Clive

I am 5'8 about 11st. I found my head touched the hood on my spit when I fitted MX5 seats. It may have been my driving position, but even so I found them unsuitable. Comfy, yes, driving position, pants.

New car will have re-foamed 1500 seats, makes them comfy too.

And have the oil pressure relief valve out, make sure it is clean and not jammed open. I am sure that caused the demise of an otherwise healthy engine I fitted a while ago.

Marcus, I thought cossie filter were about 1/2"?? certainly pretty big (just checked and M14 threads each end) and will cope with 500+BHP
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SYTEC-FUEL-INJECTION-PUMP-PRE-FILTER-909-044-COSWORTH-/400289544170?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item5d331db7ea

Rob, Bill's place is in the country. A few neighbours, plenty of space everywhere though.
Nice and warm in the summer too 8) and a snowplough for the winter. What more could you want?

And it sounds pretty OK. Well, seemed to on the video. Marvellous news :)

Propshaft will ned changing if it is the single rail box. A vitesse non-od should do the trick. However, it will need a change of prop flange at the diff end. OR fit your existing gearbox, but that needs either your existing flywheel redrilling (easy enough at home) OR use the 1500 flywheel and the "adaptor" clutch plate. Talking of which, not sure which starter you use with the MG engine, but I suspect the same as the herald?
However, I would suggest it really needs an overdrive or a swap to a longer diff to make use of the 1500 torque. My old herald was a 1500 od with the std diff, I liked that como. Currently a toledo with 1500 and od plus 4.11 diff. There is a pattern.....
without the od (or 3.63 diff) it will be unhappy on the motorway.

BTW I would, for simplicity, fit the herald exhaust manifold and system, save any grief.

I suspect the way forward (and being cheap) is to get friendly with a local tyre place. nab a set of quality, but worn tyres when they come off a customers car. In fact they may be rather pleased as it is costly to dispose of tyres. (but joe public can take a few to the local tip :) )

Any news on the finals yet? May need to re-arrange the paper round Sunday morning ;)

http://www.bing.com/maps/?lvl=15&where1=HP1%202RR,%20UK&FORM=MMREDR

Maybe....but it is also somewhat heavier. I put it down to an off day. This time winner buys the beers ;)

Ferny, the car is about to emerge after the "better" engine has now been refreshed. Will be run in up to Stafford.

See how it goes :o

Tim, entry will be posted tomorrow, and Lucy is happy to marshal  :)

Having spent a looong time with the grinder/wire brush on my chassis, I reckon blasting is good value. Likewise all the small stuff, it takes forever to get it all clean, and then not as good as blasting. I live and learn, but rather slowly.

Only 1997!?!?
Crikey, could have sworn it was soon after I got married. The first few years must have flown by

There was a V8 toledo in some of th emags MANY years ago, probably 18-20?
Anyway, it was a rover V8, and IIRC the guy had a stag engined TR5. Co-incidence??

Anyway, the tuned V8 was mid mounted with a transaxle, R25 from a long lost memory. Roof was chopped off,  but all excellently done.
The guy was selling it too, minus the engine. May still be about?

they shoudl not be swapped between positions on the same engine, they are all matched to the exact position. Best steer clear if not there. OR you can have some machined to match, but more faff really.

Identical block. No worries. Check it has the bearing caps in place if it is just a block, more likely it is a short engine with crank/pistons already in.

And JJ, that is my fav. type of herald 🙂 I didn't bother with the diff change or shafts, but a 3.89 diff as in dolly 1500 would give great performance, the 3.63 better as an all-rounder unless it is regularly fully loaded (like my cars often are)
My shed currently runs a courier rear spring (with 1" block) and canley 440lb gt6 front springs. Sits about std height at the front, and very slight neg camber (maybe 1 or 2 degrees) but handles very nicely. Of course a swing-spring is the other way to go, but again not so good for loading the car up.

Clive

same exhaust manifold will fit.
As to power increase-maybe a tiny bit. The difference btween the herald and spitfire engines includes camshaft, compression, exhaust and the carbs.

Andrew Turner sell recon sets, and will no doubt supply a complete bolt-on solution. However there are alternatives. How about using an HIF44 carb (metro etc) on the later dolomite 1300 inlet? and the money saved can go towards a better camshaft, possibly 4 branch manifold or whatever. Just throwing alternatives about.......just don't expect a pair of SU's to make it a different car.

Clive

As to rotoflex stuff, the most is the same between vit and GT6, however as Nick ponts out the vitesse spring is stronger, so use that maybe with a lowering block if needed. Also the tie rods are a different length, you again need the longer vitesse ones and the correct rear outriggers as the mounting holes are in a different place to non-roto cars. My be possible to redrill and reinforce the outrigger, but I would be inclined to NOT use the existing mountings as it could badly affect the suspension geometry. No idea how, it is probably complicated, but it was done for a reason!
With cv shafts you will be able to use the std shock monuts, that will make life easier :)

It may be worth getting the engine further back than standard if possible, to improve the handling and give a bit more space for the radiator. Not sure of bulkhead implications with the dellorto's though :-/

Clive

175/70 is a good choice, should fit ok (had them on my mk3 spit, but alloy wheels so don't know the offset) or even 185/60, but the overall radius is a tad smaller than std.
Clive

http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/
is the link to a place that does proper alignment. They set up everything. Not as cheap as the local tyre place, but transforms the handling if there is anything out.

Clive

I understand some people have used the late saloon manifold, and had some alterations to get it to fit. Not sure if they cut and welded the tubes or mikked the faces. That manifold is much better than the GT6 version, if you can get it to fit! Worth experimenting with air intake too, ie getting a cold air feed rather than just bolt on K+N's. Still headscratching on this one! And the 6>3>1 manifold is the one to have, but thats still under (hot) debate as to which one etc.

Best bet is to get it set up well on the rollers, get the suspension properly set up with optiflex alignment and have lots of fun!

Clive

I have one a simple conversion. I tapped the existing holes in the manifold to 12mm and cut a thread on some 12mm ali rod. Wound it in/cut and filed flat. Then just redrilled new holes and tapped for the HS6 carbs. Much neater than the adapters.
As for gas flowing, I scribed a mark inside the carb gaskets, and used a "cone drill" to grind the manifold out and get rid of the step. I never bothered polishing any further, or attempting any other flowing.

I know Chris Witor has worked on saloon manifolds, but I do not know if he has any knowledge of "our" manifolds. He is honest about these things if you ask him!

Clive