Triumph Sports Cars

I have an injected 6 right now. Very modified engine, modified drivetrain. I totalled up what it's going to cost me to supercharge it and realized that I've been wrong all along - I should have gone the v8 route in the first place.

So I'm assembling parts to build a Franken6. I've ponied up for an LS1/T56 combo, which I'm picking up early Nov. I'm thinking 4-link at the back (although that's not set in stone) and a new frame, if I can talk Tony into doing the mods I want. As an aside, I was also looking at hydroboost brakes. I'll have the camaro pedal set from the engine donor to shove in there if I so choose, the booster part isn't that expensive and frees up quite a bit of real estate, and the pas pump is all in place, so it is just a case of running lines.

The two bits that I'm not sure about are:

1. the steering rack
Now obviously I'd like to use the power steering, but I'm not sure of which racks will fit in the stock mounting points, so I don't change the things too badly. Anyone have suggestions? I did a search, but came up blank.

2. Front hubs
If I go with a solid rear end, it'll be a narrowed Ford offering, so either an 8.8 or 9". That means I can get the hubs drilled for Mustang wheels, which are dirt cheap in the 17" or 18" sizes I want to pick from (especially compared to the 16" Panasports that I have now). The problem is the fronts need to match.
I'd like to upgrade the stub axle, bearing and hub as a set. I can try to get a set of the Uncle Jack stub axles and hubs (if Tony D makes another set), but was wondering if there's another option anyone can suggest as a backup?

TIA, Alan

Greetings Alan,

Your project sounds great! Don't you agree Calvin?

The steering rack question I can't really comment on but in regards to the front hubs, I can refer you to two modifications done by visitors to this site.

1. Ted Lathop of Fast Cars Inc. (an advertisor here) machined a new axle stub and runs corvette brakes. He'd be glad to give you some tips.

2. Dale Knape (tr6turbo) redrilled his front hubs to a 5 bolt Ford pattern. There's some tricks to this so best to talk to him.

Ken

Welcome Alan,

I do agree Ken:-)

Alan, I believe I've seen your name posting in the 6-pack forum, is this true?

You will need the Vette accessories for more clearance,.. also water pump clearance is tight,.. will need 90 degree heater lines installed in pump.

I found the Camaro padal assembly to much work, so use the original pedal box and just bent the pedals over a little for a gas pedal. You will loose the original gas pedal since the firewall being open up some.

For power steering you may need a remote mount for the pump. Check this site out [www.woodwardsteering.com]

Check my post in the forum [forum.britishv8.org]

Calvin

Calvin

Hello Calvin - you might well have seen me in the 6-Pack forum. I'm the webmaster there...

Ken was good enough to forward me your post a couple of days ago. I was looking at the pictures with interest.

My one big thing about the conversion is that I'm hoping to not have to cut the inner fender as much as you did, so I'm (again) hoping I can shove the alternator where the a/c is now and use a remote mount up high for that instead. I won't know until I get the thing and start measuring though. I want to run a hydroboost brake setup, so I need the PAS pump. Since it's there, I'd also like to run PAS, but I'm still looking for ideas for a rack that'll fit. I'll need a remote reservoir regardless, and I'd expected to change out the pump, so that's not an issue as long as it'll physically fit.

The camaro pedals are coming with the rest of the parts - if they work, they work. If not, I've got the other ones to fall back on.

You have any updated photos of yours?
Alan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2008 03:16PM by alana.

Nice to see the webmaster from 6-pack forum here on britishV8.org. Sweet!

Wecome again Alan,

I'm finding more as I go along with this build that stuff everywhere is tight and close tolerances. As far as where the Camaro AC compressor was on the doner I used (2002 Z28) ...was on the lower passanger side of the block. It will not fit between the frame rail and ls1 block,...I tried.

I'm going to run the setup that Street and performance has. [www.hotrodlane.cc]
page 86 photo A high alt / high ac compressor. The power steering pump in this photo would be in the way of the new routed steering shaft. Check out page 90 at the factory photos of acsessorie setups. My Camaro came with the water pump like photo A which is wide. So I switch all accessories to the Vette. The Camaro oil pan is the only one you can use for cross member clearance.

My oil pan is 1/2" below frame. I believe you can go flush with the bottom of oil pan to frame and not be up touching the hood yet. Check to be sure. With 1/2" below I have room to spare.

I just took photo's today of my pedal box.










The extra holes in the booster area...was to move booster over 3/4" to clear coil on valve cover.





