This is my favourite thing on this page. I thought Elan owners messed about with their cars but the TR7 boys do more mods than anyone, especially putting V8s in. Well done on your project I wouldn’t know where to start with that.
There was company called Grinnall who put V8s into TR7s.
They still exist.
https://www.grinnallcars.com/
______
Jim.
Yes that’s right the factory V8 is a TR8. Most of them are in America but there are a lot more TR7 V8s in the UK where the owner has swapped a V8 in. I think you mean SS preparations in Bacup. They seem to be real specialists in TR7 and 8.
Last edited by BRGS; 18th April 2021 at 10:26.
Where I am totally happy to see a V8 implanted in classic cars like TR8, MGB GT, STAG etc, I’m not quite sure how I feel about implanting an electric motor into a classic (as per this link from auto express)
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/morgan...-and-morgan-44
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This do it all truck :-)
IMG_6281.JPG
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Agreed. Sacrilege, IMHO!
I just cannot see the point, or the attraction for example, of an electric Ferrari or Lamborghini, or Porsche Taycan for that matter. You pay the money for those cars for their engines, just as you keep and run classic cars for the feel and charm of their engines.
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hi all ,thanks to those who wrote kind words about my beastie.i bought the car in 1989 as a scruffy but standard TR7.the bodywork was pretty much rust free and still is.it was possible in those days and still is now from a firm called Rimmer bros to buy a kit do a basic V8 conversion.in those days i had a young family and had only been in business as a motor trader for a couple of years,so money was tight but i had my own motor repair workshop so made/modified most of the conversion parts myself only buying brake and suspension parts and the rear section of the exhaust.where i didnt try to save money was on the bodywork.a friend in the trade gave it a complete bare metal respray in Ford Radiant red.it paid off as it still looks good on the car.cheers greasemonkey
S+S have been in Stacksteads near Bacup for the last 20 years since leaving Ramsbottom, their front yard had about 40-50 TR7/8 when I was on a building site near them and drove past every day.Always fancied going in for a mooch around
I, and many others, disagree with you here. Keeping classic cars on the roads is to be applauded however it’s done. I’d happily convert a classic to electric to keep running it in the future. Cars and classic cars are bought for many reasons and the engine is probably quite low down on the list of priorities for many.
More kudos to you fir doing it yourself!
It must make it even more special to you as a car; I know that I get far more attached to bikes that I’ve modified than the one I haven’t.
I give you this:
https://rfitvintage.com
and the Mehari Eden
https://www.mehariclub.com/en/electric-eden/
Last edited by Saint-Just; 19th April 2021 at 10:16.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Yeah, right. I’ll leave you and the many others you mention, to tell the owners of say, a Shelby Cobra, TR6, Testarossa, TVR, Lotus Elan, etc, just how insignificant the engine is in their classic car. You might even tell MCFastybloke, who decided to post a picture of his engine in this thread rather than the car itself.
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I never said the engine was insignificant for anybody. What I did say was that for many, it wasn’t necessarily high on their list of priorities when selecting which car or classic cars to buy.
However, for example, how many people do you think would have refused to buy a Testarossa if it only had a V8 engine in it? Non probably!
Last edited by Dave+63; 19th April 2021 at 17:14.
This is an interesting topic. My view is that it really depends on the car, or more specifically the engine. Some cars would not be the same without their original engine, while some could definitely be improved. This was a big topic of discussion in the Lotus Elan world as some owners fitted more modern Ford engines, but I and most others feel that the original Twincam is an integral part of that car and without it, it becomes something else. An AC Cobra without a Ford V8 would be a different car, same as a 911 without a flat 6, etc., they are a large part of the character. So I would also say that a Testarossa definitely wouldn't be the same car if it didn't have its flat 12.
Even more recently, just look at the outcry over the Boxter and Cayman with the 4 cylinder engines. It pressured Porsche to reintroduce the 6 in the top models.
I can't remember if I've posted this before, but it's another of our problematic toys which is out of action at the moment. It had an engine rebuild last year (440bhp) and it immediately ripped apart its clutch plate, so it's currently being fixed.
