Discussion
I think it will as many people seem to have done it in the past. Im not too technical so cant help too much, but someone will be along soon. I was going to do it to the tuscan but have decided to keep the V6.
youcould doa search and also have a look at the vixen in the classifieds that has the V8 in it.
youcould doa search and also have a look at the vixen in the classifieds that has the V8 in it.
No it wont.
s1 vixen, similar chassis as griff, s2 vixen different chassis
With the S2 Chassis you need to cut front and rear top chassis cross tubes off, front one needs to be dipped to clear waterpump, rear needs to be much taller at apex to clear bell housing.
Then you need to fab new chassis mounts for engine
Then you need to fit a salsbury 4HU in place of the spitfire diff. or custom hang a modern diff in place. this needs new chassis tubes in both cases.
If you have an S2 vixen then your twin coil over brackets are there for you, if you have an S3 on vixen you need to add them.
I would also suggest that your chassis is fully stripped and if the merest hint of rot is found that it is replaced since you will be twisting the chassis with 3 times more torque than the x-flow.
always change to new uprights and quill shafts and use the harder racing type.
Always uprate the brakes
always re-bush the entire car.
exhausts are tight with no body mods, best to narrow both footwells inboard of the chassis rails to allow a clean exhaust exit without the need to go forwards and down the front.
Huge rad will be needed, preff alloy to stand any chance of the car not boiling.
oil cooler will also be needed.
"It is very easy to badly drop a V8 into a vixen and create an unreliable poor handling deathtrap."
You need at least £10k to do yourself properly, more if you want to pay someone to do it.
Neil.
s1 vixen, similar chassis as griff, s2 vixen different chassis
With the S2 Chassis you need to cut front and rear top chassis cross tubes off, front one needs to be dipped to clear waterpump, rear needs to be much taller at apex to clear bell housing.
Then you need to fab new chassis mounts for engine
Then you need to fit a salsbury 4HU in place of the spitfire diff. or custom hang a modern diff in place. this needs new chassis tubes in both cases.
If you have an S2 vixen then your twin coil over brackets are there for you, if you have an S3 on vixen you need to add them.
I would also suggest that your chassis is fully stripped and if the merest hint of rot is found that it is replaced since you will be twisting the chassis with 3 times more torque than the x-flow.
always change to new uprights and quill shafts and use the harder racing type.
Always uprate the brakes
always re-bush the entire car.
exhausts are tight with no body mods, best to narrow both footwells inboard of the chassis rails to allow a clean exhaust exit without the need to go forwards and down the front.
Huge rad will be needed, preff alloy to stand any chance of the car not boiling.
oil cooler will also be needed.
"It is very easy to badly drop a V8 into a vixen and create an unreliable poor handling deathtrap."
You need at least £10k to do yourself properly, more if you want to pay someone to do it.
Neil.
Edited by heightswitch on Monday 26th June 14:50
Hi James
V8 into a vixen !!!! It is a hell of a job! If you are going to do it, choose the right engine and take the 289 . It is expensive, but you are building the real thing than. Gearbox should be a B&W T10 or a Ford toploader. The last one is cheaper and easier to find. The diff must be replaced into a salisbury and is a lot of work! The axles and flanges must be replaced as well! Front suspension is weak !
The best thing is to redesign it and use 400se uprights. And than the brakes ! Building a fast machine is nice, but braking is the most important thing on a machine like that. Use the 4 pod lockheed or find yourself a propar AP set and remove the pedal/vacuum pot. Replace it for a "in line" mounted vacuum pot only on the front wheels. That will be a huge improvement. Cooling !!! Make a foamblock as big as you can to fit in the front and use that as an example to build a radiator. Steering !! You can not use the steeringaxel because it goes straight through the exhaustmanifold. So use two UJ's to go around the manifolds.It is a lot saver like this as well. Another expensive thing are the exhaust manifolds ! Build them on the car because there is not much space there.
It will all take a long time and it will cost serious money.
good luck .
William
V8 into a vixen !!!! It is a hell of a job! If you are going to do it, choose the right engine and take the 289 . It is expensive, but you are building the real thing than. Gearbox should be a B&W T10 or a Ford toploader. The last one is cheaper and easier to find. The diff must be replaced into a salisbury and is a lot of work! The axles and flanges must be replaced as well! Front suspension is weak !
The best thing is to redesign it and use 400se uprights. And than the brakes ! Building a fast machine is nice, but braking is the most important thing on a machine like that. Use the 4 pod lockheed or find yourself a propar AP set and remove the pedal/vacuum pot. Replace it for a "in line" mounted vacuum pot only on the front wheels. That will be a huge improvement. Cooling !!! Make a foamblock as big as you can to fit in the front and use that as an example to build a radiator. Steering !! You can not use the steeringaxel because it goes straight through the exhaustmanifold. So use two UJ's to go around the manifolds.It is a lot saver like this as well. Another expensive thing are the exhaust manifolds ! Build them on the car because there is not much space there.
It will all take a long time and it will cost serious money.
good luck .
William
james_chim said:
Thanks chaps. I have e-mailed the guy in the classifieds about his, and await his response.... Do you think the money is realistics for that car?
Thanks
James
Thanks
James
Hi james.
the engine looks nice and shiny, but if you look deeper then I would suggest asking some questions, firstly at the front of the car the front cross tube has been cut out it looks as if flat steel bar has been welded in higher up to strap both suspension pick ups together. The flat bar then runs just behindthe pulley.
the chassis on the car looks to be the original, you can see the pock marks around the front suspension pick ups. similarly the wishbones are painted and do not look to be smoothly powder coated.
doubtless there are some expensive parts on this car, but also the lack of new chassis etc shows the car to have been built on a budget. there may be absolutely nothing wrong with this but If I was to even consider 20k on a non std vixen I would like to see a Brand new chassis under it.
Neil.
i am building a 2.0 zetec powered vixen with close ratio type 9 h/d 5 speed and salisbury diff for my dad.
I have not dropped the engine into the car yet but consider the folowing:
The 1600x/flow engine mounted into a vixen chassis using escort mk 1 /2 or cortina mk 2 engine mounts. retrosport do a full conversion kit to mount a zetec into an escort. By my reckoning the custom escort / zetec mounts will allow the zetec to be bolted straight into the vixen frame.
The Mounts are £73 for the pair. I spoke to dave colledge of retrosport who informs me he has sold some mounts previously to vixen owners and none have been returned!!
Stick a modern 16v in the front James. No point in sticking with an old knocker like a pinto.
Neil.
I have not dropped the engine into the car yet but consider the folowing:
The 1600x/flow engine mounted into a vixen chassis using escort mk 1 /2 or cortina mk 2 engine mounts. retrosport do a full conversion kit to mount a zetec into an escort. By my reckoning the custom escort / zetec mounts will allow the zetec to be bolted straight into the vixen frame.
The Mounts are £73 for the pair. I spoke to dave colledge of retrosport who informs me he has sold some mounts previously to vixen owners and none have been returned!!
Stick a modern 16v in the front James. No point in sticking with an old knocker like a pinto.
Neil.
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