Twin Plenum Vitesse restoration

Twin Plenum Vitesse restoration

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Discussion

lexspace

295 posts

139 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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Duke Thrust said:
Will do a proper update soon, in short I've managed to get hold of one of the seven Rovercraft twin turbo 4.5 engines. A whole load of bespoke parts including inlet and exhaust manifolds, Motec ECU, JE pistons & rods and a whole load of other nice bits.

Will have to use a TVR spec Tremec T5 and modified Costworth tail shaft, custom prop to the Quaife LSD.
I'm liking the sounds of this !!
Top job !!
Great looking car

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
quotequote all
lexspace said:
Duke Thrust said:
Will do a proper update soon, in short I've managed to get hold of one of the seven Rovercraft twin turbo 4.5 engines. A whole load of bespoke parts including inlet and exhaust manifolds, Motec ECU, JE pistons & rods and a whole load of other nice bits.

Will have to use a TVR spec Tremec T5 and modified Costworth tail shaft, custom prop to the Quaife LSD.
I'm liking the sounds of this !!
Top job !!
Great looking car
+1

Sounds rather fun smile

Yamahadivvyrider

450 posts

117 months

Thursday 23rd October 2014
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Stunning looking car.can that engine be supercharged?

Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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Yamahadivvyrider said:
Stunning looking car.can that engine be supercharged?
Instead of turbo charging? Yes, it's got large combustion chambers and a CR of 8.5:1

It'd not be a Rovercraft twin turbo though, so not as cool/rare.

Incidentally, the Rovercraft TT is not to be confused with the somewhat agricultural Janspeed draw-through SU carb setup, very different.

The nice thing about this (for me at least) is that it's one of the seven TT Rovercraft engines back into an original Rovercraft car.

Harvey Mushman00

271 posts

132 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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Great story,this car is a credit to youbow

LewG

1,357 posts

145 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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Brilliant stuff Duke, I've seen the Janspeed setup and as you say it is fairly agricultural, yet from what I've seen received amazing reviews in the motoring press. This Rovercraft setup should make the car an absolute animal. You can't help but think it's more what the Vitesse always should've been.

Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
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Tremec T5 and Cosworth tail-shaft off to Competition Transmissions to have the housing machined to accept the larger bearing and output shafts.





Intercooler and pipework mocked up (I'll give the intercooler a clean and a coat of the special automotive radiator paint)



Not much space and I still need to fit the A/C condenser in:


Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
quotequote all
Look what's arrived back!


Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
quotequote all
Minor bit of body work to get the intercooler to fit in front of the A/C condenser:



Turbo jackets and HT leads on:



Helix paddle clutch on:



Gearbox and bell housing on:


Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
quotequote all
Oil cooler (essential with the turbo's making so much heat)



New lines fitted:



Engine in biggrin



Not masses of space, but it does fit:



Still loads to do, all the intercooler and inlet pipework, I need to fabricate a gearbox mount, install the loom (which I've re-made already), pressure test the fuel lines and probably lots more.

Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
quotequote all
Pulleys are just for alignment at the moment, will clean and paint.

Usget

5,426 posts

210 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
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The absolute coolest thing about that, by far, is the "Rovercraft" rocker covers. Fab.

C7 JFW

1,205 posts

218 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
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What a superb thread, great to read. I think cars left to family members who clearly have the knowledge required to put everything back together and can fully appreciate the emotional link from one person to another, really, genuinely deserve being put back in the way you have demonstrated.

I've never been a fan of these cars, however, I sincerely respect the level of work, the quality of finish and the fact you've enhanced the car in the ways you have - I love the brake conversion and the addition of the diff - they will probably make the car significantly more enjoyable to drive.

Keep going and thank you for sharing - what a terrific thing to pass on from one member of the family to another.

johnxjsc1985

15,948 posts

163 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
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just had a quick scan through this what a great story and what a job you undertook.
Loved these big lumps and remember the Vitesse marque very well.Great job its a real credit to you.

8003px

179 posts

154 months

Thursday 6th November 2014
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awesome write up and story, please continue...with more pics if possible.

ManOpener

12,467 posts

168 months

Friday 7th November 2014
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Can you tell us a bit more about the Rovercraft twin turbo motors? I've had a bit of a search around but can't find much on the interwebs about them.

Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Thursday 20th November 2014
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ManOpener said:
Can you tell us a bit more about the Rovercraft twin turbo motors? I've had a bit of a search around but can't find much on the interwebs about them.
They're very rare and hence there's not much about them out there. From what I've managed to research there were up to 7 engines made, production was very short as Simon Law (one of the two brothers that owned Rovercraft) was killed at the Brighton Speed Trials in a single seater powered by one of the engines.

One engine made it into a TR7, one into a GTD40 and one into an SD1, the others I'm not so sure about.

They used a completely bespoke twin plenum intake as well as exhaust manifolds which must have cost a fortune to cast. Rovercraft forged 4.5 crank, low compression forged JE pistons & rods, steel rockers, big injectors, MoTeC ecu, custom grind cam, custom intercooler etc etc.

Depending on boost they will produce from a very lazy 400 bhp to a frantic 700 bhp.

I've seen a couple of twin-turbo ebay jobs advertised as the Rovercraft system, but they've turned out to be home-brew specials, impressive nonetheless.

Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Monday 1st December 2014
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I wrapped the down-pipes (forgot to take a picture of the near-side one)



Two of the brake lines and the clutch hose will run very close to the OS turbo, hence wrapping the downpipes but for belt and braces a friend has sorted me out with these very hi-spec sleeves:


Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Monday 1st December 2014
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Filled the gearbox with oil
Fitted and bled the clutch hydraulics
Connect up, prime and pressurise the oil system including the oil cooler:


Duke Thrust

Original Poster:

1,680 posts

238 months

Monday 1st December 2014
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Downpipes and exhaust fitted: