I didn't read the entire thread, but didn't see any mention of the old late 1960's Datsun roadsters. The two liter engined roadster was very quick as produced, and Datsun produced a LOT of performance options. Toss in a set of 500 CFM Mikuni's, the 5.13:1 differential, and a roll-bar; and you can make a lot of V-8 owners pretty sick to be blown away by a 4 cylinder! And the handling was/is superb! Keeping the stock weight with the 4 banger keeps the factory handling. The top keeps out the rain, the windows wind up, and it actually has a working radio. Top is high enough that someone 6' 6" isn't banging their head on the top (when up). Jon.
As mentioned in an earlier post, the VW KG shares body lines with a couple of the Chrysler/Desoto concept cars of the early/mid 50's and could be a low cost entry into a KG coupe bodied special if an appropriate chassis was constructed for it. Another thought I have had with these KG's (or a Beetle for that matter) is a transverse mounted mid engine (front wheel drive package from something with a honking V6). I agree with Tony's assessment that, in stock form, they dont look very aggressive, but that might be half the fun when you suck some unsuspecting hot shoe into a .....ahem......challenging circumstance. I built a Buick V6 powered '66 Datsun pickup in '70 and delighted in just that sort of seredipity. Ray
Another project floating around in the recesses of my head would be a Karmann Ghia like this one mounted on a totally custom chassis and mixed with the complete drivetrain from something like a brand new AWD Subaru Impreza STI , The 300 plus HP model. The boxer engine might possibly be easier to package in the front of the Ghia, I'm not sure. A bigger turbo and classic lines, the car would be a lot of fun.
Hey Tony, Oh kay, oh kay, so the mention of the British iron was a bit of a reach............ Since there's a bit of unbridled lunacy about, whata 'bout a radical kustom with a tip of the fedora to the Comete? Built on a '49-'51 schewbaux frame with updated suspension mods, a 4.6 or 5.0 injected or blown SBF w/T5 or auto 4/5speed Body mods to include 5'' section, both nose & tail of build cropped to be more in scale with Comete, A one piece front light together with a hard top conversion & rebuilt sail panels, front & rear wheelhouses radiused as per Comete, front & rear facebars built from scratch or perhaps from something english or german-facebars from anything american from this era are jus too clunky, and finely the interior- buckets, trim pads & the rear bench seat trimmed in real vat died leather, NOT the vulgar sprayed crap so common in use in big money street rods, wool carpets edge banded , a wood trimmed dash & reveal mouldings in burl elm or walnut , the interior in oxblood hides with a pre-war Lincoln colour metalic gunmetal '' still lying around with your feet up drinking beer '' indeed " Humpty Dumpty was pushed "
Tony: Not too far from you, Mike McCluskey will build you an aluminum Cobra Daytona Coupe with as many luxurious amenities as you want...I once stopped by when they were building a Coupe for a Japanese customer with air, cruise, power windows etc... http://www.mccluskeyltd.com/ As for your Corvette idea, you can always build or buy a Grand Sport... http://www.superformance.com/corvette.aspx Both of these cars could as luxurious as you'd like, have roofs, go like stink and handle like a race car. I hope you find what you're looking for...
I'm with you...probably 'cause I got one too (mentioned in earlier post) The one thing I didn't mention is that I have hidden away complete front and rear suspension components from an OT '93 third gen Mazda RX7. The rear assembly is packaged alot like a Jag (caged IRS sub-assembly) and the front uses struts kinda compatible with the Falcon/Mustang towers...aluminum upper & lower arms, R&P and both ends have BIG disc brakes.......... The Falcon body would no doubt have a higher CG than the RX7....but surely that can be suspension tuned (can't it??) Ray
I bought this when I was 16 and still have it. I had planed when I was younger to install a 215 Olds, I even had two of them one a 267 (300 crank) but the older I got the more I just wanted to keep it original. Funny thing was when I was 16 I wanted the TR-6 but couldn't afford it. Now being a little older and a little bit better off in the bank I got my TR-6, from the factory they are a little annemic so rather than install a V8 I just installed more air/fuel. with a little work to the suspention now it "goes like stink" and handles pretty well. For a British car.
