Errr, my bell housing doesnt fit

[heightswitch]

can I suggest doing the following before you start cutting out a load of stuff...

Offer your engine and box into position fitted with the correct MK2 Cortina Mounts. fit your prop to the diff flange since this will be a constant. Dont assume your engine and gearbox mounts are in the correct place on the chassis. Slide the engine and box back supported by the crane so that the front prop yoke slides into the gearbox. set the engine with the required yoke clearance which will correctly set the engine fore and aft in the chassis. When you have done this you can then set the engine in the correct place on the engine crane, Fit the gearbox mount then simply tack weld your 2 pieces of 50mm x min 6mm thick strapping onto the top and bottom rail after folding to shape.

N.

[Astacus]

Thanks Neil this sounds like the logical way to do it.

Grinding out that bit of chassis was a bit painful, but having really checked out the differences, I was sure it was wrong!

[heightswitch]

Astacus said:

Thanks Neil this sounds like the logical way to do it.

Grinding out that bit of chassis was a bit painful, but having really checked out the differences, I was sure it was wrong!

If other items are suspected to be out of alignment then why don't you have a chat with keith and ask him to re-jig the chassis for you..he has Jigs and you don't?
There are quite a few detail differences which have been employed over the years...i haven't a clue what they all are so you definitely won't..

other things to consider re your suspension pick ups..

Grantura and 1800S used different wishbones (triumph ones) rather than purpose made tubular as per vixen, pick up points should be broadly similar though.. The cost of getting it properly checked on a jig will be a small price to pay with your rest.
N.


N.

Edited by heightswitch on Saturday 17th August 18:33

[Astacus]

Yup, already on it, waiting for Keith togetback to me.

Edited by Astacus on Saturday 17th August 21:49

[TVRHTV]

My MkIV 1800S (1966) has TVR wishbones,top & bottom!

[Fiscracer]

TVRHTV said:

My MkIV 1800S (1966) has TVR wishbones,top & bottom!

So does my MkIII 1800S and my MkIII, so not sure you're correct Neil

[heightswitch]

Fiscracer said:

So does my MkIII 1800S and my MkIII, so not sure you're correct Neil

Switch was around MK3 I think, Referring to front wishbones...As such The answer was posed because of the un certainty of the chassis derivative.
Don't know how many cars have been re-wishboned over the years and not sure whether the wishbones are interchangeable most likely they are... Granny MK3 definitely had some triumph wishbones though when original.

I could be mistaken though, wouldn't be the first time.
As stated there are others who Know the Granny cars in far more detail than me.
I'm a Griffy man


N.

[pridaux]

heightswitch said:

I'm a Griffy man ;
N.

Did not realise you where into American Baseball??? Griffey
Or a cartoon Character chicken Griffy
You really did do a home run on the car though and definatly not a chicken however you could create a little badge using the cartoon character as the basis of the badge.
A

Edited by pridaux on Sunday 25th August 10:58

[Astacus]

Well, I am embarrassed to see this was all 18months ago and I have not made much progress on this since.

What I really needed was a car I could look at to get a proper idea how the engine want into the chassis. Recently Andrew kindly arranged for me to visit a friend of his who had a Vixen S1 on the road so I could see how the engine was arranged and finally get this project back on track.

Anyhow, I spent an enjoyable couple of hours chatting and talking old TVRs and took a look at his very nice Vixen to check the engine fitment. It turns out that the engine does sit so that the clutch slave lug and the starter mounting on the bell housing both sit above the lower chassis rail. Great. So when I got home I levelled off the chassis using the lower rails as the datum and fitted the engine in where it ought to goal levelled out side to side and back to front.

It turns out that with all this done, the gearbox mount is 30mm above the mounting brackets on the chassis



This was a bit of a surprise.

Could it be that I am missing a part of the gearbox mounting? From looking at other vixens I didn't think so, as the gearbox mount seems to bolt straight to the plate, however, the only image I have of a series one gearbox mount looks like there might be some sort of spacer in there.



I don't have anything that looks like a spacer in my boxes of bits

Does anyone know what is happening here?

