Webmaster's Project Car

Words and Pictures: FFDave Click here to print this article

With two years of fun and a great way of spending my hard earned cash I came to the end of what I could do to my much loved white MK2 XR2.

After a great deal of umming and arrring (and with the help of getting another car for everyday use) I decided to transform my ex show car into a stripped out monster of an XR2 to take on track days, 1/4 mile events and the like, as well as the odd back road blast of course! This has however deviated slightly due to uncovering an unearthly ammount of rust...read on to find out more.

To recap these are some of the most recent pictures of how it was before I embarked on this project.

These pages are an ongoing diary of how things are progressing, month by month...Click a month from the list below to see and read more:


September 2002
October 2002
November 2002
December 2002
January 2003
February 2003
March 2003
April 2003
May 2003

As the completion of the project car is looming (Hopefully by the end of May 2003 - [9 months start to finish]) It's about time to say thank you to all those that have helped me along the very time consuming, costly and often very frustrating way...
	Shepherd Motors (01245) 477999 I would like to thank everyone at Shepherds for all their help - if it was not for the use of your facilities I would not of been able to get as hands on as I have with this project as well as broadening my skills as a part time hobbie mechanic (If I am actually at that standard now - which is still open for debate) Dean - For the numerous chats, engine design and building, gearbox building and everything in general. Craig - For the use of the spray shop and the use of your expert skills when my spraying went a bit "tits up", and for all the other help with bodywork and the supplying of parts etc. Shane - For hours and hours of your time and skills in helping me along the way, with help fitting the gearbox, clutch and flywheel to mention but a few - good advise on wheel and tyre settings - and for endlessly swapping one tyre from one wheel to another for me - and also for laughing along with Gav when I failed to remove the end cap from the underseal spray gun and covering myself from head to toe in underseal (even I had to laugh at my stupidity on that one) Bob - For your vast number of years worth of knowledge and expertise, engine building skills and just in general. Gav - For helping out as you always do and for the "shop runs" just when there needed!
Argent Engineering	For your dedication to see the project through and to give up many hours of your valuable time to help construct what will hopefully be one hell of a car on final completion.
Dolby Engineering	For making up tools and brackets that "get the job done" in a matter of hours - and also for being the one that has to have a cup of coffee when we are all having tea to be awkward!
	Ken - For being so helpful when others clearly were not and for supplying a top rate cam and valve train far superior to the norm!
	Mark Robinson @ Demon Tweeks - For being so helpful.
	For help and support in general and for supplying great quality kit at great prices! (Specially James, Matt, Laney, JJ and the two Daves)
	For some excellent technical info on a whole host of things - as well as for some rather interesting chats!
	Kev @ 3GBrakes for as per usual supplying awesome braking products at stupidly cheap prices!
	Ben Birch @ PF for inspiring me into building a car that will smash "His Jalopy" into the ground at the forthcoming PF/FS XR2 Thrash!
Finally obviously to my family in particular for not moaning too much at the car parts accumulated everywhere! Also to anyone else that I have received help / products from over the last 8 months - It has all been very much appreciated! Lookout for the full feature - coming soon exclusively to FastFords.org.uk (Including recorded times, and movies!)