Chrysler Sunbeam - Road Car Project - V6/6 Speed

With that done and Xmas out the way its back to the car, yay! Or what ever the kids say.

I have been a thinking over the festive period of where to fit the combined pump/swirl pot assembly. Been looking for space all over the car. Under the wing next to the front valence is ideal apart from the obvious drawbacks,,,, any debris or small tap on the front is likely to cause a leak.

I think i have the solution.


t the font of the engine bay in either of the two corners. Near side is a bit tight and the off side is fine but restricts access to the alternator.


I think i shall put it here. The alternator belt can be changed from underneath so i thinks its time to make a brake and see if it sits in there nice.

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

That's part one of the fuel sorted out.

I'm trying to get all the fuel and water pipets in so i know where the manifolds can go - i know that sounds back to front but it works that way. Honest.

So next is the water pump, radiator and pipes. I had picked yup some of the MX5 - V6 conversion water pipes and brackets to see if they would fit.

The water pump fitted on the bracket is ok and the pipes are close but not an east fit.


Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

Bottom hose is easy. Just needs shortening and supporting with a sky hook. I shall make that.

The top hose is miles away. The radiator is a Tropical market Avenger one.....

In the top hose i also need to put the temp sender for the ECU and the car gauge so i bought two of these


Which gives me two problems.

First is length, two of these together is way too long.

Second is this

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr
That's half the flow cut off! Ok time to modify it all. First lathe off one end to shorten both down

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

Then make a spacer on the Mill


Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr


Just needs welding together now. By someone else.


\In the mean time i decided to pull the fuel rail off to see about modifying it to accept mat fuel hose easily. Didnt go well. Had a brain fart and broke it and dropped bits down the inlets. So everything came off. Lucky i did as i found this down there.

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

don't know where that bolt came from at all!!!

But its given me an idea with the later lower manifold assembly as used on 2002 and later AJ30's..............

This the mullered assembly

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

And this is the new assembly. I got this one because it uses a metal top rail so thought it would be easier to hook up. I then noticed that on the newer assembly there is no hose connected to the fuel rail where as there is one on the old one. The joint bit i didnt realise came apart. As can be seen here


Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr


Which made me think how does it come out? Weirdly and its really hard to photo, there is a spring that goes all the way round the inside that stops the connector coming apart. But if you push spring back equally all the way round the connector pops out. I did that after mucking about for a fair while and swapped over the connector. I then removed the old rubber pipe to get this barb which 8mm!


Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

That makes the fitting of the fuel system much easier.


But i did notice that the new lower assembly is taller

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr


What does that do i wonder? Well this for a start


Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr


So i have to extend these rests again.

The clearance to the bonnet/hood is much less but still clear.

Another bonus is the near side inlet elbow now clears the suspension

The angle of the photo makes it look tighter than it is

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr


I may need to fit torque reaction bars to the engine........


Whilst i was wondering about stuff i needed to look at the near side cam sensor clearance. When i fitted the engine i had removed it as i thought i could just run the engine on one cam sensor as that is what the ECU needed. Turns out it was the near side it needed and the latest update requires both......


Here is the clearance, you can just see the shiny hole.


Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

I cant get the sensor in with that clearance so the engine needs to come out if i want to run it before it before stripping and going form paint. I then also realise the plug from the loom won't fit.

Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

Its a standard Ford sensor plug (Not Junior Timer) but there isn't a female version of it.


Untitled by Nevtiger, on Flickr

So it looks like i will have solder flying leads on, pot and heat shrink the sensor and then add some DTM's in place of the standard arrangement. That way the sensor will have clearance and the connection will be out the way.


I am so close to trying the loom and getting to a point of starting it just to ensure no more brackets are used. I do need exhausts though.

The gearbox is a Mazda RX8 6 speed using a conversion plate between the engine and box.

Oofda! I'd definitely be tempted to buy a TIG. I've not done manifolds before but I've migged my stainless exhaust together. Wasn't too tricky and seems to be holding well.

I take it the S-Type manifolds don't fit/aren't a good design.

Rocketeer do manifolds for their MX5 conversions. I wonder if they'd sell them separately. At £1995 for the full kit you could probably buy that, pinch the manifolds, sell the kit on and come up quids-in compared to commissioning bespoke ones.