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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: Mike Rambour <lists@dinospider.com>
Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:00:41 -0700
On 9/30/2011 1:45 PM, Jim F wrote:
> Just a stupid question; Can't the singer engine be sleeved? I'm sure a 
> decent engine shop could accomplish it without the expense of shipping 
> to UK?
> Jim f

  Its not a sleeving problem, I can get pistons/rings for it in Los 
Angeles, there is a crack the length of the block about 1.5" down from 
the top of the block, that leaks water, this comes from over tightening 
of the head bolts and not enough metal in that area to take the stress, 
a  common crack.   Because of the very high chromium content in the 
Singer block it can NOT be welded, the result will be a even more 
brittle block.   That has to be metal stitched to be repaired...can do 
that in the U.S.

  The next issue is that due to 80 years of corrosion the cooling jacket 
walls are very thin and "seeping" water into the oil, you can't see a 
crack but its there between #2 and #3 cylinders and of course the entire 
cooling system has badly corroded over the 80 years.  In the UK they fix 
that by injecting porcelain under high pressure and bake it, the end 
result is a fully sealed cooling system and also a cooler running 
motor.  The new method is a epoxy no longer porcelain.  Either method 
requires fairly sophisticated equipment and experience.  I have not 
found a shop that does it in the U.S.   When a old motor in the U.S. 
goes bad you put a new V8 because that is what was original anyway and 
they are plenty.   I am not saying there is no shop in the U.S. that can 
do it, just that I have not found one and they are dime-a-dozen in the 
UK along with one shop that has experience with this exact motor as they 
own one that they race.

On 9/30/2011 1:48 PM, Bob Walker wrote:
> What is the tire size on the car you wish to put the 1275 into? Also, what is 
>the rear end gear ratio? My guess is you have pretty tall and skinny tires 
>with maybe something like a 4/1 rear gear ratio. That would demand a much 
>lower gear ratio to make the car run........5/22's or something like that. 
>Another option, maybe even better is to change to a different camshaft that 
>makes all power at real low revs.
> Bob Walker
  See that is why I asked, not thought of tires and they would make a 
difference.  4,75 x 19 are the tires.

  As to torque/power the ONLY spec I have is    12.5BHP @ 1,000RPM, 
26.0BHP @ 2,000RPM, 38.0BHP @ 3,000RPM and peak BHP is 46.0 but does not 
state RPM.  There are no lbs.ft. spec anywhere in the factory shop manual.

  Original gearing is  Top 5.66:1  Third 7.18:1  Second 11.56:1  First 
21.05:1   I can tell you that when driving the car unless you want to 
climb a telephone pole you always start in Second.   I do NOT have rear 
axle gearing but the rear axle track is 4'4" and that is visually close 
(not measured yet)  to a Spridget so maybe I could/should swap rears also.

  I have never driven my car but I did drive one of the remaining 7 when 
it was here in the U.S. for a month from the UK.  I am going to do some 
measuring this afternoon and see if its as easy as I think it will be to 
do this.  Walked by Mo$$ at lunch time to see what they have for the 
1275 if I am going to rebuild it, I think just rings/bearings type of 
rebuild.

  yeah, yeah, I have been told I should sell it to someone who can 
afford to fix it correctly...NO its MY CAR damm it....

     mike
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