Winter upgrades

[chedder]

It's that time of year chaps, long hot sunny days and light evenings are but a distant memory and thoughts on upgrades turn to action.
The season of freezing your backside off whilst fiddling with the Wedge is fast approaching!!!!

So post it here what you are all planning.

First upgrade for my old Wedge starts this weekend, the Postman very kindly delivered a heavy package today (just in time before the postal strike starts) containing a new set of Works Motorsport 4pot calipers, vented and grooved discs, braided lines and Red Stuff ceramic pads, first impressions are good, and can't believe how light the calipers are compared to the cast iron 2pots!

Once the brakes are done the next rounds will start;
Stage 2 heads and composite gaskets
Custom Piper cam, Vernier cam pullies and duplex chain
New oil pump and relief valve
John Eals injectors and Maf unit.
Adjustable ECU
Sprintex Supercharger
Intercooler

Should be interesting fitting that lot!

Edited by chedder on Thursday 4th October 21:51

[chedder]

rev-erend said:

Starting mine now..

New EMS and a very wild 5.3.. and a few other things.

Rumour has it, you will need a 24v starter motor off a Landy 101 just to turn it over!!!

[chedder]

jmorgan said:

Wedg1e said:

jmorgan said:

More a tongue in cheek comment after trying to find out how from the web. If it does the job and all that.


CF does sound easier than messing with plastic but the lid in me idea is still firmly brushed ally either way. Think it would look better. Though about a bit of walnut but it doesn't fit the picture for some reason. Door openers need thinking about as well. Cross the other bridge first.

Machined from solid billet, that's the way to go. I have some depleted Uranium blocks if you want to stick with TVR tradition and use an unusual material...

No milling machine other wise I would give it a go........

I have a next to useless garage so its the kitchen table when the missis ain't looking.

Edited to add, how small do metal hole cutting thingamibobs come nowadays?

Edited by jmorgan on Friday 5th October 12:57

Drill bits?????

[chedder]

jmorgan said:

chedder said:

Drill bits?????

Ha! Waiting for that......

Last time I was serious about metal bashing was in skool init. Then it was a chuffing great machine that used we used to mangle stuff on. Still have my ice axe somewhere, didn't understand at the time why it was daft to make it all out of steel. Nice head though.

Hmmmph....all we got to make was a depth gauge, and a fat lot of use it was too! The teacher forgot to send them away to get the measurement scale etched on!

[chedder]

"They're used to give small furry animals huge doses of radiation for cancer research, so I guess I do my bit in some small way" ????????

Now thats a 'strange ' winter project!

Edited by chedder on Friday 5th October 18:38

[chedder]

Stage 1 of winter upgrades complete!


Lovely old 2 pot cast iron calipers




New WMS alloy 4pots



New vented and grooved discs, calipers, ceramic pads and braided lines, all fitted in about 3hrs for both sides, have to bed them in for a week or two then rport back, but on first drive out, the performance is impressive and a whole lot more feel to the brake pedal.

Edited by chedder on Sunday 7th October 19:34

[chedder]

gsx600 said:

Surely they is not the seac brakes you have taken of ?

must be from 390 / 350 as even the 400 has vented setup on the front

Not a SEAC originally a V6 280 taz, uprated to 350 running gear

[chedder]

racingsnake said:

Cheddar, if you do all that this winter on top of the nitrous your gonna need a bleedin parachute never mind new calipers!

Just done the Bulkhead steering bearing upgrade on mine, oh how we laughed as I told the wife it would take and hour on Saturday but ended up taking all afternoon cos a bolt sheared off in the column UJ clamp lol. Oh well the shops can wait till another w-end.

Just bought a Fireblade engined Fury for a track day car so spending plenty time tinkering that at the mo though.

Hi Snake,
Spotted the piccy of your new toy on the NW forum, it looks a like a serious piece of kit for track days.....may give Alec a run for his money in the Atom!
Not certain if I will keep the Zex nitrous system on the Wedge, once all the "go faster" bits are bolted on I will wait and see what it makes on the rolling road before deciding, as I dont want to compromise the bottom end of the block, it's possible I may just fit smaller nozzels or failing that, sell it on to someone else who is 'power hungry'
Will the Red Wedge be at the next Wheatsheaf meet?

[chedder]

Woody said;
Love the brakes Tony! I want one of those...well 4 , thats my plan for the winter, I'll try not to bug you all I promise, anyone got an "idiots guide" anywhere?

Before you did them were your brakes only working near the bottom of the pedal, and are they all working at the touch of the pedal now?

Thanks Woody, no idiots guide unfortunately, but some good chapters in Steve's Wedge Bible.
Original brakes worked ok, but not a great deal of 'feel' on the pedal, I had tinkered with them by fitting Green Stuff pads and fine tuning the pushrod from the pedal to the Master cylinder, the big downfall of the 2pots was the lack of braking at a high rate of 'leptons'

Edited by chedder on Tuesday 9th October 18:14

[chedder]

[quote=.Woody]I have got the bible, will have to read thru it more! So where did u buy them from? How much were they for everything roughly? mail me if u prefer?[/quote
Hi Woody, brake kit came from WMS [e-mail] and included;
2 x alloy 4pot calipers
2 x Vented and grooved discs
2 x Braided lines
1 set of EBC Red Stuff ceramic pads
all fixings

Cost for the kit including VAT and delivery was a very reasonable £509.
I believe that 'Tall bloke' (Wedger) helped develope this kit with Keri for the Wedges, fitting the kit was very straight forward and is simply 'bolt on' no mods are required to the Wedge.
A crude home made tolerance indicator was used to check that the discs ran true and
worked perfectly ok.
Haven't had chance to use the brakes in anger yet as still bedding in the pads but first impression is very good once the pads are warm and their is a big improvement in pedal feel

I did consider using some 'Hispec' kit but this thread put me off!!!!
homepages.nildram.co.uk/~richw426/brakes/brakes.htm

I used an Eazee Bleed to push through a pint or so of cheap Dot 3 fluid to clear any air bubbles and will replace this with Dot 5.1 in a week or two.

