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Nov 25, 2014 23:24:23 GMT
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Hello! I'm in the states and let me just say that this site is so big and so cool, I just love it. I have done several MR2 V6 conversions and now I'm going to attempt something I've never done before. I'm going to build a road legal rally "ish" car from this old forgotten Maserati.
Here's basically the short version:
10 days ago, I saw this car for sale within an hours drive of here. The guy wanted too way much money for it.
Here's why I wanted it in the first place:
Front Engine. Rear Wheel Drive. The entire car weight is 2590 pounds. Four wheel disc brakes. four wheel independent suspension.
It is a complete, intact car, good glass, solid (worth repairing) shell. These cars are not what I would consider "cool" and were never considered powerful or reliable, or very valuable, or well respected or drove particularly well. BUT- if you factor in this car is automatic and I have a 1UZFE engine and automatic transmission, along with the fact that I skillfully worked this guy over for ten days of back and forth emails- I bought it cheap. It's a mess.
My plates are on it so I could have it towed free.. long story.
I am wearing a Lovely Northampton Saints Rugby shirt, sent by my good buddy Chris. My son is wearing his similar shirt at school today, no doubt fielding many questions from the ladies.
The car has not been on the road since 1999 and has claimed to have only done 36,000 miles.
I'm not too sure I believe that, but this car is a lot more solid than the Triumph TR7 that I had previously chosen for this engine.
This engine is going into this car:
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Nov 25, 2014 23:40:18 GMT
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Think I may just be watching this with interest. Bookmarked!
Oh, and I get a lot of questions as well if I'm wearing my Sale Sharks shirt!
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Nov 25, 2014 23:52:34 GMT
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Bookmarked, very interesting project!
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Nov 25, 2014 23:53:32 GMT
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Very clean looking 1uz, have you rebuilt it?
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orangecords
Part of things
yawner extraordinaire
Posts: 892
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Interesting... Bookmarked!
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I then wanted to start cleaning the interior as it stinks of wood (the material not the smell of a boner) best quote ever!
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brc76
RR Helper
Posts: 1,107
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I likes this! It's like the idea behind the Arna, but the right way around
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Last Edit: Nov 26, 2014 0:59:03 GMT by brc76
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Very clean looking 1uz, have you rebuilt it? It had insanely low miles. No need to rebuild. I got lucky with finding one like that. I re-gasketed it, new timing belt, seals, water pump, dizzy caps, leads, etc. Blasted and painted everything. The Maserati is getting stripped out tomorrow. I have a buddy that is going to buy all the parts, he's a chronic ebay guy. I gave that stuff up years ago.
Thanks- these should be interesting with a V8!
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WOW love the Italian ride :-) ,nice project,got it bookmarkd....
By the way,do you now from wich car the headlights come from ? ;-)
Ciao
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Last Edit: Nov 26, 2014 7:30:03 GMT by willemm
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Fantastic stuff, right up my street this one
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Nov 26, 2014 11:16:47 GMT
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WOW love the Italian ride :-) ,nice project,got it bookmarkd.... By the way,do you now from wich car the headlights come from ? ;-) Ciao No idea about the headlights.
I am going outside to start taking all apart. It's not going to get restored, it's getting a roll cage. It's going to be a road legal rally car, 2 seats, racing harnesses, a budget build for sure. The few cars I built- I lost too much money on, so this one's going to be cheap, reliable and fast. The whole interior is coming out. Dashboard, everything.
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Nov 26, 2014 12:55:46 GMT
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You are insane. Looking forward to seeing this one progress.
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Nov 26, 2014 19:37:59 GMT
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Now this looks interesting! "Ain't that one of them EEE-talian cars?" ....roaring to the horizon Looking forward to this.
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Nov 26, 2014 20:21:07 GMT
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YES great,love your plan about the car,just what I'm doing with mine ! The headlights.....they are from a .... Fiat 127 This one was mine,a Fiat 127 MK1 1976,sold it a few years ago,and now I have a MK4 ,a Brazilian made Italian Fiat 127(1986)
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Nov 26, 2014 20:36:12 GMT
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awsome looking project there and nice to see my local rugby team getting a shout too. will be keeping an eye on this for sure
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Nov 26, 2014 20:58:08 GMT
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Love the plan.
Your putting an old car around the nice engine.
Win for me !!!
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Clement
Europe
ambitious but rubbish
Posts: 2,095
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Nov 26, 2014 21:33:29 GMT
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I'll be the annoying pedantic and say US cars have normal sealed beam units, while European cars had indeed Fiat 127 lights but using H4 bulbs apparently. That's out of the way, so: YES!! I'm aware of the awful name these got in the States, but I think you were right to draw up this plan. Sell the original engine to someone who needs it, on later cars it's actually the most reliable part of the car. Will the V8 fit in the engine bay? It certainly is wide enough but length might be an issue. Also, if you fit a roll cage, make sure you stiffen the body ahead of the bulkhead/firewall because there's a lot of flex there. Droptops had a reinforcement plate between the strut top and the little shelf on the upper firewall, some people also strenghten the underside around the engine cradle/subframe. Anyways please keep us posted, that's 3 Biturbos (that I know of) on RR
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Last Edit: Nov 26, 2014 21:34:24 GMT by Clement
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bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,893
Club RR Member Number: 71
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Nov 26, 2014 23:09:04 GMT
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Love it - reaches for bookmark button - finds it - hits it
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Thanks for the reinforcement tips. I will be sure to stiffen the firewall area. 1. The car has a bit of floor rust through, not bad- no big deal. 2. A small amount of sill repair needed, hardly nothing to complain about. 3. This car is solid. It's door bottoms are curse word, but I can re-skin those. 4. I am going totally stripped out. Nothing Maserati except the steering rack and the front & rear suspension. 5. Roll cage. Used racing seats & harnesses. 6. Aluminum dash, possibly LS400 instrument cluster- don't know yet. 7. Bare minimum wires needed to make it run, have lights & heat. Our laws regarding road legality are excellent. No MOT's, insurance doesn't care what engine is in it- nothing really matters including emissions when the car is older than 25 years. None of this wiring would work anyway. I'm doing this with the breaker's yards and a tight budget. It will look respectable when completed. A bit Hillbilly, but respectable. THE FRONT SUMP ON MY 1UZFE IS GOING TO WORK!!! I'm very glad I didn't buy a rear sump.
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This Maserati engine & transmission are very heavy. Much heavier than the V8 lump, or so it seems. I did a quick measure- it's going to fit perfectly. I'm taking the interior out of it tomorrow to assess any steel repairs and I will get right on it.
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Last Edit: Nov 27, 2014 3:28:39 GMT by grenade
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Interesting build to say the least, I've bookmarked this !
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Honda Civic EK3 Ford Capri III 2.3S
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