The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Hi

I'm new to the site but have had my Triumph for a little over two years and I've been wanting more power from it and heard that an MX5 engine fits quite easily into a triumph and that the engine mounts are quite close, could anyone give me any pointers or tips for doing this kind of swap

Thanks

Max

Welcome to the forum Max.

I've moved your thread here because it is a general question. I suggest that you check out the MX5 related resto threads (where you originally started this thread) and post some questions. Can you tell us a bit more about your own car and why you're considering the MX5 conversion? Maybe you could start your own thread in the resto section documenting your progress on such a conversion should you decide you're going to do it.

Well, I would start a resto thread but my garage and tools are in no state for photos as it has no electricity, but I'll give it ago. I've got a 1500TC and had it for just over two years, I bought it from someone in rugby for the small sum of £380. It had a blown head gasket and a horrible mat black and grey paint job, which was half primer grey and the other half paint brushes matte black. It was kind of a restoration project just getting it road worthy and looking ok. Me and my dad spent a few months getting the engine apart to replace all the bearings and seals which wasn't too hard compared to the next 4 months doing all the body work and interior.

The body work sanding was done by hand, by me, so it took about two months of work to sand off the black paint and to etch the primer that was exposed. My dad had some gear that he used to spray his cars when he restored his cars so he put both the primer coat and the colour layer. the colour I wanted the car was signal red as I thought it was a deep red and looked quite nice but the colour I ended up with was a very bright red, with a black roof as I didn't want to fit a vynle roof cover. It was a nice little motor, ran smooth when off choke and was roomy, but since owning it it's been through 3 head gaskets, 3!!

So after a year, I got into a small accident and crushed the nose so I took it off the road and wanted to do more than just fix the body work and I heard that an MX5 engine near enough drops in and was thinking it would be an easy way to make more power and increase reliably tenfold. And with all the mod support behind the engine would be a good engine to work on when I get bored.

So over all, the parts its been thrown at it:
3 head gaskets
1 front wheel bearing
2 float needles
2 bottles of T-cut
A lot of WD40

hi my names phil and ive been putting an mx5 1.6 engine and gearbox in my dolomite. the thread is new member mx5 1.6 conversion. if you understand electrics and wiring diagrams its not to bad to do. it doesnt just drop in you have to modify the sump, gearbox tunnel and make new engine mounts. once you get stuck into it and solve the problems as you go its very rewarding in the end when you start it for the first time. ive put some videos on you tube aswell, the titles of them are on my thread. if you have any questions just ask.

I'm doing a 1.8. The engine and gearbox mounts are miles out. Gearbox is too long. Sump is rubbish. All good fun...

geeksteve wrote:I'm doing a 1.8. The engine and gearbox mounts are miles out. Gearbox is too long. Sump is rubbish. All good fun...

Ive been reading through all the MX5 swap threads and figured that it would be too long. there's a mod to shorten the distance between the engine and the gear stick that brings it out relatively close to where the triumph stick was.

philgroom wrote:hi my names phil and ive been putting an mx5 1.6 engine and gearbox in my dolomite. the thread is new member mx5 1.6 conversion. if you understand electrics and wiring diagrams its not to bad to do. it doesnt just drop in you have to modify the sump, gearbox tunnel and make new engine mounts. once you get stuck into it and solve the problems as you go its very rewarding in the end when you start it for the first time. ive put some videos on you tube aswell, the titles of them are on my thread. if you have any questions just ask.

Hi Phil, i think i sent you an email a few weeks ago in regards to the electrical wiring, i think i can get my head around it. but after looking at a few threads, one thing is common that i just don't have, which is experience and room to work. my garage is only a single with just enough room for my triumph, let alone a doner MX5 to rip a part. and i cant do it on my road as its on a hill with limited parking so i couldnt really store it outside either. so that will factor into the whole list of things.