124 replies to this topic

[72hump]

Hi Guys,
Thought it was time I started a thread on my car. I bought her back in 2011 when she just a standard Equinox in silver, this only lasted a couple of months......then I had big plans for her. I took her of the road and started the strip down, the shell wasn't to bad, all the usual problem areas....sills, wings, A panels, scuttle sides, and some repairs on the floor. These were all repaired with heritage panels, and the car given a full bare metal re-spray, carbon arches from The Carbon Weezel.

Anyway, after going down to IMM 2014 with her, this gave a lot of ideas, so I decided to take her of the road at the end of 2016 to start the make over again.....which some thought I was completely bonkers. The strip down started for the second time!!!!

The plan, after seen quite a few cars at IMM, was to re-spray her Tweed Grey, with a black roof, then after some debating....I decided on the route of fitting a K1100 head, after speaking to John at Specialist Components. So, the engine was stripped down and the prep for this conversion started.

The head was then given a strip down and quick clean before all the machining could start.

The wings and the front panel were changed as i was now going to be running 10" wheels.

That's it for now, plenty of photos to follow.

[Chris1275gt]

That is a really, really nice colour are you keeping it?

[BudgieCake]

Really looking forward to this, im thinking about the k head some time down the line, youre not a fool for rebuilding it again,sometimes its easier to start from a clean slate than fettle whats already there

[72hump]

That is a really, really nice colour are you keeping it?

No, it was going to be a right pain to match, as it was made up from Purple and Candy Apple, so decided on Tweed Grey.....keep easy to repair in future. I have quite a few pictures to get through, to bring the project up to date.

Really looking forward to this, im thinking about the k head some time down the line, youre not a fool for rebuilding it again,sometimes its easier to start from a clean slate than fettle whats already there

Cheers, if your thinking of the conversion, do your research first, and then save up, as ain't cheap!

[72hump]

Right....next I started on the block, screwed the bolts into the head with high temperature thread sealant, and cut the heads off, ready for machining.
.

Head came back from the machine shop with 20 thou skimmed off, and bored out 40 thou.


Gearbox rebuilt as standard with Minispares cross pin diff, and sprayed.








Most of the engine parts arrived from Specialist Components.







More tomorrow

Cheers Paul.

Edited by 72hump, 29 September 2019 - 08:41 AM.

[72hump]

So, a few pictures today.

Made up some box section, so when I fit the double clocks on the oval binnacle I have plenty of room behind
.







Started to build the engine up.

[72hump]

Test fit of BMW cylinder head.


Shell sprayed with etch primer.

[whistler]

Very nice but why straight cut drops but helical gear train?

[72hump]

There's a lot of guys on here doing the same engine conversion, so after a lot of head scratching I came up with this solution to the throttle cable routing, time will tell if it actually works.

Edited by 72hump, 29 September 2019 - 06:51 PM.

[72hump]

Very nice but why straight cut drops but helical gear train?

Cheers, good question......more do with cost, and so I've been informed (which could be wrong) the standard helical gearbox is good for 160bhp. I'm hoping once I get the engine running and tuned, it will make anything from 110 to 130bhp, so well below the 160bhp, and as I wouldn't be canning her everywhere it should do until I can get it swapped over for the Minispares Evolution Helical Heavy Duty Kit. Hope this answers your question, oh and I like the sound of straight cut drops.

Edited by 72hump, 29 September 2019 - 07:10 PM.

[cooperd70]

Love the sound of straight cut too, though don't think I could deal with the sound on long journeys.

great looking build going on here though! ??

[minisilverbullet]

Nice to see a thread on this car! 

[72hump]

Love the sound of straight cut too, though don't think I could deal with the sound on long journeys.

great looking build going on here though!

Cheers, I like the sound of them as well, but ear plugs will be going in for any more than a days run.

Nice to see a thread on this car!

Cheers Craig, finally got of my Arse and decided to start a thread on my car.

[72hump]

Moving onto the bonnet, after some thought.........I opted to fit aero catches on the front as I cut the front panel to make room for the air filter.

After getting the engine into the car as a dummy run, the clearance on the bonnet wasn't the best, and as I didn't want a after market bonnet, or drop the engine any lower, as the car will be lowered, I took the brave decision to make a bulge, and cut the bonnet.



I had to cut out the cross members, which made the bonnet a bit to wobbly, so made a frame from 20mm box section cut in half, and shaped so it fits round the engine.

[72hump]

More on the engine. Once the head and block had come back from the machine shop for the final time it was on to start building it up. New valve stem seals fitted, and valves lapped in.


Head on........

Pulleys on, and camshafts in....

Edited by 72hump, 30 September 2019 - 08:06 PM.