For discussion of Neil and Joe's secret project!

Nice little project, certainly different. I guess I'll be signing up for the E-shot then! Plenty of updates please, I love reading this sort of stuff.

That is going to be a mental car Neil!! And mods going onto the engine??

No mods planned at present, Marco.

Currently looking at how to redesign the front framework to make it it together - there's all sorts of rubbish bolted on in the front right hand corner of the engine...

So Neil,can you give us the spec how the exsisting car drives? Front wheel drive etc? And how will you and Joe set the coupe drive up etc?

The original keeps the basic XR2 suspension, is about the same weight, and has a lower centre of gravity. So it's nippy but not fast, but corners on rails.

We expect the new one to be faster - obviously! - but we're keeping the suspension setup the same in the short term. I expect it will need stiffer springs at both ends to deal with the heavier engine; the back's a bit soft at present.

Sadly I can't post pics until next week; I left the lead at home! Got lots, though...

How far are you along now mate? Keeping Joe busy??

You need to check the project page for updates!

Engine is in place and will have the mounts fabricated today, I think. Bonnet fits, just one small issue with one headlight easy to fix, though it's going to need some internal modifications around the radiator.

Frame is tacked in place, needs seam welding once we're happy.

thats good news mate!!

where you going to mount the intercooler??

please go for a front mount lol

the work looked impressive when i went to joes sunday, going to be an animal

dam it why cant i live closer!!!

i live in windsor marco so its not that close lol

You're welcome to come across Marco. We need someone to hold the hot bits - I'm fed up with Joe grinding off a chunk of metal and handing me the hot end!

Excellent project gents, I'm really interested on how you get on with this as I was pondering something similar with my fathers Kit Car (Sylva Striker)

Will you be able to measure the differences in weight between the 2 (I'm assuming the XR2 engine is a 1600 XFlow? )

Are you sticking with the Fiat Gearbox or going to convert it to the Ford?

Sorry for all the questions so far but I'd love to do something similar (only problem is the longitudinal mounting in the striker!

Thanks

Ben

PS I'm looking forward to some photos!

Ben,

Considered using the ford box, but rejected on grounds of the 20vt engine being longer than the ford CVH (it is a crossflow, but not what is usually meant by 'ford crossflow' I guess; I'd always associated that with the cortina/escort overhead valve engines).

Since it would need the mounts moving anyway, I decided to stick the complete lump and box in.

Unfortunately I don't know the weight of either the coupe or XR2 engine; I hope to get the car on a weighbridge when finished. A colleague on the Quantum group tells me his Zetec conversion was 880kg.

I have an idea some of the rear-wheel twin-cam boxes might work with a 20vt; if not, I'm sure an adaptor plate can be arranged. Have a look at the folk who have stuck twinks into moggie minors.

Updated today.

It will be coming home on a truck, as it won't be drivable, but all the oily bits will be done, I think. It will be a rolling chassis with an engine...

what needs finishing off then

Happy to come and help mate!!!

As we stand at the moment, off the top of my head it needs:

• Exhaust finishing (Joe's doing that now)
• Front suspension building (including a bracket for the front right tie bar) - I'm off to collect the hubs with new bearings.
• Fuel tank swap, pump and plumbing to install
• Engine to complete cambelt change
• Pedal box and steering column/wheel to install

And then it's pushable - all that remains is all the wiring, handbrake, brake pipes, master cylinder, interior, instrumentation, radio, dash...

Neil

Re: the Crossflow - it was the Mk1 Fiesta that used the Crossflow engine, and as Neil has said above the donor car (which is a Mk2 Fiesta) has the CVH engine.

Thanks for replying Barnacle, interesting stuff, I think in the end we may just go for the Zetec option as I think the Coupe engine may just be a little too long for the striker and may upset the balance a little (Although that may not be too bad a thing)

Are you keeping the Coupe ECU and management also?

Sorry for all the questions!

Thanks for confirming Daniel, I knew one of them had the Xflow in!

Sorry to be pushy but would there be any chance of one or two photos? Or maybe 10 or 20?

Now you have the engine in.Can you tell me if the engine is sitting at all the same angle's and degree's as it would in a Coupe?
If not,what problems do you both invisage haveing? ie the oil pump and its distribution of the oil etc.
Also where is the Battery going to be?

I can answer a few of these.

Yes the orientation is exactly the same as if fitted to a coupe so we haven't had to make any changes to the oil pickup pipe.
Battery is being moved to the rear as we're tight for space under the bonnet, the smic still needs fitting as well as all the induction pipework.
All the wiring including the ecu are being refitted to save on having to rewire the loom, in my opinion this is an easy job as Neil's doing it

Update for night is at 9.45pm the Quantum was wheeled off the ramp, all mounts finished and the suspension components rebuilt to make it free wheeling, the exhaust system is finished and I've managed to refit and adapt a standard downpipe with space to spare so that's saved lots of time on fabrication, Jobs still left to do are the steering coloum, brake master, pedal box, dash and wiring but the main ones will be tackled first and we'll trial run the engine as soon as we can.

This project for me has been great fun, we've probably put the best part of 100hrs work in over the past 7 days, there's been plenty of head scratching to get round problems but the end result sees a 20vt engine nicely fitted into a frame that was never intended for such a power plant, it's different and a one off so it's right up my steet

Cheers Neil

And cheers to Joe for a week of unfailing patience and enthusiasm.







The photos are being uploaded now. There are a hundred and sixty to plough through, so for now they're going on http://s156.photobucket.com/albums/t31/nailed_barnacle/Quantum%20engine/ until I get around to captioning them.

Neil

Electrics aside, who's doing what? Pretty good going for seven days of work!

A truly cracking project and its being finished to a silly high standard. That little quantum is going to be truly insane with the 20vt and sound stunning, especially with no roof!

Neil, If I need any technical drawings for a project, im coming to you

Really looking forward to seeing this completed