Triumph Sports Cars

engine swaps and other performance upgrades, plus "factory" V8s (Stag and TR8)

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tbush
Tim Bush
Minnesota, USA
(32 posts)

Registered:
11/16/2009 07:29PM

Main British Car:
'74 Spitfire, '59 Frogeye (sold) GM Vin T 3.1Lgoing in it.

authors avatar
Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: tbush
Date: July 12, 2010 06:08PM

Just testing the waters to see how many folks would be interested in a conversion mount to put a R180 Subaru Diffy into a Spitfire/GT6. I am thinking of putting one in my car and am drafting up the mount. Looking to make it a single piece of laser/plasma cut and flooded sheet with weldments for the spring seat and studs. I might be talked into a group buy or cutting a deal with someone who would want to sell them. 2D and 3D models and full sheet metal layouts provided. If there is not much interest I will probably just make a welded up mount.

- Tim


Bill Young
Bill Young
Kansas City, MO
(1337 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 09:23AM

Main British Car:
'73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep

authors avatar
Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: Bill Young
Date: July 13, 2010 04:42PM

Tim, I think one reason there aren't more Spitfire conversions is the lack of a suitable rear axle. Your idea has merit for sure. The key for a conversion is both being strong enough for the larger engines torque as well as having a variety of gear ratios available to suit different combinations. That would be the first thing I checked, ratio availability. No sense building a mount for a rear that only has a 4.11 set for example or a 2.78 for that matter. Bill Russell did a nice conversion using a BMW axle and with the competition use of the BMW I'd think there would be a load of ratios available for that one. [forum.britishv8.org]


tbush
Tim Bush
Minnesota, USA
(32 posts)

Registered:
11/16/2009 07:29PM

Main British Car:
'74 Spitfire, '59 Frogeye (sold) GM Vin T 3.1Lgoing in it.

authors avatar
Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: tbush
Date: July 16, 2010 03:10PM

I know the R160 Subby Differential is available with 3.7, 3.9, and 4.11 ratios and I believe there are 3.54 and 4.44 out there. There are open and LSD versions available. The stock rating is 300 ft-lbs input torque and 200 Hp. There are report of people running 250HP into a R160. Datsun also used these units in the 510.

- Tim


Bill Young
Bill Young
Kansas City, MO
(1337 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 09:23AM

Main British Car:
'73 MG Midget V6 , '59 MGA I6 2.8 GM, 4.0 Jeep

authors avatar
Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: Bill Young
Date: July 16, 2010 04:27PM

The 3.7 or 3.54 would probaby fit the needs for most guys with a V6 or V8 while the 3.9 would work pretty well for the smaller 4s. I have a 3.43 in my V6 powered car and probably should really have a 3.23 for the best match with my 13" wheels. If you could find a rear with ratios from around 3.0 up to 4.0 that would have all the bases covered.


tr8todd
Todd Kishbach

(390 posts)

Registered:
12/04/2009 07:42AM

Main British Car:


Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: tr8todd
Date: July 18, 2010 09:33AM

The BMW rear axle would seem to be a good choice. The small ones came in the 2002, 320 and 318s. Medium sized ones which came in the 325 and over 6 cylinder versions would be more than strong enough for most applications. The V8s and M series car got the large differential. Every BMW since 1970 has one of these version. Gear ratios and limited slips abound, as do rear cover, mounting configurations and axle lengths. I have several of the early ones laying around here. They have a complete flat rear subframe that carry everything except the spring and shock upper mounts. They would be a snap to mount into just about any car. Personally I would look at one from an E30 325i. That would be from around 85 to 89ish. They had tons of ratios, simple mounts, a medium sized case good to about 300 horse, still carried a 4x100 wheel bolt pattern, and came with rear disc brakes. Axle components also compare favorably with Porsche and VW.


salty1960
Stephen Saltau

(2 posts)

Registered:
05/01/2011 07:44AM

Main British Car:


Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: salty1960
Date: May 01, 2011 10:03AM

Tim,

The diff mounting and and adaption to half shafts isn't that hard, and in different formats has been done quite a few times.
The big problem is upgrading CVs, and control arms to handle the torque that most engine conversions require.

Brakes are also needed to be upgraded.

I chose to replace the lot, but this is a lot of work.
Non independant conversions are the common solution but, I can't say I could bring myself to replace an irs with a non irs arrangement.

Our friends in new Zealand have a long history of working with these.
The link below has links to drawings for some simple plates to mount a subaru / datsun / nissan diff centre to a herald/ spitfire / vitese
[homepages.paradise.net.nz]

I folded some plate and welded across the rear suspension (a bit of an overkill) and fabricated some substantial brackets of the chassis to support the front of the diff. I went the all Subaru route. (custom axles to suite)

See

[www.facebook.com]

[www.ado13.com]



Regards,

Stephen from Sydney
SpitSuziFire Spitfire with Sukuki DOHC1600 EFI
221636_1827966431008_1595737255_31802238_3154191_n[1].jpg


tr6turbo
Dale Knapke
Sidney, Ohio
(169 posts)

Registered:
08/24/2008 09:44PM

Main British Car:
1972 Triumph TR6 Ford 2300, 4 Cyl Turbo

Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: tr6turbo
Date: May 01, 2011 06:50PM

I was going through your pictures on the ado13.com site and was interested in the size and brand of your electric cooling fan. Do you have that inormation?

Thanks
Dale



tr6turbo
Dale Knapke
Sidney, Ohio
(169 posts)

Registered:
08/24/2008 09:44PM

Main British Car:
1972 Triumph TR6 Ford 2300, 4 Cyl Turbo

Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: tr6turbo
Date: May 01, 2011 06:56PM

I was going through your pictures on the ado13.com site and was interested in the size and brand of your electric cooling fan. Do you have that inormation?

Thanks
Dale


74ls1tr6
Calvin Grannis
Elk Grove,CA
(1151 posts)

Registered:
11/10/2007 10:05AM

Main British Car:
74 TR6 / 71 MGB GT TR6/Ls1 71 MGB GT/Ls1

authors avatar
Re: Subaru/Datsun Differential mount Testing the waters.
Posted by: 74ls1tr6
Date: May 02, 2011 10:17PM

Hi Dale,

What size fan are you looking for?


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