Engine Mounts Remanufacture - Volunteers Sought

[SprintMWU773V]

There's been a number of complaints about the quality of the current reproduction rubber engine mounts. I've been tasked with looking into possible solutions. One of these is to look at making some out of polyurethane. There are already polyurethane mounts available for a number of cars which offer a long life but supple enough not to cause vibration. I see no reason why you couldn't make some Dolomite ones this way.

As I have good contacts within the polyurethane manufacturing industry I've approached 2 manufacturers to assist. Both agree it is technically possible to make such an item but they require more information before we progress to quotation. I'm currently looking at Sprint mounts only, though this could expand to other models in the future. Samples of existing mounts have been sent to the manufacturers for assessment.

Part of the development and feasibility is to look at temperature. I'll shortly be taking delivery of some temperature sensitive strips. These will give the manufacturers an idea of under bonnet temperatures and how this may affect the material required. As my car is not functioning I cannot do this so I'm looking for 2 willing volunteers to undertake the research for me. Ideally I'm looking for a road car and also a track/high performance car so to take in both extremes. The volunteers should also be able to complete the research in the next 4-5 weeks so please don't volunteer if your car is about to be laid up for an extended period. May I also suggest that the volunteers would like to take some photos of the strips for a possible future DM article!

If interested please PM me and I can arrange dispatch of temp strips when I receive them.

Project is at an early stage, there's no guarantee mounts can be made or how much they might cost. If and when we get to prototype stage I'll be looking for more volunteers to test an actual pair of mounts.

[new to this]

mark

Sounds an interesting project,my car is not running yet so i cant volunteer

[MIG Wielder]

Would a set of measurements on an 1850 daily driver provide useful data ?
Tony.

[Yellowcharlie]

Happy to help and car is used all year round but it's a 1500! Sorry chaps

[SprintMWU773V]

1st quote is in, I have to say very interesting and very doable technically. Will wait for the other one then report to the committee.

[tony g]

Good work Mark,

Tony

[sprint95m]

Am I right in thinking that this is dead in the water, so to speak?


I am about to make (next month) an offside engine mount but thought I should ask first.
For the nearside I am going to try an off the shelf Jaguar XJ6 mount.




thanks

Ian.

[SprintMWU773V]

No it's not entirely dead I'm exploring another option.

Does anyone have a half decent mount they could lend for the supplier? I sent out two new mounts never to be seen again and am reluctant to send another new one out.

[sprint95m]

Thanks Mark.

[James467]

Whilst Marks doing a great job working on original mounts I was thinking about something non original. I have YGD which is a good test bed.

My first thoughts were adapting a ford gearbox mount, haven't got a design in my head for that yet!

The other thought is using a us sourced crate motor mount kit. Something like this that uses plates that are custom made and bolt to the existing mounts with no modifications.

[soe8m]

I made mounts like that. You can easy modify the 1850 brackets and weld a round tube on them.

Maybe you can make a batch James.

Jeroen

[soe8m]

Here a pic of a prototype.




Jeroen

[TrustNo1]

Has Chris Witor been approached about making them, he has done others on request including rear screen rubbers and inner tracker arm bushes so I would imagine he would be happy to make something as popular as engine mounts?

[James467]

Will see if I can catch up with him at the NEC, I want to talk to him about quarterlight seals.

[sprint95m]

I have a design in mind for the offside mount.
Having seen “cotton reel” bushes employed as engine mounts
I have also been thinking along the same line as both James and Jeroen
and have identified Superflex bushes to try.

As an aside, I am also going to try Superflex bushes
for the antiroll bar drop links.

I will possibly ( probably) get around to this in the next month.
These jobs are a welcome change to all the structural repairs
I am doing to the Sprint .
Indeed this evening I have been making radiator brackets.



Ian