Lexus V8 with NOS in a Renault Espace - yeah lets do it !

[lexspace]

keefr22 said:

What a barking mad thread!! Brilliant!! It's just what we need when these bloody eurocrats appear to be trying to ban us from even changing the tyre valve caps on our cars!! Love to see this thing registered & running!!

lexspace said:

airbags + various trim 8 kg

Can I ask how you disposed of the airbags? The only advice I can find on the net involves blowing them up! I don't think the household management will let me do that to the two bloody things that my son has left in my garage following his abortive attempt at rally preparing his Ibiza Cupra...!!

Cheers
Keith

hi , i blew mine up to see what it was like , as for resposible disposal - i dont know ??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjuJMSQMMLI&fea...

[lexspace]

now this would be cool !!

[keefr22]

lexspace said:

hi , i blew mine up to see what it was like ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjuJMSQMMLI&fea...

Thanks. Perhaps I'll have to do the same when she's out! (wonder if I can get her to go shopping or something on Bonfire night....??!!)

[Shaw Tarse]

keefr22 said:

lexspace said:

hi , i blew mine up to see what it was like ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjuJMSQMMLI&fea...

Thanks. Perhaps I'll have to do the same when she's out! (wonder if I can get her to go shopping or something on Bonfire night....??!!)

Meh,
They seem relatively harmless?
Put one under the cushion on the sofa where she sits!

don't do this! Or if you do film it!

[tba]

Shaw Tarse said:

Meh,
They seem relatively harmless?
Put one under the cushion on the sofa where she sits!

don't do this! Or if you do film it!

Its already been done looks a bit violent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vppxu70Wojo

[lexspace]

[lexspace]

[lexspace]

as you can see from these 2 pics the engine on the lexus finishes just about where the leading edge of the tyre is , this should mean it will fit easily in the space left by the removed espace engine

[OlberJ]

How close is the wheelbase between the 2 cars?

[blearyeyedboy]

Big space but small bonnet opening on the Espace. How are you getting the old engine out and the new one in? Can you take apart any of the stuff around it?

[skene]

OlberJ said:

How close is the wheelbase between the 2 cars?

The espace is 24mm longer, he posted the measurements on page 2

[Pumajay]

mental, its people like you that make the internet awesome!!

[lindrup119]

tba said:

Its already been done looks a bit violent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vppxu70Wojo

hahahahaha amazing slow motion

[lindrup119]

and this idea is incredible by the way...

[TITWONK]

Pumajay said:

mental, its people like you that make the internet awesome!!

Lol! Op, feel free to post every single detail as you are doing this, I love threads like this

[lexspace]

Well things have'nt gone to plan but nevermind, plan B !
Originally I intended using our family Espace a 2.0 4 cylinder, the 'race' edition, then a few months ago a impulse ebay buy got me a 3.0 litre V6 Auto Grand Espace, a much better donor car - or so i thought , the only things i really wanted were for it to be silver and to have xenon headlights , both cars had both -woohoo!!

Over the last few months the V6 car has been in daily use and it has been great , almost faultless i would say (forgetting fuel cost that is !!).
As my project is now in a 'good to go' situation i took the 'old' Espace for an MOT,so i could chop up 'new' Espace - thats where it did'nt go to plan
The 'old' one failed and its problems were :

Broken rear spring MOT
Front brake judder and imbalance MOT
Cracked exhaust manifold MOT
Lambda Sensor MOT

Driveshaft judders like crazy
Clutch seemed to be slipping
Forgot how difficult getting some gears was
I've never changed the cambelt so its due
It must have a leak , windows a condensation nightmare
It smells of dog

Overall it has far to many problems and combined with the fact the V6 one is so good means i am going to use the old one for this project

A couple more points are : the v6 has sunroofs - don't want them !, is longer thus heavier !, would have a much longer rear overhang - not good for handling

Now the one only real drawback is its wheelbase - about 6" shorter than the Lexus - do'h !!
Will deal with that one later !









The build quality of the Espace is well....lets just say its not quite Lexus !!

[lexspace]

A little more stripping of the Espace reveals the floorpan and hopefully how easy it will be cut out and removed

Now a small setback with the lexus - i removed quite alot of wiring , and now it wont fire - do'h
it turns over but wont fire , will have to just recheck what i've disconnected and hope to sort it but there is definitely lots of wiring that can be removed , im hoping to retain most of the Espace dashboard but possibly with the lexus dials replacing the digital display in the middle

[Or888t]

Bookmarked. This is awesome i actually said "omg he's doing it" outloud when i saw the 1st set of pic's.

[lexspace]

Got the starting problem sorted, the fuel sender unit i disconnected was also the fuel pump unit connector , simples !

I weighed the Lexus today on a set of corner weight scales, the results were surprising and generally disappointing , I think this car - much like its owner , needs to go on a diet !!

[lexspace]

so 2580 lb in my language = 1172 KG

Thats for a car with no interior whatsoever , no doors , no bonnet , no boot , no bumpers, no lights, no windscreen , no rear window , no wiper motors, not much at all really only a bodyshell with running gear , quite surprising i thought, i know it has a big v8 and auto box with big heavy brakes and suspension but i did expect and hope for a little less.
It makes you realise how much of an achievement something like the McLaren F1 is weighing in at about 1000 KG

As i had the scales out i decided to weigh the Espace as well out of interest



3016 lb = 1370 KG