Vauxhall XE redtop conversion

Post Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:49 am

Hi all

Has anyone completed or tried putting a Vauxhall XE red top engine mated to a Ford Type 9 box into an E30. I'm thinking of giving it a go with a bare shell I've got.

Regards,

AJ

Post Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:12 pm

there was a black e30 with a c20let engine pushing some good bhp

Post Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:13 pm

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/BMW- ... _26837.htm

Post Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:17 pm

raj1980 wrote:http://videos.streetfire.net/video/BMW- ... _26837.htm

bloody hell!

Post Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:43 pm

This whole thread is worth a look through but the red top work starts about halfway down on page 3.

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... sc&start=0

Post Wed Jul 22, 2009 2:57 pm

What's wrong with using an omega box?

Post Thu Jul 23, 2009 3:31 pm

Hi,

I want to use the readily available Quaiffe gear kit in the ford box. The car is being built for hillclimbing.

AJ

Post Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:10 am

Ok sounds fair enough. Going for an SBD bell housing? What else have you planned for the XE?

Post Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:17 am

i know someone with a driveshaft for a type 9 gearbox if your interested (mikekean off here)

Post Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:56 am

You would need the splined end off the prop for type 9 box welded to a shortened e30 prop. Also engine mounts made up. I had a redtop in my mk1 cavalier sleeper. It had a carb managment and twin 45s 185 bhp on the rollers. I used an Opel mante 1.8 gearbox and sump though. There is no reason why it won't fit but imagine it will be quite costly. If you need some carbs I still have my delortos pm me. Keep us posted on the protect it's a bit unusual

Post Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:32 pm

185bhp on carbs is very good mate. I only had 177bhp out of my nova when it was on 45's loads more when on ITB's and cams

Post Sun Jul 26, 2009 2:36 pm

It was a coscast mate early astra 16v motor. It was a real sleeper mate. Loved it see if I can get a pic up.

Post Sun Jul 26, 2009 10:51 pm

Thanks everyone,

The car at the moment is a little way off being ready for the engine swap. I'm still considering my options, and the red top is the current favourite. Whichever option I go for, I know I'm going to have to pay for the power I'm looking for. I've been competing in the same championship for five years in a 200bhp Mi16 205 Gti but fancy a go in a rwd car. My E30 will be up against rwd escorts - most with 250 to 300 bhp Duratecs/Cosworths/Red Tops on management

! It's going to be a long term project!

Thanks again - I'll post some more pics up as I progress.

Regards - Alun[/img]

Post Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:09 am

Going to be looking at spending some serious money getting to 250+

Have you considered a Honda S2000 lump? Up and coming engine in the rally scene? 280bhp is fairly easily obtainable.

Post Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:36 pm

What have you done with the 205? Is it a breaker?

Post Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:35 pm

Hi,

I sold the Mi16 205 as a complete car. Somebody had been watching it for months and it sold straight away when I decided to sell. I wish every sale was that easy!

AJ

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:56 pm

I have done it, its fairly straight forward, i used sbd engine to chassis mounts that are meant for escorts.

I also hillclimbed it but to be honest i was dissapointed. the engine will have to be reasonably well tuned, i had a standard motor with sbd tapered itb's and it was not really powerfull enough. (slower than when i had the m20b25) But after a rr session it turned out i was only pushing out 150bhp

because the engine was down on compression. after looking into the prices of 200+bhp engines and a tran-x box to suite i decided to just part it off and buy an m3

I still have a few parts left over if you are thinking of going ahead.

This is how she looked....

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:12 pm

Have you considered a nissan SR20DET? 300+ hp is very easily obtained out of these and they're very strong to boot... I used to run a 200SX with a very reliable 300bhp. This link may be helpfull;

http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthread ... ht=sr20det

Post Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:05 pm

Thanks guys,

I'm not so sure now! I've searched around this forum and looked at all the options - including a six cylinder transplant or the supercharging of an M42 engine that I have.

I thought a red top would be a fairly straightforward job and a type nine box would give me a long 1st gear and the option of a Tran-ex gearkit. I guess I'd need to buy a ready built motor from someone like SBD to garantee the horses.

Not sure if this the right part of the forum to post these (sorry if it's not), but here are a few pics of where I'm at so far...

£500 quid eBay impluse buy - 318is

All the rusty bits welded up, skimmed over and primed

Sunroof removed and sheet of mild steel cut, formed and welded in to to fill the gap - skimmed with filler and primed

Door skins cut out and door catches relocated to upper rear quarter

Rollcage purchased and sitting in the garage ready to go in

Rollcage partially in - dashboard out!

As you can see from the pics - it's early days! I'll let you know which way I decide to go with the engine.

Thanks again - AJ

Post Wed Jul 29, 2009 8:27 am

Looking good mate. Keep the updates coming...

That's a nice job done on removing the sunroof.

Post Wed Jul 29, 2009 10:33 am

The standard Type 9 has a very very short 1st gear (3.71 iirc), then it bogs down in second to 2.something no good for hill climbing whatsoever!

Idealy you need a tran-x rally gearkit and a 5.1 cwp then you will have a usable setup with 200bhp but you are looking at spending atleast 6k

Post Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:57 pm

Has this progress at all? What about using a C20LET?

Post Mon Aug 31, 2009 9:50 pm

Hi,

Yes there has been some progress, but to the car's bodywork, not the motor. She's now a wide-bodied E30 with everything fabricated from steel.

There's also a red top vauxhall motor and loom sitting on my mate's garage floor - but I'm still undecided between that, a BMW 6 cylinder conversion or forced induction for the current M42.

Will post some pics up soon.

Cheers - Alun

Post Thu Sep 10, 2009 1:00 am

Everything is in metal not fibreglass:

Looks a bit funny with the original skinny wheels - pls try to imagine sitting lower with wide wheels

Post Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:55 am

Progressing nicely, that rear end looks proper

Post Sun Sep 20, 2009 1:24 pm

Any progress with the engine conversion?

Trise30rally wrote:I have done it, its fairly straight forward, i used sbd engine to chassis mounts that are meant for escorts.

I still have a few parts left over if you are thinking of going ahead.

Hi mate,

What bits do you have left if any out of interest?
And where are those mounts available? Unless you still have them?

Could you give any advice/help in my Topic here?

Neil.

Post Sun Sep 20, 2009 5:01 pm

For the hassle and money buying a Redtop and bringing it upto 250bhp or so I'd nearly just build a 2L M42 on ITBs as you would only be working on the engine and not having to sort all the mounts, box prop etc like you would with a conversion.

An F20 would be a good engine too for straight forward power even if they are expensive to tune.