fron the same place is fibreglass,I was taking the head lining out when i found this out as both sides are the rounded bits where the sliding door goes..

And the ford floor finishes just behind the front seats and has box section with alloy plate as the floor with wood and then a stainless finish as a step up bit.the pic will hopefully explain this..

Got some nice lockers under the rear seat all made in wood and metal framework just right for a set of 6x9 speakers and a bass box

[kennystag]

anymore please
kenny
Skye

[jay]

mk 5 dash in all wired up and working..just got to fit the engine and box then hopefully no problems..

The engine awaiting its fuel pump,I am fitting a bosch manual pump..

[dark legend]

How did you get on fitting the Mk5 heater box?

[jay]

i measured the mk5 bulkhead and cut a hole for the heater pipes,i fitted the box with 2 of the boltholes as they lines up and drilled the plastic to fit 1 of the bolt holes and used a self tapper to fit the top right bolt hole to the bulkhead.the dash fitted ok but had to jiggle the duct pipes a little as the box is a little to low but seems ok.I checked to make sure the heater pipe hole is air tight by leaving a torch inside the cab while sitting in the engine bay looking for light,Which i didnt see,and if i did then it would have been out with expanding foam sealant.i filled the gaps on the bulkhead up by the screen with expanding foam to keep the noise down a bit more and i used the mk5 sound proofing instead of the mk3 stuff.

[dark legend]

Have you got a gearbox in at the moment? The Mk5 stick is a different shape to the Mk3 (mk4?) to miss the heaterbox, may be worth checking out to make sure it will still miss if it's a bit lower.

How did the Mk5 soundproofing fit? I looked to use it but it seemed to be a different shape around the centre / fan bit.

I found the holes for the matrix pipes were just on the edge of the double skinned section so it's tight on the engine side for the pipes to fit.

[jay]

i did a measure up and the mk5 stick if used with the mt75 is a little tight on the heater box and will need bending a little..but i am using a type G 4 speed box with overdrive and it does look like it should fit if a little tight (it might need bending about mid way).I also found the heater pipes are right on the edge of the bulkhead corner but as i have cut a bigger hole the pipes fit ok I am making a rubber grommit for the engine side and will stick it in place behind the soundproffing.
Gearbox and engine is hopefully going in monday.So will post up later monday night with pics if it all fits ok.

[dark legend]

Ahh forgot you were using the auto!

Where are you sticking the ECU? As there's no hole in the bulkhead and it will have to live in the engine bay i'm thinking about weatherproofing etc. on mine.