WANTED; alternator mounting bracket

[greymrj]

Anybody out there got an alternator mounting bracket they would be prepared to sell me? I want to do some development work but I dont want the car off the road while I do it.

[phillpot]

This could be for sale or would you rather borrow and send me yours on a sort of exchange basis when you've done? Would only cost you the postage?

[greymrj]

Thanks Mike appreciate you coming back to me. I am afraid it wuld have to be a purchase as I would seriously modify it! I did however spot that yours is already a little different than mine. On the early cars (mine is '88) TVR went a bit overboard and there is a fair bit of unnecessary metal on it. Difficult to be exactly sure from the angle of the photo but yours does look a little less 'over-engineered'. What year is yours?
What I am looking at is a serious mod which would make it easier to do tappets and to route some pipes. I think TVR decided to use the Granada auxiliary drive belt. That long belt was necessary because of the power steering layout. It is NOT necessary on the S. There is loads of space below the alternator, at least there is on the 2.8 and it looks similar on pics of the 2.9. If I dropped the alternator down I would be able to get the rocker cover off more easily AND get a better belt grip on the water pump. I can also build in a better piping run to the heater (I think!). Through my motor factor friend I can easily identify a shorter belt to match these pulleys.
If I can get hold of a bracket at the right price I will modify it and make drawings with a view to offering the arrangement to other S owners.

[phillpot]

Hi Richard, hadn't realised you have an S1, that bracket is from a later 2.9 engined car.

My idea was for you to modify "my" one then, if all goes well, send me back your un-modified original. Possibly not such a good plan if yours is different?

My modifications were limited to swinging the bracket outwards a little to give more clearance to rocker cover and a few holes!

Thought about trying to re-locate alternator rather than having it stuck right up in the air where it is but came to the conclusion there is not enough room anywhere else, think from memory the exhaust was a problem, Granada's and so on obviously didn't have forward sweeping manifolds like a TVR (2.8 could be different).

[Top Gear TVR]

Philpott - yes please, I have the same need and mines a 2.9

[greymrj]

Hi Mike, YHM. I am not sure there is that much difference at the front of the engine except (and it could be a big issue) I think the 2.9 might have sufficiently different cooling pipe runs to prevent the alternator dropping DOWN if the belt would then come too close to the pipe. You also have non standard manifolds which reduce clearance under the alternator. My plan, put simply, was to swing and cut the mounting to drop the alternator down and out, to clear the rocker cover and shorten the auxiliary belt.

[Griffinr]

Not much room underneath on the 2.9

[GadgeS3C]

Griffinr said:

Not much room underneath on the 2.9

Nice manifold

[greymrj]

Thanks Phillpot for the 2.9 bracket which I am afraid I used as a 'mock up' for dimensions before cutting my original 2.8 bracket. Note that the 2.8 and 2.9 brackets do differ in that the thick tube on the top on which the alternator pivots projects further forward on a 2.9. So the 2.9 bracket will mount on a 2.8 but the belt will be further forward and not in line with the water pump. There is an alternative double pulley for the water pump but I haven't checked to see if it would then line up on the outer pulley.

[GadgeS3C]

I'm fitting some nice alloy rocker covers and need to modify the alternator bracket.

Does anyone have a spare alternator bracket I could buy/borrow to use whilst I sort out modifying mine?

Thank,
Gary

[Top Gear TVR]

I already chopped mine for the same purpose :-)

[phillpot]

greymrj said:

Thanks Phillpot for the 2.9 bracket which I am afraid I used as a 'mock up' for dimensions

If I'm reading that right sounds like that one got chopped up? Now do I have another

[GadgeS3C]

phillpot said:

Now do I have another

That's the question!

[Adrian@]

I have lying around a box of brackets (and a load of misc bits ) that were from a 2.9S a/c kit, as fitted by the factory. (for some beer tokens)
Adrian@
That was quick...had.

Edited by Adrian@ on Tuesday 8th April 13:42

[GadgeS3C]

Adrian@ said:

I have lying around a box of brackets (and a load of misc bits ) that were from a 2.9S a/c kit, as fitted by the factory. (for some beer tokens)
Adrian@

Hi Adrian, will give you a call tomorrow.

[Adrian@]

See my previous edit...

[phillpot]

GadgeS3C said:

phillpot said:

Now do I have another

That's the question!

Unfortunately looks like the answer is no

thought there may have been one still on my spare engine, hopefully something useful in Adrians box of bits.

[greymrj]

You are right Mike, that bracket you sold me helped me make a mock up then I modified my own. It is no more! Not sure if I posted pics of the finished article? If not then these are the modified bracket on a 2.8, allowing much easier access to the rocker box, a shorter belt with better angles and easier to adjust correctly. And, in my 'humble' opinion, much better looking than the original!

[glenrobbo]

Bumped for Steve greyhulk.

Richard,
Did you get round to doing the drawings, and would you be prepared to make the modified brackets for other S1 owners?

Edited by glenrobbo on Sunday 22 November 10:34

[greymrj]

Hi Glen, I never did the drawings but I could do if someone wanted to modify their own. It isnt technically difficult to do with the right dimensions. For reasons you will understand I couldnt commit to actually making any at the moment, might be different in the spring. In any case it does mean modifying the owners original, there certainly doesnt seem to be a source of spares.