tvr vixen 2500 t0 a v8 sprint .

[stevmale]

Brought the car , normal areas of repair required ie chassis reweld but not bad fo 1971.
current plan is :

rover v8/carb 200/250 bhp
lt77 box
Quaif lsd/tr6 diff
koni/adjustables
toyo 205/50

This plan changes all the time ,but the above is achievable and should be competative for about £2/3k.
questions:
as anybody already done this and what did it perform like
any alternatives
any body got any bits

[thermister]

did u see a month or two ago there was a white vixen fitted with a cosworth turbo engine which i remenber was sold and went to germany may be thats one way to go

[djc100]

I have a 1600M with 3.9 RV8 (ported & piper cam etc), LT77 box, Edelbroke 500 carb, TR6 diff (see how long it lasts)
Fabulous drive and quite quick.

Engine fits OK but very tight manifolds unless you cut the chassis and / or wings.

The original conversion to 3.5 RV8 is described on the M-fix site (Clifford Knight car). I have lots of pics of the conversion but need to scan the prints.

Your body/chassis is a little different but let me know if you need any info.

David

[heightswitch]

stevmale said:

Brought the car , normal areas of repair required ie chassis reweld but not bad fo 1971.
current plan is :

rover v8/carb 200/250 bhp
lt77 box
Quaif lsd/tr6 diff
koni/adjustables
toyo 205/50

This plan changes all the time ,but the above is achievable and should be competative for about £2/3k.
questions:
as anybody already done this and what did it perform like
any alternatives
any body got any bits

Don't waste your time.

You need a 2.0 Zetec. A Good long 2.8 ratio type 9 5 speed. A Cosworth Rear diff and some welding skills.

You then need to make some rear uprights and hubs that won't disintegrate.

Then you need to build it all up properly

This way you will end up with a nice sweet handling car good fuel consumption, good power 180 - 190hp and relaibility.

If you spend 3k on a V8 conversion you will likely as not end up with a poorly constructed death trap.


from start to finish to do a proper job I would bargain on at leat 10 - 12k if you can do most of the work yourself.

Neil.

Edited by heightswitch on Friday 4th September 22:11

[TvrJohn]

Excellent informed response from a man that knows what he's writing about !

[heightswitch]

TvrJohn said:

Excellent informed response from a man that knows what he's writing about !

Mr Morgan

Long time no hear!! hows things and what are you playing with in those big garages of yours these days??

Neil.

[TvrJohn]

pm'd

[Seabass]

^^^ Pretty much what I'm doing with the Vixen: 2.0 Zetec. Decent ratio type 9. Stronger rear end.

Reliable 200/250 HP from an RV8 will cost you a fair bit for a start.

JC

[ed_crouch]

Vixens do rather well at hillclimbs and twisty sprints with a well sorted 4 cylinder. Triumph 2500 is a waste of time as you could sink a yacht with it and its asthmatic to say the least.

V8? Yeh, you could, but the Vix is a gokart and a V8 wouldn't really help it. Also for hillclimbs I'd run a short GT6 diff. 4.11 or 4.5 seems to be the way to go if your engine will rev to 7k+. No point in selecting the diff to give 120MPH top speed - you'll never do that at a sprint/hillclimb, and all it does is lose you acceleration.

[Gnasher]

I built a Rover V8 engined M, the biggest problem was the exhaust manifolds, but with the Vixen chassis that would be easier.
The lightweight V8 made it handle well & it was a very good road car

A problem I found was that it didn't easily fit into any class for sprinting & hillclimbs. It would have been up against Westfield V8s at most meetings, & against Griff's & Cerbies in the TVR championship.

I you want to enjoy some competition I would say put a crossflow in it & compete as a Vixen., or go & see John Wade for an Essex V6 & compete as a Tuscan.

SteveD

[TVR_owner]

Gnasher said:

I built a Rover V8 engined M, the biggest problem was the exhaust manifolds, but with the Vixen chassis that would be easier.
The lightweight V8 made it handle well & it was a very good road car

A problem I found was that it didn't easily fit into any class for sprinting & hillclimbs. It would have been up against Westfield V8s at most meetings, & against Griff's & Cerbies in the TVR championship.

I you want to enjoy some competition I would say put a crossflow in it & compete as a Vixen., or go & see John Wade for an Essex V6 & compete as a Tuscan.

SteveD

Trouble is Steve, with any TVR if you're outside of a TVR Championship, you finish in a silly class....almost modsports.

As for JW, fine if he can bothered to talk with you!!

