I picked up my first british project, a 75 spitfire. I have never worked on a car like this, but I am pretty experienced with metal fabbing and powertrains in general.
Here are the plans - I want to run somewhere around 150hp with a light engine. I have assume that the 13B swap would be common, but I can only find 2 completed swaps, and the shifters tend to be pushed back deep into the pass cabin. I also assume a miata swap would be common, but I haven't found one swap of that powertrain. I want to run a manual.
I am also considering a I4 turbo motor from a thunderbird turbo coupe.
Here are some weight comparisons
RX7 13B
135 hp @ 6000
133 ftlb @ 2750
weight ????
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
I4 turbo (1987-1988) iron block, AL head
190 hp @ 4600
240 ftlb @ 3600
weight 399lb (no starter or alt)
Thunderbird super coupe
3.8L V6 supercharged iron block AL head
210 hp @ 4800
315 ftlb @ 3400
weight 415 (no starter or alt)
2004+ Ranger 2.3L
all aluminum
151hp @ 5750
154 ftlb @ 4250
weight 211 lb (no front acc or starter)
Does anyone know if any of these absolutly won't fit? I don't want to hack the firewall, but can modify the tunnel and frame. I see a lot of V8 swaps on triumphs from searching, but not in spitfires...
https://www.britishv8.org/swaps/examples.htm
here is the project
https://photobucket.com/albums/h226/billbridgetriumph/day%201%20March%2021st%2006/
Here are the plans - I want to run somewhere around 150hp with a light engine. I have assume that the 13B swap would be common, but I can only find 2 completed swaps, and the shifters tend to be pushed back deep into the pass cabin. I also assume a miata swap would be common, but I haven't found one swap of that powertrain. I want to run a manual.
I am also considering a I4 turbo motor from a thunderbird turbo coupe.
Here are some weight comparisons
RX7 13B
135 hp @ 6000
133 ftlb @ 2750
weight ????
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
I4 turbo (1987-1988) iron block, AL head
190 hp @ 4600
240 ftlb @ 3600
weight 399lb (no starter or alt)
Thunderbird super coupe
3.8L V6 supercharged iron block AL head
210 hp @ 4800
315 ftlb @ 3400
weight 415 (no starter or alt)
2004+ Ranger 2.3L
all aluminum
151hp @ 5750
154 ftlb @ 4250
weight 211 lb (no front acc or starter)
Does anyone know if any of these absolutly won't fit? I don't want to hack the firewall, but can modify the tunnel and frame. I see a lot of V8 swaps on triumphs from searching, but not in spitfires...
https://www.britishv8.org/swaps/examples.htm
here is the project
https://photobucket.com/albums/h226/billbridgetriumph/day%201%20March%2021st%2006/