R-V8 Into A Exmo Project

[Guest snotfart]

yep,only at every opportunity.

[Guest Tim Norman]

I used to have that set up but was later advised (RPI Engineering) to lose the filter king as the Carb can handle the pressure the pump puts out. Still have a filter but not the regulator.

[richardm6994]

Got the car home this morning & it looks even better in the flesh than the picture-txt I got the other day!

 

PD Gough have made me some trims to go around the body work holes but havn't fitted them because I told them the engine is coming back out again before the project is complete.

 

I started this diary splitting the project into 4 sections;

 

1) engine onto gearbox - DONE

2) engine into car- DONE

3) exhaust - DONE

4) everything else

 

Okay, now I'm on the last section, I'm going to break it down even further;

4a) finish engine rebuild

4b) fuel system

4c) remote oil filter (due to clearence issues)

4d) alternator and starter

4e) megajolt stuff

4f) Carb with throttle cable bracket, tps bracket

4g) electric water pump and radiator

4h) pedal box with hydraulic clutch

 

So still a long way to go, but a lot of the above are just "bolt-on" bits so at the moment there seems to be a mountain to climb, but I'm sure I'll be ticking-off the jobs pretty quickly.

 

In the mean time, I'm going to spend today looking at the car and imagining that it runs!!!

 

[speedtripledan]

those photos make it look even better,

Weber 500 needs 5.5psi from memory you will also need a 10mm fuel line i had to change the westy one after the 1st dyno run, fuel wise with that carb it was no worse than the old pinto on day to day use... Its gonna sound great !!

[Al Milton]

Richard, those exhausts really do look the dogs kahoonas!

Fantastic job

[richardm6994]

Time for a bit of an update...not much of one though because of the 72hr weeks I'm having to do at work this month....without overime or time-in-lue ...anyway, before I get into a rant about work...

 

I've decided that I only want to take the engine out one more time before final fitment. As such, I'm going to position all the bits and bobs in the engine bay so that when I take the engine out for the last time (hopefully), they can all be easily access for a final fettle / finish off.

 

So the first bit I've started with is my remote oil filter. I thought this would be straight forward...yeah right!!

 

The first thing I tried was a sandwich plate I had laying around from an old oil radiator. The problem was that it was too big in diameter and stuck out too far.

 

So next I got myself a different oil take off plate. This fits nicely but the angle which it points downwads has meant the removal of yet more of the engine bay floor! I wasn't too keen on doing this but could see no other choice so out came Mr Angry grinder.

 

I plan on adding some cross bracing to add some strengths back to the width of the engine bay and trimming back the engine box-section rails (to give more clearence to the take off plate) once the engine has been removed

[richardm6994]

ps....the oil pipes don't actually protrude through the engine bay floor as much as they appear on the photo's (it's only 5mm at the most)...but I'm still going to put a bit of a guard to protect them from stones / kieth's road kill!

[keith kelly]

just made yourself a target!

[richardm6994]

just a quick update to finish off the remote oil filter....(next job alternator bracket)

 

[Ben Powers]

This is just too cool... *dribbles*

 

How smug are you going to be when its up and running?!

[richardm6994]

Cheers!

 

I wouldn't say smug because there are some beautiful cars in this club, but I would say proud.

 

3 things I'm looking forward to most;

 

Seeing the engine & engine bay all painted up looking nice.

Hearing the exhausts.

The feel of the extra 100bhp over my old pinto!!!

 

R u still loving your v8 exmo?

 

 

[Guest Tim Norman]

I mounted the alternator on top of the bracket rather than under it. No space issues then. I will sort a photo when I can get to the car under the crap!

[Ben Powers]

My Exmo has been a love hate relationship;

 

Fantastic drive back from Essex, over the moon.

Dodgy connector on fuel pump leaves me by the side of the road for 3 hours, fed up.

Awful drive in the dark and rain with shonky headlights to the LoCC autosolo, fed up.

Great fun doing an autosolo in the wet.

Awful drive in the dark back home again, being so far behind the headlights, and having vinyl rather than glass, and being too high so that I have to crane my neck to actually see out of the window at roundabouts etc. Fed up, thinking of selling.

Great blat over to the office and back, over the moon, in love, couldn't ever sell.

Shreds tyre on way to NEC Autosport, not the cars fault, but 3 hours in sub zero temps ( RAC!) and missing a days hooning, fed up!

Swap wheel/tyre and put higher springs on, chuffed how easy it is to work on. Get my mate and my Dad round wanting a go with the spanners, starting to warm to it again.

Makes it to NEC next day, happy chap.

Autosoloing shows up some serious understeer characteristics. Not sure if it is the car or me or both (suspect both). Find it very difficult to get the back out. Now mega gutted as this was the whole point!

Work out that getting the back out requires more aggression than with the mazda, bizarre but there you go, and LOVE finding that it is easy as pie to control when sideways, dead chuffed.

Find that petrol is falling out of the tank, suspect cracked tank (as I am a huge pessimist), suspect it is now just the breather pipe. Gutted as presents something of a safety hazard to passengers having petrol sloshing about in the boot. Have to leave early.

Roof won't stay on on way home, Mrs having to hold it down, minus brownie points for frostbitten fingers, fed up, decide to take my mazda off ebay and put the Exmo back on.

Miss autosolo in Wrexham because I don't trust the car to get me there :-/ Not much point in it if I can't drive it far!

Stuck it in the garage a couple of weeks ago in a strop, haven't touched it since!

 

The Exmo is now on probation, with the mazda in storage for 3 months. I think there are a few bits to sort on the exmo, but nothing serious, if I sort them and it is liveable and doesn't require the services of the RAC in the next 3 months then its staying. I have really got the itch to drive it again now. Hoping to fit my new (lower) seat this afternoon, providing some protection from the rollbar and making it possible to see out of the windows! Then whack a valve in the breather pipe and its only really the speedo and headlights that *need* sorting from a safety perspective. I suffer being self employed, being busy meant I could afford it, but now I'm still busy and am struggling to find the time that it needs. Roll on retirement!

 

I should warn you, the sound is properly addictive. I want to just start it up and listen to it gurgle. I bet it sounds even better with your posh shiny exhaust. Oh my days...

[richardm6994]

so in a nut shell, apart from a bit of tinkering the main problems have been due to the driving conditions...i.e. wet / dark / cold.

 

I would say just wait until the summer when it is dry / light / hot. That's when car's like ours come into their own!

[Ben Powers]

Indeed. Its just that whilst driving the mazda you were very much inside. Driving the exmo, you're outside!

 

I have just put my seat in and the difference is amazing. I can see out of the windows, my head doesn't touch the roof, I can move my legs about, I'm looking through rather than over the windscreen.

 

I'm sure its just a case of getting it how I want it, and I'm keen to get it there ready for those warmer lighter drier days. I've just been spoilt with the mazda is all!