c20xe build, what could go wrong?!

[Pikey]

big box with driveshafts in it arrived today. got the whole lot including half shaft and the bracket for £30, bargain.

welding up sills on the mrs ka at thre moment as it failed MOT, and some pther bits to do.

no real updates, engine bay has been stripped back, no pics yet.

im tempted to cut out the bulkhead out, above the cross member and fit in a flat plate with 90 degree bend, like matt skid has done, but that will have to wait, as i broke my shoulder today playing rugby. joys.

will get some pics up asap, any info or if im going wrong somwhere please tell me,

cheers pike

[Pikey]

bit of an update, got some pictures of the engine bay after its been stripped out.





and also stripped out the interior



and then had a bit of a clean up



box section is being ordered next week so hopefully will have more use out of the shoulder and be able to crack on with the subframe.

next plan is to make a trolley for the front to run on, que tesco trolley....

and then onto stripping down the c20xe, to make it easier to manouver around when making the subframe.

also if anyone needs any nits, got loads of standard mini parts for sale atm, anyone need anything pm me, could post most parts if needed.

cheers pike

[filski]

can i just point out as i dont think anyone has but thumbs up for the engine crane!

[Pikey]

Cheers filski!!

Another bit of an update, got the subframe off the car
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412074819.865011.jpg

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412074845.305975.jpg

Then took the steering rack off

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412074873.618824.jpg

And cleared out all of the interior in the front half of the mini

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1412074900.763744.jpg

That's it for now, gonna have a go getting the brake and fuel lines off

Cheers pike

[Baldingbeast]

Looking good Pikey, I should be getting my Allspeed frame back from the powder coaters on Thursday, If you let me know which measurements you need for engine mounts etc I will post them on here.

[Pikey]

Alright cheers mate, will do!! I can't be specific until I actually start cutting up my subframe, will let you know though, cheers😊

[Pikey]

got a bit more done today.

started of by stripping the subframe down completely



then went onto strip the c20xe down, taking poctures of the loom as i was taking it off so i know whats what when it comes to outting it back in, as im planning on stripping back the loom, and remaking it to show as little wiring as possible.



and then was left with this...



so obviously i was gonna try and line it up to see how it was gonna fit together





been quoted £16 a lenght for the box section, 30x30x3mm, at 7.5m long, which is decent i think. only problem is, tey only deliver on orders over £40 so my old man wants to order some heavier 50x50 stuff to make some barn doors, so waiting on him for some measurements.

next job i thought i could do is to make the engine mounts, so at least ill know roughly where they'll need too go.

any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

cheers pike

[Pikey]

did the complete opposite of what i said i was gonna do today.. had to go to get some steel joists for the trailer on the farm, to extend the hitch beyond the wood chipper, so one tractor can tow a trailer with this extended arm and have the wood chipper on the 3 point linkage, so it shoots the mulch straight into the trailer. this saves having to drive 2 tractors round the field saving loads of time and fuel!! works pretty good to



anyway so as i was down there i had a look at the prices of box section..



plenty here for me incase i melons up the subframe

so then after i got back and sorted the trailer out i begun looking at the subframe.

i stood there for abit as i realised it wasnt quite as easy as i thought it would be, and i couldnt decide where to start, but then i thought i should start with the brace between the towers. i cut the piece then clamped a length of box behind each tower so i would have the welded piece square.



all this is just tacked in place for now until im 100% sure its correct.
then i put the subframe on a flat floor, and tacked this box section to the front bar.



this isnt staying there, but it meant i could lay a piece on each end, above the tie bar mount at the same height.

this piece was then welded in, and then i removed the other one and cut out the middle of the subframe.



this is the stage im at now. the next thing to do is to make the brace bars from the towers down to the tie bar mounts, and the bars that go underneath the subframe. then most the subframe can be chopped out and the engine lowered in to start thinking about mounts etc.

this is the plan anyway.

any comments and help much appreicated, and point it out if im going wrong somewhere.

cheers pike

[Baldingbeast]

Here are the measurements you asked for.. Between the brace bars at the top where they attach to the towers is 852mm inside to inside. but as the brace bar on the drivers side is curved it goes out to 870mm at its widest point, and then back to 852 at the bottom. Here are a couple of pictures to help.

Passenger side.


Driver side.


From the top of the brace bar on the drivers side down to the widest point is 240mm

From the centre of the tower bolt to the inside edge of the drivers brace bar its 45mm but on the passenger side its only 40mm.

Let me know if you need any other measurements.

Andy.

[Pikey]

Cheers mate that's brilliant!
Will make an update later with how it's going on. If I need any others measurements I'll give you a shout.

Cheers again, pike

[Birdman]

Originally Posted by Pikey

Cheers mate that's brilliant!
Will make an update later with how it's going on. If I need any others measurements I'll give you a shout.

Cheers again, pike

What are your plans for the induction side of things? Are you going carbs or ITBs OR sticking with std Vaux setup?

Also, what do you want from the conversion, as I learnt from others on here that the F20 is not that suited to road on 13" rims - all a bit frantic. I ditched it before finishing my build and got the F18WR diesel box and it has been great. The Saab box looks a little longer, but I guess the mounting holes are the same for fab purposes.

[Pikey]

Originally Posted by Birdman

What are your plans for the induction side of things? Are you going carbs or ITBs OR sticking with std Vaux setup?

Also, what do you want from the conversion, as I learnt from others on here that the F20 is not that suited to road on 13" rims - all a bit frantic. I ditched it before finishing my build and got the F18WR diesel box and it has been great. The Saab box looks a little longer, but I guess the mounting holes are the same for fab purposes.

hi birdman, for now im thinking about h&h ignition, with the standard vaux setup but modified manifold to clear the bulkhead etc.

and i have the f20 but im running 10's is this bad??

im planning on getting it running, then addressing these issues after i get it running if this makes sense? plus this is litrelaly using funds from selling parts i have, so if i do wanna change the box ill have to sell the f20 first

as for what i want from it, im looking at a fast road with the occasional track day or two.

cheers for the input, correct me if im going wrong anywhere please!!

cheers, pike

[Pikey]

as for the subframe, its coming good.

first my new alloy mounts came, so i fitted these on. enyone klnmow if i have to paint these or will the zinc coating be enough??



then made a brace bar, making sure it was straight.







then made the other side, taking baldingbeasts measurements, making it 20mm wider than the the normal width.



then fitted it to the car to check



and then welded a bar across the middle to keep it straight



this is as far as i got tonight.

next job is to the rails going underneath.

if im going wrong anyweher please let me know, comments welcome.


cheers pike

[Baldingbeast]

Looks great Pike. I also have the F20 box and will be running on 10's. If its "All a bit frantic" on 13's, I think we may be in trouble on 10's, But then again, I like frantic!!
I don't know what any of those measurements mean at all. and have simply used a tape measure on my own frame. I hope they work for your own frame and everything fits ok.

Andy.

[Pikey]

I know I'm liking the sound of it being a bit frantic too!! But like I said I'm on quite A tight budget so I'm gonna try what I've got, and if it doesn't work change after.

Well I wanted to know the distance between so I can roughly know where the engine is going too sit, an also how much clearance I will have with the bottom pulley.

Cheers mate they helped a lot, cant get anything done tomorrow, and picking up my
f/g front end on Sunday but might have an hour or two Sunday night

Cheers again,

Pike