My Esprit V8 project time to post a thread
Discussion
Hi,
Great thread.
On page one you have a picture of the hillclimb car that the engine came from. I may be wrong but it looks very much like a car that competed in some Sprint and Hillclimb events in the South West and was usually seen at St Evel (Sprint) in Cornwall. I believe that the owners were possibly from the Bath area. The car went by the name of "Hells Bells" and was very quick! A few years later I saw it for sale in some magazine and it was looking a bit rough.
If it was this car, the spaceframe was built by a good friend Ken Nichols in North Devon who unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago. Ken was very well known within the trade and always had exotic spaceframes / chassis from around the world. He also produced a series of race cars known as Nikes. He had the name before the sports company. Anyway, getting to the point, it's a shame that the spaceframe no longer exists.
Great thread.
On page one you have a picture of the hillclimb car that the engine came from. I may be wrong but it looks very much like a car that competed in some Sprint and Hillclimb events in the South West and was usually seen at St Evel (Sprint) in Cornwall. I believe that the owners were possibly from the Bath area. The car went by the name of "Hells Bells" and was very quick! A few years later I saw it for sale in some magazine and it was looking a bit rough.
If it was this car, the spaceframe was built by a good friend Ken Nichols in North Devon who unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago. Ken was very well known within the trade and always had exotic spaceframes / chassis from around the world. He also produced a series of race cars known as Nikes. He had the name before the sports company. Anyway, getting to the point, it's a shame that the spaceframe no longer exists.
Do you lay in bed dreaming of engine installs like me?
After driving around now in a Jaguar XJR for a few months as my daily I have become rather fond of the grunt of the Supercharged V8 engine and think it would be very nice with a manual box and in my Esprit!
Greedbay got me a cheap scrap Jag V8 engine to see if it fits………..
Very surprised at how much room I have spare! Fits inside the chassis rails with ease!
More room down the sides than what I had with the Rover lump?
Front is tight and to go with the supercharger will have to notch the bulkhead (map pocket area)
I can live with that!
Also picking up an Audi S8 4.2 V8 engine tonight so also have that option!
After driving around now in a Jaguar XJR for a few months as my daily I have become rather fond of the grunt of the Supercharged V8 engine and think it would be very nice with a manual box and in my Esprit!
Greedbay got me a cheap scrap Jag V8 engine to see if it fits………..
Very surprised at how much room I have spare! Fits inside the chassis rails with ease!
More room down the sides than what I had with the Rover lump?
Front is tight and to go with the supercharger will have to notch the bulkhead (map pocket area)
I can live with that!
Also picking up an Audi S8 4.2 V8 engine tonight so also have that option!
I know the Audi V8 has been done before, See Adam Hills conversion - http://www.motorgeek.com/viewtopic.php?t=9648
Also someone doing an SBF - http://www.gt40s.com/forum/wings-wheels-keels/4451...
Only real issue with the later Audi engines is getting them running... You need to have someone remove the immobiliser from the original ECU or get a (very expensive) aftermarket ECU.
Also someone doing an SBF - http://www.gt40s.com/forum/wings-wheels-keels/4451...
Only real issue with the later Audi engines is getting them running... You need to have someone remove the immobiliser from the original ECU or get a (very expensive) aftermarket ECU.
Just got home with the engine I am going to use, it’s a 1998 D2 S8 (AHC) 4.2 V8 and it already has a brand new OEM Euro spec single mass flywheel fitted and clutch, also comes with loom and ECU. I will be going ahead with the Audi V8, already have the Audi 01e transaxle so going to try and get it running with the Audi ECU.
Can not believe how compact these engines are! The Jag engine was just a curious see if it fits kind of thing and is a possible fit, but the Audi S8 is what I will be going with. Its been done and dusted many times and is an easy option as it will just bolt on to the transaxle and have room to spare at the front of the engine. The Jag engine would still be nice but much more work.
Can not believe how compact these engines are! The Jag engine was just a curious see if it fits kind of thing and is a possible fit, but the Audi S8 is what I will be going with. Its been done and dusted many times and is an easy option as it will just bolt on to the transaxle and have room to spare at the front of the engine. The Jag engine would still be nice but much more work.
Not exactly as if the Audi is lacking in power (340HP or so) and it's going to be a massive amount easier just being able to bolt the engine and 'box together without having to worry about custom flywheels, clutches, adapter places, starters etc. Anything you need should at worst be just buyable from Audi/Skoda (they also use the 01E in the Superb, might be cheaper for parts!)
The *only* thing you have to worry about is that the input shaft on the 01E differs in length between models and on some of the gearbox/engine combo's there is a spacer plate. Shouldn't be too hard to solve but just thought worth mentioning.
The *only* thing you have to worry about is that the input shaft on the 01E differs in length between models and on some of the gearbox/engine combo's there is a spacer plate. Shouldn't be too hard to solve but just thought worth mentioning.
Oooh, one other thing I thought of, depending on which 01E you have the output flanges are different and the larger 130mm ones don't have *any* separate CV/driveshaft setup's, they're all "one piece". So unless you are very lucky and the lengths are already perfect you either you chop the originals and weld them with new ends or re-machine them. Neither is particularly straightforward or ideal.
As part of my build I'm going to be getting a set of adapters made up to allow the 130mm flanges to take S4 inner CV's (dirt cheap and spec'd for enough power) which then allows just a set of driveshafts to be made up to your outer CV's of choice. As with all such things the more people the cheaper they are so PM me if you're also interested in a set.
Of course you can buy the S4 flanges for the 01E box but they are ££££££!
As part of my build I'm going to be getting a set of adapters made up to allow the 130mm flanges to take S4 inner CV's (dirt cheap and spec'd for enough power) which then allows just a set of driveshafts to be made up to your outer CV's of choice. As with all such things the more people the cheaper they are so PM me if you're also interested in a set.
Of course you can buy the S4 flanges for the 01E box but they are ££££££!
Wow has been a long time maybe 2 years since I last done any work on the Lotus.
A few days ago I cut the rear body off to make a hinged clam like on the F40.
Today I finished the rear frame to support the rear bumper, valance and lower rear quarters.
I also cut out some more inner body work, it was tough plucking up the courage to sink the disk cutter into the body to start with but glad I did it!
Lot of work still to do but also a little less to do....LOL
The rear top body just lifts up with tailgate now and is so nice to work on.
I am getting too old to climb over the back and into the hatch.
A few days ago I cut the rear body off to make a hinged clam like on the F40.
Today I finished the rear frame to support the rear bumper, valance and lower rear quarters.
I also cut out some more inner body work, it was tough plucking up the courage to sink the disk cutter into the body to start with but glad I did it!
Lot of work still to do but also a little less to do....LOL
The rear top body just lifts up with tailgate now and is so nice to work on.
I am getting too old to climb over the back and into the hatch.
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