Build day 2

Today I've installed the upper front wishbones, the stabiliser bar, the callipers to the front uprights, the uprights to the upper and lower wishbones and the steering assembly to the installed uprights. I've also removed the fuel tank in preparation for installing the rear suspension and the diff, and disconnected the steering and removed the housings for the steering column ball joint to cut the new holes in the panel to allow for the Zetec engine.

Upper front wishbones

The upper front wishbones were pretty straight forward. Some persuasion was required to install the rear bolt through the small free chassis frame and the bracket but nothing violent.

Front stabiliser

The stabiliser bar was also undramatic...although I had to loosen it off to get one locating boss in position past the upper wishbone bracket.

Front uprights

Next the uprights; after fitting one and then realising I had to fit the callipers which meant removing the wheel arch frame, for the other one I removed the frame from the uprights and fitted the callipers and reassembled at the bench and then installed...much easier. It is in the Birkin manual but I missed it flipping back and forwards between the old and new revisions.

Steering assembly

As you can see in the previous photo I've also fitted the the steering assembly. I had a bit of a "doh" moment where I tried to feed it in short end first...

I have also disconnected the stabiliser bar since that photo as without the dampers (I think anyway) the stabiliser bar linkage hits on the steering assembly.