TVR power steering

We have owned our TVR S3 for just over 1 year. We really like the car but the steering is oh so heavy for Liz so I decided to fit an EPAS (Electric power assisted steering)

The  one I chose to fit was from a Corsa C, by far the most popular one, which I bought from a local scrapyard. I stripped the column of all the bits I didn't need and tried to offer it into place, but it would not fit, the problem is there is a cross brace across the top of the footwell. On the left it fits beside the gearbox then runs across to pick up the steering column then across to the door hinge and it was fouling the EPAS motor.

My friend Peter (Scimitar owner) suggested a MGF unit which is smaller and the motor is further down the column so clearing the cross brace (well nearly!) and it is a lot lighter.

The TVR outer column (Escort) nearly slides over the MGF unit but not quite so I cut it lengthways to slightly expand it and tapped it over the MGF column, fitting was a lot of fun lying on your back in the footwell, seat removed of course!, I bolted it up at the cross brace, at the bottom I modified the MGF bracket and used studding to secure it to the bulkhead as it was approx 100mm away. There were 3 holes in the bracket so I used all 3 for a stronger job but trying to mark off where I needed the holes in the bulkhead whilst lying on your back inches away from your eyes looking through the holes in the bracket and trying to line up where the holes in the bulkhead was very difficult, I couldn't get a drill in so I used a small pencil hand drill holder with a small drill fitted, it is just about possible to drill holes through the bulkhead, then I was able to enlarge the holes when I found out where they would come out.

Next I had to join the MGF collaspable column to the TVR column so I drilled a 10mm hole in the MGF 20mm deep, pressed in a 10mm bar then drilled and pinned it, I had left 20mm protruding which I filed to fit the TVR triangular column then pinned this. I got someone to weld it together, Peter is going to do the electrics, he is a retired electronics engineer,  I need to buy some gizmo to fool the ECU into thinking it's on the car, this consists of a rotary knob which controls the amount of assistance that the driver prefers.

I SHOULD HAVE MADE LIZ GO TO THE GYM INSTEAD!!!!

                                          To be continued...............................