Triumph Sports Cars

I have been working on a spitfire restoration and conversion. Here are a few pics.

This is the frame with the new mounts for a 3.1L V6. They bolt into the original locations.

The frame has been stripped, notched, reinforced, painted, and coated with urethane undercoating.

Engine in place. The oil pan has been modified to straddle the steering rack.

The steering rack is in the original location. The timing cover, water pump, pulleys, and oil pan are from a Fiero VIN9 2.8L.

Driver side mount. Gear reduction starter. T5.


View from the rear.


- Tim

Nice work!!

X2 Very nice workmanship on that installation. Can't wait to see the body on and see how it all clears the hood etc. Looks like it was designed from the start to have a V6.

Bill,
After many measurements and tweeks I determined the clearance to the bonnet will be damn close. I am willing to put a bulge in the hood, but not a hole.
Plan B is to swap the top end with SFI parts. I got a sweet deal on a remanufactured long block with brand new heads. I hated the thought of tearing them off and finding rebuilt SFI heads. I figure I will try this first and see. Manifolds are cheap.
Firewall clearance should be good.
I will be putting a remote oil filter on the car. The stock location has an interferance with the shock tower.

-Tim

Anymore progress on this one?

Progress has been slow. Work and Summer stuff getting in the way.
The body trial fits have gone good. No firewall changes are required. The shifter location will be close to the stock location when I finish a custom lever.The body restoration work is almost done and ready for paint. Painting will have to wait as it is too cold now. Picked up some nice Miata seats a few weks ago. Right now I am working on splicing a Cavalier IP in to the dash.

-Tim

Tim,
I am in the process of installing a 2.8L with a T5 from a 86 Camaro. I'm curious as to what clutch slave cylinder you are using. I will have to delete my pusher type because it is interfering with the frame and install a puller or do the hydraulic throwout bearing.

Mark, I am using a iron slave cylinder from a 80's vintage S10. I have a S10 fork, piviot stud, and throwout bearing.
I also am using a S10 bell housing. This bell housing has the slave cylinder at a 90 degree angle to the engine. The Camaro/Firebird bell housing has the slave at a 100 or 105 degree angle as I recall.
The slave cylinder clears well and fits under the transmision cover without modifications. The only thing I did was bend the "flange" of the frame down a bit for additional running clearance.
A S10 bell housing should fit your engine and transmission just fine. Your shifter will also be straight up and down and not angled like on the Camaro/Firebird.

- Tim

Tim,
Thanks for clearing that up for me. I suppose I will have to purchase another transmission for all of the parts I will need. I like the idea of having the shifter more forward and upright and being able to have access to the slave cylinder if needed. I will rebuild the trans I have so while it is apart I will change the tail shaft and the bell housing. Your motor mounts are interesting. My plan is to use the OEM type and weld them to the uprights while modifying the engine side plates for the necessary clearance.
Very nice project you have going. I hope to have some pictures to upload soon.

Tim,
Sent you a pm........it's been awhile since I've had time to do any serious work on my project. I've decided to go with the HTOB on mine and just cut the bell housing since I'm changing from MPFI to carb and rebuilding the engine and trans before installing. I'm doing a custom trans mount of course and hoping I can use as much of the plastic trans tunnel that I can. More on that after the drivetrain is installed and the interior is being put back.

i am very interested in your project and would like as well to install as well, some questins

were there any mod to the frame, for the transmission.?
motor mounts 3.1L V6, were from what?
oil pan modified to straddle the steering rack, any pics and or measurements?
timing cover, water pump, pulleys, and oil pan were from a Fiero VIN9 2.8L, what year,?
by chance do you have any more pics you can share

i can be reach at wjb_217@yahoo.com
thank you

I'm keen to see this unfold. I've built a few GT6 spitfires and use the GT6 bonnets because they have a bulge in the center and look very nice in place. I've done a number of mgbv6's and use the s10 bell housings and camaro T5 tranny because it fits nicely into the narrow confines of the mgb tunnel. You just have to remember to use the s10 flywheel, too.

is this project still around...i haven't seen anything from tim since his last post in nov 2010.

The RWD 60 degree v6 fuel injected ones have 3 kinds of setups:
TBI, Multiport and 3.4 sfi. The heights are quite different:
the TBI: height to top of air cleaner from valve cover = 7 1/2 "
the MPFI height to top of manifold from valve cover = 5 1/2 "
the SFI height to top of manifold from valve cover = 3 1/4"
all the manifolds bolt up and interchange.
but the sfi has to be modified to clear the Dizzy if it's used.

These measurements show that the 6 doesnt need to be thought of as all that tall,
and there is a 4 inch difference in height depending on manifold chosen. The efi setups can be lower than the carbs by quite a bit..

how was your oil pan modified, and what motor mounts did you use,

hi
question, for your motor mounts did you use 55 chevy motor rubbers, or s10 transmssion mounts, also by chance do you have any diagrams /measurements of your motor mounts. had to go with a 1993 chevy S10 2.8 motor, and T5 transmission. currently looking to convert trottle body injection to carb. want to get away from fuel injection. not sure how to convert but looking. anyway, was going with fiero engine, and found out it had crack block and other problems. found this 93 engine with t5 transmission for 300.00

we've emailed before, interested in your motor mount setup think it may work with this S10 engine, any suggestion. you also mention that you used, fiero water pump, cause it was smaller? would fiero engine parts fit on an S10

are you still out there?