[stevmale]

thanks steveD a 3ltr it is then, it was just that did not want to break my scimitar, but have now had a option put to me that would see the scimi still compete.
and as for the coment from the other contributor re: john wade, john as supported me from day1 and as given me sound advice to go the tvr route .

[heightswitch]

stevmale said:

thanks steveD a 3ltr it is then, it was just that did not want to break my scimitar, but have now had a option put to me that would see the scimi still compete.
and as for the coment from the other contributor re: john wade, john as supported me from day1 and as given me sound advice to go the tvr route .

Seems a heavy and expensive way of building a 200hp car?

A Tuscan V6 was very much a hybrid Tuscan V8 since it had the 4HU at the rear
The TR6 rear end you have in yours will be OK to about 190 - 200hp, beyond that it starts to get expensive. Unless you are limiting yourself to a historic build I don't see any logic in using a massively Heavy V6 lump when you want to concentrate on sprinting and hill climbing.

A Tuscan V6 in race trim was a good car in HSCC. I think less so now because of rule changes. as a sprint / hillclimb car I don't think you will be anywhere in the indexes. a Vixen chassis handles far better with a light 4cyl up front and will be much easier on suspension and brakes.

Each to there own though.
N.

[TVR_owner]

stevmale said:

and as for the coment from the other contributor re: john wade, john as supported me from day1 and as given me sound advice to go the tvr route .

I'm pleased JW is giving some folk avice and service.

When last I spoke with him he was both rude and difficult to converse with, I know others that have had a similar experience.

[daza]

I think you'll find plenty of advice here, some that will suit you, some that wont. At the end of the day you'll have to figure out whats best for you.

I've owned my Vixen since 91, and had a Zetec fitted for over 11 years. I also looked at originally fitting a V6. I even fitted a Holbay H120 engine whilst experimenting, but unfortunately was also too heavy and bulky. The advice you have had is correct about the cars handling being better suited to a light 4 pot.

You wont go wrong with a Zetec fitted. The first one I fitted was an 1800 SI engine on a Formula Ford loom. The car was then rebuilt and fitted with a Scholar 2000 Engine and Jenvey throttle boddies. The power difference is between 130bhp to 175bhp (if you want some engine mounts drop me a line).

If you want +200bhp then start borrowing from kids piggy bank, lol. I'd love to go the Duratec route if money permitted, but the Zetec is a more economical and available solution at the moment

Darren

[heightswitch]

daza said:

I think you'll find plenty of advice here, some that will suit you, some that wont. At the end of the day you'll have to figure out whats best for you.

I've owned my Vixen since 91, and had a Zetec fitted for over 11 years. I also looked at originally fitting a V6. I even fitted a Holbay H120 engine whilst experimenting, but unfortunately was also too heavy and bulky. The advice you have had is correct about the cars handling being better suited to a light 4 pot.

You wont go wrong with a Zetec fitted. The first one I fitted was an 1800 SI engine on a Formula Ford loom. The car was then rebuilt and fitted with a Scholar 2000 Engine and Jenvey throttle boddies. The power difference is between 130bhp to 175bhp (if you want some engine mounts drop me a line).

If you want +200bhp then start borrowing from kids piggy bank, lol. I'd love to go the Duratec route if money permitted, but the Zetec is a more economical and available solution at the moment

Darren

The Duratec is a lovely engine but much more involved to fit to a vixen. a lot of people buy them and only then realise that inlet and exhaust positions are reversed. They are also big money compared to the old Zetec. I dare say that they will get cheaper but at the moment are still much more expensive than the Zetec lump.

The Zetec apparently is cheap upto 180hp then cam changes etc become necessary to get to 200hp. The botom end is apparently very good.

We bought a New crate engine and BGH geartech type 9 for £800. Not many duratechs around at that sort of dosh.

is yours all done now darren?

N.

[daza]

Niel,
Unfortunately not, car is sitting in the new garage and will have to wait until kitchen extension is finished..... Dou!

Whats the name of the racing company near Dome engineering?

He told a friend he was able to do Vixen Shell's

Darren

[heightswitch]

daza said:

Niel,
Unfortunately not, car is sitting in the new garage and will have to wait until kitchen extension is finished..... Dou!

Whats the name of the racing company near Dome engineering?

He told a friend he was able to do Vixen Shell's

Darren

I would e-mail you the details darren but your profile doesn't permit them?
Drop me a line and I will send you some details.

N.

[daza]

Both ur email addresses bounced