Edited by chedder on Tuesday 9th October 18:40

[chedder]

Well after a long long wait for the postman to deliver the Sprintex Supercharger from Belgium, the Vendor and I finally agreed it was 'lost in transit' somewhere between Dover and the North West!
Better news today though, Postie delivered a mint Eaton M90Supercharger !! It's a bigger unit than the Sprintex but the tape measure 'thinks' it will fit......

So finally I can order the camshaft and hopefully the installation of the stockpile of goodies will begin in earnest in a week or so's time. piccys will follow

[chedder]

Well the time has come to start the winter project, Wedgeman has very kindly let me have a wedge sized space in his workshop so at least me and the Wedge will be warm and dry, the whole shabang begins this weekend, so be prepared for a barrage of questions!!!!
Final spec is now sorted, parts obtained or ordered;
Eaton M90 Supercharger running at 8psi, with front mounted intercooler
Stage 3 big valve heads, double valve springs and Crane hi rev lifters
V8tuner SC camshaft
ARP head studs
New oil pump and relief valve
Cloyes Duplex chain and gears
Vortech Boost dependant FMU
Microdynamics ignition controller
Modified Trumpets
Composite gaskets
Alloy header tank

Just need to find an engineering workshop in the North West who have the facilities to make the Crank pulley to drive the supercharger (6" alloy)
Will post some pics of the process early next week.

Roll on Springtime!!

[chedder]

racingsnake said:

OMG good luck Tony.
Your gonna have the nicest wedge int North!
Have you done the brakes yet? How are they? Should I fork out?

Brakes sorted, pics are further up the thread, not certain if they are in the same class as the Brembos on your Cupra, but they certainly make a hell of a difference compared to the original Wedge ones

See you in the spring in my rear view mirror!

[chedder]

Bonnet off, spanners, sockets and first aid kit at the ready!



The 'Oh Feck' what have let myself in for moment


'They all do that Sir'
None existant front lobe on the camshaft....still made 208hp at the flywheel without the Nitrous!



Rebuild with all the goodies begins tomorrow

Edited by chedder on Tuesday 18th December 20:13

[chedder]

It's alive, all the new bits on, cleaned the block too (just for Wedgie)
And bugger me, it started first time bit of a blow from each exhaust manifold but will sort that over the next few days and set up the timing properly then it's time to start fabricating the supercharger bracket, crank pulley, idler wheel, put the intercooler in, pipe it up, install the ignition controller, Vortech FMU........1/2 an hour should see that lot sorted !!!!!
Might be ready for Easter then!

[chedder]

Things are moving on with the series of 'mods' to the old Tiv, so heres a few pics of whats happened so far.
Part way through the build, new heads and cam fitted


Front mounted ait to air intercooler slotted in ahead of the radiator.


JE modded Jag MAF unit fitted into the slot recently vacated by the expansion and washer bottle and Eaton M90 in position on custom bracket.


Modified power steering pump to operate off the Supercharger belt and blower outlet plumbed in to the intercooler.


A bit more plumbing, fit the crank pulley (when it arrives!) and it will be time for a road test!

Edited by chedder on Wednesday 6th February 17:49

[chedder]

Thought it was time for a bit of an udate as the Supercharger installation is just about finished.
Things have been a little slow over the past 6 weeks as some of the modifications had to be outsourced, as cutting and welding the cast Plenum and throttle body was beyond my skills! But providing the drive belt for the Supercharger arrives tomorrow then this weekend could see the engine up and running.

Here's a few pics of the progress so far

Edited by chedder on Thursday 27th March 20:55

[chedder]

rev-erend said:

Well done Tony.. looks like you are nearly there.. hope the rest of the drive chain can candle it..

Have you changed the engine management system ?

Thanks Rev, am using an adjustable 4CU along with a trick fuel pressure regulator that compensates forr boost presure.

[chedder]

TVRleigh_BBWR said:

chedder said:

Thought it was time for a bit of an udate as the Supercharger installation is just about finished.
Things have been a little slow over the past 6 weeks as some of the modifications had to be outsourced, as cutting and welding the cast Plenum and throttle body was beyond my skills! But providing the drive belt for the Supercharger arrives tomorrow then this weekend could see the engine up and running.

Here's a few pics of the progress so far

Hi You got this working yet.

Also have you got any detailed install spec's etc.

Hi Leigh, yep all up and running!!!!!! just minor snagging issues at the moment, it's bloody quick though and a whole lot louder too will get some more updates on here in the next week or so
Chedder

[chedder]

TVRleigh_BBWR said:

ok cool,

be interesting to see. you coming to BBWF.

Also is there much benefit with a inter-cooler on a Supercharger set-up. seem a lot of extra effort.

Intercooler is a must, you wouldn't believe how much the SC heats up the intake charge, I also need to fit a much larger alloy radiator as the engine is running very hot when on boost due to the added compression caused by the charger, but hey ho will know for next time