Project Nighthawk

Well been looking at other peoples projects guess its time i got mine on here.

Where to start well I always wanted a project car to work on bu tnever had any where to put one so never got round to it. Being from Essex originally I always fancied a ford escort mk1 as I was never really a fan of the VW.

Back in '04 we had to get a new daily runner and as I didnt have my licence at the time due to medical My then partener (now my wife) went for the mk4 1.6 16v golf in black. Even then I didnt want one but she said no licence no say. However within months I passed the medical and regained my licence and as time went on and I drove the car more I began to enjoy the car and its quality.

So back in september this year we got married and while on a short honeymoon I was looking around on ebay and cme accross this cracking looker for £500 not far up the road from me, when we got back I contacted the seller and came back with this nice little mk1 (although broke down on the way home)

Well all the above are from the day after I got the car home.

However as I said before this was done by recovery as she cut out hal way home but the starter would not work
when I got to the root of this problem the first being that the starter was not even mounted properly on the car the second that the solinoid was broken so a matter of £25 later and I had that sorted out with the help of a couple of brand new bolts, the second problem was a broken earth strap brazed with a bit of solder and the car started first time.

since then I have found a few other faults ont the car like an adjuster screw missing in the metering head and at one stage thought the head gasket had gone through although at the minute I am not quite shore i it really has gone and am looking that there may be a problem with the piston rings and to much fuel getting throught the engine instead but until I look inside cannot be to sure. As well as that as I am taking out the wiring loom have found that the one init has been cut around so much that it not that much use and got to the point today that I have found sections that are shorting out and beginning to burn out.

So now I have got on with the stripping of the car so that  I can send her off for a respray.














So thats the story so far slow progress I know but this is my first one and want her to be perfect when I have finished and only have weekends in good weather to do work, but hope to make some good progress this year so will keep updating as I go along.

Ah !!! a man with a similar project to ours !!!  8O Good luck with it mate and keep the pics coming    Stu

cheers stu will do in fact here are some more with ow the engine bay started out this morning and how I have left after a few hours work today






well those are how it started and below how it is now






and last but not least amoung some of the things I found today that need replacing although this next one seems ok I drove her until she cut out on me to get her home with the bolts for the cv how you see them just an example of how the last owner treated her.

well no pics yet but have managed to get back out on the car this weekend and have now taken out the shocks, hubs, wishbones and drive shafts this weekend but now have the problem of the exhaust which is being blocked by the air intake to the engine which is bolted on wit a rounded out cap screw

gonna get back to it this weekend weather permitting might just go for the option of slicing through the old exhaust so that i can get the engine out

Looking good mate! I wish I had the time to do mine, she badly needs a good going over but it might now have to wait until after summer.

T

well thats where i got to last weekend busy with the garden this week so it looks like will have to wait till next weekend to get the engine and gearbox out

well i have got some well earned time of work and after a good days graft today with an extended lunch break in it feel like i am now getting somewhere



Thats the gear box out took a while an a little persuasion it came out





and the engine followed close behind after I had cut through the exhaust as you will see below because the bolts are damaged




well after getting to there decided to take a break which ended up being extended but came back late afternoon and finished off the day on the car so she now looks like this




as i said now feel like I am getting somewhere but there is still a long way to go and the list of damaged parts is getting longer all the time.

well the going is slow but some more has now been done after some good hard checks it seems that my worries about the floor may be just that what I thought was week apears not to have been supported properly but even so at the  minute I am still taking it apart ready to go through a colour change.

But with a baby now due in november work on the car is a lot slower as I have to get ready for the new arrival.

however below is the current state of affairs

well not been on for a while and not done anything to the car however have been underneath to take of the fuel take to discover that the fuel tank was put in and the filter etc cable tied to the side of it and the fuel lines put on and then and only then did they decide to stone chip the underside and cover all the bolts lines tank everything in the stuff so cant work properly to get it all of.

On the up shot though I now have decided to build a frame to roll the car chassis for better access and started that today have all the box section and the tube that i will need to build it started cutting the tube and now got to put it all together but as per normal going to take my time and make sure i get it right and all this with luck in time to get the car back in my garage stored on its side so that I can still move around before the bad weather hits

but knowing my luck ill fall behind as per usual and the car will be out in all the bad weather                                                                  

well it has been a while and a lot has happened since I last got on but a quick round up is this

Me and my wife have a lovely 8 month baby boy born in the december and as you can imagine he is taking up all the funds however I have not lost my lust for getting my car done and now with a bit of good weather yesterday this is how she looks all round








as for ideas I have a few I couldnt make up my mind on paint and after talking to a few paint shops who ony seem interested in charging mega bucks for a simple paint job one of my neighbours who used to do it has said if i have the kit he can help spray the car.

So was looking at matt black but seen as if you dont get this right it ruins the car I am going to go for a satin black.

I am flating out the strips on the sides of the car so as to get a nice clean look and then it will be onto taking my time with a rebuild and making sure that I get the right parts in chrome so as to make this car ping and stand out as she rolls down the road.

I will keep the posts coming as I get bits done it will take time but she will be finished and look beautiful once again

So I have been back on with the car sorting out one of the arches and starting to fill the seems in also remounted the rear axle properly getting back to a rolling chassis ready for paint

 

Well been out again today and got the doors back on and the passenger wing seem to have misplaced the boot lid hinges but sure they will turn up.

passenger wing needs some work at the bottom where it bolts on but compared to the drivers wing that is in good nick.

The drivers wing needs either replacing or a whole the size of my fist filling in depending on which is easier.

will get pics on as soon as.