I don't think the engine is supposed to lean backwards, and the bell housing looks more or less the same as for other S1s I have seen, so I am a bit stumped

Any ideas?

[GTRene]

here are also some detail pictures, maybe handy?

http://tonystvrvixens1.blogspot.nl/



also vixen



http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Astacus]

Thanks Rene,

The close up is in fact of Tonys car. He sent me a photo from the other side! I have e mailed him to see if he has any more information.

[Astacus]

Neil, do you recall a spacer in there when you stripped your S1?

[Dollyman1850]

Astacus said:

Neil, do you recall a spacer in there when you stripped your S1?

I don't think so..still have the rotten old one somewhere.

You need to go to first principles here.. You are tying yourself up in knots.

Start with what you know fits..

Bolt back diff in
Bolt prop in place
suspend engine and box in bay (leave mounts off engine)
Fit prop to box and slide to the correct position to set fore and aft location of engine

The engine / gearbox needs to be in phase IE diff flange and box flange add up to 180 degrees….if diff flange level, box flange level etc..

NOTE: The relative height of engine and box to diff doesn't matter at this stage. The angles do

The metal plate that the gearbox bracket is bolted onto sits on top of the chassis tangs not below generally but again this doesn't matter at this stage

Some pics to show what you want to aim for…









When you have the engine fore and aft you can lift the engine and box up and down but keeping the phase angle correct.. I will dig a photo of an S2 at gearbox end so you can see where the slave cylinder sits in chassis..
You appear to be trying to use the mounts you have to bolt the engine in come hell or high water.. if you are unsure of the provenance of the mounts then throw them away and don't use them…

Set the engine up where you want it in phase then make the mounts to suit that position.

Edited by Dollyman1850 on Thursday 13th November 00:45

Edited by Dollyman1850 on Thursday 13th November 00:51

Edited by Dollyman1850 on Thursday 13th November 00:57

[GTRene]

here is also a list with Vixen parts and or what other part you can use, they name also your type engine I believe and also some engine mounts etc etc.
maybe also some things you can help?

http://www.zen11896.zen.co.uk/vixen/parts/parts.ht...

[Astacus]

Thanks Neil,

Sorry, I probably wasn't very clear in my post; the mountings aren't really the issue, they can be sorted out, now that I understand how the block fits into the chassis. What I really wanted to understand was whether the engine was intended to be horizontal or whether it was OK for it to lean backwards a bit, hence whether or not there needs to be any packing under the gearbox mounts.

Anyhow, I followed your advice and I think I am now , FINALLY there.



Couldn't resist trial fitting the new exhaust





Now, finally, I can organise getting the rest of it sorted out! I am really pleased I have finally (touch wood) got through this log jam and I can move the rest forward.

[tomtrout]

Well done Matt. Did you end up fitting a spacer? I know my early S2 has a different chassis to yours but here is a pic of my gearbox mount the way it was before I stripped everything out.

[Astacus]

Thanks TT.

There is still some jiggling to do to get the drive train alignment right, but I think it will need some spacers.

[Sonus]

Does anyone know the measurement from center crankshaft to top off upper chassis rails or any other reference point on the chassis? Looking at the pictures posted my car might be missing the rear gearbox mounting spacers making for awkward drivetrian angles.

[Dollyman1850]

Astacus said:

Thanks TT.

There is still some jiggling to do to get the drive train alignment right, but I think it will need some spacers.

Glad you are getting closer. you may want to speak to dave Colledge at retroford who can supply stiffer donut type mounts and steel cups to stiffen further.
The engine does look low in the chassis but if you still feel the tails haft needs lifting to set the angle then possibly not.
I use a rabone magnetic anglesetter. They are only about a tenner and adjustable so you can make sure driveline is in phase.

N.

[phillpot]

Dollyman1850 said:

I use a rabone magnetic anglesetter.
N.

One of these ?



I think I sort of get the idea that the angle on each UJ should be equal? But would be grateful if you could take a minute or two to explain what or where you are measuring from?