1300FWD Sprint Conversion Possible?

[Dolly-Bolt]

I'll try and keep this short and sweet!

I may be given a 1300FWD from a man who was considering scrapping it, apparently it's a bit of a rot-box but it was MOT'd not long ago so that says to me it's not far gone! If I were able to obtain it, I was wondering if was reasonably possible to fit my Sprint running gear which is currently housed in my 1850HL, registered as 1998cc.

I still have all the original running gear from my 1850HL and a vast quantity of service history dating right back to the original owner, and since it will never be a Sprint on the logbook I like the idea of keeping it a presentable, original example since 1850's seem to be a dying breed!

The reason I would like to build a '1300 Sprint', majestic as it sounds, is a good friend of mine has built a Sprint track car which, though near enough standard, was enough to set pleasing times around Castle Combe Circuit. Then after being a passenger I thought to myself.. I need a track car..

I like the idea of a Sprint 1300 as it will be a free 'shell' for the running gear and somewhat an interesting wolf in sheep's clothing! But I will also have an excellent, original example of an 1850HL again.

So I just wondered if most of the important bits, namely the subframe, rear axle, then will the prop fit? Also how much of the rather square 'transmission tunnel' area will have to be adapted to accommodate the gearbox?

[DavePoth]

The back half won't be too much of a trouble - it was designed with 4wd in mind. What is going to be a problem is the front end, which was fairly heavily revised between the 1300 and the 1500/Dolomite.

[TrustNo1]

The back half won't be too much of a trouble - it was designed with 4wd in mind. What is going to be a problem is the front end, which was fairly heavily revised between the 1300 and the 1500/Dolomite.

It wasnt built with four wheel drive in mind.
You will need you fit a axle tunnel. Fit brackets for all the axle mounts. Prop tunnel. Greabox tunnrl. Alter bulkhead. find somewhere to mount a rad as well as a whole host of other mods on the plus side the subframe mounting points are in the right place.

[Dolly-Nut]

I'm not converting your car again Luke

[Jon Tilson]

I would swap the 1300 for a 2 door toledo and do a Sprint conversion on that.

The underpinings of a 1300 are so very different that converting it to rwd would be a major task.

The 1300 fwd's are as rare as anything else so restoring it to standard is a good thing to do.

My 2 cents.



Jonners

[TrustNo1]

Right now that I'm on the proper computer and not a phone with the world smallest keyboard....

There are no mounting points at the rear for the axle, radius arms or swing arms and the 1300 is slightly narrower so the entire back end will need a lot of work including modifying the axle tunnel and area to except the axle and diff, the rear inner wheel arches will need work to take the slightly larger Dolly suspension you will need to completely rebuild the prop tunnel or weld in one off cut off a Dolly, the bulk head and front floor pan including the chassis legs will need extensive reworking for the gearbox to fit and the front panel area will need cutting out to take the rad (due to the larger engine).
The subframe mounting points are in the same place but the forward most mounts will need some work due to the different FWD subframe mountings.
The FWD front suspension although is similar to that of the Dolly it will need changing and the front arches will need reworking.
the bonnet will need a well placed 'power bulge' made and some louvers wouldn't go amiss to allow some air to enter the engine bay
Once you are done there are you planning on keeping the FWD steering if not some minor work will be needed in that area and of course the entire wiring loom is different.

Then you come to the dreaded IVA because you would have swapped all the suspension, the engine, gearbox and extensive changed the body it will be awarded a Q plate.

To answer your original question depending on you level of skill and your metal health yes it is possible to sprint a 1300FWD. The above is knowledge gained from actually owing many FWD's and doing all the measuring and test fitting of a majority of the components including the engine to see if it was possible and in my opinion it is more work that was worth it.

[TahitiSPRINT]

You could start with a Toledo and craft a 1300 front end on it

[TrustNo1]

You could start with a Toledo and craft a 1300 front end on it

That makes more sense and someone on this forum has already attempted that but gave up for various reasons.

[Dolly-Bolt]

Ahh... Well... Perhaps I'll leave it then!

It was only a theory to see out of interest, nothing is set in stone atm but assuming I were to be given the 1300 I may MOT it and run it as my daily in all it's tax-exempt, TC glory! Assuming I haven't taken up Jon Tilsons tempting proposal

Thanks for the help though guys, time will tell!

[TrustNo1]

Did you say it is a TC, genuine 1300TC's are very rare.

[Jod Clark]

Easier to get a Sprint and convert it to 1300FWD power

[Dolly-Bolt]

Did you say it is a TC, genuine 1300TC's are very rare.

Well the registration OFJ 45G comes back as a '1300 TC' on Confused.com, unless the owner has had to convert it to single for whatever reason. I shan't be altering it since it wouldn't be worth effectively ruining a 1300 for the sake of 'something different'.

Howmanyleft.co.uk suggests in Q4 of 2013 there were 30 Licensed and 8 SORN, with that figure only increasing to 59 Licensed on Q4 of 1996! As opposed to the 'single carb' which went from 545 in 1996 to 162 Licensed and 94 SORN in Q4 2013!

Needless to say it will remain very much standard!

Oh, and the woman I'm obtaining it through said "Not sure what it is, it's black and it says TC on the back?" So I initially I think sweet an SE! But after being told the reg it's a 1300TC, that's probably been crudely painted at some point as it's registered as blue

[TrustNo1]

I have a TC that isn't registered or SORN'd. I need to get around to applying for the V5C for it.

There are a few tale tales if its a genuine TC, it should have a remote brake servo on the nearside inner wing and the throttle bracket on the bulkhead has a cable to the carbs and not a rod as well as twin carbs.

Got any pics?


*edit*... Or just do a vehicle check, yep OFJ45G is a genuine TC

[TrustNo1]

"Not sure what it is, it's black and it says TC on the back?" So I initially I think sweet an SE!

There isn't a TC badge on the SE's.

[Dolly-Bolt]

I don't have any pics I'm afraid, basically a woman at my work told me that he (her grandmothers 'companion') was going to scrap it, since the corrosion meant it failed the MOT and as such does not feel the need to keep it. So I spoke with the woman saying well if he's going to scrap it, would he mind if I had it? I would restore it and drive it about daily whilst doing various things to the Dolomite. I've said to tell him that me and Dolly-Nut have transportation for the car and are free at reasonable hours of the day to collect it, but apparently he's being rather stubborn saying "Well it's not doing any harm where it is.." Even though it looks a bit tatty and there are parts all over the house! So time will tell if he does let go of it eventually and I'll get some pictures of what sort of state it's in.

I've asked if 'the woman from work' could get some pictures of the outside just to see any obvious corrosion, so if I do get any then I'll post them