Talbot lotus sunbeam
Discussion
Mark A S said:
aeropilot said:
Is the direct top ZF still fitted with its road going two-piece spongy gearlever, or does it have a single piece competition gear lever fitted?
Apart from the extra noise the single piece lever is much better........I still have the single piece lever in my garage that I took off mine when I put the OEM 2-piece back in it before selling it.
droopsnoot said:
Is the single piece lever reasonably easy to get hold of? One of the issues with the gearchange in my Firenza is that the top is fixed to the bottom by shoving it through two rubber grommets, so it's not exactly a tight fit.
Can't remember if the Droopsnoot has a ZF or Getrag? If ZF, ask Aero, he has one Mark A S said:
droopsnoot said:
Is the single piece lever reasonably easy to get hold of? One of the issues with the gearchange in my Firenza is that the top is fixed to the bottom by shoving it through two rubber grommets, so it's not exactly a tight fit.
Can't remember if the Droopsnoot has a ZF or Getrag? The Chevette HS and HSR had a direct top 5th Getrag.
Yes, it's the ZF. I don't want to increase the noise, but it is a bit vague most of the time.
I have got a spare box that came with a single-piece gear lever, but if I recall correctly it's about 5" long so probably not aimed a road car. I guess an option would be to weld a bit of extra bar on the end of it.
I have got a spare box that came with a single-piece gear lever, but if I recall correctly it's about 5" long so probably not aimed a road car. I guess an option would be to weld a bit of extra bar on the end of it.
Mark A S said:
Pulled this from the SLOC FB page [ told you they were good ] Road test of Henri's 1980 RAC winning LS.
I wonder if it took 2 gear changes to 60?
Would be my guess it did, with the rear gearing. ] Road test of Henri's 1980 RAC winning LS. I wonder if it took 2 gear changes to 60?
Many happy memories of chats with Des prior to the formation of SLOC, about Sunbeam's & Henri T, London-Sydney Hunters, GT40's and Carrol Shelby at LeMans when Des was with the works Aston race team.
Stumbled onto this thread and it also brought back a few happy memories, but sadly not detailed enough!
I traveled down to Le mans a few times in late 80's and 90's in the company of TLS's, two black with the silver stripe, and one blue. One year we had a (I think) Hillman Hunter, or Avenger Estate which had been breathed on and might have been an ex-works car. I'm afraid I can't remember any reg nos, but I'll have pics somewhere, so will have a go at digging them out. Pre digital years unfortunately, so they'll be in a box in a probably unguessable location.
I still remember the sound of the TLS's when we were pressing on and overtaking on the way down, pre Autoroute!
I traveled down to Le mans a few times in late 80's and 90's in the company of TLS's, two black with the silver stripe, and one blue. One year we had a (I think) Hillman Hunter, or Avenger Estate which had been breathed on and might have been an ex-works car. I'm afraid I can't remember any reg nos, but I'll have pics somewhere, so will have a go at digging them out. Pre digital years unfortunately, so they'll be in a box in a probably unguessable location.
I still remember the sound of the TLS's when we were pressing on and overtaking on the way down, pre Autoroute!
Custerdome said:
I traveled down to Le mans a few times in late 80's and 90's in the company of TLS's, two black with the silver stripe, and one blue. One year we had a (I think) Hillman Hunter, or Avenger Estate which had been breathed on and might have been an ex-works car. I'm afraid I can't remember any reg nos, but I'll have pics somewhere, so will have a go at digging them out.
My guess would that Avenger Estate might have been a red one with Minilites, and a MAC ***V reg number?If so, it was one of the two Avenger estate's built by the works rally mechanics for use as the chase cars for the works rally team 79-82, and for the required grunt (and part commonality with the rally cars) they fitted a Sunbeam-Lotus engine and ZF gearbox
full Bilstein suspension, LSD etc.,etc. which was pretty easy to do as the Sunbeam was a short wheelbase Avenger under the skin. It was owned (and likely still is) by Graeme Lawton who was the SLOC Chairman for many years from the mid-90's up until just a few years ago. I seem to recall him mentioning LeMans trips.Yes, right on all counts.
I had a tuned 240Z at the time and although very different, the cars were pretty evenly matched. I think one of the TLS owners has now sadly passed away, and I know one of the others was sold on in the early naughties, so have no knowledge of current owners, but I'm guessing they're still on the road. I hope so!
