Some EX259 before and after

[Maxxed_Ross]

Well since the project is nearing an end (at last!) I've been looking back through the 100's of pictures I took over the years... and noticed a few are quite close. So for a bit of fun there are some before, during and after shots

Before
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/166303_183505735007925_1047120_n.jpg

During
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/164385_183505598341272_3555626_n.jpg

After
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/36223_135970513094781_2713270_n.jpg

Before
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/545066_442472702444559_1540888193_n.jpg

After
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/598689_439337599424736_1470229975_n.jpg

Before
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/165677_183505761674589_1220130_n.jpg

After
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/166136_183505685007930_4770301_n.jpg

Before
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/24000_110262375665595_7074443_n.jpg

During
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/31082_128653293826503_7097263_n.jpg

After
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/579796_427442583947571_1967463682_n.jpg


Before
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/521300_442472629111233_623553248_n.jpg

After
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/39516_164106523614513_7045083_n.jpg


Before
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/24000_110262198998946_7768789_n.jpg

During
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/162829_183506261674539_1081977_n.jpg

After
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/35542_132696280088871_876577_n.jpg


Before
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/252327_442473805777782_224276339_n.jpg

After
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/554861_427441980614298_946745005_n.jpg


I'll post more when it's actually finished properly :whistle:

[peterzs]

Great to see the progress and the improvements you have made.

Been quite a challenge, bet you are pleased you are nearly there.

Well done for sticking with it, cant wait for the first pics, out on track again.

:hooray::hooray::hooray: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Smokey]

It does look nice. So is that a T16 it has? What sort of BHP are you expecting?

[Maxxed_Ross]

it is indeed a T16, but just a bog standard one just now. I think they're around the 230bhp mark but can't remember. I've fitted this one because I know it runs - so if I have any running issues at all I know it's the car and not the engine.

I've 3 T16 engines in various states that I pan on building one good race engine out of. It'll be built properly so everything skimmed, the bores checked, balanced crank, forged top end and ported head if funds allow. Drew at Roverdose has already been a great help and has offered to build it up for me to make sure it's perfect.

After that I'm fitting my Garret T28RS turbo that i kept from ASBO, so it should be around the 300bhp mark with that - about the same as the BTCC car would have had with the Judd 2.0 V6. The engine and the intercooler are good for 400bhp so who knows where it'll end up!

I've another PG1 gearbox and one from a 620 with a Type B diff in it, so loads of option if the gearing isn't quite right. The type B will keep me going until I can afford a Gripper - or until I rip it in half again like the last two!

[Smokey]

All sounds awesome. So what has been the most costly things to do? I assume its the sourcing of specialist parts for the touring car side of things like wider wheels base etc?

[Maxxed_Ross]

not quite, getting the brake bells and stud adapters was nearly £3000 - the re-spray and fixing all the bodywork was £5000ish

[Dan1971]

:yikes:

That's a big outlay .... Have you actually used it yet ?

[Smokey]

£500 ish!! Gimme his number lol!

[Dan1971]

£500 ish!! Gimme his number lol!

You're missing a zero .....

[Maxxed_Ross]

:yikes:

That's a big outlay .... Have you actually used it yet ?

No, the engine isn't quite finished yet and I'm still trying to track down the last few bits for the brakes


It's a tiny part of a huge picture. A guy on another forum tried to buy it off me last year in it's current state for £18k so I started to add everything up to see how much of a loss it would be - I knew unfinished it would be a loss, but at the time i was totally fed up with it sucking my finances dry at every oppertunity.

Lets just say I stopped when I got past the £30k mark with a stack of stuff still to go through :whistle:

Dreadnought think I'm mad... I could have built a brand new Trophy race car from the ground up and raced it for a few seasons for less :unsure:

[Dan1971]

Wow ..... That is serious money mate ..... Hope you get to drive it soon then. Just don't stack it into the first corner .... ;)

[Maxxed_Ross]

...Just don't stack it into the first corner .... ;)

If I did that I think I would just sit and burn with it :shoot:

[Bobdope2002]

30k

Jeez Louise Drive it once and get it stored away lol

[andys1981]

No, the engine isn't quite finished yet and I'm still trying to track down the last few bits for the brakes


It's a tiny part of a huge picture. A guy on another forum tried to buy it off me last year in it's current state for £18k so I started to add everything up to see how much of a loss it would be - I knew unfinished it would be a loss, but at the time i was totally fed up with it sucking my finances dry at every oppertunity.

Lets just say I stopped when I got past the £30k mark with a stack of stuff still to go through :whistle:

Dreadnought think I'm mad... I could have built a brand new Trophy race car from the ground up and raced it for a few seasons for less :unsure:

youve done well with this mate,its cost you,but im sure you see its worth it mate,top top effort mate,cant wait till its all done,big respect for keeping the faith with it,well done ross!!

[LozMachine]

No, the engine isn't quite finished yet and I'm still trying to track down the last few bits for the brakes


It's a tiny part of a huge picture. A guy on another forum tried to buy it off me last year in it's current state for £18k so I started to add everything up to see how much of a loss it would be - I knew unfinished it would be a loss, but at the time i was totally fed up with it sucking my finances dry at every oppertunity.

Lets just say I stopped when I got past the £30k mark with a stack of stuff still to go through :whistle:

Dreadnought think I'm mad... I could have built a brand new Trophy race car from the ground up and raced it for a few seasons for less :unsure:

At the end of the day Ross, in the right circles that thing will be priceless. Not as if ya come across one every other week/month/year is it. You keep going, cant wait to see it up and running.:bow:

[Maxxed_Ross]

thanks lads, it's always nice to know how much everyone is behind it

[stamford]

Cannot wait to see this one day. I admire your persistence on this project, many would have given up.

[Maxxed_Ross]

thanks mate. To be honest I nearly did... twice, and as I said earlier I seriously thought about cutting my losses and selling it. It's too far gone now and too close to being finished to quit now.

If it wasn't for having to save up for this holiday down under in August it probably would be finished now, but that combined with the costs of buying my first house last year ahve seriously hit my wallet - I've more or less totally run out of funding for it so progress has slowed. Jobs that I can't do myself are having to wait.

But I suppose that's what makes it worth it. I've be hands on with every part of the project from helping get it ready for painting to fitting the engine - so I'm quite proud of how it's turned out so far.

And of course I'd have been totally lost without Dreadnought helping me at every step

[stamford]

It's a one off so you should be proud of what you've achieved considering the state of it when you bought it. Hard to put a price on something like this.