Project Binky

I recently got side tracked from the Betty project by the guys over at Bad Obsession Motor Sports by binge watching the project Binky videos.  They are sticking a 2L turbo AWD Celica drive train and suspension into stock looking mini.  I can't believe the amount of fab work that has gone into this project.  They are over a year into the project and are posting videos on You Tube of the complete build process.  There are 7 in the series thus far showing some rather informative detail on customizing and fabrication. I am taking plenty of inspiration from the vidi. Keep it up my droogies!

Check out the series to date on their website: Project Binky

Bad Obsession Motor Sports

It's Twins

I picked up a set of Dual 40 DCOE Webers for the Fiesta.  I popped off a couple covers to examine the jetting and venturi sizing.

• Venturi 28mm
• Main Jet 115
• Air Corrector 190
• Emulsion Tube F11
• Idle Jet 40 / F6 Air Bleed

The Venturi is sized correctly for my power band, but the emulsion tube is for a cylinder size between 250cc - 325cc which leads me to believe these were tuned for a 1300cc crossflow.  I will have to order some jetting, but can hook it up and tune it on the Fiesta... Later.

These weber carbs are absolutely fascinating. In modern cars you tune by hooking it up to a computer and loading a different map. On these webers, you  swap out brass tubes and turn adjustment screws to dial in the perfect tune for your car.  Very steampunk!

|40 DCOE - 1600cc Crossflow initial sizing

|Venturi| Main Jet   | Air Cor | Emulsion Tube| Idle Jet

| 28     | 115 | 165       | F16 (or F9)   | 40/45 & f9 |

| 30     | 120 | 170       | F16 (or F9)   | 40/45 & f9 |

| 32     | 125-130  | 175-180 | F16 (or F9)   | 40/45 & f9 |

Current

| 28     | 115 | 190   | F11             | 40 & f6     |

Fuel Vapor return line

The fuel vapor return line was rusted out and leaking as well, so I had to secure a 25' long spool of 1/4" steel piping and bend it to match the rusty vapor line I pulled off.  It is nearly impossible to get an exact match on the bends, but this one turned out pretty close.  I am still doing it by eye.  My technique is pretty good, but I know a tape measure and some math would greatly improve the final fit.  I still need to create 1 more rear brake line and the fuel and return lines to complete this part of the project.

Rusty brake lines

After 30 years in the salty streets of Minneapolis, the brake lines finally acquiesced to snow melt.  The brake lines are longer than the standard 8 ft lengths you can get at the auto parts store, so I have to start with a 25ft coil of 3/16 brake line.

Step 1. Built a tool. Instead of spending $300 on a brake line straightener.  I found the general idea from a blogger building up a classic mini; but he's dropping in a 1.3l turbo from a toyota starlet.  I built my own for $50.  It will straighten 3/16" and 1/4" line.  I built my tool to mount to the bench vice.  It allows flexibility of a variable distance between the dies.  If you remove two of the five dies you can then use this set up to bend a large diameter bend in the brake line.  Something I needed to do to follow the contour of the gas tank.  This is the same technique used to bend curves in sheet metal with a 3 wheel roller press.

Remove the jaws and mount the tool

Step 2. Straighten the line

Bend the line as close as you can to the original

Once in a blood moon...you find NOS Fiesta fenders

Every once in a while the stars align and the moon turns blood red as a harbinger of good fortune.   I picked up some NOS genuine ford fenders for Betty for a fair price.  What a lucky break to find left and right NOS ford fenders(wings) together.  These are pretty rare these days.  The rest of the repair sheet metal I need is still readily available over seas.  With another sheet metal order we should be ready to take Betty into body and paint when it gets cold this winter.  Until then I will enjoy driving my rusty little motor.

K&N open element air filter

In the US, if you try to use the K&N vehicle search function to find an air filter for your 1978-80 Fiesta, you will be steered towards a filter that fits in the stock air box.  And that filter works great on a stock carb.   If however you have modified your engine with a head, exhaust, carb and or intake, or you just want an open element air filter, you will need to select a 1981-1986 Fiesta XR2 as your vehicle to return the Open element filter parts that fit the DFT style of carb.

I installed the open element K&N filter kit on the larger Weber DFT9a 32/34 carburetor. This has the same top pattern as the stock carb.  This made a very big difference in throttle response through the power band.  In fact it eliminated all sluggishness left in the car.

The stock oil filler cap has the PCV valve in the neck of the cap, however you will need a vacuum source on the top most hose.  This connects to dirty side of the stock airbox through a 5/8" connector that has been clipped into a hole in the side of the box.  There is a small mat of fiber that looks like it collects any oil droplets that get sucked past the pcv valve, and drains it back down the hose to the filler neck.  We are probably not going to be able to get that fancy with the filter kit.


Project Parts List
Filter Assy:
56-9015 - Custom Racing Assembly (stock or lower Engine)
Or
56-1730 - Custom Racing Assembly (Lowered Engine)


PCV Vent Kit
85-1190 - Plastic elbow 5/8" (clean side of filter, Drill hole in bottom plate of filter kit to fit)
OR
85-1362 - Metal Marine Style 5/8"x2.75 tall (Dirty Side of filter - not sure if you will get the suction required with this set up, and you will need to trim to fit the 56-9015 kit.  Use 85-1462 with kit 56-1730, you will need to trim to fit)
OR
Drill a hole in the bottom plate 2mm smaller than the OD of your hose and simply stuff it in there.

You will also need a new length of hose for the PCV connection to the filler cap.

I used the 56-9015 Kit.  The best price I found was on eBay from Summit Racing.  It was cheap and shipping was free.

XR2 Article detailing common problems

Here is a nice article detailing the MK1 XR2, and some common issues and possible solutions.  While not the US spec version, there is a bit in here that is very applicable to our US cars.

Sports Today - Fiesta-xr2-mk1