1981 S3 V8 conversion

[hilly]

It has been a bit quiet on this thread for a while, I have been working on the car, however there hasn't been much to take photos of.

I managed to make it to Stoneleigh so the car got it's first LEF airing, but for those who couldn't make it here is a PUnky style video.

The weather was pretty damp so first gear just span the tyres, I got wheel spin in second gear as well, but you get the idea.

I am a little reluctant to do much on the car at the moment as it it is working pretty well so I want to spend a bit of time driving it.

However I have got a few things that need doing so in a few weeks I'll have some more stuff to post soon.

Hilly

Edited November 12, 2007 by hilly

[dazmans3]

How Cool is that(are we aloud to say cool at our age! )

Just as well you didn't keep the Citreon Box. would have been shredded before you even got the clutch peddle fully up!

Good to meet you at the show, Sun.

Daz

[t70]

BEAUTIFUL TO SEE HER RUNNING!!!! WOW!! You truly are a god among "espritists!!"

[punky]

That sounds awesome!

And as I followed you from the porridge pot too the stonleigh show the other day, I can honestly say it sounds even better in the flesh.

[Michael Blue]

GORGEOUS! Thanks for sharing!!

[M Blur]

Top work ol bean - keep up the good work,, carry on wot wot.. great sound and she shifts well..

would like to see this at B'ton speed trial next year

Jon

Edited December 1, 2007 by M Blur

[silverfrost]

About time you posted a video like that music to my ears

regards danny

[andyblackman777]

Great to see it running sounds awesome

can't wait to see it in the flesh sometime

Andy

[USAndretti42]

Your car sounds great in that video. Put goose bumps on my goose bumps. Reminded me of an Aston V8. Great stuff. You must be very pleased wth all your hard work.

I hope the new Esprit sounds as good.

[M Blur]

anymore vids or updates Hilly???

want pics of your interior

Jon

[hilly]

It has been silly season here what with crimbo doos and what not so I have had very little time to do anything worthy of an update.

It is also foggy as anything here in (not so) sunny Surrey so I can't take any photo for you today either.

I plan to take the Mutant off the road over the Christmas break as I intend to fit a couple of upgrade bits and pieces.

So expect an update on here soon..........................

Hilly

[talon]

I can't wait. This is one of my favorite threads on the board.

[M Blur]

you just holding back for that PPC article Hilly

[hilly]

you just holding back for that PPC article Hilly

Nope, as the feature says, I have to do everything on the drive (no garage) and hence rain stops play and we have had a lot of that recently

I may be able to do an update this weekend with a bit of luck.

Hilly

[silverfrost]

Andy,

Just got myself a copy of PPC good write up and a good read, pics are pretty cool aswell Glad to see that your hard

work and qaulity workmanship have reached a wider audiance than the forum and im sure it will inspire many other

engine transplants to take place

I see the farmyard where we both sourced our cars is selling another red esprit but sadly in a very bad state

of repair with its rear end missing

regards danny p.s keep up the hard work

[M Blur]

I just want to hear more and see more Andy... look fwd..

[dazmans3]

Just got my copy of PPC mag. a really good read. Nice to see a good article on the esprit for a change. What a good start to 2008 for esprits as that's two good articles this year so far.

Daz

[andyblackman777]

PPC ?

[hilly]

Buy it now in your local friendly news agent

Hilly

[hilly]

It is odd how timing works out....

I haven't done anything on the car for a fair few weeks what with Christmas, work and having to do some DIY at my girlfriend's house, oh, and the magazine shoot.

As soon as the the article is in the shops and I am enjoying fame and riches (ummmmmm, maybe not) a whole bunch of events line up (the weather isn't raining and Claire zooms off to see her sis for the weekend) which means I can do some work on the car and hence an update, so here goes.........

Now that the car has been on the road for a bit with the new engine in, it seems to be going quite well.

The thing that is bugging me now however is the steering.

When my Esprit was sold (27 years ago) it didn't have power steering like most cars at that time, unlike now where pretty much everything has.

The steering is fine at speed, but going slowly or parking is making me develop forearms like Popeye!!

I should probably just toughen up, but I really notice the difference after getting out of my comfy A4, so to fix that I am going the wimps route and putting power steering on the Esprit.

I have got a feeling this is going to be a popular mod if I can get it to work, so I'll post up as many details as I can and take measurement of the brackets and stuff.

You never know, if demand is high enough I may be persuaded to sort out some sort of kit.......

The weapon of choice to do this is an electric steering column from a Vauxhall Corsa which I picked up on eBay well over a year ago.

This route saves me a bunch of problems in that there is very little space for a hydraulic rack, I had to remove the PS pump (the alternator is now in it's position) and the hydraulic lines have to run half the length of the car.

I also get some extra benefits like being able to alter the amount of assistance or turning it off altogether.

It is also fairly easy to hook up only needing a 50A supply (which I already fitted when doing the engine wiring) and a couple of control signals

The down sides are it will put extra strain on the already fragile steering rack (I'll just have to replace it more often) and the hassle of having to take the car half apart to fit it.

Let battle commence.......

First take out the drivers seat and the steering wheel.

Next thing to do is make up a template which records the postion of where the steering wheel is. I don't want to put the new one in only to find I can't drive the thing.

I made the template out of some 15mm copper water pipe and some joints.

10 minutes of cutting and soldering and I end up with this master piece.

Now that I have a way of making sure the new column ends up where it should, time to rip out the instrument pod.

Then the pod brackets and indicator/wiper stalks

Then finally the dash assembly.

It is amazing how fast you turn a drivable car into a heap of wires and air ducting........

Now, time to see if my master plan will work by test fitting the new electric rack in the hole, which isn't easy as it has a big DC motor screwed to it.

IT FITS !!!!!!!!

Well nearly.

I need to take out the bonnet (hood) release mechanism and the cross beam needs a bit of adjustment to clear the motor, but the project is a goer

More on this soon.

Finally, just to wet your appetite for my next project, I have bagged me this.......

Yeap, another Audi 2wd 01X 6 speed TDi gearbox, I really am a gluten for punishment.

Hilly

[silverfrost]

Andy looks like a great idea with the collum, however the new gearbox intrigues me more are you building another mutant!

maybe a stevens model! looking forward to it if your building another car just hurry up and post some pics!

regards danny

[matk]

Andy don't forget Colin Chapman's Silver S3 Turbo was factory fitted with power steering. IIRC it belongs to Mike Ford

http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EOwners/mikeford.html

Might be worth dropping him a line to shed some light on how the factory did it?

[hilly]

Andy don't forget Colin Chapman's Silver S3 Turbo was factory fitted with power steering. IIRC it belongs to Mike Ford

I think that car was done with a more conventional hydraulic rack and pump.

The issue is finding out what car that particular rack came out of.

The other big problem I have is that I had to take off the Audi power steering pump to make room for the alternator and as you can imagine there isn't a lot of room left.

I could fit an electric pump, but the Corsa column is a much neater solution plus it is adjustable.

If power steering was good enough for the great man to have in his Esprit then I don't feel too bad about wimping out

Hilly

[punky]

Hey! Hilly NICE BOX

Is that you looking for longer legs?

Good find with that steering rack, I didn't even know you could get electric ones.

Me and Kev were talking about the hassle of fitting power steering the other day,but I think you have just solved the problem.

right wheres that ebay link again

[M Blur]

jst picked up my copy of PPC.. time for a coffee