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Jan 26, 2007 18:56:59 GMT
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Basically... can people give me oppinions on what engine i should put in my austin healey sprite (midget) I'm wanting 150bhp, ideally a little more. Must be lightweight and not ruin the handling of the car. I'm thinking Fiat twin-cam, these are all alloy correct? and would be a retro conversion. Apart from zetec/k-series... what other options are there? A lovely compact v6 would be nice but i don't think there are many in RWD layout thesedays.  also what axles are comman and can get parts for? ideally LSD. I'm wanting to cut one down to fit the sprite and then get some halfshafts made. |
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Jan 26, 2007 19:02:29 GMT
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Last Edit: Jan 26, 2007 19:06:16 GMT by Russell
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Mike
East Midlands
Posts: 3,387
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Jan 26, 2007 19:05:26 GMT
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Turbo the A-series!
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awoo
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,506
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Jan 26, 2007 19:31:02 GMT
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honda B16a1 160bhp (approx£400) or D16a9 130bhp (cheap as you like) uber reliable and the B16 has vtec, bit of playing about and it can easy be made into a 2ltr, hella powaaa!
minis and gtm's etc use them alot. they come from the late 80's to late 1990's honda cars like the civic's and other such things. loads about
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What engineDeleted
@Deleted
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Jan 26, 2007 20:06:31 GMT
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Turbo'd A series would be my engine de choix
What about an 1800 B series with a turbo, setup to look exactly like a Metro turbo?
More contemporary choice 2 litre Vauxhall. Nw all the kitcar boys are using Zetecs the price has dropped due to less demand.
Mazda MX5 1.8 engine and 5 speed box. 150hp out the box, 200 horsies and more with bolt on turbo kits.
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Jan 26, 2007 20:12:58 GMT
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Jan 26, 2007 20:34:07 GMT
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I can only really comment on the engines i know so here goes...
Nissan SR20DE. Very good engine but maybe a little tall for the Sprite. All alloy and lots of tuning gubbins available for them. It's now possible to fit a FWD one mounted RWD with an adaptor plate which makes the engines cheap as you can then use one from a Primera (150bhp). Best choice would be from an imported late S13 or S14 Silvia Q's. The latter is 165bhp from the factory. They can be got from Serenas too but those are only 135bhp due to SPI and (I think) different cams. Could be converted to GT spec though by using Primera bits.
CA18DE from a Sunny ZX is a very cheap way to go but would probably need some cams to bring it to 150BHP. They can be bought for peanuts though and mount RWD using a Silvia or 200SX box. Very small engine for it's capacity and despite being a cast iron block it's actually lighter than an SR20DE.
if you are happy to go turbo then there's the CA18ET from a Silvia which with a bit of boost and a decent IC can see 170-180bhp and they are uber cheap to buy. You can get them for £100-150. Very compact engine too. CA18DET is the DOHC version of the CA18ET and is 169bhp stock. Minor mods can get it to 230bhp. About £350 will buy a complete setup. You can safely go to about 350BHP on them before having to get serious with internal mods.
SR20DET is probably the ultimate for tunability but costs rather a lot to start with. You're talking £800+ for an engine and box but you get 200 ponies stock. More boost, good IC and some better breathing will see it to 270-280BHP which would make for a seriously ludicrous Sprite. Personally, I'd think that'd be a bit too much in a Sprite.
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1962 Datsun Bluebird Estate - 1971 Datsun 510 SSS - 1976 Datsun 710 SSS - 1981 Dodge van - 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi - 1988 Nissan Prairie - 1990 Hyundai Pony Pickup - 1992 Mazda MX5
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Jan 26, 2007 23:35:13 GMT
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1600 Zetec se from fiesta/puma/focus All Alloy, 82 kg fully dressed  Yamaha designed 150hp is easy with a set of cams & decent exhaust Bike carbs would be my choice for ease of installation, megajolt to run the standard Coil pack. you can get 220hp NA from them on standard valve sizes Bellhousings available to mate with Type 9 5speed Complete engines can be had for £2-300 with low miles as well, I paid £350 for mine from a crashed 22,000 miler complete with loom and everything K series is always a winner in a midget/sprite too |
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bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Go get yourself a smacked MX5, it's officially the most popular sports car in the world and up to 2002 they'd pushed out just over 700,000. Mazda essentially redefined and re-invented the genre that the British created, so do the decent thing and combine the best bits of both. You could even use a back axle with LSD, probably need narrowing though, food for thought on further tuning ideas. More bang for your buck than most other options I can think of "... for example the original 1.6 engine, known as the B6 to Mazda was previously used in the 323 GTX, which was turbocharged as standard so it’s got the reinforcements and under-piston oil sprays required for aftermarket turbo or supercharging." |
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Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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madmart
Part of things
love is: valvebounce in top gear
Posts: 559
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i think i would go k series or Yamaha zetec, otherwise a k100 head on the a series. the midget diff is the same as a marina and some other bmc stuff and theres a LSD kit available to fit the marina axled caterhams from them  though the half shafts aren't up to much |
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Don't transverse VTECs spin the wrong way?
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Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
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Jan 27, 2007 10:07:56 GMT
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turbo the a-series & use an series 2 rs turbo intercooler, its not to hard to get 150hp from a turbo a-series, i think you can get a 5 speed conversion for the midjet too, go that route & you'll have a fast reliable motor thats cheap to repar!!!!
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Mini 998cc grp bonnet & boot, lightend shell, 6-point cage, soon to have a turbo on the 998 engine (t2 frm a r5gt) rs turbo intercooler, hoping to get 120ish bhp?
father is building a Mini Van 1330, 45 weber, 100bhp@wheels
'RIP' 1.8 Metro GTi, 15.23 1/4mile
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Mike
East Midlands
Posts: 3,387
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Jan 27, 2007 10:10:09 GMT
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topi
Posted a lot
It's a race car officer, I swear!
Posts: 1,039
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Jan 27, 2007 11:36:46 GMT
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The A series sucks IMO. From building them, I observed the distinct lack of bearings and the gearbox is absalutely useless. I'd go for a Zetec or Vaxhaul XE.
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Jan 27, 2007 11:57:25 GMT
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zetecs and vauxhalls use iron blocks, i would go for k-series or hyabusa.
Paul
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topi
Posted a lot
It's a race car officer, I swear!
Posts: 1,039
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Jan 27, 2007 12:20:46 GMT
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Hyabusa sounds like a plan.
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madmog
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 1,160
Club RR Member Number: 46
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What enginemadmog
@madmog
Club Retro Rides Member 46
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Jan 27, 2007 12:43:34 GMT
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Been discussed here before but have you considered the (not Rover) BMW K series motorbike cylinder head conversion for your the series engine? I think one of the designers lurks on here.
Weight would be about the same as you have now. Don't know how the price compares with an engine making 150bhp as standard since you would have to uprate the bottom end of your A series.
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What engineDeleted
@Deleted
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Jan 27, 2007 13:11:19 GMT
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Or there's the hybrid Zetec block with a CVH head on it. Use an RS turbo top end and you have a 2 litre turbo CVH. They used to whack out loads of horsepower.
Are there no full flowed A series heads on the 'Bay then?
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Jan 27, 2007 13:18:30 GMT
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What I was going to suggest. Lovely engines, sweet 5 speed boxes, already RWD so sorted for that area, compact, light, relatively powerful (not quite what you're asking but you could get there and over with a blower).....
You can buy one with 3 months warranty for 350 quid too....takes any unpleasantness out of the equation.
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[*]
Yamaha designed
though the half shafts aren't up to much
