206 replies to this topic

[marc]

Jammy, the friend i hope to get to help me makes a lot of roll cages for off roaders, he has a couple of tube benders knocking about, but seemingly no adaptors small enough

Flappy, bought the doors from curley, you could probably use standard glass but you can have winders in them. Would probably be best to go for mk1 style sliding windows if it were to be used a lot, i can see it getting very warm in there with only a small ventilation hole.

[Jammy]

Ooooo, really. Can you PM me prices per bend and what sizes he can do? Also, does he supply the tube or would I?

[marc]

No.



Lol, its more of a 'depends what you want' cost kind of thing. He builds things to fit, not an official business as such, more a hobby that pays his living. He wouldnt make up some tubes and send them, it'd be a 'leave the car with me and i'll ring when its done', so not really much good to you seeing as you live down south (which isnt a bad thing).

[marc]

Started stripping the engine today after buying an engine stand yesterday (makes it a hell of a lot easier). I removed the sump drain bung to find poridge slowly dripping out! Though headgasket might be at fault but looking at it now there isnt any in the oil filter so it hasnt been run with water in the oil. By the look of it, when it was sat in the scrappies it must have been left out in the rain as you can see water marks and slight rust down the inlet ports and on the valves. After taking the sump off i can just about see some light rust on the cylinder bores!! Not good, i'll take the head off soon and see how it looks from the top. I havent tried to turn the engine over yet either because the crank pulley wasnt fitted so i didnt bother. Hopefully got a 1400 astra on its way to me for free though so that may be my spare engine until a good 1600 is found.

I've added a few more photos to my fotopic acount as well.

I have also moved the handbrake lever mount a few inches backwards so that the gear selector housing could be put in a more reachable position.

I have also ordered a couple of books, one on suspension set up/modifying, one on cylinder head tuning and one with mathematical equations etc for vehicles.

[marc]

I've got the head off and stripped it. Cylinder 4 will need a bit of a hone as its got slight rust down the sides of the bore. The head just needs a good clean up, got it completely stripped bare apart from two of the inlet manifold studs which are very tight. I'm going to clean up the ports, chambers and valves and rebuild it during my dinner times at work, might get it skimed just to be sure its straight.

[marc]

Ermm bit of a problem, just been cleaning the engine block and it wont turn over! As the last post says i found some water in the engine when i stripped it which must of got in when it was sat in the scrappies. The only reason i didnt check it when i bought it was because it was wrapped up and strapped to a pallet (how it came from the scrappies to the bloke i bought it off) and i had to put it on a trailer so was better to leave it wrapped up and secure.

This is a pretty major hold up to be honest, gives me an excuse to try and find an x16xe engine (the 16v version of what i have), though.


Another hold up still is trying to get a front roll hoop bent up to finish the cage.


So not going very well at all at the minute!

[Jammy]

Wonder who's going to have their project done first!

[lee439]

hi marc

sounds like your having the same trouble as me i cant seem to get the time do do the engine conversion with all the welding im doing quick question does the x16 fit in the same allspeed subframe as the c16
like the beamer by the way

lee

[marc]

Yes, the x16 does fit, although it might be difficult if you were to use the original vauxhall inlet manifold as its big, rob at allspeed now has one fitted to his demo/everyday car, around 160bhp with throttle bodies



Jammy, the race is on!

[16vmini]

vauxhall also do a small block 1.8 16v .. which would bolt in as well .. you would have to use a inlet manifold of a 1.6 ..but it should all work

Matt

[Jammy]

I've got a B16 spare you can have for cheap if you want to come over to the dark side! B)

[marc]

too bloody late now really, credit card is used and abused!

I've got a red top and the engine out of my brothers wrecked civic(v-tec but not sure which) lying around as well, both of which will not anywhere near fit the 16se subframe! Plus i kind of want to buy a house so spending anymore and starting from stratch isnt too much of an option.

[Jammy]

Dunno if 16V shop would give you a swap?

[Purple Tom]

Stop being silly and get the C16SE engine stripped! It can't be that bad, at most it's likely to need a re-bore, new rings, new big end's and mains? Still far cheaper than anything else, and at least it'll give you opportunity to drive the thing!

Then you can worry about the X16XE etc etc, its far better to have a running car that you can fiddle with than a pile of bits sat in the garage as that is soul destroying - believe me, I know!!!

PS if you want a hand at any point let me know, I'm practising rebuilding engines at the moment anyway as I picked up a 33k lump for the GT which is having a refresh

[marc]

Thanks Tom, i'll drop it round during the week and expect it running for the weekend then! Lol. I will strip it either way at some point to see what can be done, just seems the perfect oportunity to go 16v, even though i cant afford the throttle bodies to make it fit easier!