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Fidanza Aluminum Flywheels

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Bret

Bret

Yoda
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I know a few of you have purchased these. I found one site that sells them for $381.65 that seems like a pretty good deal compaired to the $500+ prices Moss & VB are asking. I just don't know if that's the best deal out there so the question is - does anybody know of a better deal?

Anyway here is the link:

Fidanza Aluminum Flywheels.

Thanks,
Bret
 
You ~sure~ you want this for a street MGB RB car???
 
'k, just makin' certain.
 
don't forget about that top-secret non-secret Hi-Po street engine he's building up on the side... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
My stated mission is: While I might not have the fastest MGB – I do plan on having the fastest “100% Emissions Legal” Kalifornia Rubber Bumper B. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Brett....contact Hap Waldrup at AcmeSpeedShop in North Carolina - he knows all about them
 
I was gonna suggest Hap too. But again are you sure you want one for a street car? It's gonna be a pain at red lights, stalling quite often.
 
The original MGA flywheel is 29 lbs. and last year I replaced it with the APT (Fidanza).
18 lbs off the flywheel is quite noticeable.

This is one of the few "bolt on whoopee" parts that will really make you grin. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The things I heard about not being able to take off from a start and bad tick over were all wrong for the MGA's low geared tranny. Even with the highest (3.7) rear end. Additionally, I can still set the idle at a decently smooth 900 w/ mild cam. Keep in mind also that this is 1500 lb. car (w/driver & full tank)

Bad news is: Now, of course, you will need an LSD to keep the rear end planted.(BIG $)
 
It wasn't the gearing, rather having to overcome the inertia of a RB MGB (GVW) I'm considering. 1500 pound car will nearly "spring" from a stop. 2600 pound car, add fuel load and driver... is more likely to lug. High enough RPM's will make it work, but at the cost of clutch plates.

But really, it's all moot if he LIKES it!
 
I would be very interested in finding out what other MGB people think after trying this. Don't think he will have any tick-over problems though. I heard a MGB is 21 lbs. and the Fidanza is 9 (+ring gear?)Guess 11 lbs??? You could shave 5 lbs off an original and go for 16 lbs as a precaution.
 
IIRC there's a good profile drawing of standard flywheel and just what/where to hog off that 5 pounds in the "Special Tuning" manual. I may go that route, but this is a CB car, Herself will be driving it too. Not anxious to be swappin' out driven plates every six months.
 
My Bugeye, I had for so long, like 20 years had a lightened flywheel as per spec. in tuneing book. Lots of other mods as well. Never had a prob but did idle about 800. Would it move and eat up the stock 1297s. Lots of fun.
 
OK ok the cats out of the bag so I'll explain a little more. Here are some things to keep in mind concerning my application of the Alloy Flywheel:

First the factory idle of the later RB B's is rather high ~850RPM (+/- 100). This shouldn’t be as hard to maintain a good idle (maybe not smooth) as it would at a lower RPM. Secondly I plan on bolting the alloy flywheel to my stock engine first as more of an experiment along with some of the other “goodies” I will be bolting to my project motor once it is completed.

Also it looks as if I am going to purchase the Moss EFI kit (yes I know it ain’t cheap) and that should help maintain a smoother running less finicky engine.

Another thing that I have in mind for the project motor is balancing the lower end (crank, rods & pistons) with the Flywheel. This should help a little with the smoothness and with the beefed up valve train upgrades I have planned I hope to be able to rev quicker and rev much higher than the stock redline.

My only limiting factor with this engine will be that restrictive intake/exhaust manifold. But I have some tricks up my sleeve planed for that too.

Truth is in the end I may not like it and might end up pulling it out - but I feel the need to try it.
 
With the balanceing you going to like it.

I had head ports worked, double valve springs, cam.stage 2, ports matched with intake and exhaust, balanced to 1/4 gram. lightened flywheel. .40 over pistons, head shaved a bit, forget how much, ribed transmission.

Was very strong and quick, 800 RPM idle no prob.

That rebuild lasted 15 years till I sold the car, was used as daily transportation for me and son, 16 or 16 used for school a lot as well. Ahem, he now says guys thought it was his and he ran the heck out of it, he is now 45 years old.
 
Sounds sweet Jack,

Yes I plan on doing some head work to the alloy head I have sitting on the shelf in my garage right now. I will also be going +.40 over too and use a slightly higher compression pistion to work with the larger volume chambers (45cc I think?) of the alloy head. Probably going to stick with the stock valves but I already have the double springs and am pretty sure I will be using either a pre-emissions cam grind or fast road cam.

This coupled with the set of roller rockers that are also collecting dust on the shelf should eliminate any rocker “floating” commonly seen at the higher RPMs. Between those modifications and alloy flywheel attached to the balanced lower end, I should see smooth fast revving well above the stock redline.

I predict I’ll probably have to address my dizzy next. Nothing really wrong with the one I currently have – it’s a stock CEI with the Petronix Ignitor II upgrade. But I suspect I’ll need to find something more compatible with the modifications I have in mind. Curved differently but not to crazy as I still want to be able to drive into any Kalifornia Smog Test station without having to fiddle with any settings. Whatever I do – to be truly emissions legal it’ll have to be electronic ignition – no points.
 
As I remember I had ign, advanced to 32 degrees to make the set up work correctly.
 
The trick here is retain the stock factory settings to pass emissions. Over here on the left coast besides checking under the bonnet for the correct emissions setup & settings (idle & timing), they do what is called a rolling (dyno) smog test at 15mph & 25mph. That roughly translates to ~1957RPMs @15mph & ~2010RPMs @ 25mph according to my test results. Doing some quick math that tells me that they ran the first pull 15MPH in 2nd gear and the second pull at 25MPH in 3rd. Why is that so important you may ask? Well it tells me that at no time during the test did the “fourth gear vacuum advance” switch come into play.

Hardly what I would consider a “full load” test even for a stock Zenith Stromberg equipped engine. But I figure this gives me some wiggle room with the curve of the Dizzy to peak at the higher RPMs while remaining somewhat tame at or below 2100RPMs to clear emissions.

Likewise the Moss EFI kit because it is more stable than a carburetor I should be able to bring up my idle slightly to the top of the envelope of the allowable idle speed and should more than compensate for the Alloy flywheel.

Pretty sneaky huh? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Sure hope it works? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
 
sounds it... I'd like to hear whether or not it gets through... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Also, another thing to consider, they'll try and check the serial # on the engine. You planning on trading plates with the swap? The last check I went through they tried to check the serial, but for some unknown reason failed to see the dog tag on the side of the block... heh
 
Engine tag on my origenal engine is barely visible - I guess I could transfer it over but I don't recall them ever looking at it. We'll see.
 
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