Hello welcome to the World of Dollyship!
Quote:
How quick should these things be? I've done the valve clearances, which it did need and seemed to improve tickover no end, but it does feel a little gutless. I reallise it's only a 1300 and it's not something that's going to be raced etc. but I could just do with knowing what sort of power it should be producing to give me some idea of engine condition.
You ask about improving performance of the Dolomite 1300, well I owned one for approx 8 years as my daily driver and did do the twin carb conversion.
Firstly you need to know the original factory specification. That is 58 bhp and a 0-60 time of 17.5 seconds. It was never was a ball of fire!
Quote:
Also, the twin carb conversion... what's a good price? Local scrappers wants £140 for both manifolds and the carbs. Although, these are off a 1500 spitfire (i think) so not even entirely sure they'll fit).
If it's a decent transformation, then I guess it's not a bad price. Any ballpark bhp figures?
Edit: Aha, exhaust manifold won't fit. 85 odd ok for inlet and carbs? Ebay isn't throwing much up.
As you say the exhaust manifold from a Spit won't fit the Dolomite down-pipe, you need to get a one from a 1500 Dolomite along with it's matching down-pipe, this should then fit the standard 1300 system, prices are really governed by being able to get what you need I guess.
I speak from experience of my own TC conversion when I say it made little difference to the acceleration time, it seem to pull better when the momentum had been built up I found, but saying all that it was probably a case that my single carb was worn, the two "new" ones were in a better state of tune and I believe that accounted for any real differences found.
Saying all that there is nothing wrong with a Dolomite 1300. They perform the job so much better than other saloon cars of the time.
If you do want to get more go out of it then follow the route of how Spitfires are tuned, ie better flow through the head along with a better camshaft profile, this then matched by the better qualities of the 1500 exhaust set up should produce a car with a bit more pull to it, whilst it is of course achievable it does cost money.
Hope that hasn't put you off?