Vixen S2 with Lotus Twin-cams

Vixen S2 with Lotus Twin-cams

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Discussion

adrian@

Original Poster:

4,386 posts

289 months

Sunday 28th May 2006
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The initial message was deleted from this topic on 20 January 2016 at 09:59

davidy

4,474 posts

291 months

Monday 29th May 2006
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There was no factory Twin-Cam or BDA to my knowledge, through these was one 'tuning house' that put a BDA (could have been a TwinCam) into a Vixen and was going to offer them for sale. Remember Vixen's were available as kits so it would be easy to do. It was reveiewed by Hot Car I believe.

There was also the 'Taurus' TVR which was a modded X-flow by Northern Sportcars Ltd. This was reveied in CCC in Jan 1970.

I agree with heightswitch that a more modern engine is the way to go for easy reliable horsepower, unless you are going to use it in some kind of competition when some originality will enable you to run in a less challenging class!

davidy

davidy

4,474 posts

291 months

Monday 29th May 2006
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Adrian

OK I've done a little more digging, there was an Article in Oct69 Car and Car Conversions about a Broadspeed Vixen, this was the article that I was thinking about, not hot car. Its possible if you could locate a copy of the article that you could trace the car through the registration. I could be totally wrong here as you are relying on an old brain that is losing its magnetic grip on early TVR related material!!!!

Hope that helps

davidy

oliverb205

705 posts

233 months

Monday 29th May 2006
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The Vixen in CCC Sept and Oct 1969 is an S2 in orange, registered GHF221G. It had a stage 3 Broadspeed conversion, and a standard bonnet. I can't remember seeing anything about that, or any other Vixen TC, in Sprint.

Oliver.

brittanytvr

191 posts

246 months

Monday 29th May 2006
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I have seen a red vixen for sale with a twin cam when I have bought my first vixen s3 from davidgerald in aout or september 97, perhaps this one?
But I can't remember if the bonnet was modified, I think it was stock. if it can help.

davidy

4,474 posts

291 months

Tuesday 30th May 2006
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Oliver

Thanks for locating the Broadspeed article, I've definitely seen a Vixen Twincam (or BDA) article in a period magazine, I just can't remember which one it was!

davidy

threefishorange

574 posts

228 months

Wednesday 31st May 2006
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I CURRENTLY HAVE A VIXEN WITH A L/TWIN CAM IN IT. I BOUGHT IT FROM A GUY IN WALES ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO,FULLY RESTORED IT.GOES WELL BUT I'M THINKING OF PUTTING A ZETEC IN IT!!
I CONTACTED THE MODEL ARCHIVIST AT THE TVR CAR CLUB ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. NOW HE SAID HE CHECKED AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN BUILT AS A KIT, BUT WITH THE TWIN CAM IN IT!

vixen

332 posts

290 months

Thursday 1st June 2006
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I have a 1969 article from "Custom Car" about a Vixen S2 with a Twin Cam
The car is black/silver reg no. RFR 958H

>> Edited by vixen on Thursday 1st June 12:37

stigproducts

1,730 posts

278 months

Wednesday 6th September 2006
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Just noticed in Sprint Feb '85

"Sir, I last wrote to Sprint a couple of months ago asking if anyone could help me out with an exhaust system plus manifold for my Vixen S2 with a lotus Twin-cam" ........."this mod was carried out my a Mr A.R Marks approx 3 owners before me"

August '84 Sprint the first letter appeared....... "on XTC 93H the original engine was replaced by a lotus 1558 twin-cam from an Elan SE"

Edited by stigproducts on Wednesday 6th September 16:40

daza

237 posts

289 months

Thursday 14th September 2006
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Just to join in here,

My car was also fitted with a Twin Cam engine.
Unfortunatly the previous owner sold the engine to fund another project.

Some of you are probably aware, the car is now fitted with a 2ltr Zetec.

Quad throttlebodies,,,, you can drive it forever...

Darren

threefishorange

574 posts

228 months

Thursday 14th September 2006
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I'll also join in then !
My vixen s2 was also fitted with a twin cam. It was running sound. I've taken it out and recently replaced it with a crossflow!

anonymous-user

61 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
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This has an 'original' twin cam engine - does anyone know anything about it?

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C699372

Moto

1,261 posts

260 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
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I don't know anything about the car but it would be interesting to know whether the twin cam was an original factory fit or whether the car was supplied in kit form with the first owner fitting it.

I know the factory did make a twin cam engine'd development car reg no - RFR985H. It was originally BRG and tested in the November issue of Custom Car magazine. I have a copy if you are interested.

Moto

tomtrout

595 posts

170 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
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Did RFR985H have the "sausage" style bonnet in the mag article? Might be a clue as to whether or not this is the same car? Doubt if the bonnet is a retro fit.

GPW41

150 posts

150 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
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GPW41

150 posts

150 months

Wednesday 20th January 2016
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Sylva_Fury

6 posts

9 months

Tuesday 27th February
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stigproducts said:
Just noticed in Sprint Feb '85

"Sir, I last wrote to Sprint a couple of months ago asking if anyone could help me out with an exhaust system plus manifold for my Vixen S2 with a lotus Twin-cam" ........."this mod was carried out my a Mr A.R Marks approx 3 owners before me"

August '84 Sprint the first letter appeared....... "on XTC 93H the original engine was replaced by a lotus 1558 twin-cam from an Elan SE"

Edited by stigproducts on Wednesday 6th September 16:40
Hi - I think I was the owner after AR Marks. I had it from about 1983 to about 1987 and it was Chrysler Wardance, a vibrant bright red colour.

It had the Elan SE Engine in it when I got it, apparently the donor car had a fire. I put a whole new design for exhaust manifold and exhaust system in since the original cross-flow exhaust was on the opposite side of the block compare to twin-cam. My manifold/exhaust was built by Mike-The-Pipe (Wallington, Surrey area) to my design brief.

P100

627 posts

213 months

Monday 4th March
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Just to add, I have a Vixen S2 with a twin cam fitted.
Its been in my ownership since 1980, and I fitted the motor in 1984.
It was a fairly easy install from memory, coupled to a close ratio 2000E box. The main issue was the exhaust manifold which I had specially made by a lovely gent who did it in my workshop with a length of tube, a porta pack and a bag of sand, and, to my surprise, he turned up on a motorbike. !

I enjoy the power of the twin cam unit and the roar of the induction far exceeds the noise from the exhaust system, which has caught me out on the odd track day evening, but its a spritely thing for its age.
When I used to visit the factory with my work, I got talking to Dave Cummins about my car and he told me that 2 cars had been fitted with twin cams from the factory as racers, but both got lost, one to an accident, and one to a fire.

I did try to verify this but was unable to as the guys who did the work no longer were employed at the factory, so its something that I cannot verify sadly.