Hi, new here but been lurking in the undergrowth for a while.

I've now been wanting a 7 replica for 30 years, at last I have the finances and the space to keep one but I have a potential problem. I live down a track which at the end of it has a raised manhole cover surrounded by tarmac and set to one side (wheel line). I've just been out and measured that the least practical ground clearance I can get away with is 4" or 100mm for youngsters.

I will only use the car for road use so I don't need one running really low, but can you tell me what ground clearance most cars have longitudinally between front and rear wheels (clearance for sump will be fine).

Cheers

Ian

Hello and welcome

I wouldn't have thought 4" would cause much of a problem, especially in line with the wheels

it might be an issue with some cars if it was in line with the centre of the car (sumps tend to be the lowest point)

what kind of car have you got your eye on ?


my dax with its shortened sump (2.0 pinto) should have ~4" clear to the sump/bellhousing, the rest of the chassis should have another inch or two...
I think most kits will be similar, and will have some adjustment to play with, but you can always check each type before you buy

[Edited on 13/1/2014 by mcerd1]

Most Locosts will have height adjustable coil over shocks .raising the ride height just takes 5 mins a corner with a 'C' spanner. Reminds me i need to raise mine at some stage to cater for some rutted single track roads.

The only thing between the front and rear wheels on a 7 is the exhaust, which can be on either side depending on the engine. But you can mount it slightly higher if need be. It would normally be above the floorpan anyway.

Hi, my MK Indy has 5" ground clearance at the side rails and 4" under the sump. I had to stiffen the springs up by adjusting them since as built I had less than 3" under the sump and I live down a rough lane!! Not a good combination initially!!

Aah Yes!! Lack of this may well have been the initiator of my engine's oil leak. GC = 2ins (or 50mm), and therefore far too little. But pls bear in mind that the most critical clearance dimension is between ground and bottom of bell-housing. Sumps can be shortened.

[Edited on 13/1/14 by Dick Axtell]

Thanks for the quick answers - well chuffed with results as it looks like it, whatever it will be, will just scrape over after all.

I'm looking at Tiger Supercat or Westfield, probably with a Zetec, but nothing too radically specced as Mrs Yanto wants to come out in it as well on pub runs :-(

Just a thought about raising the ride height, will that affect the camber, or is it constant ?

My car has a steel floor, and a thick fibreglass (might even be kevlar) floor protector fitted, so that any scrapes wear at the protector rather than the floor or chassis. It was like this before I got it.

If you build some space into the rear above the fuel tank you could carry some planks of wood to help should you ever come across any problems like this

I've got 100mm beneath the sump and never had a problem.

Stu

This thread has put my mind at ease a little bit! I put my floor on a few weeks ago and the very expensive billet sump I bought sticks out by about 1/2". Been weighing up all sorts of options from machining it down to moving the engine up a bit. Guess ill go with a slightly raised hatch over the access hole in the floor...

A couple of bags of cold roll tarmac might help