Post by thruxton on Jan 23, 2017 20:42:10 GMT
Hello everyone..
Over the past 45 years I have been involved with many cars and many engine transplants.
Now being quite an old chap I have decided to build my last street/track day car.
After much consideration I chose the MX-5 MK2.
After one year of road and track days in my almost standard MX-5 MK2 1.8, which was done to evaluate the car.
I have decided to build something different.
Briefly along the lines set out below.
More power both Bhp and torque.
I was looking for around 250Bhp and 220Ft/Lbs of torque.
An engine that could still be driven at 10/10ths.
But not so much power so as to break the gearbox and drive line of the standard car.
The ability to produce and hold that extra power right up to 7000Rpm.
Not a great deal heavier than the standard Mazda engine.
An engine that needed no tuning to achieve the above.
An engine that could run with a throttle cable.
And an engine that was very cheap to buy.
I looked at many engines.
Some already fitted by way of kits to the MX-5 and some that where not.
I looked into forced induction.
I looked into na tuning of the MX-5 engine.
But whatever way I looked at it, I kept coming back to one engine.
TheJaguar AJV6 3.0lt. (Not the Ford deriviant.)
For fitment into the MX-5 there is one problem with the Jaguar engine. But this is the nature of transplants.
The Jaguar has a valved inlet manifold that creates an increase in torque throughout the rev range.
This is a function I would very much like to keep.
So what is the problem?
It's the physical bulk/height of the manifold.
But I think I have a solution.
Having last year before its launch spoken with Bruce, he of the fabulous Rocketeer MX-5 and been out in his car.
It was obvious he had approached this very problem and decided to eliminate it by way of using individual throttle bodies.
Bruce overcomes the problems of the engine fitment in a very well crafted quality kit of parts that deliver a superb package that from an Engineering stand point cannot be faulted.
I too intend to achieve this starting point but in another way.
I am a trained qualified Mechanical Design Engineer.
As such I believe that I have a far easier and vastly cheaper solution to the fitment situation.
But back to the concept.
David Walker of Emerald ecu's is on board with the project and looking forward to getting that manifold working as OEM.
I hope to be using standard Ford And Jaguar Duratec components to deliver the installation.
I also will try to use a modified standard front clip (sub-frame) this eliminates a whole host of potential problems.
So how far have I got?
I have spent many hours measuring and looking and thinking.
I've bought another MK2 as the "mule" and the Jaguar engine.
Work will begin on both of these next week.
I am hoping to have a finished car at the end of April.
If there is some interest in my project I shall come back here with photographs and updates.
Thank you for reading.
Regards.
Rich.
Sent from my iPad
Over the past 45 years I have been involved with many cars and many engine transplants.
Now being quite an old chap I have decided to build my last street/track day car.
After much consideration I chose the MX-5 MK2.
After one year of road and track days in my almost standard MX-5 MK2 1.8, which was done to evaluate the car.
I have decided to build something different.
Briefly along the lines set out below.
More power both Bhp and torque.
I was looking for around 250Bhp and 220Ft/Lbs of torque.
An engine that could still be driven at 10/10ths.
But not so much power so as to break the gearbox and drive line of the standard car.
The ability to produce and hold that extra power right up to 7000Rpm.
Not a great deal heavier than the standard Mazda engine.
An engine that needed no tuning to achieve the above.
An engine that could run with a throttle cable.
And an engine that was very cheap to buy.
I looked at many engines.
Some already fitted by way of kits to the MX-5 and some that where not.
I looked into forced induction.
I looked into na tuning of the MX-5 engine.
But whatever way I looked at it, I kept coming back to one engine.
TheJaguar AJV6 3.0lt. (Not the Ford deriviant.)
For fitment into the MX-5 there is one problem with the Jaguar engine. But this is the nature of transplants.
The Jaguar has a valved inlet manifold that creates an increase in torque throughout the rev range.
This is a function I would very much like to keep.
So what is the problem?
It's the physical bulk/height of the manifold.
But I think I have a solution.
Having last year before its launch spoken with Bruce, he of the fabulous Rocketeer MX-5 and been out in his car.
It was obvious he had approached this very problem and decided to eliminate it by way of using individual throttle bodies.
Bruce overcomes the problems of the engine fitment in a very well crafted quality kit of parts that deliver a superb package that from an Engineering stand point cannot be faulted.
I too intend to achieve this starting point but in another way.
I am a trained qualified Mechanical Design Engineer.
As such I believe that I have a far easier and vastly cheaper solution to the fitment situation.
But back to the concept.
David Walker of Emerald ecu's is on board with the project and looking forward to getting that manifold working as OEM.
I hope to be using standard Ford And Jaguar Duratec components to deliver the installation.
I also will try to use a modified standard front clip (sub-frame) this eliminates a whole host of potential problems.
So how far have I got?
I have spent many hours measuring and looking and thinking.
I've bought another MK2 as the "mule" and the Jaguar engine.
Work will begin on both of these next week.
I am hoping to have a finished car at the end of April.
If there is some interest in my project I shall come back here with photographs and updates.
Thank you for reading.
Regards.
Rich.
Sent from my iPad