Redtop sprint

[iandollysprint]

Now fitted bonnet to check clearance. Seems very good - about 15mm to bonnet.

[smifter]

Try Yukspeed for a front bowled winged sump - they make them for fitting XE's into Sunbeams and it'll be a better fit on the front of the subframe.

Good Luck!

[iandollysprint]

Thanks for the advice re yukspeed. Apparently they are only for upright applications and mine is a 7 degree set up.

Anyway I think I may have solved the sump issue as you can see below. It's a real oddball sump for an 1800 omega sold in germany only. It's got the magic front bowl and the rear depth looks ok at 40mm one side extending to 55mm at the other. It seems to be for a 7 degree application perhaps.

It should clear the steering rack so i'll give it a go.

Seems a very rare part though. NLA from vauxhall and I got lucky on some carconexions website that supplied the part from a UK dealer at a reduced price!!!!!

Wish me luck with it

Ian

[iandollysprint]

Now trial fitted the gearbox tunnel. Seems a snug fit. May take a little off the gear stick mount but happy with the location. I am having a bracket made up at work to connect the manta gearbox to the original sprint gearbox mount, it will also be adjustable to give some lateral and vertical adjustment so I can fit it exactly where it needs to sit.

[NickMorgan]

Good luck! I have to admire your ingenuity. I have enough trouble just keeping a car going in standard form!

[iandollysprint]

Gearbox mount adaptor plate now manufactured. This will allow the old sprint mount to fix to the getrag box.

I had it made in stainless 3mm plate with adjustment slots for height and fore and aft.

Sprint gearbox cross memberwill have to fitted back to front but this will just need the mounts slots in the body elongated to make fit.

Next job will be the engine mounts. I am going to chassis mount the engine with a universal mounting kit from SBDevelopments

[evildave]

nice looking project, i had a mk2 escort running an xe red top and it was a very reliable engine even after 5 years of hard driving.
always found steve from sbd more than helpful, had the mbe ignition mapped by steve g at track n road in essex, would really recommend him.

[iandollysprint]

november update.

As ever work takes over my life for a while. Now back on track with the redtop conversion.

Bottom end is well in progress. New high compression pistons have arrived as have 2 sports cams.

Also had the chassis mounting kit as a birthday present from the her indoors.
Purchased an impressive exhaust manifold to boot.

Plan to have engine and gearbox built by christmas and then fitted over the festive period.

Ian

[iandollysprint]

And here's the exhaust manifold!

[eightiesflamer]

ian
All looks good Ian, I had the most trouble with the exhaust and manifold, just thoght I would prepare you.
Darren

[iandollysprint]

Yes I expect to have fun and games with the exhaust.

Plan is to fit the manifold as best I can and then make up a spool piece to join the 2.25 inch manifold to the existing 2 inch sprint sports exhaust system. I might even use a flexible piece to get it going

[iandollysprint]

More work done.

Pistons fitted - nice! Had to chamfer and deburr the conrod caps to accept the ARP bolts. Apparently this mod alone will allow the engine to safetly rev to 7750. Shocking.



Sports camshaft 276 degree



Exhaust manifold trial fitted - needs work! It points into th ebulkhead at present.



Also bought a second gearbox that has an hydraulic clutch conversion which would suit the sprint better. I can then use the original master cylinder. Also has a quickshift.

Cheers for now

Ian

[ToledoZombie]

Hows this one coming along?

[iandollysprint]

Slowly

Moving onto the head now. Been reading up on a mod to cure the porous/cracked head problem on these. Seems a simple mod where you tap in a length of 8mm tube into the effected oilway. Valves just need lapping in so hopefully in a couple of weeks the engin will be more or less complete.

Manta Gearbox is to be redulit by All gears in Worksop (Neil). He did my sprint gearbox previously and before that a BMW M635 for me.

Also looking at the Megajolt setup. Seems straightforwad to fit.

Project is not where I wanted it to be but it always takes 3 times what you estimate to get stuff done. I haven't run into any issues with it to date and the only major items yet to be purchased are the megajolt ignition and bespoke prop.

Watch this space...

[iandollysprint]

Hi all

Quick update - it's been months...

Now working in London and living away in the week so project has stalled somewhat. However I now have the engine fully rebuilt and set up with vernier sprockets, gearbox is on it's way back from rebuild and a hybrid clutch has been bought to mate it all together.

Clutch is from http://www.techniclutch.co.uk It's a c20xe cover, calibra turbo friction plate (230mm diameter - massive compared to the tiny original one) and a manta 1800 release bearing.

Should be in a position to "slot" it in in the next few weeks and chassis mount it with an SBD kit (http://www.sbdev.co.uk).

Then it's a case of fitting the ancillaries...

One of my nieghbours is an expert welder so he will be earning some beer tokens...
Interestingly I live in a cul-de-sac with only 14 houses but this is the list of daft cars that reside there.

BMW M635csi - mine
Mercedes 280 ce 1983 - mine! recent aquisition, real ganster car.
Full on MK2 escort rally car (This is a £20k car)
14 Jowetts! including 2 javelins - huge collection some are absolute beauties
MG Magnet (minter)
Rover P6 2.2 in lime green (minter)
MK2 Astra Ex works rally car.
Mk1 Nova rally car
205 GTi rally car

It makes for quite a sunday morning.

More photos to follow of conversion.
Cheers
for now
Ian