How much power can a G26/28/30/31 chassis take?
Discussion
I think I have got the model numbers right? I have a G28 (2+2 coupe with the cologne v6 and square headlights) then the others are the sportwagon and pinto (pop up lights) variations.
They all have the same / very similar chassis IIRC ?
I am looking at fitting a 240bhp Nissan 4 pot, is this going to tear apart the chassis? Obviously I will be revising the suspension and brakes just wondering how much bracing I am going to need.
Is there anybody running this sort of power in this chassis on the GOC? If so I might even apply to join. Also please note the engine is just resting in the bay, it doesnt have any mounts or anything attached as yet.
Only had it a few months so the pictures show very much a starting point.
They all have the same / very similar chassis IIRC ?
I am looking at fitting a 240bhp Nissan 4 pot, is this going to tear apart the chassis? Obviously I will be revising the suspension and brakes just wondering how much bracing I am going to need.
Is there anybody running this sort of power in this chassis on the GOC? If so I might even apply to join. Also please note the engine is just resting in the bay, it doesnt have any mounts or anything attached as yet.
Only had it a few months so the pictures show very much a starting point.
I have Micks old G31 - Now with a mild pinto - The chassis on the these cars is very substantial and will take 300+ without any issues - What will be the issue is the rear axle location and the front brakes.
Mine has vents and four pots for stoppers on a split bias and the rear end is stock but for polybushed - biggest available Cortina rollbars all round - still not great but going for a better location it a lot of work.
None were a "Sportwagon" - all two door coupes just that the 26 was 9" longer
Andrew
Mine has vents and four pots for stoppers on a split bias and the rear end is stock but for polybushed - biggest available Cortina rollbars all round - still not great but going for a better location it a lot of work.
None were a "Sportwagon" - all two door coupes just that the 26 was 9" longer
Andrew
I used the term sport-wagon to mean the 9" longer ones despite them still having 2 doors, at least you know what I meant 
The G31 was hill climbed with a cossie engine on the standard axle set-up!? I know my void bushes are shot but even with an ailing v6 I managed to get enough axle tramp to snap by back box off. Im going to try a full polybush kit and see if that is enough but I suspect I will need some further location at some point.
I need to look into front brakes and see what is an easy fit. Im interested in your front brake setup, BMW 4 pots with no servo? I have got a bit of a space issue in the drivers side of the bay so that sounds perfect.
Thanks for the quick help, I will keep this thread updated with progress if interested.
The G31 was hill climbed with a cossie engine on the standard axle set-up!? I know my void bushes are shot but even with an ailing v6 I managed to get enough axle tramp to snap by back box off. Im going to try a full polybush kit and see if that is enough but I suspect I will need some further location at some point.
I need to look into front brakes and see what is an easy fit. Im interested in your front brake setup, BMW 4 pots with no servo? I have got a bit of a space issue in the drivers side of the bay so that sounds perfect.
Thanks for the quick help, I will keep this thread updated with progress if interested.
Edited by luke g28 on Saturday 23 July 00:06
Redrilled PCD BMW vented disc's and spaced princess 4 pots are whats on mine. No issue with axle tramp even through the LSD it has straight line stuff is OK, its getting a hustly on through twisties that the axle location shows its limitations.
Keep the thread updated as you progress, you have at least one avid viewer :-)
Andrew
Keep the thread updated as you progress, you have at least one avid viewer :-)
Andrew
Thankyou, well I fitted the engine and gearbox today. Everything went in with very little hassle considering its the first change I've done. I have taken a load of pictures which I will update with tomorrow.
Just need to take it all out again so I can grind off the existing mounts as they're welded to the chassis. Then I need to make some custom mounts and do the gearbox cross member.
In case you are interested, the gear shifter is in exactly the right place and it looks like the Nissan prop will even bolt to the Ford diff it might be about 10mm short tho.
As for axle location, I confess this is a drift car so corner handling important. I've only had 1 session tho as the old engine was very poorly.
Just need to take it all out again so I can grind off the existing mounts as they're welded to the chassis. Then I need to make some custom mounts and do the gearbox cross member.
In case you are interested, the gear shifter is in exactly the right place and it looks like the Nissan prop will even bolt to the Ford diff it might be about 10mm short tho.
As for axle location, I confess this is a drift car so corner handling important. I've only had 1 session tho as the old engine was very poorly.
Edited by luke g28 on Saturday 23 July 21:11
I have never tried to fit an engine before but here is most of Saturdays progress
It fits !
Bit messy but its in, loads of space for new rad and intercooler.
Plenty of clearance here, note the shiny new non fitting bolts as the old ones were left in the engine bay when the car was transported...
