My Jago kit car hot rod project

[Paul B]

I've had this about six months now, bought it part started. I've now done a bunch of mods to the chassis and started steeling out the fibreglass body shell.

The motor is a 360 FE Ford big block, sort of a 'poor mans' 390.

When I bought it:



In my back yard, part asembled:



A bunch of chassis mods, triangulated four bar fitted, new crossmembers etc:









I'll admit, the steel work is pretty heavy duty, but I have this to drop onto the motor at some stage in the future:



Here's the tubular steel stiffening going into the bodyshell, sort of a roll cage to make it a bit more sturdy:





Firewall is 3/8" ply glassed over on both sides, and set back about 5" from stock:



One day, hopefully, it'll look a bit like this:

[v8 jago]

Its starting to come on mate ! Just some more hard graft will make it look as good as the yellow one. And then i will be drooling over it. ( sorry in advance if i slaver on it when i see it) I have a soft spot for them, Just a shame they fetch a good price.

[kiwicar]

Nice work, looks a fun project, personally I really like the FE, it is bit different. Good job on the chassis, well thought out by the look of it, economical use of metal.
Mike

[adikt]

I wanna hot rod! is Dooster still active and goin?

[Eliot]

Not that I know anything about chassis building, but given that the coilovers are taking all the loading - isn't there a possibility of it bending that bolt?

[Paul B]

Its starting to come on mate ! Just some more hard graft will make it look as good as the yellow one. And then i will be drooling over it. ( sorry in advance if i slaver on it when i see it) I have a soft spot for them, Just a shame they fetch a good price.

This one doesn't owe me any more than £3.5 so far mate, but i'm sure the bill will rise as time goes by

Nice work, looks a fun project, personally I really like the FE, it is bit different. Good job on the chassis, well thought out by the look of it, economical use of metal.
Mike

I've seen so many cars with huge great cross members, and some with none at all, that I decided to go halfway but still keep everything nice and stiff and aligned. Hope it works....

The FE is a runner, but no idea how good/bad it is internally. If it needs a major rebuild I'll try to import a 390 rebuild kit and get more power and economy in one fell swoop. The 360 is real low Compression ratio.

I wanna hot rod! is Dooster still active and goin?

Dooster is still around, but moved up to Nottingham area, and pretty much stagnated now. This car was in their shop when I bought it, but it isn't one of theirs.

Not that I know anything about chassis building, but given that the coilovers are taking all the loading - isn't there a possibility of it bending that bolt?

The theory is that it is under tension rather than bending, as there is a compression tube inside the shocker rubber. It is meant to take 5/8" bolts, but someone has sleeved the shock to 1/2".

When I order the correct shocks (these are old Jag, I think) I'll use 5/8" bolts, which should be man enough, and maybe use rose jointed ends too, to keep things all lined up as the suspension arcs.

[Paul B]

A little fabrication to the front end for spring clearance, Panhard rod fitting etc.



Engine cleaned, painted and back in the chassis.



Frond end back in after painting.



Speedway Vega steering box in on its new bracketry.




Triangulated four bar all welded up and the axle back in place.



Steering column and pedals have been sourced, or manufactured, fettled and fitted.



Headlight/shocker brackets fabricated.



Gear shift is mucho modified SD1 auto lever.



Foot pedal frame has been built, along with plenty of supporting steel for the glass body. Brakes are Wilwood adjustable balance dual M/C's. I invested a bit of money in the important stuff.

[Paul B]

I've added a bunch of steel framework to the floppy glass body.







in hindsight I'd probably have done better just getting a proper 8 point roll cage built, and glass that to the body in places for stiffness. Still, hindsight is 20/20 vision.



I built the seat from plywood, steel and some fibreglass.



The body has a new firewall and floor glassed in. I actually had the body upside down for a while working on the underneath.

[bones]

That is looking real good, rich

[topcatcustom]

[Ian Anderson]

Hi

It looks like a fantastic project.
Has it got a V5 already or are you going down the SVA / IVA route?

If the latter then can I suggest you do some reading on the requirements before you go any further.

The reason I suggest this is that I went through SVA and it was not a pleasant experience and they will have a field day under your dash!
Example Where your steering column is mounted the bolts for the bracket are on the underside - change this so the bolts are at the front (away from your legs) and then put "rubbers" over the ends so as not to bump your knees on the edges and also the edges of the bracket will need to be rounded to a radius of XXXmm. (The barstewards do check this sort of crap!) Also you will probably need a collapsable boss on the steering wheel - if you need one for the test just say as I think I can lay my hands on one that has done a few cars already!

Likewise your seat looks great but will fail the SVA if it has any part of the seatbelt fixed to it.- From March it will need headrests too! It also need to bolt to a steel floor or crossmember and not fiberglass / wood.

I also could not see a suitable point for mounting the shoulder seatbelt point and they need that area to be triangulated!

Sorry if this sounds like I am trashing your build - it's not ment in that way but just to advise you of some of the problems you may encounter and perhaps if I can pass on info that saves heartache later all well and good.


Cheers
Ian

[Paul B]

Hi

It looks like a fantastic project.
Has it got a V5 already or are you going down the SVA / IVA route?

If the latter then can I suggest you do some reading on the requirements before you go any further. .....

Sorry if this sounds like I am trashing your build - it's not ment in that way but just to advise you of some of the problems you may encounter and perhaps if I can pass on info that saves heartache later all well and good.


Cheers
Ian

No worries, all criticism taken onboard as intended.

It is already registered, as a 1985 kit car, V5, chassis numbers the lot, though it has hardly turned a wheel in anger. Regulations were a bit different back then I guess. I 'amuse' people on the NSRA when I refer to it as my kit car.

I've built steel into the body framework for the seat belts, as I won't allow my wife/sprog in a car without them.

Bolts under the dash will be replaced with dome nuts and all as time passes.

If I were to go the SVA route it would be a whole different build, and mucho studying of the SVA handbook, which is obsolete as of this February I believe. A whole new system comes in soon.

I thought about doing it with this rebuild, but I'll save the energy and frustration until I really need to.

[Ian Anderson]

Paul

That's fanastic news that you already have a V5
It really does look like a fun build - especially as the men from the ministry will not try to pee on your parade!

Ian

[kiwicar]

I don't know if you have read the article in PPC this month on the SVA and it's replacment but it sheds some light on what is planned. I would read it pretty carfully as it all seems designed to catch us all out. Having an '85 V5 will help alot but I would make sure you have a friendly MOT station and preferably documentation to prove that you have infact only changed the engine!
Sorry not trying to be a party pooper, it is a loverly project and you are getting on briliantly with it I hope to see to on a roundabout soon .
Mike

[Paul B]

I don't know if you have read the article in PPC this month on the SVA and it's replacment but it sheds some light on what is planned. I would read it pretty carfully as it all seems designed to catch us all out. Having an '85 V5 will help alot but I would make sure you have a friendly MOT station and preferably documentation to prove that you have infact only changed the engine!
Sorry not trying to be a party pooper, it is a loverly project and you are getting on briliantly with it I hope to see to on a roundabout soon .
Mike

The same guy who MOT'd my Morris hot rod will hopefully be doing this one next year.

I have, indeed, only changed the engine and repaired some rust damage to the chassis.....