Lexus V8 with NOS in a Renault Espace - yeah lets do it !
Discussion
hi everyone, right - where to start ? , the new brake lines are all complete and bled up with thankfully no leaks and no problems, the new fuel lines are complete - pressurised up with no leaks and no problems,and the new exhaust bolts and gaskets are fitted with no leaks and no problems , WOO HOO , i tidied up some of the wiring and had it running yesterday so im basically back to where i was a few months ago except with a lighter wallet and some new shiny bits.
Here are a couple of pics of the fuel system parts
the only problem with fitting new shiny bits is that it shows how dirty and scruffy everything else is - will sort that later !
in the last pic you can just about see the aluminium adaptors i had to machine to connect the fittings to the tank , the next pics are of the starting piece and then half finished in the lathe, sorry but i forgot to take a pic of the finished item
here is a pic i found on the internet , i realise it is the newer model espace but the look and stance is pretty much the look i am aiming for , the 2 door idea i like too but thats almost too much work for the way im doing it (perhaps should have thought more about the spaceframe route- but cost is always the prohibiting factor)
next step is to start welding some bracing into the car before removal of the roof , if the weather ever improves i hope to pull the car out of the garage and take some pics of the momentus moment i cut the roof off
Here are a couple of pics of the fuel system parts
the only problem with fitting new shiny bits is that it shows how dirty and scruffy everything else is - will sort that later !
in the last pic you can just about see the aluminium adaptors i had to machine to connect the fittings to the tank , the next pics are of the starting piece and then half finished in the lathe, sorry but i forgot to take a pic of the finished item
here is a pic i found on the internet , i realise it is the newer model espace but the look and stance is pretty much the look i am aiming for , the 2 door idea i like too but thats almost too much work for the way im doing it (perhaps should have thought more about the spaceframe route- but cost is always the prohibiting factor)
next step is to start welding some bracing into the car before removal of the roof , if the weather ever improves i hope to pull the car out of the garage and take some pics of the momentus moment i cut the roof off
Max_Torque said:
Are you running solid engine mounts? If not, make sure you keep a fire extinguisher handy...........
hi, thanks max_torque but yes i did think someone may notice that , it is a little bit short but it was the only pipe i had left and wanted to get it running, i have some more pipe on order so i can make a longer oneI see from some of your posts you have a very good engineering background so i wondered if you might be able to help with any advice on the next set of pics ?
I pulled the car out of the garage yesterday and took a few pics , the next stage i want to do is chop the roof of the lexus and in order to do this i want to put some strengthening bars in before chopping - firstly i intend welding some box along the sills (green)then the front to back bars(red)and then the blue bars , i am wondering if anyone can see any obvious problems or better ways to keep everything straight whilst the roof is off and before the new body is attached
I also gave it a quick weigh too 1094KG !!
it will never be a featherweight !
Thanks for any advice
you need to TRIANGULATE!
Forget just adding extra bars along existing box sections, they won't do anything! (especially the "red" links along existing bulkheads which are already very stiff in those planes)
So, add bars from the upper corners to opposing lower corners etc! put crossed bars (2xtriangles) in the door apertures. That will prevent the body sagging when you chop off the roof.
Of course, you will be requiring the roof of the new body to put the strength back in when it is all welded back together so you can remove the triangulation.
You also need to decide which parts of which structure you will be keeping. personally i would want to use the Espace A-B-C pillars, roof structure, and front rear upper longitudinal members in their entirety without cuts or welds. I would just use the basic "2d" floor plan from the Lexus, probably with the front/rear bulkheads to make pedalbox/firewall construction easier
Forget just adding extra bars along existing box sections, they won't do anything! (especially the "red" links along existing bulkheads which are already very stiff in those planes)
So, add bars from the upper corners to opposing lower corners etc! put crossed bars (2xtriangles) in the door apertures. That will prevent the body sagging when you chop off the roof.
Of course, you will be requiring the roof of the new body to put the strength back in when it is all welded back together so you can remove the triangulation.
You also need to decide which parts of which structure you will be keeping. personally i would want to use the Espace A-B-C pillars, roof structure, and front rear upper longitudinal members in their entirety without cuts or welds. I would just use the basic "2d" floor plan from the Lexus, probably with the front/rear bulkheads to make pedalbox/firewall construction easier
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 30th March 14:54
thanks for the great advice max_torque
my intended cut lines are shown in purple , the A and C pillars cut at bottom screen height and the B pillar cut at sill height, the rear arch cut following on from the previous cut (width to fit into espace "steel" body .
