Alfa 2ltr, Twin Cam as kit car engine?
Discussion
Any views on this engine, toying with the idea of using it as the basis of a future project, in a Lotus 7 style kit car maybe or a Fury as a track day car. One complication though is that I think it uses a transaxle which I don't have.
Does anyone have any experience of doing similar with one of these?
Is it worth spending the money on?
Does anyone have any experience of doing similar with one of these?
Is it worth spending the money on?
Edited by Erich Stahler on Thursday 14th August 21:15
Edited by Erich Stahler on Thursday 14th August 21:19
There was a Lola Mk. 1 'replica' a few years ago called the Summerfield Solar that used the Alfa engine complete with transaxle, but the tansmission is very bulky (particularly the clutch housing) and intruded into the cockpit space.
I've also seen a Lotus 23 replica that uses the Alfa Twin cam, mid-mounted, mated to a VW transaxle.
The easy solution, though, is to use the 5-speed inline gearbox out of an Alfa 105-series (ie. first generation GTV, etc.) or Alfa Spider. You'll need to change the flywheel and clutch assembly, but other than that I think it basically just bolts on. Plenty of people have used this engine/gearbox combination in front engine/rear wheel drive kit cars. It was particularly common in Marlins, once upon a time.
I've also seen a Lotus 23 replica that uses the Alfa Twin cam, mid-mounted, mated to a VW transaxle.
The easy solution, though, is to use the 5-speed inline gearbox out of an Alfa 105-series (ie. first generation GTV, etc.) or Alfa Spider. You'll need to change the flywheel and clutch assembly, but other than that I think it basically just bolts on. Plenty of people have used this engine/gearbox combination in front engine/rear wheel drive kit cars. It was particularly common in Marlins, once upon a time.
Err.. some common misconceptions here. That model of Alfa twink has nowt to do with Fiat at all. You'll need a box from a 105 series Alfa (Guilia, Spyder etc) to fit it & a flywheel & starter that match.
I've worked on a variety of these, incredibly bloody strong, one a oval stock saloon car had a throttle jam and ran at full chat for several minutes & was completely undamaged. Steel crank, I think steel rods & fantastic engineering.
Standard fit vernier cams.
A common trick is to fit the ALfa 75 head to give twin spark & vari cam. Manifolds are available to fit Webbers to this head.
EB Spares of Westbury can provide all the bits, including new wet liners & pistons. They also supply go faster cams as well.
The later Alfetta & GTV, Alfa 75 & very early 8V 155 all use the same engine, but with either transaxle or front wheel drive box.
The much later 155 style 16V is a joint Fiat engine & NO bits interchange.
I've worked on a variety of these, incredibly bloody strong, one a oval stock saloon car had a throttle jam and ran at full chat for several minutes & was completely undamaged. Steel crank, I think steel rods & fantastic engineering.
Standard fit vernier cams.
A common trick is to fit the ALfa 75 head to give twin spark & vari cam. Manifolds are available to fit Webbers to this head.
EB Spares of Westbury can provide all the bits, including new wet liners & pistons. They also supply go faster cams as well.
The later Alfetta & GTV, Alfa 75 & very early 8V 155 all use the same engine, but with either transaxle or front wheel drive box.
The much later 155 style 16V is a joint Fiat engine & NO bits interchange.
tr7v8 said:
Err.. some common misconceptions here. That model of Alfa twink has nowt to do with Fiat at all. You'll need a box from a 105 series Alfa (Guilia, Spyder etc) to fit it & a flywheel & starter that match.
Spot on. 105-series gearboxes are rare now, and fitting one to a 116-series engine is not straightforward.The Alfa Twin-cam is a superb engine. 130bhp as standard, with a pair of twin-choke side-draught Webers or Dellortos. It's a simple design and very easy to work on. Covered in detail in the Haynes manual for the Alfetta.
fiat and alfa....today they are belonging to one company. in the 70´s it would have been a offence to compare them. its like you compare VW with BMW.
now back to the original posting:
if you use the alfa engine, you automatically use the alfa gearbox and i think you can also use the alfa propshaft.
the syncromesh in 2nd, sometimes in 3rd gear is often worn.
the rest of the box is bullet-prove. a 2nd hand one, with some signs of wear should not cost more than 80-120 euro.
all boxes have the same ratio (1300,1600, 1750 and 2litre). the 1750 and 2litre have some bigger main bearings, which doesnt count using them in a kitcar.
engines can suffer from "not warming them up", headgasket failure, leaking rubber-flanges at inlet manifold. but all these things are nothing serious.
i drove 15 years such alfas and never had any problem. best egine for me is the 2litre combined with a short diff from the 1300/1600 (3,9 ratio).
the engines never suffer from overheating (nearly 7litre oil capacity), are fully alloy, incl. a huge allyo-sump with cooling fins, and all engines cope with unleaded.
the 116 enigne needs "only" the flywheel from the 105, and a small bush in the centre of the crankshaft to support the mainshaft of the gearbox (spigot bearing). easy job.
now back to the original posting:
if you use the alfa engine, you automatically use the alfa gearbox and i think you can also use the alfa propshaft.
the syncromesh in 2nd, sometimes in 3rd gear is often worn.
the rest of the box is bullet-prove. a 2nd hand one, with some signs of wear should not cost more than 80-120 euro.
all boxes have the same ratio (1300,1600, 1750 and 2litre). the 1750 and 2litre have some bigger main bearings, which doesnt count using them in a kitcar.
engines can suffer from "not warming them up", headgasket failure, leaking rubber-flanges at inlet manifold. but all these things are nothing serious.
i drove 15 years such alfas and never had any problem. best egine for me is the 2litre combined with a short diff from the 1300/1600 (3,9 ratio).
the engines never suffer from overheating (nearly 7litre oil capacity), are fully alloy, incl. a huge allyo-sump with cooling fins, and all engines cope with unleaded.
the 116 enigne needs "only" the flywheel from the 105, and a small bush in the centre of the crankshaft to support the mainshaft of the gearbox (spigot bearing). easy job.
Edited by Comadis on Friday 15th August 00:11
Have to say it seems a strange question and similar to ones posted on the Kit Car forum:
" I have an engine, what kit car can i buy to fit it in"? You usually buy the car 'cos you want that particular model.
It's like saying "I have a 3 piece siute and a bed, lets see what house i can buy to put them in"
In this instance thr engine is in bits, stuck in a plastic box.
" I have an engine, what kit car can i buy to fit it in"? You usually buy the car 'cos you want that particular model.
It's like saying "I have a 3 piece siute and a bed, lets see what house i can buy to put them in"
In this instance thr engine is in bits, stuck in a plastic box.
Skyedriver said:
Have to say it seems a strange question and similar to ones posted on the Kit Car forum:
" I have an engine, what kit car can i buy to fit it in"? You usually buy the car 'cos you want that particular model.
It's like saying "I have a 3 piece siute and a bed, lets see what house i can buy to put them in"
In this instance thr engine is in bits, stuck in a plastic box.
Yes, it is an unusual question, the enngine in its stripped down state was taking up space in a fiends garage and was in danger of ending up in a skip so I decided it was too good for that fate. Obviously it needs to be inspected to access its viability for a rebuild, but would love to put it to good use. There are you happy now Skydiver?" I have an engine, what kit car can i buy to fit it in"? You usually buy the car 'cos you want that particular model.
It's like saying "I have a 3 piece siute and a bed, lets see what house i can buy to put them in"
In this instance thr engine is in bits, stuck in a plastic box.
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