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2008 02:09AM by 74ls1tr6.

Here is some more photos to show clearance issues. Using stock booster with Wilwood tandem master cylinder. Turned booster upside down so that brake master can clear the air hook up nipple.

Booster right up against coil pack.Steering shaft needs to pass through between valve cover and body box...but under coil pack.



Moved booster over 3/4"


Close to Clutch master 1/8th clearance.



Pedal setup.

Horses for courses - I want to know something about the TR6, I go to 6-Pack.
Right now I want to know something about shoe-horning a huge engine into a tiny engine bay, so I go to britishv8...

With regard to your last post - that servo clearance issue is one of the reasons that the hydroboost setup was so appealing. It opens up quite a bit of real estate where the brake servo gets deleted. Real estate that I'm sure will be of use.

As an aside, I spent time last night looking at the woodward and unisteer catalogs. I'm now trying to figure out if there's room to mount a remote servo in there somewhere. I think I can do it down low, but I feel now that I need to get all the pieces before I start obsessing any further...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2008 08:08AM by alana.

Alan,

Fill me in on hydroboost setup? I have not reasearched that on yet.

Yes agree with you in having all your doner parts for measurements and visual. My doner came all in one piece. Engine, trasmission, crossmember, exhaust, wire harness, all accessaries, aluminum driveline,and computor. They loaded it in my small 1 ton toyota pickup, didn't have to even tie it down. It was a little overwhelming driving home thinking "I must be nuts", how am I going to stuff this it that small engine bay.

It does fit.

Calvin

mfr
[hydratechbraking.com]

installing
[classicbroncos.com] <- also a good junkyard parts finder!
[www.angryamerica.com]

#2 gives you a real good idea of the size difference.
the fact that the brakes work better is a bonus!

Alan, Welcome to the dark side.

Have you taken a look at the big Triumph saloon power rack? ( Triumph Dolomite 2000 or Triumph 2500 ) It might be adapted to fit a TR6 treatment.

What about the Stag and TR8 as some came with power steering as an option.

What about woodward steering customs?
[www.woodwardsteering.com]

A quick web search turned up this ???? resource.
[www.carsteering.com]

But if your main reason for power steering is to have a hydrobrake Powered brake system, how about now power steering and go with an electric power brake system?

GM used them on the Buick Grand Nationals, Caddy's, Vans, Ford on the T-Birds and others.




I have a unit now and a good friend in NC that has several GN that we have had long discussions.
The wiring would be very simple.
The pump unit would need to be remote located. ( I have already mocked up and played with placement while rebuilding my current MC)
Even the mounting plate only needs a little work to fit the current 4 posts.

or you could go with a new, hot rod setup.
[www.carsteering.com]

Which ever route you take, keep us informed, post pics, and lessons learned!

By the way,

Rimmers Bro in England has left and right hand units for the Stage, 2000, and Sprint, plus power steering pumps.
(only listing as I know that power steering units were not very popular state side and would be hard to track down)

[www.rimmerbros.co.uk:80]

Hi Don.

One of the appeals of the hydroboost system is the compactness (well that and it works better).
You get to remove that monstrous vacuum servo - freeing up enough space to mount a remote ps fluid reservoir, or something else that I'm sure I overlooked. The electric setup I'd never heard of, but it doesn't look to be a space saver.

As to the rack - I already have a TR8. The rack is huge. (And in my case leaky, so I'm a bit biased against it).

I'm concerned about both the amount of space it'll take up (hence the remote servo) and introducing bump steer. I'd rather not reinvent the wheel unless I have to - I understand it's akin to heresy to say this, but it's worth a few hunderd $ extra up front to me to get something that'll fit in the stock location and has the same dimensions rather than try to adapt something and find that introduces geometry problems that take forever to fix. I'm putting a chevy v8 into an LBC - sourcing from the same mfr isn't a concern ;) I do appreciate the input though.

(As an aside, Calvin, did you see the front mount ancilliary setup for the LS1 that Vintage air added to their site. Now ~that~ is a compact front mount setup. If it was 1/3 of the price, it would be on a truck to my house.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2008 08:37AM by alana.

Hydroboost is interesting.

As for the Vintage Air ls1 front runner, the AC is in a nice location but the pwr steering would probably cause steering shaft routing problems. I don't think it would leave enough room. It looks like a nice setup otherwise, maybe mix-match between steet performance & Vintage air for front runner.