>Richard Atherton wrote:
> The Ultimate AutoCross car would be a stiffened Alpine powered by the
> very light Buick (Rover) 215 V-8
Didn't some part of the Tiger lore, the bit about Shelby or somebody
driving around to dealerships measuring engines, state that the 215
was a bit too wide across the valve covers to fit in an Alpine? Or is
that story just used to justify Shelby's using Ford motors in everything?
Phil wrote:
> -Mid-'70's a good friend who also worked at the same Automotive
> Machine shop/Engine Rebuilder put a fairly "stock" (balanced,
rebuilt)
> AL 215 V-8 with TURBO
Considering how few turbo cars there were in the mid-70's, this must've
been an ambitious undertaking-- unless we be talkin' about using an
entire Olds Jetfire set-up. Nope, ambitious anyway, even then. Where would
you put the intercooler in a Sunbeam 'crosser? On the passenger seat,
perhaps? Or some TestaRossa cheese-grater slats on the sides?
> & intercooler into a DATSUN 510 wagon
Doing the wagon thing means giving up IRS, but considering the only
way to make 'em handle was to stiffen them so that the springs didn't
spring no more, I guess that was no loss. But Jeez, four doors-- Ugh!
> <snip>.great for weight transfer at stop lights but
> looked like hell
No beauty contests for 510's, for sure; and mine might've been the
ugliest of the lot (the nose chopped away a bit to clear 7" headlights,
four driving lights and still get air to the rad). Makes one happy
about how pretty Sunbeams are, no?
> and was a little front-end light on the freeway.
And that was one dang high car to start with; stock ground clearance
something like 9 inches. Well, at least getting under to change oil
would be easy.
Keith wrote:
>The transmissions that came with the engines (3 speed manual and 2 speed
automatic)
The only one I ever drove, a '62 F-85, had something called a RotoHydroMatic,
cannot remember if was one of the last 4sp autos or early in GM's adoption
of 3speed autos. I dunno enough about GM trannys, they seemed to have
come out with a new one every 20 minutes or so. Could the hypothetical
SuperCrosser live with a 2sp slushbox? Or perhaps use a Rover SD1 manual?
Larry Wright, Maryland "I can't get no-- Satis-traction"
1964 Sunbeam Tiger Mk 1 (302/285, T-5)
1996 Nissan 200SX SE-R ($TB, 17d BTDC)
1992 Toyota pick-up (Bilstein, Yoko AVS)
ph 301.386.7979 fax 301.386.5333
and e-mail at home now! Larry.Wright@mail.wdn.com
(And I'm looking for a tow-behind cement mixer. Any
ideas?)
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