newbie post: Perana build

[Kenyanperana]

Hi there, Newbie here.

I am currently building a replica of a South African Perana (1970 Mk1 with 5.0 Mustang V8) so not a Laser - hope that's OK! It will compete in this http://www.eastafricansafarirally.com/ in November 2015.

It is based on a 1.6 donor vehicle which was rescued from a scrap metal dealer, so please don't flame me for bastardising an original vehicle!


Ratty donor vehicle


Shell post sandblasting


Much of the original floor replaced


extra large tunnel


sexy new Mustang V8 5.0

I will keep you posted!

[Andrew 2.8i]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum. Don't be put off by the forum name, all flavours of Capri are welcome here!
That looks to be an interesting build!
I look forward to seeing how this one progresses.

All the best,
Andrew.

[Kenyanperana]

Many thanks for that. We are in fact building three of them, and mine is no.2 in the production line..!


No.1 and No.2 side by side.


roll cage going into No. 2


trial fitting Mustang axle with Mitsubishis Evolution hubs and wheels


This is Ian Duncan's Perana, which won the event in 2013.

[Kenyanperana]

No. 3 off to the sandblasters. We call this one "The Sieve"...

[Kenyanperana]

This is what we are up against:



The 2013 entry list comprised 64 cars, 31 of which were Porsche 911s, with 8 Datsun 260Zs, 10 Mk1 escorts and 4 Mk2s. Entrants included Bjorn Waldergaard (now passed on, sadly) and Stig Blomquist!

[Andrew 2.8i]

Hi,

I've just looked up the '13 event on Google. That's a high calibre of entrants you'll be up against next year. I'm sure you'll do the Capri proud!
I hope 'The Sieve' will be watertight for negotiating the deep water that they used to get on that event in the past!

Good luck,
Andrew.

[atomic4]

Many thanks for that. We are in fact building three of them, and mine is no.2 in the production line..!


No.1 and No.2 side by side.


roll cage going into No. 2


trial fitting Mustang axle with Mitsubishis Evolution hubs and wheels


This is Ian Duncan's Perana, which won the event in 2013.

Well done for keeping the capris on the road. Best of luck on the restorations.

[Caprifan Rob]

What a great project, love that v8 engine, these cars are going to fly (literally) looking forward to seeing the progress on this, the event looks really tough on cars.

[Hoonigan]

An awesome project. The event seems to be very competitive. The ingredients you have sure will brew one hell of a Capri! What are your plans for suspension? Are you taking stuff off of Evos? Or cooking up your own set up?

[Kenyanperana]

Many thanks for your comments, I promise to keep you updated.

Maybe I should move this post to the projects section as it is not really a member's car post anymore, not sure how to do that though.

As freelanderfan says, the event is very tough on cars, and so the organisers are relatively lax on certain aspects of the classic regulations. As long as we do not deviate from the basic design of the Capri, the suspension is free, for example. To run on homologated Macphearson struts would be hopeless, but as long as we stick to that design, we can uprate the suspension to cope with the local conditions, so we are using Mitsubishi Evo X front struts and custom rear ones.

It will certainly be a beast, let's just hope I learn to tame it in time for the event...!

[Kenyanperana]

Body fabrication on no. 1 continue apace. Not much progress on no. 2...


Rear wing extension


Rear wing blended in


Front wing flare being measured against the tyre prior to final trimming


Front wing flare completed. This ratty wing is the best one we've got! Trying to buy more wings..!

[Kenyanperana]

Headlights and bullbar going into No.1

[Kenyanperana]

Disaster! Our Perana has been banned from the 2015 East African Classic Safari Rally! This is because it was never FIA homologated and never raced in period outside South Africa. I understand that although the car is raced in places like New Zealand and Morocco, it suffers similar problems in other places in the world too. This is in spite of the fact that it was available throughout South Africa from the main Ford stealerships and came wth a full Ford warranty...

Anywho, the solution is to change the spec to RS3100 which is a homologated car running the 3.1 V6 Essex engine. This doesn't weigh any less than the Mustang 5.0 litre engine, but produces around 250BHP (in racing tune) as opposed to the 400+BHP of the V8. Ironically though, for a gravel car, it may be easier to drive with the reduced power!


trial fitting an old Essex

The sad thing is this news has come too late to develop a new engine in time for the event later this year. we are pressing on with the changes that the new engine will require, including switching from a mustang 4-speed toploader gearbox to a Ford Cosworth T5, which will be a better box for this event, but it is too much time and money to get everything together and leave time for a suitable amount of testing.

watch this space....

[3 Litre Power]

Th Essex is heavy but not nearly as heavy as a 5.0 Windsor, an Essex weighs about 374 lbs fully dressed , a 5.0 Windsor weighs 460lbs..
And you can get decent power out of an Essex ric Wood have built 390 Hp N/A Carb Essex engines

[whooligan]

Just whipped the Essex out of my car and I reckon there isn't that much difference between an Essex and a Windsor.
I've just picked up a Windsor (1991 from Mustang), and I reckon when I fit alloy heads, it will weight about the same as a std Essex with all the bolt ons.

I'm in the middle of a Perana replica build. Its for tarmac track only (club level) so wont be an out and out rally car. Although it should go alright. 220bhp Standard and I've lightened the shell with fibreglass bonnet, guards, bootlid to a tad over a tonne. With Tickford heads (common in XR8 Falcons in Aust.) should be over 300bhp....But that will have to wait until I get the suspension tuned and adjusted to my local track.

[Kenyanperana]

The Perana was built to be a Tarmac racer, and I am sure yours will be epic! Best of luck with it. I still think we had too much power for a RWD gravel car, and am hoping the Essex will tick all the boxes - time will tell!

[Kenyanperana]

What gearbox are you using Whooligan? I have a 4-speed top loader rocket box built for our 420BHP 5.4 engines if you are interested...?

[whooligan]

Toploader is your best bet although there are several modern sequential gearboxes available now that can handle that sort of power.
I have a standard T5 that came behind aussie V8s and is fine upto 300bhp but im told are weak beyond that.

[Kenyanperana]

Quick question for you guys. The scruiteneers have approved our build according to the RS3100 Homologation with the Essex 3100 engine. I know that the RS3100 was built at the same time as the first run of Mk2 Capris, and I believe that the Mk2 came with PAS as an option. Did the RS3100 come with PAS out of the factory? Anyone know...?

Thanks very much.

[3 Litre Power]

If by PAS You mean power steering the answer is no the RS 3100 Never had power steering from the Factory , and i think only the Ghia and S Mk2s from '76 on had power steering my 75 3.0 Ghia doesn't , also if you want big power from an Essex contact Ric Wood in england they'll help you out does the engine have to be 3100cc? Ric Wood have built OHV Essex engines with almost 400 Hp but those were bored and stroked to 4000cc you can still get plenty of power from a 3.1 Essex though some race Essex engines have +300 Hp out of 3.0 L