Nickp
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 11:50 AM |
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Raising bodywork to clear engine?
I always knew bodywork clearance would be an issue when I decided to fit the BMW engine in my Haynes. Today I found out to what extent. The
engine's about as low as it can go, with the oil pickup already 25mm below the bottom rails. There's not much to be gained from modifying
the sump / pickup as the flywheel then becomes the lowest point. So it looks like I need to gain about 50mm from somewhere and I'm pretty sure I
can't get anywhere near that by dropping the engine / box. The easiest / obvious solution is to raise the bodywork (nosecone / bonnet / scuttle)
on 2 50x25mm alloy box sections fixed on top of the engine bay top rails. But is this going to look all wrong? Should I try and lower the engine 25mm
(major pita!!) and raise the bodywork 25mm instead?
Thoughts please.
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Nickp
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 12:00 PM |
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BTW the bodywork is a brand new Equinox kit and I'd prefer not to chop it up and make a dogs dinner of it 
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40inches
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 12:01 PM |
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I have the same problem with the Jag engine, have managed to reduce the height needed to 20mm by "modifying" the inlet manifold.
Could you gain some space by fitting a Power Bulge?
 
Description
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Nickp
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 12:11 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 40inches
I have the same problem with the Jag engine, have managed to reduce the height needed to 20mm by "modifying" the inlet manifold.
Could you gain some space by fitting a Power Bulge?
Description
If it was just the bonnet then maybe, but the engine goes forward of the back edge of the nose cone by over 50mm so it'd mean some sort of huge
bulge overlapping the 2 parts.
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pewe
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 12:20 PM |
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Same problem when fitting the "tall" Volumex engine to the F27 chassis.
I made ali channel, albeit tapered towards the front, to fit under the scuttle, bonnet and then raised the nose-cone accordingly - aprox. 25mm was
sufficient.
I rivetted and Tiger sealed it on then painted the whole lot so it doesn't show from the outside.
Attaching the bonnet was achieved by fabricating longer upright brackets for the 4 duez fasteners (1 each corner plus one centre middle nearest the
scuttle) to latch into. The one in the middle is a last resort one - if you can see that's sprung you know to stop quick before the bonnet takes
flight - at least that's my logic!
I suspect the only person who'll ever know/realise it all sits higher is me and given the rest of the build I'd all-but forgotten that mod
until you asked.
HTH.
Cheers, Pewe10
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 02:59 PM |
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I was going to ask what body kit you had because the equinox is about the most spacious. Shame it's still not enough!
The additional box sections probably will look a bit odd tbh.
I'd lower the engine more. You can always raise the suspension slightly if necessary.
Ben
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Roadster
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Nickp
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 07:11 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
I was going to ask what body kit you had because the equinox is about the most spacious. Shame it's still not enough!
The additional box sections probably will look a bit odd tbh.
I'd lower the engine more. You can always raise the suspension slightly if necessary.
There's spacious and there's spacious Ben. and unfortunately it's just nowhere near mate
To drop the engine 50mm I think it'd need to go dry sump, which I really don't want to do. And then the flywheel becomes an issue anyway
as the low point.
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 08:00 PM |
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Stick the scuttle on and take a picture from the front so we can see how bad it is
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!
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garyt
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 08:07 PM |
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I'm using an mx5 mk 2.5 with the large bulge bonnet from Gillham as was (now kitcar direct) and my sump is 40mm below the bottom rail and I
still had to offset the engine for the plenum to clear the bonnet - bulge corner
The only way to see if raising the top rail line is acceptable would be to cut a couple of spacers and the mock up use offcuts of wood and tape in
place, add bonnet nose scuttle if you can live with the look, try 25mm then the 50mm to decide which is more acceptable, then you may have to use ali
sides to blend in the extra height (probably easy to sell on your fg side panels)
don't beat yourself up just accept this is one of a few compromises that we have to be deal with when we stray from the norm 
good luck
remember we are not mad just creatively insane !!!!!
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Nickp
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 08:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ben_Copeland
Stick the scuttle on and take a picture from the front so we can see how bad it is
Will do Ben, still need to cut out the inner edge of the nose cone to get it to sit on there so may take a while tbh 
If I go ahead with the 50mm raise then I'll colour code it and drill large holes along its length for ventilation.
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 08:38 PM |
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quote:
If I go ahead with the 50mm raise then I'll colour code it and drill large holes along its length for ventilation.
or make it a feature, nice stripe down the side.
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Nickp
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| posted on 11/7/15 at 10:23 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
If I go ahead with the 50mm raise then I'll colour code it and drill large holes along its length for ventilation.
or make it a feature, nice stripe down the side.
