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Re: [Spridgets] lets talk 1275's AND off-topic

To: Spridgets list <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] lets talk 1275's AND off-topic
From: Allen Hefner <lbc77mg@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:47:48 -0400
A kewl idea, Mike.

What you need to look at is the difference in torque between the two
engines.  Torque is what gets the car moving, not horsepower.  As they say,
"Torque wins races.  Horsepower sells cars."  My guess is that the smaller
engine may have some trouble getting it moving, but you can always start
pointing down hill.  Once you have some momentum, the 1275 should be able to
keep it going well.

Now let's hear from some people who know what they are talking about.

 Allen Hefner
Norristown, PA

*Current:*
2006 Chebbie
*Former:*
1963 Sunbeam Alpine Series III
1967 Triumph TR4A IRS
1964 VW Type I
1967 VW Type II
1967 Rover 2000TC
1977 MG Midget



On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 11:51 AM, Mike Rambour <lists@dinospider.com> wrote:

>    Any long time person on this list knows I don't have a Spridget but I am
> building a 1934 Singer Le Mans and putting in a 1098 motor into it, the
> woodwork on the body is taking longer that I anticipated but its progressing
> nicely.  There were 300+ of these cars built and my original motor had a
> hole in the side of the block big enough for a crankshaft to come through,
> because well, it did.  I could not find a original motor and decided to put
> the 1098 in since I need to make no mods to the frame, the original Singer
> motor was 972cc and the Spridget motor is a perfect fit. I now have a
> original good block, I just need to have a crank made somewhere.
>
>  I also own a much bigger 1934 1.5 Litre Sports, this car has a cracked but
> repairable 6 cylinder motor, it also has some "seeping" in the water jackets
> implying very thin water jackets due to rust/corrosion and that may be a
> issue when I rebuild it.   The big issue with this car is it is very rare,
> the estimates are that only 11 were built and only 7 known cars remain so I
> don't want to butcher it.   The estimate I have for rebuilding this motor
> along with crack repair and porcelainizing the water jackets, etc. are 5,000
> to 7,000 UK Pounds ($7,500 to $11,000) and that does not include crating and
> shipping to the UK, etc, so for the motor alone I need to budget $10,000 and
> it likely will be more.   I just don't have that kind of cash hanging
> around...
>
>  Last night  my wife and I were talking about it and she asked what the
> other motor in the garage was and said why don't you put that in the car ?
>  Now I will NOT destroy what likely is the most original 1.5 left in the
> world and I will NOT destroy a car that rare with a the wrong motor, but she
> has a point.   I have a running (barely, needs a rebuild) 1275 and 3 ribcase
> gearboxes, 2 should be ok, so for little money and time I could swap motors
> while I save up the money for a proper rebuild of the original motor.  I can
> do the swap without having to drill holes, no cutting of the Singer frame,
> no "permanent" mods of the Singer chassis.
>
>  Now, the original Singer motor is 6 cylinders, 1,497CC's and put out a
> peak of 46BHP, the 1275CC puts out a peak of 62BHP or 75BHP depending on
> which web site I look at, so its a smaller motor with more power.
>
>  The Singer weights 1 ton, 2 hundreweight, 0 quarters, 14lbs or in terms
> most of us understand 2,478lbs.  The Spridget weighs 1,575lbs.
>
>  So I am putting in a more powerful motor into a 900lb. heavier car, but I
> think it would still move the car, right ?
>
>  The Spridget motor is of course much lighter than the 6cylinder so some
> weight will come off the car, but i am not sure how much.
>
>  I am not trying to build a hot rod here, the car never was a hot rod to
> begin with, just trying to get the car on the road while I save up money and
> get the proper motor rebuilt.  My concern is the weight difference, will the
> 1275 move the car, I think yes since the car was originally powered by a
> larger but much weaker motor.
>
>  And no, I am not thinking of a different motor like a 1,500cc MG, I am
> thinking 1275 because I have one.
>
>  Mike
> ______________________________**_________________
_______________________________________________

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