project zodiac

[deluxemk1]

Right guys and gals heres a quick brief and a couple of requests /questions.

Will post pics this week got to dig it out the garage tomorrow.

Right car in question mk3 zodiac , been asked to sort it out n make it bit more cool to. The car is stock at the moment , imperial maroon in colour with stock wheels.

1. we gonna bare metal it and go digging for rust

2. fix it, prep it , paint it.

3.Lower it

4.Sort the wheel department.

Wel post it all as we go with it.

Right couple of questions before I go to Zodiac Motor Services , John Blythe etc. Has anyone on here lowered a zodiac before? Obviously lowering one is straight forward ,but im wondering if anyone knows where I could get lowered springs for one? Im assuming without looking that a standard lower block kit for the back will do if I get the rear leaf springs sorted as well to deck it? Wheels will be a personal choice ,but ive been given free run of it. I thought about banded steels n keep the chrome caps , do em cream and do the roof cream as well to go with. Now one of you guys do em on here I know ,sorry forgot who it is! Plse could you let me know? Ta . Thought id ask peeps what we should do with the car to old skool cool it. Chuck some ideas at me ,we want it resto style so colours and wheels is really what id like some ideas wot people think would look wicked. Help us build a croozer he he cheers si.

[V8ian]

http://website.lineone.net/~zzoc3/photos.htm

 

There is a Lovely Blue Mk3 owned by Steve Warren sits lowered on steel 6x14s, I think he got them from the Stockton Wheel Co they certainly look like wide stock wheels, http://www.stocktonwheel.com/about_us2.htm

[V8ian]

Found a pic of steves car

 

 

 

[surfingturnip]

for banded steels you may well be after JamesP. He's not on here any more but can be found on retro rides top bloke as well.

[deluxemk1]

Thanks for the links chaps thats a good start. Just went over and collected car and moved it over to workshop to start it next week. Took a few snaps il get jeff to post em up later on. Any help welcomed it seems the lowered springs will prob be the biggest headache.

[bomber1]

Found a pic of steves car

 

 

 

 

love that car

[bomber1]

look on this thread as ive put most of what i know on here http://www.oldskoolford.co.uk/phpBB2/vi ... hp?t=80068

 

now since then ive found a firm called sperry springs that do leafs to order and i know oldfordautos do ur rear blocks. i havent gone to deep into the front end yet but im thinking of getting some mk2 granada legs. then mixing and matching bigger brakes to the zodi legs or see if the granny legs will bolt up onto the zodi. i have big plans with little cash at the moment p.s the steels on that blue mk3 im sure from reading the feature on it are smothies from north hants tyres ive put the link on the other thread pps i see everyones on the zodiac band wagon now ppps

[V8ian]

look on this thread as ive put most of what i know on here http://www.oldskoolford.co.uk/phpBB2/vi ... hp?t=80068

 

now since then ive found a firm called sperry springs that do leafs to order and i know oldfordautos do ur rear blocks. i havent gone to deep into the front end yet but im thinking of getting some mk2 granada legs. then mixing and matching bigger brakes to the zodi legs or see if the granny legs will bolt up onto the zodi. i have big plans with little cash at the moment p.s the steels on that blue mk3 im sure from reading the feature on it are smothies from north hants tyres ive put the link on the other thread pps i see everyones on the zodiac band wagon now

 

Granadas dont have suspension legs they are double wishbone, same as the Mk1, but I am sure the Mk3 hubs can accomodate bigger discs and calipers, I have a feeling that Princess may bolt on as I think you probably have p16 callipers, but im not 100% on that, I can have a word with Steve Warren if you want he is pretty good on the upgrades.

[bomber1]

look on this thread as ive put most of what i know on here http://www.oldskoolford.co.uk/phpBB2/vi ... hp?t=80068

 

now since then ive found a firm called sperry springs that do leafs to order and i know oldfordautos do ur rear blocks. i havent gone to deep into the front end yet but im thinking of getting some mk2 granada legs. then mixing and matching bigger brakes to the zodi legs or see if the granny legs will bolt up onto the zodi. i have big plans with little cash at the moment p.s the steels on that blue mk3 im sure from reading the feature on it are smothies from north hants tyres ive put the link on the other thread pps i see everyones on the zodiac band wagon now

 

Granadas dont have suspension legs they are double wishbone, same as the Mk1, but I am sure the Mk3 hubs can accomodate bigger discs and calipers, I have a feeling that Princess may bolt on as I think you probably have p16 callipers, but im not 100% on that, I can have a word with Steve Warren if you want he is pretty good on the upgrades.

