Classic 1.6 Vauxhall - more power?

[michael barkham]

I have an ex academy car - 1.6 Vauxhall, 100bhp, leaded petrol etc. How can I improve the power output without spendingan arm and a leg?

[Super_Rich_Bernie]

I also have one of these and like you would like some more urge.

 

I run the car in sprints and therefore don't want the 1800cc conversion Caterham offer.

 

I think that there are some after market camshafts available for reasonable money, however remember reading on here that they did not liberate much more power.

 

Interested in your leaded petrol comment - I run on unleaded OK.

 

Jonathan

[buroz]

With great difficulty.

Sir Oily Hands has some ideas about porting/head work I believe, but other wise there's not a lot to be done. There's the 1800 conversion, which takes it to 120BHP, but Caterham want about 2K I seem to remember.

 

You'd be much better off leaving it as it is and come racing in the The Graduates race series.

 

 

See I really am trying Nick. wink.gif

 

...Does it show that I'm bored at work?

[Graham Sewell]

Or look for a Vauxhall tuning specialist. Bill Blydenstein used to be the guru, don't know if he is still in the business!

 

Cheers,

 

GRaham

 

Low tech luddite - xflow and proud!

[pinkprincess]

Speaking of the Graduate Series, how much would a decent Vx 8v be worth as trade-in/straight sale? Should they fetch as much as a similar Classic?

 

R992RJM

 

biggrin.gif62! teeth.gif

[oilyhands]

Bill Blydenstein is still around turning out good quality stuff (he used to do bits for HA Vivas for goodness sake...) the heads can be modifed to good affect and the cams swapped for somthing with a bit more bite, manifolds are available for Webers and you should be able to squeeze 90BHP per litre or so from these if you make the right mods.

 

Oily

[peterg]

eermm for anything Vx you're best off talking to SBD in Surbiton, they had a 1.6 16v W*******d at the Brighton Speed Trials last year and it was bloody quick! - I think they're getting 200bhp from it now

 

website is here http://www.sbdev.co.uk/

 

It's still not fast enough!

[Nick M]

There is, however, a subtle difference between the 1600 engine in SBD's sprint car and the 1600 engine in Caterhams. Like the small matter of 8 valves for starters wink.gif

 

Steve has, however, probably done some work on this engine in the past though.

[EFA]

There's an easy way to tell....

 

Fat Arn

Visit the K2 RUM siteid=red>

See the Lotus Seven Club 4 Counties Area Website hereid=green>

 

[Martin H]

Graduates spec cars, ready to race, have been selling for about £7-10k recently I believe. If the condition & extras are really, perhaps they might go for a bit more (or maybe that's wishful thinking on my part!).

[Martin H]

....and if I'm correct, I'm now a Deity!

[Martin H]

B****r!

[CHRIS CLARK]

So what have you got to worry about Martin H ?

[warrent]

A quick way to get a little bit more out of an old Acadamy car is to get the jetting right in the carbs. One of the rules in the acadamy was that you could not change the jets, and the original settings were crap!!!!

 

I would also like to think you could get around 9.5-10k for a 2000 car with very minimal mileage and no damage. I've got one spare if anyones interested?

 

[Roger King]

The comments about the jetting are sound, but more to improve driveability than outright power. Sadly this engine is very resistant to tuning, largely thanks to the extremely convoluted inlet manifold that is needed to get the Webers to clear the chassis.

 

You might see an improvement on injection which would allow a better (less dreadful) inlet manifold to be fitted, but so far as I'm aware there isn't a suitable one available off the shelf.

 

I really would advise against being too ambitious with this engine because you will be disappointed - unless someone knows better.

[Geoff W]

I had a Super Sprint conversion done by Caterham on my 1600 Vx in Dec 1999 for £1300 and consider it well worth the money. The 20% increase in power was more than noticeable (still not mega performance I agree, but enough for an old wrinkly!) Have since had it re-jetted and rolling road tuned by Arrowstar and whilst not improving performance, made it much more driveable.

 

Geoff W

H7 CAT

[Morls]

I think this chassis is the most similar to the Fireblade onequestion.gif Does it have a removable NS top engine bay diagonal?

 

One of the BEC listers have had their 7 type (Locost or Westie), converted by Stuart Taylor in Nottingham for £2500 I think.

 

Even at a grand more this would be a cheap blade and surely quicker than any SOHC VX.

 

Just a thought.

 

Mark