It's a 1964 AC Cobra FIA. It was originally just a normal Mk2 Cobra, but it was damaged and rebuilt into a full FIA racer and competed for a while before we bought it and it's now a road car, albeit barely.
That is stunning. Imagine a bit of a handful with all that power.
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That looks like it must keep you on your toes!
It's raw and not particularly comfortable, but it's very exciting. I've never had it on the limit, so I've never had a scary moment in it. Its limits are quite high and being that exposed to the elements and the noise, it would take some serious commitment to push it beyond safety on the road in the dry. In the wet it would be different matter entirely, but I wouldn't want to be out in the rain in it anyhow (I knew a man who flipped his Mk4 Cobra in the wet being a bit silly on a roundabout). Having said that, it used to have about 270bhp, and it tore up the clutch on the first outing with the rebuilt 440bhp engine, so it's quite possible it will be lethal.
It has aluminium heads and is on quad Weber setup, so it sounds epic. Aluminium heads aren't allowed in historic racing, so we'd have to fit its original iron ones if we ever wanted to race it again.
Sounds like a lot of fun! Extra points for the colour and no stripes!!
I used to have one of these yonks ago. 1977 yellow 2.0L one. Total rust bucket tho. I had to fit new doors (green ones from a scrappy) and get them painted. Swopped the doors over myself, glass n everything!
Had it for just over a year, it was completely rotten underneath! I always remember the huge distance the bottom of the windscreen was from you as you sat in the car!
this one was also originally banana yellow,i think the reason this one did not rot it was made as a LHD and was exported to europe and brought back to the UK at a much later date.the chap i bought it from had converted it to right hand drive.i had several of these which i bought and sold and yes they sure could rust!.
Last edited by greasemonkey; 21st April 2021 at 07:51. Reason: spelin
That is indeed superb, never seen one in the flesh, I'd be gazing at it until my eyes watered think :D
I drive an E46 M3 from 2005. It has a few tasteful mods I feel and is generally better condition than most cars which are 2 years old these days lol.
127k miles
Evolve Eventuri carbon fibre intake
Evolve stage 1 remap (+19HP, +20Nm)
Storm Motorwerks Titanium weighted handbrake lever and gear knob in E36 M3 design
Nav unit running stock Android with custom launcher
Fast wireless charging DIY slot bay in centre console
Modded the glovebox torch charger socket to be a dual 12v output for devices
Various codings to make life easier (shift lights, oil temp reflected by tach lights, M-Track mode, de-limited)
Retrimmed steering wheel with flat bottom mod
CSL rear diffuser
Wider exhaust tips to better suit the diffuser
Always wanted a photo straddling the road like that, but always convinced I’m going to be the one trying explain my stationary car blocking the road on an insurance claim!
Great looking E46 that.
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I bet that sounds great with the Eventuri
It was just before sunrise on a Sunday so pretty dead on that road in the middle of the New Forest! Although a car did come up over the horizon which meant I had 3 minutes to finish up before it reached me haha :D Another time a van simply drove around me still there and waved lol, guess some folks are ok in the grand scheme of things!
It does indeed, here's a clip or two:
That sounds great! Very CSL like.
It's the closest to CSL sound without spending mid 4 figures for a CSL airbox and the Alpha-N map (which is not great at low speeds). IT helps that all 2005/2006 M3s share the CSL exhaust manifold so sound meatier with the stock induction setup too.
Nice e46, looks great. I’ve also got an e46 M3 - mines a 2005 silver grey coupe with the full karbonius csl airbox with custom remap using csl software (not Alpha N)
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Oh sweet! Great to see another one :)
That airbox looks great, Evolve do a full carbon plenum kit too but it's around £3000 although that also retains the MAF so no need for a custom ECU map or Alpha-N. If I ever have a few k sitting around idle then I may well just go for it lol as I will not be selling this car so may as well treat myself at some point.
Both very nice. I’ve got an F80 now but do miss my E46, it was great fun and the design is spot on.
I keep hearing from people that sold their E46 M3 that they regret doing so as a void comes about from it being gone as no M3 since has that same combination of magic ingredients. I feel I'd fall into the same hole and I find the E46 so practical as a car too that everything just goes so well when nothing is breaking haha!
