My V8 Capri Winter Work

[Coops]

Blimey 5yrs,

you got any info on your serp belt mate?
as we are having probs finding one for my car?
been told its TVR specific and only available via a TVR dealer,

Just had an email saying i need for a non A/C serp engine 7PK1850 (ERR-5267)
yours got any markings on mate?

more pics for you:

Managed to locate 2 alternator brackets at last, one is an unmarked one, and another with a rover part number ERR 4514,

The ERR4514 fitted a treat, (3.9 serp discovery?)
and also the unmarked bracket i got from a V8 forum member matchmetisse (no part number on the casting) which sat the alternator even lower than the above bracket for even more height clearance,



and with the crank sensor ring fitted:


and the alternator bracket all bolted up thanks to Neil & Jon at caprisport making the new bolts for me:

[demo2]

My belt is differant 2 urs again m8, as i dont have p/steering. mine goes round the bottom of the waterpump as per urs then straight on2 the crank pulley. V8 dev stock them mate. I need a new one 2 mate as mine makes a noise noise now. Well it does when it runs

[Coops]

Fuel lines and fittings arrived today,
the hose size is -6 (about 10mm id)



time to get started on the cappa again me thinks

[Coops]

well as its now August it about time i updated you with the car work, and by god has a lot been done since the last post,

the dizzy bung has been made and collected from the machine shop,
and what a pucker job they have done,
my one on the left with dizzy 'O' ring fitted, along with clamp bracket and nut (one on right will be for sale)


Fitted to the timing cover, the threaded hole is for the ease of removal if needed.


slowly getting there,
the crank sensor bracket has been machined from the block of ally,

Exhaust manifolds have been shot blasted to clean them up, and have been painted with VHT,

Ah yes the new front coilovers are in fabrication at caprisport, pics when they are done,

started sorting the ignition side, (coil packs and leads)
Removed the old dizzy cap ends from my 8mm mallory leads and fitted the correct coil pack ends that i removed from two sets of mondeo leads,
once this was done fitted them to the engine and started sorting the firing order correct for the coil packs,

think i sussed it now,
on first coil pack cylinders 1 and 8 then opposite 6 and 5
then other coil pack 4 and 3 and opposite 7 and 2





work has started at last

the dummy block fitted with mounts ready for making the new gearbox mount for the R380,

once the gearbox is located on its new mount, the new engine mounts will be made to drop the engine a bit more.

Start of the new R380 gearbox mount.

P.S, that the gearbox oil pump plate at the bottom of the rear of the box?

second shot,


the prop rebuilt:


New axle brackets,

[Coops]

Well today was engine mount day (june)
The following are the stage at we have finished tonight (june)

Chassis mount bracket,


Bracket nearly complete,


second shot of bracket (please note the top support bracket from block not fitted yet)


these are going to be a 100% stronger than the old rubber bobbin style mounts the capris use,
SO hopefully i wont break these little babies

the tunnel has to be cut out tomorrow now, as Neil and Jon at Caprisport are not happy with the gearbox clearance

we have had a good day today on the car,
engine mounts are finished and awaiting shot blasting and powder coating,
tunnel is now cut out, and gear box is as high as we dare go,
and new gearbox mount is now fabricated,
started sorting out the internal wiring too.
and spaced the steering rack by 5mm to try and gain more clearance for the steering coupling.

Engine mount fabrication finished, just needs welding now,


Welded and bolted back on dummy block for fitment,



Tunnel removed AGAIN...
and shortened gear remote on the R380 gearbox (box is longer than the LT77)


New gearbox mount lifting the gearbox higher into the tunnel,


Block sits nice and low sump clears the steering rack by about an inch now.

[Coops]

The tunnels now done,
a few bits to finish off then seal and paint,
then need to mod the center console a bit due to the height we have the box at now,





she is coming along now wont be long before we can lower the new engine in to its new home.


well had the day off work as holiday,
and got some more done on the car,

getting ready to go in,


It's in (only tempary)


MMMMMM that was a bit to close for comfort,
thank god the engine is mounted quite solid now ,


New suspenssion has arrived at last,
so thats another job we can get on with.

[Coops]

we had a great day on the car today,
removed the old fuel lines and ran the new -6 braided line and completely plumb the new lines in right up to the fuel rail along with relocating the fuel filter,




removed the exhaust ready for modifying,
finished the tunnel off,
fitted the flywheel and clutch,
fitted the remote and new shaft on the r380 box,
coupled engine and box together and bolted in on its mounts.





center console sits back as per factory,
a few mods to the framework was needed, but seems fine,



and coil pack bracket was made for the bulkhead,





Servo in primer ready for top coat:

[Coops]

thia is how the servo came out after i applied 11 coats of paint to it.

and im quite pleased with the outcome



had another good weekend on the car (including a few cuts and bruises)

90% wiring now done,

tunnel finished inside the car and new soundproofing fitted carpet refitted and center console refitted and new gearstick boot made (who said i had lifted the tunnel another inch and a half)


Caprisport have found a way to over come the antiroll bar glitch (well done guys) (pictures when finished)

the new strut brace is underway also,
didnt realise we had lowered the engine that much that we can get a strut brace over the top of the plenum now




yes there is a gap between brace and plenum its the angle i took the pic at

Powersteering adaptors arrived and screwed into the pump,

hoses made up just need ends crimping on (monday)

