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OK, need engine ideas
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Posted by: Penske

I'm getting back to working on the Spitfire, I'm trying to figure out what to drop in. The car is no concours winner, I figure I'll just put some cheap 'glass parts on with a roll cage and go Modified solo and hillclimbs. Part of this is the powerplant has to be cheap, light and capable of 150 HP without too much work (the car will come in around 1500 pounds tops, maybe less).

Currently, a Mazda rotary seems like the best choice, light, cheap, easy to make 150 HP, even with a 12A, and I can use an RX-7 tranny.

Other thoughts:
Miata drivetrain - more expensive, need to convert to carbs
Toyota 3SG - don't know much about it
1200 bike motor (Yamaha/Suzuki) - expensive, no reverse gear
215 Buick V8 - might have too much torque for the chassis

Any RWD all-aluminum V6s?

Other ideas?

Posted by: merczephyr

SHO V-6, 3.0L Aerostar bellhousing, 5 speed from 94-present V-6 'Stang...

Posted by: Penske

Anyone make carb conversions for the SHO? I don't want to have to drive a fuel pump or ECU

Posted by: merczephyr

Not that I know of. Plus either way, you'd have to have an electric pump, as the SHO doesn't have provisions for a mechanical unit. That's the only all aluminum V6 I know of that lends itself to a RWD conversion semi-easily (I have the rest of the info for the conversion).

How about a 2.3 Turbo? The early 80's FOX chassis had them with carbs.

Early model Buick 3.8L, GM 2.8L (Camaro/S-10), 70's Mercury Capri 2.6L-2.8L wouldn't be bad, but they are all iron.

Posted by: Penske

2.3s are lumps, they're over 400 pounds. Maybe a 2.2 Dodge, they make a RWD conversion....

Posted by: Mr. P

A Spitfire, eh? That would be fun even with a GT6 motor or the bigger crank TR-6, but how about one of these, an Evinrude aluminum XP300, V8 with 300 horsepower, teehee

Mr. P

Posted by: BurnOut

VW flat 4. Air cooled, no ECU necessary, dead nuts simple, relatively inexpensive, and can be built to make some SERIOUS power.

Of course, I have no clue if your engine bay is wide enough.

Posted by: RacingJason

Grab a turbo off a GN and take any rotary engine you can get your hands on. Swap to a larger carb, not so much the cfm as the jet sizes, make some exhaust for it and blow the turbo through the carb. (Hey at least its better than a draw through!) It will take a little tuning but I have seen this exact set up in one of those tiny Toyota RWD cars at the track running deep 12's...in a one wheel wonder!

Posted by: Carpet_Liquer

Too bad the 2.0 liter Turbo wouldn't work out of a Sunbird. 165h.p. and 175 ft/lbs of torque. If it could be converted to RWD...it is a very small engine.

Posted by: LS1 Mopar Turbo

2.2 turbo they make a good rear wheel drive motor and are cheap. And can make 250 hp easy.

Posted by: LS1 Mopar Turbo

find a dakota in the bone yard with the rwd 2.5 all the stuff will work on the 2.2 turbo.

Posted by: DODGE_MAIN

440!!!!

Posted by: Giz

seems to me in the tite turns the turbo would suck a na 2.2 should be better and no FI how about a DSM will a trans from a PU work on the 2.0??

Giz

Posted by: Penske

Is the 2.2 an aluminum block/heads? I'm trying for min weight here

Posted by: Giz

cast block alum head

Giz

Posted by: MikeT

What about a gm quad4?

Posted by: funstick

the turbo sunbird idea isnt half bad. not hard to wire up the ecm either. use it in stock form would be simple enough. i have a turbo sunbird ecm in my honda accords its simple to wire up. fuel pump is easy as well get an aeromotive external unit.

or if youve got some money to burn find a wrekced honda s2000 and get a custom made stup for weber dcoes. the tranny is RWD and the fucker is light.

now your idea about the chrysler turbo is interesting except for the fact the manaigne a turbo without EFI is like playing with a hand granade.

that engine system would be a bitch to adpat to another vehicle. unless you went with something like a Fast system.

there arent and honda engines but you could use a toyota 22r as there are plenty of hop up parts an RW trannys avaiable and wieght isnt rediculous. then again you could also use a gm 2.5 TBI motor and a S-10 tranny t-5 then again youll have to port the EFI stuff.

Posted by: SVOno5oh

Got lots of money? Then a BMW S14 is what you want. It's light and can be super powerful for a 4 popper in N/A form. In turbo form it could be super scary. You could easily convert it from 4 throttle bodies to two 2 barrel side drafts or 4 1 barrel sidedrafts. In N/A touring car form they make about 300-350 hp at 8000 rpm.... Yippee!

If you want dirt cheap and can be made quick, get a 2.0 Kent motor that has seen some miles in a Formula Ford and they are selling it to upgrade to their new motor. If you don't have that sort of coin, think about the 2.3. It's heavy but sees use in Pony stocks and can make decent power for a lump o iron SOHC Ford. There are plenty of carb manifolds to choose from as well as aluminum heads if you have the money. You can upgrade it as you have the cash.

Posted by: Grape Ape

Quote:


	Originally posted by MikeT What about a gm quad4?

A 400 lb 2.3 (It weighs much less really) would be a better choice. GM made different versions of the "quad 4," but all I know about are the 2.3Quad4's and those are GARBAGE! They made good power, but aren't reliable. The 2.3 Ford engine is very reliable, but it is heavy for a 4 popper.

