Building an Austin Healey Montecarlo?

[TonyMartin]

Hi everyone.
Just joined the GC club. To date, I have been an MG purist and completed 3 renovations from MGB to midget and now to MGC GT.
However, I am a soft top lover at heart and decided to break the mold and switch to a quick road car. I thought about a K series 1.8 VVC midget, but something more exciting and challenging came along, an Austin Healey 1966 Mk 3 sprite with a 2 litre Lancia twin cam engine, sitting in the engine bay without a bonnet bulge. I have heard the engine go and having got it home have started to get back to chassis for ground up renovation.
Talking to everyone and GC about the engine is a way off yet, because initially, I need to come to terms with the rest of the car. This car is a real mish mash and I could do with opinions and advice on what to keep, what to change to and what body modifications need to be made to cater for any changes.
The car currently has: -

1. Ford cortina gearbox attached to a Lancia bellhousing.
2. Triumph propshaft.
3. Triumph fuel tank repositioned in the boot.
4. BMW battery repositioned in the boot.
5. Citroen radiator and fan.
6. The wiring loom appears predominantly Lancia, with Austin Healey sprite end bits.
7. Everything else in the engine bay appears Lancia Montecarlo, but I am still analysing bits. The car appears standard webber off the Lancia
8. I am none too sure about the exhaust system, although it does look pretty good and fits the sprite well, now that the fuel tank has been moved.
9. The front and rear axles and suspension and brakes appear standard sprite.
10. The dashboard is sprite.
11. The seats are the rather beautiful old red Lancia seats, which are definitely staying.
12. The wheels are Mazda and the tyres certainly wider than standard sprite.

Here is my dilemma. What do I not keep and if so, what do I change to, if I want to have a sprite, which will do 0-60 in 6 seconds and say 130 mph.
Initial thoughts: -

a) I am advised that the gearbox may not be up to it and a ford type 9 or ford MT75 would do the trick. I think this depends upon what I have to do to widen the tunnel and how I reinforce the chassis, but not sure. Also, what do I do about the bellhousing.
b) Somebody has recommended triumph spitfire coil over springs front suspension set up.
c) I assume upgrading front discs and I do have spare MGC calipers and 9" discs.
d) I have read about Ford Anglia 105E rear axles being good upgrades and just small enough to fit a sprite (with flared wheel arches).
e) The chassis will shortly be blasted and phosphated and I will arrange for all seam welding and roll bar fitted.

Being new to the forum, I do not know what everyone elses experience is with mish mash cars and whether my questions are out of place. This one started off a marriage between a Montecarlo and a sprite and I am determined to work around the Lancia engine and create a good looking quick wolf in sheeps clothing. I know of one other Lancia midget in Ireland and it is quicker on hill climbs than the K series midget rivals, Enough said!

Any thoughts? My budget is say £8-10,000 and I reckon to lose £3,500 on the blasting and paint job and goodness knows on the engine.

Tony (still not sure what he has taken on)

[Guy Croft]

Call it a Lancia and put Lancia cam covers on it by all means if that does it for you (!) but the engine will be of a Fiat RWD installation, like the 124, 131/131.

That would be the donor type engine to head for. Don't go looking for a Lancia unit as half of it will be wrong for RWD. No need to go into detail at this time, just trust me.

GC

[midge]

Hi Tony,
For about the last four years, I have been running an MG Midget to which I fitted a Fiat type
twin cam from a 1600 [ 1585 ] Lancia Delta, which is a fwd, but easily turned round to rwd using
flywheel and a few other bits from, as Guy has said, a Fiat 124,131/132.
Yours must be one of these three, being a 2 litre.

You say the conversion has already been started, and is fitted with a ford box.
If this has been done well, then try it, and see how it goes, although the 2 litre
does push out the torque, so a five speed type 9 might be needed.
The late 5 speed from a 131/132 would be great, but this is a big gearbox, and would be hard to fit,
[ i know, i tried ] . I run a smaller and lighter 5 speed from a 124, as i have the less torquey 1600.
Your budget is about ten times more than I had, so a bit easier. Good luck with the project, I really enjoyed doing mine !