 

that would be good m8 after writing that i was looking on ebay and realised that i would like to put vented discs on the front but the orignal disc seems to run very close to the strut so not sure if i could get the vented on there

[deluxemk1]

looks like the front of this car may be a pig then! Dont want to cut the stock springs thats animal. Thanks for all the help so far il call the relevent people on the bits you have all come up with so far. Thought North hants would be worth a shot for the wheels. Il call old ford autos for the rear end bits ,just dont want to have to get deep in it with the front. By memory A 7 j rim is the most you can get under a mk3 with stock rear end? Had a mk2 zody years a go I stuck 7 x 15 centrelines on that and if memory serves that was all id get under there. Il have to go measure the back space now unless anyone knows off the top of their head?

[deluxemk1]

Il get jeff to post a pic of it asap took em yesterday

[mossy]

im sure spax will lower your existing springs professionally for you...

 

Or is it gaz?

 

bugger i cant remember.

[prefectopop]

Ok some pictures. The car arrived and Simon started thinking about what he was going to do...

 

Then we locked it in the garage and had a cup of tea. Next day we got it out and took some photos for your visual pleasure...

[fezza]

Looks great fellas ,im sure it will turn out puka with the Mitchville boys on the job

[Nettles]

Top looking Zodie

Personally I would loose the wing-mounted mirrors and remove those side repeaters.

Deffo go for some obscenely large and fat banned steels and then slam it!

[bomber1]

looks like the front of this car may be a pig then! Dont want to cut the stock springs thats animal. Thanks for all the help so far il call the relevent people on the bits you have all come up with so far. Thought North hants would be worth a shot for the wheels. Il call old ford autos for the rear end bits ,just dont want to have to get deep in it with the front. By memory A 7 j rim is the most you can get under a mk3 with stock rear end? Had a mk2 zody years a go I stuck 7 x 15 centrelines on that and if memory serves that was all id get under there. Il have to go measure the back space now unless anyone knows off the top of their head?

 

the explorer rims are 9in wide aparantly which are whats on my black zodiac at stock height tho i cant put many people in the back as the rub lots! tho they still rub on corners with only two in the front? but i think the axle is slightly twisted in the car so will look at that this weekend let me know what size wheels u feel are wide enough or to wide for the rear as i want to change mine if u dont go down the banding route for those steels let me know what u want for them pls

[Z-Head]

Hi all, found this on Galeforce Zephyrs web site tech section, may help/hinder, I'm trying to find out if anyones put a rack and pinion in a Mk3 Zephyr, also got the same problem with height. I'm going for 14x7 rear 14x6 front, 2" lower blocks and dont laugh too loud, Grayston spring assisters for the front short term.

 

Galeforce Zephyrs

 

Yes Mike The MklV insert does get fitted, I would think hard on how long you plan to keep the car first if modded for mklV inserts as the insert may not aways be available longterm, remember a MklV is an old car too now. I was under the understanding work needs done to get them to fit too. We do have some notes in Messages regarding Commodore inserts which I would go for if they do work out. Lots of places do the job. Keep searching through the messages and also the article on lowering cars in the sidebar. The FAQ section lists the odd company that does the job too, best to look it up in the www.galeforcezephyrs.com FAQ section as its more up to date.

Here is the other: Lowering your car plus go through messages as myself and others have written a lot on this topic. Remember any good workshop that does custom type work, eg rally cars or rods, may be able to help too. I had a Shop that does wheel alignment and suspension work go through mine .

Cheers,

Karl, Site manager.

[deluxemk1]

Thanks il take a look we do most things to em but we are paint and resto specialists really,mechanical mods I like to get sorted properly for my customers and Im never afraid to ask as many questions as possible. Did think about contacting Gaz about doing something with the front legs ,Il check the site out cheers for the help.We got the car stripped down last couple of days.Should start paint stripping it next week. I know there will be some nasty surprises under that lot!

[bomber1]

mr zhead nice one will look into that site and know who u are on the site

[caprinerd]

why is it that they have silver letters but there is one on a drive sitting doing nothing really local to me and all letters are gold what was the difference (apart from the colour)

[bomber1]

why is it that they have silver letters but there is one on a drive sitting doing nothing really local to me and all letters are gold what was the difference (apart from the colour)

 

are u talking about the bonnet lettering? they are all gold but may look silver in the pictures

 

i was thinking would gaz be able to do a coilover conversion on a stock set of zodie legs?

[bomber1]

what about a coversion using one of these ?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 11010.m204

 

proper steering brakes and suspension in one

[5hane]

oofff

 

that looks nice

[deluxemk1]

Yeah will call Gaz I think it seems to be the less drama of the options .Il find out tomorrow when I check it all out. Car is bare metal now ,looks not bad actually thought it would be worse than it is .Will stick up pics when i get a chance