Brake pipes are s
te but fit as are and will be lots of room when re-routed
Even the shifter is spot on. (doesn't line up 100% as no engine / gbox mounts made yet)
Even the bonnet fits, couldnt have done it without my faithful assistant tho :wack::thumbs:
Not pictured but theres even a chance that the Nissan KA prop shaft is going to bolt straight up to my ford diff and be the right length. Held it up under the car and the pcd on the diff flange appears to match up but it might be 10mm to short. We will see.
The only issue I have found so far is that the external waste gate wont fit as is, I might be able to squeeze it on by clocking the housing around a bit but we'll see. Other than that its all good.
Next jobs are to lift it back out again so I can grind off the old engine mounts which are welded to the chassis, make up some new mounts (which will lift the engine about 5-10mm as currently resting on the subframe and then its just wiring and plumbing. I might actually have this thing back on the road by Christmas.
Turbo is a T3/T04E .60 A/R Which is good for silly power but at the 8psi I think it is mapped for should make about 240bhp (pretty low turbo efficiency) and will make about 280 at 11psi (slightly better efficiency lol).
The KA24 is good for about 20psi on standard internals but shouldn't really go above 1 bar on an unopened block as its likely to fail.
Thanks to anybody who read all that
It fits !
Bit messy but its in, loads of space for new rad and intercooler.
Plenty of clearance here, note the shiny new non fitting bolts as the old ones were left in the engine bay when the car was transported...
Brake pipes are s
te but fit as are and will be lots of room when re-routedEven the shifter is spot on. (doesn't line up 100% as no engine / gbox mounts made yet)
Even the bonnet fits, couldnt have done it without my faithful assistant tho :wack::thumbs:
Not pictured but theres even a chance that the Nissan KA prop shaft is going to bolt straight up to my ford diff and be the right length. Held it up under the car and the pcd on the diff flange appears to match up but it might be 10mm to short. We will see.
The only issue I have found so far is that the external waste gate wont fit as is, I might be able to squeeze it on by clocking the housing around a bit but we'll see. Other than that its all good.
Next jobs are to lift it back out again so I can grind off the old engine mounts which are welded to the chassis, make up some new mounts (which will lift the engine about 5-10mm as currently resting on the subframe and then its just wiring and plumbing. I might actually have this thing back on the road by Christmas.
Turbo is a T3/T04E .60 A/R Which is good for silly power but at the 8psi I think it is mapped for should make about 240bhp (pretty low turbo efficiency) and will make about 280 at 11psi (slightly better efficiency lol).
The KA24 is good for about 20psi on standard internals but shouldn't really go above 1 bar on an unopened block as its likely to fail.
Thanks to anybody who read all that
A Drift Ginetta G28, well that's a motorsport mix I doubt the Walkletts would have forseen a- great action shot by the way - Also a true Street sleeper with that powerplant in there and what a result with the fitting. I know of a G26 which has just had a Rover 600 Turbo grafted into it and required quite a bit of modification to bulkheads and tunnels.
Not sure the installation would be quite so simple in a G26 or G31 as the bonnet line is considerably lower - If I was not so involved in other Ginetta projects a Turbo transplant would be a consideration.
Keep up the good work
Andrew
Not sure the installation would be quite so simple in a G26 or G31 as the bonnet line is considerably lower - If I was not so involved in other Ginetta projects a Turbo transplant would be a consideration.
Keep up the good work
Andrew
Just For your information, I was originally going to install a CA18det from the Nissan 200sx (s13) which makes 170bhp as standard and will run up to 250-280bhp on an unopened engine. This is the same dimensions as the KA24de (which is a USDM engine only) which I have installed. It has very similar dimensions to a pinto and there are a number of Capris running the CA18det. Pluses are the availability, power and very cheap parts (dont expect to pay more than £600 for the engine, gearbox and all ancillaries).
The weakpoints of the engine are the big end bearings and the dipstick is not very accurate.
Downside for fitting is that it is slightly taller than the pinto engine and has a front bowl sump (although this clears the subframe on my KA).
I will measure from the front subframe to the top of the engine to give you an idea of suitability. Personally I would rather modify the bonnet than all the chassis and firewall
There are a lot of very good cheap Japanese engines that are very overlooked in the UK car scene
The weakpoints of the engine are the big end bearings and the dipstick is not very accurate.
Downside for fitting is that it is slightly taller than the pinto engine and has a front bowl sump (although this clears the subframe on my KA).
I will measure from the front subframe to the top of the engine to give you an idea of suitability. Personally I would rather modify the bonnet than all the chassis and firewall
There are a lot of very good cheap Japanese engines that are very overlooked in the UK car scene
Edited by luke g28 on Wednesday 27th July 09:33
Tried on some new shoes, sorry the pictures are lame. 16 x 9s
Needs to be far lower but its slowly coming together
Im aiming to get something that has the same look and feel to this
That doesnt mean im trying to clone that car but I think you understand where Im coming from
Needs to be far lower but its slowly coming together
Im aiming to get something that has the same look and feel to this
That doesnt mean im trying to clone that car but I think you understand where Im coming from
Edited by luke g28 on Wednesday 27th July 20:16
A friend of mine thinks more along these sort of likes - and I am sure you can see why
Similar mods sports style just a bit more extreme
There are definate styling similarities - Ok plenty of squinting required But a set of MK2 box arches may offer the advantage of being able to lower the arch line and make the car appear lower whilst at the front an RS2000 look grille......