Posted by: funstick

the SOHC pontiac sunbird engine is an excelent choice. i can even send you hardware for weatherpoof facotry efi it you so desired it. not hard to do. or get a 2.2 dodge motor and drop a blow thru setup on it with a carb ouch, then again there was a draw thru supercharger kit floating around from MP perforamcne some digging might turn one up.

or you could get ealy rediculous and toss a 2.8 chevy v6 in there with aluminum head and a t5 4cyl tranny from an s10. then carbing is easy as edebrock make a 4bbl manifold. you could also skip the BS and go with a 3.4l 3.8 replacment eninge 200ft TQ and 180 hp. with a small 4bbl itll make plenty of HP and there are plenty of Carb non electronic dizzys to fit your needs. plus crane makes cams a other vvletrian hop ups making 200hp easily acehavable. plus the welath of replacement parts is another good thing.

there advattage to everything. what are your real needs ? and $$$

Posted by: MadScientistMatt

Well, if you want real light and decent power, the Mazda Rotary was the first thing that came to mind. Particularly since I'm a Grassroots Motorsports subscriber, and their recent flagship car has been a rotary powered Spitfire. That combination worked out very well; it handles like a dream and it holds the fastest land speed record ever posted by a Spitfire.

The other power plant that comes to mind is a Toyota 4AGE. Relatively cheap, you can rev it to the moon, and there are dual Weber intakes readily availible.

Posted by: 28

Go with the 1.3b rotary......Light, durable,and there's plenty to go around now...

Posted by: GMR

2.2 Dodge Turbo seems like a good idea to me. They're easy to find, cheap, and can be setup to make good power.

LS

Posted by: cossienvy

I have just done a 4AGE converson into a Spitfire. The 4AGE, 4AGZE and 4AGE 20V are all the same block configuration.

The engine fits nicely without cutting the firewall.

With the motor all the way back (for optimim weight distribution) there is 1/2 inch clearance between the harmonic balancer and the rack and pinion.

The steering linkage fits nicely between the motor and exhaust manifold without modifications.

I could hardly belived it when I hooked up the hydraulic clutch and found them to have the same stroke (volume) displacement. Run a new line from the clutch master cylinder to the hydraulic release to the T-50 and your done.....

I used a Griffith Sirocco styler radiator (inlet and outlet in the correct locations with crossflow) from JEGs. No cooling problems and the radiator looks great. I did have to stage the fans (too much cooling)

I fought the Nippon computer until I decided to pitch it and go to an aftermarket EMS. I choose the Wolf 3D although the Haltech, Electromotive and several others will work. I removed the distributer in favor of a GM coilpack mounted on the upper firewall. The crank trigger was from a Ford focus.

The rear is GT6 with full independent linkage with Quife spool. Grassroots finally got it right after 3 tries..........

Shifter position is 2 inches further back (much better than OEM location). The transmission is a dream compared to the Spitfire.

Was running the centerforce clutch but found Toyota clutch to perform better.

Front motor mounts were a challange. I built a cradle to mount the motor mounts at 15 degrees. THen built them to the motor. Then I installed the motor in the car and plated them to the frame.

The rear transmission mount is tricky, but workable. Speedo needed a 90 degree. I could have cut a hole in the frame, but opted for the 90 degree.

Installed a box beam 4 inches back from front beam and then cut out clearance for oil pan. I also installed an upper support for the spring towers. The support is out of 2" tubing and makes sure the upper towers stay put.

Still running the TVIS. Not lots of low end, but this is a twin cam....

Thought about the TWM side drafts but fuel injection is soooo nice.

Fuel pump is subaru.

Engine, transmission and radiator is 45 pounds lighter than Spitfire equipment. I cut the springs down 3/4 of an inch.

I am using 14 x 6 wheels with GT6 spindles, rotors and calipers.

Sway bars on front and back.....a must.

Had the car on the dyno. I am pushing 163 HP at the rear wheels. I am looking at installing a 4AGZE or 20V motor in the future.

By porting the heads, running headers and eliminating losses, this motor could put out 200 at the rear wheels.

WARNING: BMW owners get real pissed off when you pass them on mountain roads.

Cossienvy

Posted by: MikeT

sounds like a badass ride, got any pics?

Posted by: cossienvy

MikeT

Sorry, I am in the process or moving from the Northwest to NOrthern Kentucky. I had to leave the Spitfire, a 1965 Mustang with 5.0 and T56 and other "projects" projects there until I have storage space.

The move made me get rid of the GT6 and GTS parts cars......

I wish I could say that it was an origional thought (the transplant) but I ran across this conversion and had a friend with the totalled GTS.

http://www.britishv8.org/swaps/spittoy.htm

I did not like his radiator and computer...so I one upped him.

I never did figure out why he had to move the steering rack as mentioned in the text.

I also used the GTS drive shaft and made an adapter to the GT6 differential (the GT6 and Spitfire 1500 used the same differential).

After balancing and new universal joints, no vibration.

His conversion was mainly for street while my conversion was for under 1600 cc autocross.

Cossienvy

Posted by: MikeT

VERY NICE! I know absolutly nothing about british sports cars. but I know that looks like a hell of a fun ride. Nice looking too!

If I remember correctly penske got a rotary and a 5 speed. I think its a 12A, but not 100% sure.

Posted by: DaytonaX

Where can you get the Mopar RWD conversion for a Daytona or other FWD mopars? I want to put a V8 in my Daytona and I cant find the kit anywhere

Posted by: cossienvy

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