Vixen Rejuvination
Discussion
Right, I've had a Vixen S3 since 1998 and have spent loads on keeping it going over the years but due to a business venture that didn't work the car has been off the road for two years sitting in the garage. It had an MoT last time it was driven and drove fine, but now I want it up and running for the Spring.
The engine was built for it a couple of years back (1700 Caterham spec X-Flow)and after an engine fire, has had two new Weber 40s, so that part of the car is OK and doesn't need to be bothered about.
So my question is how do I go about improving the car from the 30 year old mechanics like the suspension, diff etc. to match the performance of the engine.
Keeping it original doesn't bother me, as I'd like the handling etc. improved.
Would a body-off, engine out rebuild from rolling chassis be expensive? Could the improvements be done without fully taking off the body?
Where could it be done? I keep looking at the Cottage Classics site but haven't yet phoned (thought I'd ask here first)
I'm not the slightest bit mechanically minded, so are these improvements possible? Most importantly how much?
Colin, we're not living in Epping any more.
The engine was built for it a couple of years back (1700 Caterham spec X-Flow)and after an engine fire, has had two new Weber 40s, so that part of the car is OK and doesn't need to be bothered about.
So my question is how do I go about improving the car from the 30 year old mechanics like the suspension, diff etc. to match the performance of the engine.
Keeping it original doesn't bother me, as I'd like the handling etc. improved.
Would a body-off, engine out rebuild from rolling chassis be expensive? Could the improvements be done without fully taking off the body?
Where could it be done? I keep looking at the Cottage Classics site but haven't yet phoned (thought I'd ask here first)
I'm not the slightest bit mechanically minded, so are these improvements possible? Most importantly how much?
Colin, we're not living in Epping any more.
What do you want the finished article to be??
Do you want to re-chassis your car?
Even if you re-chassis the car what do you want to do afterward. You have already stated that you want to keep the old oil burner in there so really with 140hp max on tap do you need to do anything?
I am currently building a Zetec powered hybrid with type 9 close ratio 5 speed. We are building the car on a new chassis the spec is as follows:
200hp zetec with full raceline kit and throttle bodies
close ratio type 9
3.54 powerlok 4HU (you could use a cosworth)
T45 wishbones (Fabricated by John reid)
Adrian Venn rear uprights (modified 300m type shafts and hubs does away with quills)
Biased brakes on existing pedal box (TR6)
Cortina Mk 5 master cylinder
4 pot front brake conversion
better linings on rear with alfins
Better steering rack location
Rose-jointed front ARB
Rear ARB ? Not sure yet
Bottom line is that you build the car to what you want but in my opinion if you are sticking with 140hp and old fasioned webbers, I wouldn't bother. The vixen chassis is pretty good in std form and well up to 140hp
To body off re-chassis your car I would estimate the following:
New Chassis £2500
Bushes and Bolts £500
New rear uprights £900
New Wishbones £500
Sundries £100
Recon std calipers £200
New rear brakes and seals £200
Recon rear diff £250
New Fuel tank £250
New coil overs and dampers £400
Labour strip and re-build £1500
Neil.
(assuming that if you have had the car 10 years and it has stood for 2 that you will want to replace everything with corroded rubber)
Neil.
Do you want to re-chassis your car?
Even if you re-chassis the car what do you want to do afterward. You have already stated that you want to keep the old oil burner in there so really with 140hp max on tap do you need to do anything?
I am currently building a Zetec powered hybrid with type 9 close ratio 5 speed. We are building the car on a new chassis the spec is as follows:
200hp zetec with full raceline kit and throttle bodies
close ratio type 9
3.54 powerlok 4HU (you could use a cosworth)
T45 wishbones (Fabricated by John reid)
Adrian Venn rear uprights (modified 300m type shafts and hubs does away with quills)
Biased brakes on existing pedal box (TR6)
Cortina Mk 5 master cylinder
4 pot front brake conversion
better linings on rear with alfins
Better steering rack location
Rose-jointed front ARB
Rear ARB ? Not sure yet
Bottom line is that you build the car to what you want but in my opinion if you are sticking with 140hp and old fasioned webbers, I wouldn't bother. The vixen chassis is pretty good in std form and well up to 140hp
To body off re-chassis your car I would estimate the following:
New Chassis £2500
Bushes and Bolts £500
New rear uprights £900
New Wishbones £500
Sundries £100
Recon std calipers £200
New rear brakes and seals £200
Recon rear diff £250
New Fuel tank £250
New coil overs and dampers £400
Labour strip and re-build £1500
Neil.
(assuming that if you have had the car 10 years and it has stood for 2 that you will want to replace everything with corroded rubber)
Neil.
Edited by heightswitch on Thursday 23 November 13:03
Just checked, and DVLA have changed the wording on their website; it used to talk about the ORIGINAL body/chassis - now it mentions replacement parts (although it may always have been the rules that direct replacements were OK, it alweays suggested to me that you needed 8 points from original bits).
Thank goodness for that.
Thank goodness for that.
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