Ally Crank sensor bracket has been made and waiting fittment on the car,

Modded intake 'Y' piece is been done and awaiting collection from the engineering shop (monday)

more updates tomorrow (have week off to work on the car)

[Coops]

good day again today,
antiroll bar brackets are now sorted and antiroll bar lowered, and we can now fit an oil filter to the oilpump,







oil cooler pipes are all made (waiting to be crimped)

Powersteering pipes are made (waiting to be crimped)

powersteering bottle fitted,

Coilovers ready for tig welding,


next on the list is start sorting the water pipes out,
do the exhaust system,
prop hoops,
finish of engine bay wiring, and loom tape,
do clutch and fit braided brake pipes and bleed,

we have a full cable clutch working on the R380 box
to tell the truth its lighter than the cable/hydraulic one i had on the 3.9 LT77 box,

the modded twin plenum 'Y' piece is fitted with its new mounting bracket back to the powersteering bracket, (and i had a crazy idea to polish it, NEVER AGAIN)

Before i had the crazy idea,


After 2hrs on the metal polisher,


just the water hoses to sort and then i think its ready.
Engine and box is coming out tomorrow (thursday) and everything needed for the blasters is going there we are hoping every thing will be done by the weekend, if so the engine and box can go back in to stay

[Coops]

well the engine is out, (hopefully for the last time)
and stripped of its brackets etc and we have a nice pile of bits to go to the blasters from the car,






it is a crossbolted block and no not the 3.9 i use to have but a brand new stg3 4.6 engine. running 4.0 rover pistons. (high comp 4.6 )
thought it was time to come clean as few have already guessed what i was building and was only a matter of time it was slipped out.

Coilovers ready for the springs and inserts to be fitted,
8 coats of blue they took fooking ages to do,


also had to wet flat the servo i painted a few weeks ago as i scratched it wrapping it up to protect it

looks better now though

the list of bits we have had to make this time is mad,
new engine mounts,
gearbox mount,
coilpack bracket,
fuel filter bracket,
intake pipe bracket,
antiroll bar lowering bracket,
strutbrace,
fuel reg bracket,
nitrous pulsoid brackets,

[Coops]

the engine bay wiring is now finished along with the crank and knock sensor shielded cables,
Coilovers are done, just need my roller topmounts off the struts on the car at present,


Installed a HID kit today (rain stop play to any other work) to the bmw smiley lights that we have fitted to the capri.
and foooookin hell they are a 10000% better and thats just in the workshop in daylight

ignitor pack and ballast pack fitted inside headlight bowl for the HID kit.


if weather permits on sunday i will hopefully finish the ecu wiring,
and can dload the old maps off the ecu,
and start putting all the interior back in as this area will now be completed.
gearstick work next

[Coops]

well done 95% of the ecu today, just final conection at the relays once all is routed to where its all sitting, and a few connections at the ecu plug (coil packs, tps trigger, shift light, tach output, N20 retard)

oil cooer pipes are all done at the cooler end (fans and rad can now be fitted)


how pipes sit after rad and fans are fitted,


Engine bay, wiring,




And the front end back together,
starting to look like my old Cappa again at last,

[demo2]

That is one hell of a make over, looks feckin sweet now, bet ur stoked

[Coops]

Cheers Paul,
I think i have actually got the car they way i always wanted it now,

a few more updates for you all.

crank sensor bracket is now finished and fitted to the engine,







The brackets are all blasted and etch primed and painted satin black,

gearboxmount:


Fuel filter bracket and heat shield,


Anti roll bar spacer brackets.


Engine Mounts,



CoilPack Bracket.



Nitrous Pulsoid Bracket.



Have undersealer the underside of the tunnel,

Had a slow start on sunday

but things soon started moving flippin fast.
new metal water pipe made for the manifold and fitted to engine,

mounts had the bushes pressed back in and bolted back to the block,


R380 Gearbox was prepped ready for final fitting,
speedo drive changed etc,
oil checked, it has some oil that looks like the same colour as meth spirits ?


Engine & gearbox was then fitted back into the engine bay along with the brake servo,








Close up of the engine mount and earthing tags,


Oil filter and cooler hoses all fitted,


also, heater hoses were sorced and fitted to the engine and heater matrix outlets.
Power steering pressure hoses fitted to pump and rack,
all engine electrics finished minus coil pack and starter to battery lead.
speedo cable fitted to box and clocks (lot of swearing and toys being thrown around by me doing this )
Antiroll bar spacers fitted and roll bar set.

Hope to have the new ecu mounting plate done next weekend and the ecu,fusebox and relay block fixted to it and bolted in place, then the ecu wiring can be finished off,
gearstick mods needed,
prop fitting,
exhaust mods,
suspenssion mods.
rest of the cooling system, (water pipes and stat housing to be made)
then map tweaking and start up.

[Coops]

For once im posting this on time and not days later,

after many weeks dicking about trying to get a stat housing,
we decided to say F@@K IT,
and made our own , this way we have it the way we need it,


And the new ecu fixing is nearly finished,

First take a sheet of Ally, and workout what you want to fix onto it,


Then after a bit of cutting drilling and fettling, work out where you are going to mount it all,


will post the finished and fitted bracket on sunday, by then it also should be all wired up ready to go live,
more on Sunday.