No parts in common. BMW were just secretly asset-stripping Rover and let the cars die. Sad end to one of the oldest car manufacturers ever and inventor of the modern bicycle. Why did MG have to buy Ford V8s, transmissions from Tremec and develop their own rear axle, when BMW had it all on the shelf? BMW sucks. Even sadder when you realize that BMWs first car was a license built Austin 7 in the 1920s, and their later successful 328s of the 30s were also license built British cars. Frazers I think. Back to the subject, I suggest the OP checks out Retro Ford Magazine for some inspiration of how to build awesome fast classic small European Fords. Ed
It is quite true that BMW began by manufacturing Austin 7s under licence as Dixi. Dixi had a prior history, however, as a maker of large luxurious cars; and BMW began very quickly to develop the Austin design, adding IFS with the first major revision. Still, the link is there, and the consequent irony that BMW should eventually take over what Austin effectively became, only to kill it off for all intents and purposes. The story with the 328 etc. was the other way around. While there was an unbroken line of development from the Dixi/Austin the design was completely transformed by the time it became the six-cylinder 328. Frazer-Nash began importing BMWs into Britain during the '30s. From Wikipedia: "HJ Aldington, a director of the Bristol Aeroplane Company affiliated AFN (BMW's pre-war concessionaire in the UK), used his British Army connections to visit the bombed BMW factory in Munich several times post-war. In 1945 he took plans for BMW cars back to Britain.<sup id="cite_ref-book_6-1" class="reference"></sup> A BMW chief engineer, Dr. Fritz Fiedler, was also given employment. Its first car was the Bristol 400, prototyped in 1946 and introduced at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show.<sup id="cite_ref-Setright.2C_p.232_10-0" class="reference"></sup> Derived from immediately pre-WW2 BMW products (thanks to a connection to BMW through Frazer Nash),<sup id="cite_ref-Setright.2C_p.232_10-1" class="reference"></sup> the engine and chassis were based on the BMW 326,<sup id="cite_ref-Setright.2C_p.232_10-2" class="reference"></sup> the engine on the 328,<sup id="cite_ref-Setright.2C_p.232_10-3" class="reference"></sup> and the body on the 327. Even a variation on the famous double-kidney BMW grille was retained. Bristol, however, did a thoroughgoing examination of the car's handling and ended up with performance "only matched by outright purpose-built competition cars".<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"></sup> 700 of the Bristol 400 were built, with 17 receiving "handsome" convertible bodywork from Pininfarina.<sup id="cite_ref-A-Z_7-1" class="reference"></sup>" Meanwhile, "AFN Ltd produced about eighty-five more cars from 1948 to 1957. These cars were entirely unrelated to the chain-drive pre-war Frazer Nash, but were largely a direct evolution of the sporting BMW 328, mentioned above. In the choice of Bristol engines the cars were natural successors to the imported BMWs, the Bristol engine being a development of that of the BMW 328. Models include the Le Mans Replica, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Le Mans Coupé and the Sebring. Competition successes included a third place at Le Mans (1949) and wins in the Targa Florio (1951) and the 12 Hours of Sebring, 1952. The post-war cars are very highly prized by collectors. The company participated in the 1952 Formula One season, the cars driven by Tony Crook and Ken Wharton." But I agree. BMW sucks. Have you seen the size of the new four-door so-called Mini?
No idea if you could feasibly fit a V8 in a Counsel Capri, but I always liked their lines. Of course they are as rare as hen's teeth here in the states, but once in a great while one pops up for sale.
gotta agree that the consul capri is a great looking little car, and there have been more than a few V8 swaps done in the UK over the years...
While not a small vehicle I've found if you take all the seats out of a Grand Caravan it goes pretty good.
Late model corvair with a reverse rotation small black in the factory location, Chris-craft water pumps (era correct) pushing the coolant to front. (Think boat motor). Guys are road racing corvairs and with the suspension upgrades availible they will out handle any new american made car!