A contrast in black against my white bodywork, already considered that
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Nickp
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 07:37 AM |
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Just thinking, the front chassis will end up exposed below the nose cone if I raise it this much which the IVA man won't be too happy about
What about angling the engine down slightly at the front? How far before it creates problems with the oil return / pickup and prop angle?
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mark chandler
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 08:00 AM |
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Hang the engine 2.5" below the chassis, do the sides as standard and rework the bonnet and cone to accommodate the big lump.
It may feel harsh chopping your new bonnet up but anything else IMHO will look worse, raise the COG or stuff ride heights up.
On MGC's they put in a bulge for the big 6 lump
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snapper
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 08:46 AM |
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I wouldn't use 25x25 box to lift the lines
Very heavy and not needed as it's not structural
Drop engine a bit raise bonnet a bit
Add bonnet bulge, the long MK type looks good
All these mods together will get a better result than just 1 option
I eat to survive
I drink to forget
I breath to pi55 my ex wife off (and now my ex partner)
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 09:13 AM |
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. It might be worth getting the car on it's wheels with the ride height roughly sorted before worrying too much about how high the engine sits?
Do a search on here for sump clearance, it's been covered several times ,
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Nickp
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 11:14 AM |
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Thanks for all your input
Today I decided to drop the engine and see how things look. So I removed all the Land Rover engine mounts which gave me an approximate 40mm drop. The
bodywork now fits, JUST!! The oil pickup is now 50mm below the chassis at its lowest point. I haven't tried the sump yet but I reckon
it'll be too low so I'll either need to cut it down or make a completely new one in steel. The flywheel isn't the issue I thought it
would be and the gearbox is currently the low point and is about 20-25mm below the chassis.
I reckon this is where the engine is going to sit now so I need to chop off the engine mounts and lose 40mm from them. I suppose this is what happens
when you mount your engine before you have any bodywork.
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 12:17 PM |
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2 inch / 2.5inches below the chassis shouldn't be a major issue
Ben
Locost Map on Google Maps
Z20LET Astra Turbo, into a Haynes
Roadster
Enter Your Details Here
http://www.facebook.com/EquinoxProducts for all your bodywork needs!
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mark chandler
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 01:01 PM |
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And dump the inlet manifold for some nice TB's will save a bit on one side and make it sing
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scutter
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 02:29 PM |
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nosecone slice
Would slicing the Nosecone and adding some fibre glass be an option? This is what we did to clear the V6 with it's plenum.(granted we made our
scuttle to suit and we still need a little bonnet buldge)
Regards Dan.
The less I worked, the more i liked it.
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Daf
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 06:25 PM |
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It's a shame you already have the bodywork - GBS made me a bonnet and scuttle 25mm taller than standard for very little extra cost over their
standard price. I'm sure they could do you a 50mm raised one.
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rodgling
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 10:04 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mark chandler
And dump the inlet manifold for some nice TB's will save a bit on one side and make it sing
A few people have used the M3 ITBs - it's quite a difficult conversion though, I think the consensus is that it's not worth the effort
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Badger_McLetcher
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| posted on 12/7/15 at 10:27 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Nickp
Thanks for all your input
Today I decided to drop the engine and see how things look. So I removed all the Land Rover engine mounts which gave me an approximate 40mm drop. The
bodywork now fits, JUST!! The oil pickup is now 50mm below the chassis at its lowest point. I haven't tried the sump yet but I reckon
it'll be too low so I'll either need to cut it down or make a completely new one in steel. The flywheel isn't the issue I thought it
would be and the gearbox is currently the low point and is about 20-25mm below the chassis.
I reckon this is where the engine is going to sit now so I need to chop off the engine mounts and lose 40mm from them. I suppose this is what happens
when you mount your engine before you have any bodywork.
As per usual I turn up in time to be too late! This is what I was planning on doing with mine, basically butchering the sump for a bit more clearance
- a dry sump would be ideal but expensive. Even with the engine drop I found some of the front of the engine fouled, I was going to go for extending
the bulge into the nosecone a bit to clear.
Unfortunately I think I chucked my butchered sump or you'd be welcome to it (I didn't think anyone would want it ).
If disfunction is a function, then I must be some kind of genius.
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Nickp
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| posted on 13/7/15 at 07:31 AM |
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Ta Badger. I've got plenty of sumps to go at (3 at the last count).
I'm going to get my engine mounts sorted based on the bodywork clearing the engine before I tackle the sump. I think I'll aim for 50mm
below the chassis then work out how much oil capacity I'll lose if I just shorten the existing rear sump bowl and re-plate it. If the oil
capacity is going to be too small doing it that way then I'll look to extend the bowl forward to increase it.
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SJ
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| posted on 13/7/15 at 10:08 AM |
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You need about 100mm ground clearance, so that might be a good place to start measuring.
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