Spitfire conversion

[gavinbray]

Hello,due to buying a house I have been without a classic to play with for a year or so but am now at the stage I can start playing again. I am looking at a few options ( scimiter,lotus,TVR etc ) but I REALLY like to look of a little Spitfire. Problem is I know they are fun cars to drive but I quite like the idea of having a wee bit more power. I am sure this a question that is asked often on forums but can anyone give advice on the best way to go and where to get information about how to do it all. I'm not after a race car just looking for a decent amount of power,however I would like to avoid cutting and welding,I have changed engines before but I would like to do a good job and wouldn't trust my welding skills. Any advice please or websites to visit ?

Thanks

Gavin.

[Spitfire2]

I'd get one and have a drive first. Tuned properly a 1500 can be great fun and (when its bloody working!!!!!) the overdrive makes it even better.

(ETA-overdrives are usually reliable. Mine is driving me up the wall at the moment though).

[spitfire4v8]

When i was at college i built a nice fast 1300 for my mk4. It was a nippy little thing

[hoppo4.2]

[garagewidow]

good conversion but it ain't gonna last long without some air filtration.

[hoppo4.2]

I might get round to finishing it off one day
It will need some very slim filters as the trumpets are so close to the wheel arch.

Also its running the original rear diff at the min that wont last long and the ratios are all wrong. Any ideas what can be made to fit?

[Vince70]

How about a 2.5 or 2.0 straight six triumph conversion I would have thought a lot of the bits and pieces needed would have been used on the GT6.
Plus there must be a lot of info on doing the conversion as I believe it was fairly popular.
I've just found an old link on pistonheads
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=2&a...

Edited by Vince70 on Wednesday 26th June 07:47

[hoppo4.2]

Its very easy to use the triumph 6 pot but you need the gt6 bonnet and they aren't cheap

[Vince70]

I see what you mean a grand for a new bonnet doesn't warrant a conversion.

[varsas]

The cars are raced so what does/doesn't work is well known. I'm sure jigsaw racing or similar could help you out. I believe you can get 100bhp out of a 1,300 and make it rev to 8k...probably not ideal for the road. I dare say a good 1500 with some head work, slightly lumpier cam and a decent exhaust manifold and carb would be alright? More then that you're onto engine swaps.

[Spit50]

You can get 130bhp and 8000rpm on a 1300 spit race engine. A less highly tuned 110bhp can be had with careful porting, balancing, a nice cam and decent carbs/exhaust.

1500's are less tunable as the extra CCs are from stroking the engine so they don't like high revs with oiling issues/ But with some mild tuning and a cam for torque rather than revs some nice power can be had.

Lots of engine swaps out there, try this forum for some examples: http://www.sideways-technologies.co.uk/forum/Blah....

Cheers

[tapkaJohnD]

And the aforementioned six cylinder 2.5 is good for 130bhp with no mods at all.
Honeybourne sell a GT6 powerbulge to go onto your OE bonnet, or else sell that and buy a GT6 one off ebay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-GT6-Bonnet-/2811...

The Gitfire is a well known type of Spitfire special, and an open GT6 was thought to be the great car that Triumph never made, because it would have competed with the TR6.

John