[TS131Volumex]

Hello Tony ,
I took on a very similar project to your own some years ago . At the time I had a bit of spare cash and came across a three quarter finished Fiat twin cam powered Triumph Spitfire . Well actualy I came across several listings on an internet auction site for various parts suitable for a Spitfire , including a gorgeous looking Guy Croft 1600 Volumex unit . On trying to strike a deal with the talented young builder/owner it turned out he had the car to go with the parts . It was so beautiful I could not resist .
However unlike the previous owner I only had a basic understanding about automobiles and the amount of work , knowledge and finance needed to complete such a build .
I have learned a great deal since this purchase but am still comparatively clueless compared to some on this site .
I did not , but now do realise , I should have ; made a list of exactly what was needed to complete the build and established the true cost of having this done by others as I have not the space or experience to carry much of this out myself .
I do not at all wish to put you off but only wish to warn anyone who may be inexperienced in this field not to let their heart rule their brain unless they are happy to be possibly shocked at what they have taken on .
I considered I would need less than you have to spare to complete the task but Infact
I imagine it will cost three times that once its all done . Especially as I keep making
costly improvements the more I learn ( just changed all the rear suspension/drive train for the second time !!! )
I could never see myself giving up on the car , love it too much , but not being a big earner it could still be a few years to go yet !
Best wishes for your build , keep it posted . Matt .

[TonyMartin]

Thanks to Midge and Matt for the replies. What you say Matt is so true. Your and my expertise sound similar.
Guy's initial comments made me consult an engineer. His comments have taken me away from the mish mash I have at present. It is evident that I must get the heart of the project (engine-bellhousing-gearbox-propshaft) working perfectly together before moving forward
The rocket 4 speed box mated to the Fiat bellhousing with a spacer plate looked suspect and he confirmed that the Lancia was a transverse engine. It might work, but I do not want to take a chance on the fundamentals.
Having worked a lot on the twin cam engine in his youth, the engineer thought it best to stick with Fiat all through, ie for me to find out from the forum if it is totally OK to fit a mirafiori 131/2 5 speed gearbox and bellhousing to a Lancia montecarlo 2 litre twin cam engine. Your comments Matt give me confidence.
Is this doable, anyone? The engineer thinks it is and does not have a problem with enlarging the tunnel to cater for the larger gearbox. Is Matt's option of a late 131/2 gearbox the best 5 speed option to mate to my engine.
In due course, I would like to change to twin side draught webers, using a GC manifold. Is this the sort of setup you have Matt. I am interested in linkage for a midget.
Whilst I am getting feedback, I will optimistically start sourcing the box and accessories, although first an internet auction site viewing suggests this is going to be "rocking horse stuff". I am in Sussex. Does anyone know of say specialist Fiat breakers in my area?
Thanks
Tony

[TonyMartin]

Apologies, Midge. I meant your suggestions and your midget carb setup.
Tony

[Guy Croft]

All the Lancia 8V are inclined - appr 20 deg. Thus the cambox oil drain on one side needs to be drilled to stop it flooding in a vertical installation.

They are all transverse too so don't have an input shaft support bearing in the end of the crank. You can fit one but it's imperative to ensure that 1) the end of the shaft clears the bottom of the bore in the crank and 2) the face of the spline region doesn't bear against the bearing. Either if wrong will burn out the thrust washers and 'total' the bottom end.

I have done no-end of conversions. They just go on and on. You will need a Fiat type water pump ( I stock) plus RWD 2 liter pan and oil pump.

As I said better to start with a FWD Fiat engine. You might find you have to buy one just to get a sump pan and pump..

G

[TonyMartin]

Thanks Guy
I will consider.
Tony

[TonyMartin]

Hi Guy

I would still like to perservere with working on the Lancia engine as you suggest.
Instead of the sump, do you do a dry sump for this purpose.
Also, I wish to get a ford type 9 box.
Can you supply me with the conversion plate and let me know which size input shaft I have to go for, standard sierra type 6.9" or V6 box 8.1".
Thanks
Tony