Impressive, I'm just over 6 years now and it's in better condition now than it was when I first bought it lol.Long may it stay that way!
Those M3s... Probably the best looking cars that BMW have ever produced (coupe or soft-top), the fact that they're so capable and emotively captivating just adds to their desirability. Really love the fact that you two are very obviously passionate owners as well, that you know what you have and you cherish them - that, to me, is the sign of a true petrol head.
Booked my Elise in for some bodywork and paint repairs this afternoon, it'll be dropped off at the end of next month for some extensive fibreglass work to the doors where the dreaded blistering has occurred yet again, then painting including being blending into the front and rear clams eliminating some stone chips as well. This will be the third time in my 12 year ownership that this work has been done, hopefully this will be the last time though given the nature of the material there's no guarantee
Shot of the car, I'm not showing the cracked and split paintwork as it's pig ugly!
Somewhere along the R335
Cheers! And 12 years ownership? That's impressive for sure and on another forum's car section people are posting new cars every couple years and at times I feel I'm the one still rolling on something old lol so it's reassuring to see others out there are just like me, happy in what suits them and just keeping those rides going strong :)
Never been in an Elise before, stood next to one though and marvelled at how low they are so can imagine what it's like riding in one!
I suppose that the blistering is osmosis. It was* a well known issue on yacht in the early days but I had an epoxy treatment on mine that lasted over 20 years (I had sold the yacht to a friend, and lost track of the boat when he sold it again).
* I don't believe the problem has been resolved in the manufacturing of those boats but an epoxy treatment definitely solved the issue. I am not trying to teach anyone the proverbial but maybe ship chandlers would have something for your car...
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I sympathise! I had to have a complete body restoration done on my old Elan, but I am a bit amazed that the Elise is also afflicted by the same issues 40 years later. Not a cheap job, but they reskinned the whole body with new fibreglass tissue and gelcoat, in the process making it better than it ever was with perfect shutlines, door fit, etc.
I was only supposed to have it for 3 years... I guess I haven't finished scratching that itch! The 'photo I posted was taken in Ireland, clocked up a good few miles from where I live in Essex however it was pretty epic. Being so low has its advantages, I can drive into the carpark at work without waiting for the barrier to raise! The downside is that my eye level is the same as the front or rear lamps of many vehicles, at night glare can be an issue.
Indeed, moisture trapped in the fiberglass being drawn out and blistering, then cracking and flaking, the paintwork covering it. We did speak at length about our options however the absolute bottom line is that even if the gelcoat is stripped back and re-layed whilst it should prevent further issues you just can't tell. The workshop is experienced with Loti, in fact there was another S2 there being worked on when I dropped by yesterday, I'm confident they'll do what they can though it's not cheap! And all for what looks like just cosmetic damage...
It's still a well known issue unfortunately, it's pot luck as to if any individual car is affected. It's a combination of the nature of the material and manufacturing quality, even a repair doesn't mean it won't return - it's the one thing that tarnishes the ownership experience, I can cope with everything else. One of the front indicators popped out last week, the clips that hold them in place are known to weaken and crack with age (Lotus won't offer any warranty/guarantee with new units) so I used clear mastic to bond it back into place, that saved me about £180.
I have to say my experience put me off Lotus even though I really love a lot of their cars, but the build quality just isn't great. My father in law had a 70's AC ME3000, which was also fibreglass, but no crazing or bubbling whatsoever. The body did feel about twice as thick as on my Elan, so lightness and all that.
Even after I had mine done I was always very conscious that while it was completely reskinned on the outside, the problem of the moisture coming from the inside wouldn't be solved.
These have been the things always putting me off ownership of them. Oh and the rattles!
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Z4M is a great car and very pretty. I had a coupe along side the M3 but sold it a couple of years ago as needed a family car (435i gran coupe with performance pack). The Z4M always felt like it wanted to kill me more
I wouldn’t mind trying a Cayman GTS
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Do you still have the gran coupe ? Im thinking of selling my f31 335i and buying a gc 440i. I do have two small kids (5 and 3)
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