Build Diary 11

Build Diary Page 11

• Front scuttle panel.

The first job is to strip down the Sierra wiper assembly. The linkage arms need to be shortened by cutting out the excess then welding them back together. The motor and linkages are then mounted on a stainless steel bracket. The whole unit is then trial fitted on the scuttle, with the two wiper spindles passing through the holes in the scuttle. When everything is in the correct position the stainless bracket is bonded in with fibre glass mat and resin. A small bracket was also bonded in to keep the speedo cable clear of the wiper mechanism.

The instruments fitted into the pre-cut holes after a bit of filing. The ABS air ducts are bonded on to the underside of the scuttle. The brackets for the windscreen supports are held in with fibre glass, so if the windscreen needs to be removed the bracket doesn't fall off when the screws are removed. Holes for the side repeater indicators were filed out, and holes for the wing mirrors were drilled. The washer jets were also fitted, a small clip was bonded in to support the tube. Then the wiring could begin.

I decided to buy some warning lights from ETB instruments, the same company that supplies Quantum with the dash instruments. They are quite expensive but look the part. Instead of just the one indicator warning light I added a second one so I had a left and right indication. I also did away with the combined low level brake fluid test switch and warning light. Instead I got a combined low level brake fluid, and handbrake warning light, then wired in the handbrake switch. The handbrake acts as a test switch for the light and you also gain the handbrake warning light. I liked the idea of having a low fuel level warning light, as I find this very useful in my own car, question was how to do it. After a lot of searching on the Internet I found an electronic kit which would do exactly what I wanted. Designed for this very purpose, it had a very high input impedance so wouldn't pull down the signal going to the fuel gauge, and a fully adjustable trip level and hysteresis function to stop any relay chatter. The circuit was build up and mounted in a small plastic box, which in turn was mounted in a aluminium bracket, so the box could be easily removed for setting it up on the car. An engine imobiliser was also fitted at this stage, I wouldn't want someone disappearing off into the sunset with my car, the Ford ignition barrel is not the most secure one ever made, you could probably start it with a screw driver!

When I trial fitted the scuttle I found that with the PVC heater hose being quite stiff, it was putting a strain on the ABS heater duct. I solved this problem by purchasing some highly flexible PVC coated material hose. I cut the existing hose back so that approx 60mm was sticking out of the hole in the chassis. I was then able to stretch the new hose over the existing one, and secure it with a cable tie. To stop the hose slipping off the heater duct I drilled two holes in the duct, then used a couple of small screws secured with nuts to create a lip for the hose to push over. A cable tie was then positioned above the heads of the screws to secure the hose in place.

Once all the connections had been made, the battery could be connected for the first time. I tested each section of the wiring separately, putting one fuse in at a time. All seemed to be going well until I tested the heater blower, it has a two position switch, but would only run on fast speed in both positions. After a bit of probing with the multimeter, I discovered the wires going into the back of the switch for the fast and slow speeds were crossed over. I pulled out the connectors and swapped them over, not a major problem.

Then while testing the wipers I came across another problem, the Sierra wiper switch had a function for a rear wash wipe, (yes I know I haven't got a rear windscreen), when I pulled the stalk back to the rear wash position the fuse blew. Not good! So more probing and head scratching. I eventually found the problem, it was an earth wire which the Quantum manual tells you to connect to terminal W (Ford colour black/yellow) on the wiper/lights stalk switch. This is ok if you have a switch without a rear wash function because terminal W is internally connected to terminal 31 which is the switch earth. However its a different story if you have a switch with the rear wiper, the internal wiring is totally different. When you put the switch to the rear wash position the W terminal is connected to +12V, thus creating a short circuit condition. The problem was rectified by simply cutting the earth wire going to terminal W. Why this was connected in the first place I don't know because the switch is already earthed through terminal 31. I have informed Quantum about the mistake so they can correct their manual.

The third and thankfully the last wiring problem was the oil pressure gauge. When the ignition was turned on the oil gauge went up to full scale, Oh no! I tested the continuity between the oil sender and the gauge, they weren't connected together? So I connected a wire direct from the gauge to the sender, this worked fine, the gauge reading zero. Question was where was the break in the wire. I had visions of stripping parts of the loom back out! Then I had a thought, the oil pressure wire was white with a blue stripe, and the main beam warning light was blue with a white stripe. The wires had been grouped together incorrectly, and the gauge was earthing through the waring bulb. So after some rearranging the wires were where they should have been.

The scuttle in place...

The scuttle was trimmed in padded red vinyl to match the rest of the interior. My Dad worked has magic again by making a polished stainless trim to go round the dash, which matches the trim on the front grill. I think you'll agree it looks brilliant!