I had a tuned 240Z at the time and although very different, the cars were pretty evenly matched. I think one of the TLS owners has now sadly passed away, and I know one of the others was sold on in the early naughties, so have no knowledge of current owners, but I'm guessing they're still on the road. I hope so!
OT but just out of interest, where is the Avenger wheelbase shorter than the Sunbeam? I have had a few Sunbeams and no Avengers and the suspension arms, cross members and propshafts (the places where I could think the changes could be) always look interchangeable
I know that early Avengers have shorter TCAs and Brake Reaction Rods which can be used as a Sunbeam mod to change camber and castor but that's just on earlier cars
I know that early Avengers have shorter TCAs and Brake Reaction Rods which can be used as a Sunbeam mod to change camber and castor but that's just on earlier cars
LastPoster said:
OT but just out of interest, where is the Avenger wheelbase shorter than the Sunbeam? I have had a few Sunbeams and no Avengers and the suspension arms, cross members and propshafts (the places where I could think the changes could be) always look interchangeable
I know that early Avengers have shorter TCAs and Brake Reaction Rods which can be used as a Sunbeam mod to change camber and castor but that's just on earlier cars
The wheelbase is only shorter by 1/2 inch between the two, although I believe the floorpans are very similar pressings.....(getting a long time ago now) but of course the Sunbeam is pretty much missing a great chunk of sub-floor behind the rear axle line, as Sunbeam has much less rear overhang. The Sunbeam wasn't a true hatchback in the modern sense, as the hatch was really just a hinged rear window, much like the Imp had, not a low sill structural hatchback with tailgate as we know a true hatchback to be.I know that early Avengers have shorter TCAs and Brake Reaction Rods which can be used as a Sunbeam mod to change camber and castor but that's just on earlier cars
aeropilot said:
LastPoster said:
OT but just out of interest, where is the Avenger wheelbase shorter than the Sunbeam? I have had a few Sunbeams and no Avengers and the suspension arms, cross members and propshafts (the places where I could think the changes could be) always look interchangeable
I know that early Avengers have shorter TCAs and Brake Reaction Rods which can be used as a Sunbeam mod to change camber and castor but that's just on earlier cars
The wheelbase is only shorter by 1/2 inch between the two, although I believe the floorpans are very similar pressings.....(getting a long time ago now) but of course the Sunbeam is pretty much missing a great chunk of sub-floor behind the rear axle line, as Sunbeam has much less rear overhang. The Sunbeam wasn't a true hatchback in the modern sense, as the hatch was really just a hinged rear window, much like the Imp had, not a low sill structural hatchback with tailgate as we know a true hatchback to be.I know that early Avengers have shorter TCAs and Brake Reaction Rods which can be used as a Sunbeam mod to change camber and castor but that's just on earlier cars
2172cc said:
There's a cut line in the floorpan just between where front seats mount and just before the rear seat hump.
By the way Graeme still has the Ex Works Avenger estate chase car MAC500V but is no longer chairman of the club.
I did mention in my post that he was Chairman up until very recently By the way Graeme still has the Ex Works Avenger estate chase car MAC500V but is no longer chairman of the club.
2172cc said:
There's a cut line in the floorpan just between where front seats mount and just before the rear seat hump.
.
How does the running gear make up for that difference? Other than the earlier posts re front suspension caster change..
Like I said, I have had a few (actually about 7 or 8) Sunbeams, all rally cars so spent many hours in and under them but never even looked under an Avenger really. If the cross member mounts in the same place and the engine mounts are the same, the engine and box are the same, the propshaft is the same and the axle and it's locating arms are the same then the shell itself can't be shorter to shorten the wheelbase can it?
(Sorry Mark A S
)LastPoster said:
2172cc said:
There's a cut line in the floorpan just between where front seats mount and just before the rear seat hump.
.
How does the running gear make up for that difference? Other than the earlier posts re front suspension caster change..
Like I said, I have had a few (actually about 7 or 8) Sunbeams, all rally cars so spent many hours in and under them but never even looked under an Avenger really. If the cross member mounts in the same place and the engine mounts are the same, the engine and box are the same, the propshaft is the same and the axle and it's locating arms are the same then the shell itself can't be shorter to shorten the wheelbase can it?
(Sorry Mark A S
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