139 replies to this topic

[Christian]

Whiteblock, on 20 November 2009 - 11:13 AM, said:

Just please don't cut such a nice one about and put a Hyabusa engine in the back seat or anything like that!

No I've given up with that idea now - its far too clean and the ZCARS conversion costs far more than I can afford!

I think I've settled on low, light and white with a high revving EFI 875, alleycats and decent suspension.

[Blackbullet]

Congratulations on the Imp. I really love the style of them. Years ago a neighbour used to grass track one. I went to see him race once but being a kid at the time i cant remember the exact engine spec but it was a larger capacity than stock and had twin DCOE's on it. It went like stink thrashing every other car there. I also remember him saying it was putting out around 100bhp

[Christian]

Thinking of taking a punt on one of these MG TF subframes to see how much work it would be mid-mounting a 1.8VVC K Series in the Imp - just like the one featured in this months PPC.

 mgtf-subframe.jpg (37.98K)
Number of downloads: 0

They're so cheap, even if I don't use it i'll keep it for welding practice.

[barros]

i think you may be going about it the wrong way i would use the k-series in place of the original engine and have the box uprated i have seen an imp with a k-series still in the normal position in a car mag and that way you would not have to butcher and distort such a lovely example it would be an engine swap not a major conversion alex.

Edited by barros, 29 November 2009 - 05:24 PM.

[delmastiff]

Sounds like a great plan Christian, well worth a try

[Christian]

barros, on 29 November 2009 - 04:04 PM, said:

i think you may be going about it the wrong way i would use the k-series in place of the original engine and have the box uprated i have seen an imp with a k-series still in the normal position in a car mag and that way you would not have to butcher and distort such a lovely example it would be an engine swap not a major conversion alex.

Can you remember what that was in?

[barros]

something is saying in my head it was in car and car conversions a good five years ago. but i remember the car clearly the engine fitted sweet and the boot lid still closed perfect so couldn't have been that hard to fit get a 1.8 in there 146bhp be awesome if your in for a penny miight aswell be in for a pound

[Retro Richard]

Christian, on 29 November 2009 - 11:39 PM, said:

Can you remember what that was in?

There was one converted in this way in Retro Cars of all places, it was pale blue and the top of the engine only just cleared the top of the engine bay.

The one in this months PPC has had so much cut out of it there is not much of the original floor left.

[Christian]

Retro Richard, on 30 November 2009 - 10:53 AM, said:

There was one converted in this way in Retro Cars of all places, it was pale blue and the top of the engine only just cleared the top of the engine bay.

The one in this months PPC has had so much cut out of it there is not much of the original floor left.

True, but I've read the build diary over on the Imp Club and that's really a phase two, originally there was much more of the car intact -

[barros]

my mistake yes indeed in retrocars like i said be a shame to butcher such a little beauty

[Christian]

Hmm.. I have most back issues of RC so i'll have a look tonight.

[skip_rat]

Looks like you've done really well there to get such a solid shell to start your project off with. I remember my grandfathers Imp being pretty rotten in the floorpans by the early 80's.

Is the standard engine bay pretty tight to get alternative engines in without cutting the shell about? I'd be thinking about RX7 power.

[Christian]

barros, on 30 November 2009 - 02:21 PM, said:

my mistake yes indeed in retrocars like i said be a shame to butcher such a little beauty

I found the article last night, thanks for the tip! I really like what the guy did, but I just wonder how much heavier the Kseries is? One chap on the Imp club said his rear engined K series Imp used to be a nightmare on the road.

[barros]

dunno bout nightmare more entertaining is a word i would use or go as mentioned rotary power but be prepaired to be skint due too the fuel bills lmao.

[Christian]

barros, on 01 December 2009 - 01:41 PM, said:

dunno bout nightmare more entertaining is a word i would use or go as mentioned rotary power but be prepaired to be skint due too the fuel bills lmao.

Yeah but apparently this one used to veer about the road on its own accord! Could have been down to builder error though.

Anyone know where you can get gearbox adapter plates fabricated?

[Whiteblock]

I wouldn't have thought a modern compact and all alloy engine would have been so bad in the back in the stock position?

I saw one years ago with a VW transaxle... which had a 2-litre pinto hanging out the back! ....that must have given some interesting handling.

The mid engined idea sounds good too, and would save some trouble with transmission donuts, geometry, component strength etc if you used the whole donor drivetrain components and suspension on the subframe, but it still seems a shame to be starting off with one which has such a good floor.

[Christian]

Whiteblock, on 01 December 2009 - 09:28 PM, said:

I wouldn't have thought a modern compact and all alloy engine would have been so bad in the back in the stock position?

I think it's the extra weight, even a K series is over 25kgs heavier. That said, I have a cunning plan involving a Suzuki...

[Retro Richard]

Christian, on 02 December 2009 - 10:42 AM, said:

I think it's the extra weight, even a K series is over 25kgs heavier. That said, I have a cunning plan involving a Suzuki...

.....capachino engine?????

[barros]

you need to tell us now as were interested so suzuki.................

[Christian]

Haha I knew that would cause quite a stir. No not a Cappuccino engine, something a little bigger -




A Suzuki G13B from a Swift GTI - 1.3 16v all alloy engine weighing just 90kg (only 15kg more than the standard Imp lump).

It's quite a common swap with the 16v Mini boys because you can squeeze them into a classic shape Mini, I just might stuggle getting one as they were only ever sold in Swift's AFAIK.