I am partial to Triumph, I'm working on EFI for my 2 litre Vtiesse OBW they come in coupes also. basicly a gt6 with a different body. But actually the GT6 is a Vitesse with a different body since the Vitesse came out in '63
I've often thought if a Rover V8 would go into a Herald. I like the Herald's concept, using body-on-chassis construction as an innovation rather than a throwback. I'd go DeDion in the rear in place of the swingaxles, though. Interesting bit of trivia: the Herald's front end comes from an abortive project by Standard Cars to develop a taxicab in competition with Austin etc.; whence, with a shorter wheelbase to boot, the extremely tight turning circle.
So there is more Volvo love here than the Hamb has seen in a while. And it sounds like a very feasible option for what you are trying to achieve. So here's a few things that might be a huge help, I have been following THIS GUY'S builds for a while. He now has complete bolt in MII crossmembers for the PV1800/Amazon 122 chassis cars, which allow space for simpler V8 swaps, and is working on a bolt-in upgraded rear axle coilover kit, HERE Also have you seen Bo Zolland's Amazon Concept?
I love P1800s and Amazons. If all the Amazons weren't in Seattle and Portland, I'd have seriously contemplated finding one when I got my Falcon. What's not to like? They look just like a 1955 Chrysler 300. -Dave
GooGooMuck, he also has a build thread on the Dogfight Forum. http://www.dogfightmag.com/forum/sh...Project-(Ls1-Pro-Touring-Build-with-body-mods)
I had the fellows on the Photoshop thread take a whack at making the Metropolitan look a little more muscular: I think that the short wheelbase is holding it back, though. It needs more length between the cowl and the front wheels to run in the company of the sporty coupes in this thread. -Dave
I think all that needs is for the nose to come down a tad, with the front arches raised to compensate. The taller rear arches are a bit awkward.
I had a Mistral - a UK kit-car but made in New Zealand in 1962, it looked very much like the above but without the roof, it almost made a Miata look big. Warm 302 and 5-speed, went like a go-kart on stroids.
Yes, I only noticed the front arches looking a tad low when I took the trim off. Any suggestions for the rears?
50Fraud, like the way you think....and Seems you got your knowledge cut out in the point and steers when you came up with the 908-3 I have a friend who raced one 1970 at Targa Florio and his lap record is still standing... oh he did some races in a baby blue 917K too My easiest suggestion for you would be a 930 Porsche ( 911 Turbo) or it's running gear in a 914 or a Karmann Ghia... After that I'd look at brits..kit cars or factory finished "kit cars" type TVR's and AC's...or a Cobra kit car. IMO you need a semi racechassis and those has to be built from scratch or a kit... Then Kellison and Cheetahs with comfy creatures..AC and sound insulation.. The C3 conversion looked really good.. add vents for the engine on the sides where the gills were and the rear lower corner on the rear fenders a'la Alfa 33 Stradale...but the handling on them..and C2's leaves a lot to be desired just like the IRS Jag's.. ( my ex-father in law loved them XJ's and XJ-S... utter pile of rubbish going fast...) take my word I've personally gritted my fingers enough with them both. Regarding Alfas with a V8 conversion..forget it just don't fit.. our family has had Alfas since 64 and over 20+ examples. Personally raced a Bertone GTV. Sure point and steers but a lot mods need to be done In my book to be satisfactory ,,just like MGA's and B. They just feel fast without being. Regarding usable cheap small cars...and let's not fret at live rear axles, thay can handle if you know your stuff. My suggestions would be a Vega, preferrably a Wagon. Chevy Monza or its sisters. The Datsun despite being a IRS rear car would follow suit too but it's getting on the clumsy side too in My book like the Ford Capri although the bodies are nice. Opel GT. is up there too, and being small. Still I'd go for the first suggestions I made... a 930 went the 1/4 mile in 12,8 flat 1978...faster than a ZR-1 ten+ years later and is a serious supercar even today.
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