Is it Possible GT6 Question

[Chequred Demon]

It was just a thought and there would obviously have to be some modifications, which is why you would require a fibre glass GT6 body.

The outriggers of the Chimaera could be easily narrowed by 200mm a side if required. The GT6 shell could have wheel arch extensions to cover the wheels. The fibre glass GT6 bonnet could be (relatively) easily lengthened and widened. The important measurement would be the length/width of the GT6 Cabin and how that sits in relation to the Chimaera Cabin and rear wheels? My idea would be to mate the fibre glass Chimaera floor pan to the fibre glass GT6 body? We would also want a full cage for track days.

Maybe it would look awful... maybe not. The point is that it would hopefully be "simply" a body swap, with all the Chimaera "twiddly" bits and electrics remaining in situ and the original GT6 glass and trim items readily fitting the fibreglass GT6 body.

Have you not watched "Chop Shop" - LOL !

Edited by Chequred Demon on Friday 24th April 10:55

[JonyPI]

hotrubber007 said:

sorry to co;e in so late - but why fit a horrible bmw straight six - heavy, weak top end, st on parts prices .

what the hell are you on about?

stick an M52 328i engine in, cheap as chips, sound ace, 193brake and stacks of tourqe as standard, 220bhp just with stick a m50 inlet manifold and BBTB on and you keep the straight 6! oh and on the 'heavy' front, the m52 wieghs as much as a triumph 4 pot, parts are very cheap and better quality that triumph bits and its a damn sight more reliable!

id get onto the sideways forum to be honest, lots of mad modders on there!

[//j17]

Chequred Demon said:

...The GT6 shell could have wheel arch extensions to cover the wheels. The fibre glass GT6 bonnet could be (relatively) easily lengthened and widened...

Change the proportions of the GT6 body at your peril, as it can go very wrong - http://tinyurl.com/cwdrsb

[JonyPI]

//j17 said:

Chequred Demon said:

...The GT6 shell could have wheel arch extensions to cover the wheels. The fibre glass GT6 bonnet could be (relatively) easily lengthened and widened...

Change the proportions of the GT6 body at your peril, as it can go very wrong - http://tinyurl.com/cwdrsb

there is also a orange gt6 which i think had a cossie lump in it, this was widened and lengthend i think and looked very st afterwards!

[Chequred Demon]

Ohhh yeee of little faith.

Actually I was thinking more along these lines...

http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=...

What do you think? Can you see what I mean about "widening and stretching" the bonnet - LOL!

[flintmartin]

You don't need to change all that much to have fun.

And its not obvious (except my crap air filter)

[tankana23]

Is there a morden naturally aspirated straight six engine which can be swapped into a mark 3 triumph gt6

[//j17]

Not heard of any. Your main issue is size. Modern engines in general tend to be taller than in the past, due to all the balancer shafts and things - and the Triumph 6 was quite a small engine even in its day, and then only just squeeded under the GT6 bonnet, even with the bulge.

[Magnum 475]

tankana23 said:

Is there a morden naturally aspirated straight six engine which can be swapped into a mark 3 triumph gt6

Wouldn't be easy. Triumph had to add the bulge to the Spitfire bonnet when they made the GT6 in order to fit the 6 in.

However, there are interesting things that can be done. The 2 ltr will rev quite happily if balanced and re-worked. Many years ago I modified a 1296cc Spitfire engine (same basic design, just 2 less cylinders). Managed 125 bhp at a little over 7,000 rpm. That needed lighter pistons, the entire engine balancing, flowed heads, stage 3 camshaft, roller rockers, weber carbs etc (can't remember everything I did to it now). The same treatment for the 2ltr should give a decent power output, but not much torque.

Other options include fitting a supercharger and fuel injection to give a good power increase. The biggest problem that I recall with all the engines in this series is that the crankshafts aren't really strong enough to take huge amounts of tuning. My spitfire engine got through 2 of them in less than 40k miles. The second one took a rod with it and punched out of the block somewhere on the M40.

Or the thing I always fancied doing but never had the cash to do at the time: dropping a small block V8 in, with corresponding upgrades to everything else on the car. A V6 might also fit quite well, something like the 'rocketeer' conversion for the MX5.

[Gemaeden]

Magnum 475 said:

tankana23 said:

Is there a morden naturally aspirated straight six engine which can be swapped into a mark 3 triumph gt6

...The biggest problem that I recall with all the engines in this series is that the crankshafts aren't really strong enough to take huge amounts of tuning. My spitfire engine got through 2 of them in less than 40k miles. The second one took a rod with it and punched out of the block somewhere on the M40...

The trick with the 1296 is to use the mark 3 crank not the mark 4. The mark 3 is much stronger and would rev to 8000 if shot peened etc.

[tapkaJohnD]

The engine that best fits under the GT6 bonnet and improves perfomance significantly is ... the Triumph 2.5L!

This was the car that Triumph should have but never built, as it would have competed with the TR6 - a GT6 is signficantly lighter, and even if the 2.5 doesn't deliver the claimed 150bhp in standard form, it's a lot better than the weedy 98 of the 2L.

John

[Magnum 475]

Gemaeden said:

Magnum 475 said:

tankana23 said:

Is there a morden naturally aspirated straight six engine which can be swapped into a mark 3 triumph gt6

...The biggest problem that I recall with all the engines in this series is that the crankshafts aren't really strong enough to take huge amounts of tuning. My spitfire engine got through 2 of them in less than 40k miles. The second one took a rod with it and punched out of the block somewhere on the M40...

The trick with the 1296 is to use the mark 3 crank not the mark 4. The mark 3 is much stronger and would rev to 8000 if shot peened etc.

That was the MK 3 crank! I still broke the damn things too often. It's entirely possible that the machine shops that I used weren't good enough though.