The main worry strength wise is that i have to cut a good chunk out of the lower A pillar to enable the espace "steel" lower A pillar to fit ,this is partly why i felt the need for the red bars
my intended cut lines are shown in purple , the A and C pillars cut at bottom screen height and the B pillar cut at sill height, the rear arch cut following on from the previous cut (width to fit into espace "steel" body .
The main worry strength wise is that i have to cut a good chunk out of the lower A pillar to enable the espace "steel" lower A pillar to fit ,this is partly why i felt the need for the red bars
With the proviso that i haven't seen the two shells and hence have no idea about the relative widths or geometry, i'd aim to cut the lexus pan down to just its "inner" sills, removing the entire outer pressing (which has A.B.C pillar outters).
I would get a couple of 4M lengths of 100mm x 50mm 3mm walled steel box, and make a flat frame that slides under the lexus floor pan, and bolts probably to the suspension pick up points on the front rear subframes, add some castors and this becomes a handy build dolly, meaning you can strip off front and rear suspension for cutting / welding access etc. This frame will keep the lexus pan in shape. This means you can cut down the lexus frame in any fashion necessary without it moving much.
Then i'd triangulate the inside of the Espace shell with a nest of diagonals (probably in cheap WRS tube, probably 1" dia) Using some Acro-props of similar to hold the espace shell by it's roof, you can then cut out the entire inner floor pan, leaving as much of the espace sills as you can (depending on relative widths and shapes etc). This means the espace door shut apertures should be maintained, making everything much much stronger and looking a lot better!
Then roll Lexus floorpan under suspended Espace shell and work out what else needs to come out, and what needs to be bridged. Then finally you can double butt / re-enforce all the joins and intersections with pressed and welded additional plates.
I would get a couple of 4M lengths of 100mm x 50mm 3mm walled steel box, and make a flat frame that slides under the lexus floor pan, and bolts probably to the suspension pick up points on the front rear subframes, add some castors and this becomes a handy build dolly, meaning you can strip off front and rear suspension for cutting / welding access etc. This frame will keep the lexus pan in shape. This means you can cut down the lexus frame in any fashion necessary without it moving much.
Then i'd triangulate the inside of the Espace shell with a nest of diagonals (probably in cheap WRS tube, probably 1" dia) Using some Acro-props of similar to hold the espace shell by it's roof, you can then cut out the entire inner floor pan, leaving as much of the espace sills as you can (depending on relative widths and shapes etc). This means the espace door shut apertures should be maintained, making everything much much stronger and looking a lot better!
Then roll Lexus floorpan under suspended Espace shell and work out what else needs to come out, and what needs to be bridged. Then finally you can double butt / re-enforce all the joins and intersections with pressed and welded additional plates.
Been doing a little work on the espace shell, the floor has all been cut out and now just requires a little tidying up and some strengthening down the sills, I will then have the required points and measurements to enable me to start cutting the lexus shell to suit , here are a few pics
the next few pics show the progression of the 'firewall' area
the next few pics show the progression of the 'firewall' area
t. I love it. 
Papa Hotel said:
I read this thread when it was first made and thought "another clown with a big idea, teasing us, we'll never hear from him again." I'm chuffed to bits I was wrong. 
You were prob right when you thought "another clown with a big idea" !I was sat in the garage only the other day thinking 'what HAVE i started here!', but luckily inspiration arrived in the post the next day , an ebay item - 1/18th scale Renault Espace F1
I am hoping to get some work done over the weekend and post some pics next week
Well - didn't get anywhere near as much done this weekend as i had hoped for , I did manage to 'swap' the cars round so the lexus is back in the garage and the espace is outside , so had to take a quick pic , I slipped a wheel under to get an idea of the ride height ,
I don't intend for any of the wheel to be 'hidden' under the arch , I'm planning on cutting away until you see the whole wheel and adding arch's , after measuring the width of the lexus this looks like it should work well
I don't intend for any of the wheel to be 'hidden' under the arch , I'm planning on cutting away until you see the whole wheel and adding arch's , after measuring the width of the lexus this looks like it should work well
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