Mini Van Homemade Subframe

[86Alexp]

Finaly I have made a start to the swift conversion, I'm not a big fan of words so hear goes some pictures. Basikly my aim is to try and avoid cutting the origional shell at all. I'm using my sump gaurd as a structural member and will relocate the dampers.

[miniswift]

Hey Alex,

Good to see you have started.
Did you get CD I sent you long time ago?
I see you got donor car behind you.
When you break it up, let me know if you have any parts going spare.
Using sump guard as structual is very good idea!
Also, I like tha idea of using farming equipment as a jig!

Good luck,
Atchi

[speedy]

yeah..... thats a really ridged jig....

[86Alexp]

Thanx for the support, havn't got on so well today as been in town all morning however hear are some more pics...... Anny bits of the donor are up for grabs, inc the ss exhaust. Once I have got it running though!

I have managed to get it starting, but it just fires up and dies. I'm going to rig up an oil pressure gauge to check for fuel starvation. But I susspect its going to be harder than that, As I had to put on a mk1 MAF and TPS and bits like dizzy were off when I got the engine.

Hope my Dad isn't too upset when he gets back from holiday and his welder is missing, along with part of the old JCB!!

Atchi unfortunatly the CD has never arrived, thankyou for sending it all the same. If I send you some money and my new address Would you be willing to try again? Sorry for the hassle.

[kcchan]

Thats ingenious! I love the use of some of a mini to mock everything up. Is it a mk2 engine? Looking through the innerwing, it looks like it.

King

[miniswift]

Hi Alex,

Sending is no probs mate.
Just give me address to send it to.
I'm telling you now, you are not going to finish before me!

Keep going though as you are doing good job and using sump guard is good idea!
Why did I not come up with that idea!?

Cheers
Atchi

[86Alexp]

Some more pictures for you all, I am now happy with the engines posittioning, I sort of just dropped it in the hole!! It was touching everywhere so I jiggled it about with jacks and wooden wedjes, as you can see I leveld the subframe as one referance, and stretched a wire accross the shell as another, and just generrally took loads of measurements everywhere to make sure it was squre.

For now I have just welded the engine to the subframe in quite a crude manner so I can finish the lower tubes etc, The main structure is in place now it's just the fiddilly bits like gussets etc to do.

kcchan, Its a mk1 engine with a mk2 gearbox in the pictures, however the actual engine I'm going to use will be a mk2 with mk2 box. It looks like I will need to retain the mk1 cam drive as it is slightly narrower.

[86Alexp]

I can only do five uploads so hear goes some more....

Today has been all about compromise really. My crank pulley is so close!! the waterpump pulley is actually touching, thhough I have a cunning plan for that bit. And I can't get the brake M/S i want in quite right so will have to rethink that. Appart from that I am really chuffed with how the engine is sitting Drive shafts are going to be pretty straight too, though nearside pot joint clearance is serriously tight, I hope it won't start eating cv boots??

[miniswift]

Hi Alex,

You might have problem with an alternator drive belt(fan belt) clearance.
Are you keeing inner wings? I'm happy to see parts you have bought from me are used!

Good build, keep it up!

Cheers
Atchi

[86Alexp]

Yes a big thankyou for those parts there spot on, its all going nicely to plan. unfortunatly there will be very little progres for a few days. can't wait to crack on with it. As for the alternator I have a plan up my sleeve, if it works. The pulley is actually touching the tower and even worse with the cone in place!! I'm not sure how well i can moddiffy the waterpump to turn the other way? I also like the idea of an electric pump for the benefits they offer, however it looks like things could get over complicated quick.

Alex

[miniswift]

Hi Alex,

I know a guy who is building Hillma Imp with G13B...(he bought few bits from me , too)
Anyway, in Imp engine bay the water pump is getting in the way. So he just made oem pump to be just water pick up point. He will be either adding extarnal pump or leccy pump. I don't think water pump will work going around in wrong direction as imperor are design to work on 1 direction. It might suck water out!

Alternator wise, do tell. I like most of your ideas so far!

I'm thinking of dry sump system now! I think I need to stop going onto internet!

Cheers
Atchi

[86Alexp]

Yes I agree its unlikely to work, I'm going to look today to see how it opperates if its just a centrapugal pump i may be able to modify the impellor - I'll have a look anyhow.

As for the alternator i was thinking of mounting it under the dizzy sollidly and shaft driving it under the manni to a bearing mounted at the front, Smoothing of the waterpump pulley and snaking a belt round the lot with a cam belt tensioner or such. Although I'd be loosing the v belt effect on the water pump the belt would be in contact for nearly 180 degrees I need to calculate how that compares, My main concern would be the inertia of the shaft I havn't quantified that either. Or an electric pump and a simmilar setup. Sound complicated or what??

[86Alexp]

Hear are some more pics again. I've sort of been plodding on doing little bits hear and there. Still struggling to get my engine going, I have had it running a few times now but it is backfiring badly, injectors are flowing correctly and the timing appears to be good, compression values are 210,180, 200, 210psi so not catastrophic. all I can guess is I have No2 inlet stuck a little open, as the engine has been sat for 3 years. Any other sugestions???

[86Alexp]

Well the engine is running much better now, compression values are now reading 210, 200, 210, 210, So That must be cos there is a bit more oil about in the bores. Turns out my engine has an adjustable AFR knob which I had been fiddling with when I ripped the loom apart. Think there a bit unusual,http://www.teamswift.net/album_page.php?pic_id=6943. Fount out about them in team swift.

The bit that is confusing is it runs with the MK2 maf ducktaped onto the MK1 manni and connected however if I use the MK1 MAF it runs horribly whatever I do with AFR. As far as I can tell I it should just work!! but it doesn't??

Never mind I'm sure I'll get to the bottom of this eventually. I have found some more picture of things I did back in the summer which may be of interest!

Just spotted the numberplate out the corner on my eye one day, bit strange.

[Purtsi]

OMG, that licence plate