[AdamBCD]

Reviving the question about engine swaps, going to a 2500 Triumph engine in a GT6 seems a waste of time. The cylinder head and carburettor breathing is the limiting factor so the 2litre engine is just as good and sweeter. The rest of the drivetrain are suspect if the torque is increased, or even when a standard engine is used hard. Of course you can’t put a v8 in..that would be a GT8 surely?!
There must be some good modern straight 6 that would fit along with the appropriate running gear.
What the Triumph world really need is someone to pursue the gearbox internals, so that a sensibly tweaked Triumph 2litre 6 with around 170hp will survive. The standard suspension can be made to work quite well and give excellent handling even on the Wey.

[tapkaJohnD]

AdamBCD said:

Reviving the question about engine swaps, going to a 2500 Triumph engine in a GT6 seems a waste of time. The cylinder head and carburettor breathing is the limiting factor so the 2litre engine is just as good and sweeter. The rest of the drivetrain are suspect if the torque is increased, or even when a standard engine is used hard. Of course you can’t put a v8 in..that would be a GT8 surely?!
There must be some good modern straight 6 that would fit along with the appropriate running gear.
What the Triumph world really need is someone to pursue the gearbox internals, so that a sensibly tweaked Triumph 2litre 6 with around 170hp will survive. The standard suspension can be made to work quite well and give excellent handling even on the Wey.

Adam,
Since, even with Triumph's optimistic dyno, the 2.5L engine in the TR6 developed 150bhp, in contrast to the GT6's 98, I think you're talking nonsense. Big Smiley! I have fitted both 2L and 2.5L engines to my Vitesse and the torque available from the larger engine makes it far preferable, with no loss of smooth running. Triumph never fitted either the Vittesse or GT6 with a 2.5L as the lighter cars would have been strong competition for the TR6.

And I don't agree that the gearbox is too weak for 150bhp - I'm tempting fate, but mine is fine, O/d and all, as is the diff. The weak point is the half shaft. I've replaced mine with Volvo parts and MGF uprights.
John

[Yertis]

AdamBCD said:

Reviving the question about engine swaps, going to a 2500 Triumph engine in a GT6 seems a waste of time. The cylinder head and carburettor breathing is the limiting factor so the 2litre engine is just as good and sweeter. The rest of the drivetrain are suspect if the torque is increased, or even when a standard engine is used hard. Of course you can’t put a v8 in..that would be a GT8 surely?!
There must be some good modern straight 6 that would fit along with the appropriate running gear.
What the Triumph world really need is someone to pursue the gearbox internals, so that a sensibly tweaked Triumph 2litre 6 with around 170hp will survive. The standard suspension can be made to work quite well and give excellent handling even on the Wey.

I'm running a W58 gearbox in my TR6 at the moment. It's an easy swap (if you can find a good W58) the only thing to bear in mind is that you need a fixed length prop-shaft. I think people have put these in GT6s in the US. The ratios (in mine at least) suit the car perfectly. I can't honestly say I miss overdrive. Might be different if I was racing. On the other hand I could (if able) put about 500bhp through the gearbox without it going pop.

Obviously there the diff to worry about but at least they're easy to swap.

[Magnum 475]

tapkaJohnD said:

AdamBCD said:

Reviving the question about engine swaps, going to a 2500 Triumph engine in a GT6 seems a waste of time. The cylinder head and carburettor breathing is the limiting factor so the 2litre engine is just as good and sweeter. The rest of the drivetrain are suspect if the torque is increased, or even when a standard engine is used hard. Of course you can’t put a v8 in..that would be a GT8 surely?!
There must be some good modern straight 6 that would fit along with the appropriate running gear.
What the Triumph world really need is someone to pursue the gearbox internals, so that a sensibly tweaked Triumph 2litre 6 with around 170hp will survive. The standard suspension can be made to work quite well and give excellent handling even on the Wey.

Adam,
Since, even with Triumph's optimistic dyno, the 2.5L engine in the TR6 developed 150bhp, in contrast to the GT6's 98, I think you're talking nonsense. Big Smiley! I have fitted both 2L and 2.5L engines to my Vitesse and the torque available from the larger engine makes it far preferable, with no loss of smooth running. Triumph never fitted either the Vittesse or GT6 with a 2.5L as the lighter cars would have been strong competition for the TR6.

And I don't agree that the gearbox is too weak for 150bhp - I'm tempting fate, but mine is fine, O/d and all, as is the diff. The weak point is the half shaft. I've replaced mine with Volvo parts and MGF uprights.
John

Based on memory from the mid-90s.....

The 2.5 engine has a different oil sump to the 2.0 to allow for the longer throw of the crank - effectively the front part of the sump is deeper. The 2.5 sump won't clear the front cross-member of a GT6 chassis, so you have to modify the standard GT6 sump (probably with a hammer), to make it just deep enough for the crank to clear the sump, whilst still keeping enough clearance to not hit the cross-member.

I did see a guy in the late 80s or early 90s with a GT6 2.0L engine running a turbo charger. Quite a good piece of custom pipework, but sadly he hadn't bothered to fit any sort of charge cooler to it. The other option that could be interesting would be to use a Vortech style supercharger to boost up either of these engines.

Alternatively, there's a thread in 'Readers Cars' about an MX5 with a Rocketeer V6 conversion. It should be possible to convert the GT6 to running a modern V6 without needing to modify the bonnet line too much.

However, if I ever get enough time to do it, I still want to take either a Spitfire or GT6, and drop a decent small-block V8 in. Chances of me getting the time before I retire are close to zero, and by the time I've retired I reckon I won't be able to buy petrol as we'll all be driving EVs.

Edited by Magnum 475 on Monday 23 March 17:23

[hoppo4.2]

it can be done