Like the rims far better than the Pug ones Did you nick them off a pikes peak Audi !!!
Andrew
Similar mods sports style just a bit more extreme
There are definate styling similarities - Ok plenty of squinting required But a set of MK2 box arches may offer the advantage of being able to lower the arch line and make the car appear lower whilst at the front an RS2000 look grille......
Like the rims far better than the Pug ones Did you nick them off a pikes peak Audi !!!
Andrew
Edited by Darkspeed on Wednesday 27th July 21:14
I dont really like the styling on the quattro to be honest and that whole front splitter thing wouldn't last very long on a drifty car.
While we are squinting I thought it looked quite similar to one of these,
Im not after a "body kit" that makes my car look low. The car will be low but I need to have as much rear grip as possible while retaining progressive / predictable handling. Should be good fun
While we are squinting I thought it looked quite similar to one of these,
Im not after a "body kit" that makes my car look low. The car will be low but I need to have as much rear grip as possible while retaining progressive / predictable handling. Should be good fun
) mine had a mildly tuned pinto in and I always wanted to do something like this garethj said:
I think the only weakness in the chassis is where the box section goes upwards to clear the suspension at either end. It's fairly crude and one of the old Ginetta club magazines showed a simple triangular web welded in to fillet the corner a bit.
Perfect, ill look into it Ive also heard that the rear arms twist and contribute to wheel hop with the solution being to plate over the U section to create a box section.
Thought these might be of interest, its a mockup of the engine bay, forgive my lame CAD skills as its the first time ive attempted anything in 3D and technically im only using measuring software lol.
Its only a draft at the moment but should be almost mm perfect except for the subframe
Eventual plan is to get the whole frame into CAD.
Its only a draft at the moment but should be almost mm perfect except for the subframe
Eventual plan is to get the whole frame into CAD.
Edited by luke g28 on Friday 19th August 18:03
Just a minor update really as I have been away for the last couple of weekends and wont be around this weekend either 
However I have progressed the 3D model a little bit and it now looks something like this..
it still needs plenty of refining and I have an error of about an inch between the main rails and clearly the rear section of the car still needs measuring up and drawing, however it is progress and perhaps when it is done and accurate it will be of help to somebody else.
In other news I have attacked the bonnet and it now shuts properly but I havent yet decided what I am going to do about making it look a bit more presentable.I dont really want scoops ducting any more air under the bonnet as at the moment it will have to come out of the bottom of the car creating lift and not doing very much for cooling. I am intending to open up the wings to help sort out the airflow but this needs more thought as yet
As you can see the cam cover is barely interfering with the bonnet and I could probably get away with covering the hole over with a thin layer of fibreglass however the turbo is a concern as its clearly going to get very hot and I dont know how well the bonnet will cope.
Also I have cut one engine mount to size but no picture of that yet.
However I have progressed the 3D model a little bit and it now looks something like this..
it still needs plenty of refining and I have an error of about an inch between the main rails and clearly the rear section of the car still needs measuring up and drawing, however it is progress and perhaps when it is done and accurate it will be of help to somebody else.
In other news I have attacked the bonnet and it now shuts properly but I havent yet decided what I am going to do about making it look a bit more presentable.I dont really want scoops ducting any more air under the bonnet as at the moment it will have to come out of the bottom of the car creating lift and not doing very much for cooling. I am intending to open up the wings to help sort out the airflow but this needs more thought as yet
As you can see the cam cover is barely interfering with the bonnet and I could probably get away with covering the hole over with a thin layer of fibreglass however the turbo is a concern as its clearly going to get very hot and I dont know how well the bonnet will cope.
Also I have cut one engine mount to size but no picture of that yet.
Getting ever closer to find out how well the chassis will deal with the power... 
I know it has been a while, long and short is engine mounts are a bit of a pain and ive been slow, but theyre nearly done now..
Intercooler arrived today pipework / bends are from a CA hence the weird cold pipe but it is starting to look like it should be finished soon, it fits and the bonnet even shuts :O
Hope to have it within in a month, one the mounts are done then expect lots of progress.
I know it has been a while, long and short is engine mounts are a bit of a pain and ive been slow, but theyre nearly done now..
Intercooler arrived today pipework / bends are from a CA hence the weird cold pipe but it is starting to look like it should be finished soon, it fits and the bonnet even shuts :O
Hope to have it within in a month, one the mounts are done then expect lots of progress.
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