MG Sports Cars

I believe the stick shift will work just fine right there.



The engine oil pan and the steering rack are about the same distance from the ground.


A photo taken from the hatch area to show where the heads sit at the firewall. I'm really surprised that the T56 Reverse Lockout Solenoid clears in the tunnel. The T56 has plenty of room without any modifications to the tunnel. The only issue I saw was the transmission tie in cross member will be back by the frame cross member. So to use the original cross member bolt holes a unique cross member will be fabricated.


Made for an ls1, looks like it should and was meant to be in there.

Passenger side header clearance


Driver side header clearance.


Driver side.


passenger side.


I think from the rounded area of the inner wheel well panel, it can be re-formed at a 45 degree since with Teds front suspension clearance on the other side. The area right in front of the spark plugs, the first two plugs, just maybe run headers down through between the frame rail and block. Will need to look at that a little more.

Calvin, I like your idea of flattening the rounded area. Still looks tight between engine and frame. On the other hand you could just cut it out there for RV8 thru the fender headers and the hole would let some engine heat escape.

Steering shaft routing looks interesting. :)

Jim after looking at the header area, I think I will go down through the inner fender wheel wells. looks like plenty of room going that route.

As Carl noted that the steering routing looks interesting. If I go the RV8 header route, the steering shaft will be a straight run down to the rack.

Photo taken looking at the routing for the steering rack to the column firewall.


Black cap on steering rack shaft.


This photo taken inside where the steering column would be close to the firewall. It looks like a straight shot to the black plastic cap on the steering rack shaft end.


It looks good doesn't it Carl, the routing? One u-joint at both ends should do it. The only issue would be the motor mount?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2014 04:32PM by 74ls1tr6.

Front motor mounts?

Quote:

Scott, Is our engine in the same place as yours??

Calvin,

This should show the differences.



It looks like I'm about 1.5" further back and a little less than an inch higher than you are. Is the engine tilted rearward at 3 degrees (or what ever the angle you're using) in your pics?

This is a great way to compare an LS1 conversion with a stock cross member as opposed to a Fast Cars front end. You have a few more options. If I placed my engine where yours is I would be looking at lowering the steering rack. Avoiding moving the rack was one of the goals I had for this conversion.

An LS1 looks like it belongs in the engine bay of a B, doesn't it?

Must be exciting to see the engine in place, I know it was for me...still is. :)

Scott

Scott, measuring just about 1 1/2" back farther than our engine. The further you go back the better I think to achieve 50/50 weight distribution.

Scott, buy the way your ls4 has the great flowing 243 heads I see. Those heads are the same ones I'm using on the TR6, but CNC ported with larger valves. These heads flow very well in stock form!!

If I go back 2 more inches I would need to revise the tunnel area some( T56 transmission BIG), deal with the stick shift needing to be moved forward, which I just may do for the better handling.

It is exciting to see the engine in there, and it looks good.

Scott, So your original firewall is flush with the passenger side head right?

I did measure a 3 degree down towards the back of the transmission as it sits now. I will need to take off the Reverse Lockout Solenoid, do the modification and not use the solenoid + most of the housing, that I did on the TR6 T56. Then I can go back the 1 1/2" or 2" for the engine. I will need to come up like you did off the frame rail, because right now the T56 is resting on the frame cross member.

This kind of what the front end will look like to give an idea of how the flares will look. Anyone want to guess what donor car was for the flares????? Rob F knows what we're using if he remembers?


Brenda is getting excited when I showed her this with the panels on.


These flares will open up the wheel well some to match the tires and for turning radius. These flares have a lip on them at the bottom by the rocker panel. I might just run a rocker panel skirt to match them between the flares.

Calvin, are those the Datsun Z flares that fasten from the inside?

Quote:

Scott, So your original firewall is flush with the passenger side head right?

Calvin,

No, I had to cut about 3/4" from the firewall on the passenger side to make room for the head setback so I could get the engine behind the steering rack. You can see what I've done in the first picture, the second picture has the engine in place.




If I could have gotten away without cutting the firewall and still accomplish my goals I would have. 2" isn't going to make much of a difference at all weight distribution wise and you already have lightened up your front end with Ted's cross member. I'd be asking myself if it was worth the work...maybe it is to you and that's cool. I thought I would point it out anyway.

Oh, your car has a real nice stance! Can't wait to see it done!

Scott

Jim, "great guess" they are from the same family. So that others don't need to guess, they are 1995 Nissan Stanza flares. I got the idea on this site, since there wasn't any, rabbit flares, Dodge Omni flares available in the area. I think this was the same problem Mike Cook had in obtaining flares.

Mike Cooks Silver Lady and his write-up using 1995 Nissan Stanza Flares............

[www.britishv8.org]

I had gone to a recycle yard and pulled four front fenders from two 95 Nissan Stanza's, paid $15 for each fender. I used a plasma cutter and whacked them off and got rid of the remaining fenders.

I might have to copy the Sentra flares, looks like great fit!

You are probably right Scott about the extra work. I do need to kind of install everything in the engine bay, to see if I need to move the engine back or not. So this evening I was installing the new front runner system to see if all is good. It's good so far!
Next will be the Radiator and Fan.

It is very tight for the motor mounts "Dang"!

Jim Stanza flares. I think the Sentra flares are pretty small, but I may be wrong?

Calvin, Yeah I know I was typing while Skypeing the wife and was just going to correct it. Thanks again for a wonderful job documenting the build!

Making some more progress!

Cut off the ends of Teds sway bar blocks so there will be room for radiator clearance


Moss's sway bar brackets didn't fit Teds holes, so welded some more metal on there for fitment.





Motor mount block plate modified so that round mounting tube would be closer to plate. Cut off the ends and welded up and re-drilled the bolt holes.

Motor mounts welded up.


Re-drilled and ground for frame rail clearance. Driver side


Passenger side....Yes this is a Pyr- Ls1 block. Makes mocking up a lot of stuff way easier as you will see in more photos.


Motor mounts welded to the frame. Welded to the top and down the side of the frame rail, made out of 2"x4" 1/4" thick steel. The position for reference is over the back front suspension bolt that goes through the frame.

Reference photo of where the engine blocks resting place with a 3 degree down on the back (passenger side view). I have the transmission bolted up to the hard foam block and in the car. The back of the T56 is sitting on the cross member behind the transmission mounting bracket area. That area will need attention. The rectangular reference point is about 1" above the bolt hole surface. The outside edge is inline with the inside of the bolt hole for the suspension.


Top view of driver side.


Underside view.


Underside view.

Moved the fire wall back and started to fill metal back in.


Photo of inside showing Transmission tunnel being raised.


Dark night photo of the fire wall showing where tunnel was raised.


Motor mounts, firewall half completed.

Using ice engine works mocking blocks to make the headers( 1 3/4" primaries). These blocks make it incredibly easy to fab up the headers. Driver side.


Passenger side.


Four into one header. I might try to lengthen the primaries down some depending on tire clearance.


The starting of header mocking blocks to stainless steel. So far so good!