~Slideways~

$3k according to trademe, has an LSD gbox though I guess. There are a few K20A's for $700 but they are the low power ones. I guess the price difference is just a population numbers thing.

I would like one of those $500 K24's please.

Only way I can do it without a cert is if I can prove it was registered with the plates that are on it and that it was originally this spec (I can kind of prove the spec via Lynch Built). There are no NZTA records and no previous owner records. I am in contact with the guy who commissioned them to be built in 1978 but he hasn't been able to find anything yet and its been well over 6 months now.

I think the chances of it being okay look decent so far, I was expecting it to be seized solid and a manky used Escort engine put in 40 years ago. All signs point to it being either low km's or rebuilt. They went through the trouble of fitting an aftermarket intake manifold, DCOE, extractors and decent bits for the time like the weird flow sensor bulb thing and the VDO gauges, so I'm hoping this means the engine was a good one. So far so good: - It probably only had 5 years of use since 'new' - Piston tops show no signs of rust. - The cold compression is decent. - Turns over with starter motor well now. - Inside the carb and under rocker cover is very clean. - The mechanical fuel pump appears to be working, - The starter motor works - Distributor and coil works. Bad: - Plug leads perished - Spark plugs questionable - Ignition switch seized. - its a 60's ford engine. So the bad's are easy fixes. Could still have damaged rings or bores though.

That's pretty much my current thinking, it went from being seized to turning over and wanting to fire which I really wasn't expecting. I'll buy some leads and plugs (one broke anyway), the coil is providing a spark so will see if I can get away with not buy one yet. If I can get it driving that would be amazing and tell me what I should do next. A drive around the block would be pretty cool. I haven't given up on a car project yet, they just sometimes take fcking forever lol.

There are two whole mx6's in Invercargill for $1200. One manual 2L and one auto 2.5L, would be worth it if it didn't need two ferry trips.

I think I'll order some leads and plugs and see if that is enough to get it running. It's likely I will need to certify it anyway as I haven't got any proof of registration, except the plates but there are no records of them. I'll give the original builder/rights owner another call, it is unlikely though. So the fact I would need to certify it, means it makes some sense to put a better engine in it. The guy who originally owned the black rotary one is also an LVVTA cert guy and said it is possible to certify it. One was done recently done but didn't go into detail except that the fact it has no normal 'doors' means some rules don't apply (can't remember which...). The other thing he said was the current camber rules would make it a bit of a pain since it has swing axles.

Haha it would be cool but rotary prices are too much for me, maybe if it was my only car/money pit.

Hadn’t thought of FTO’s, does look quite compact. Doubt there would be an existing adapter though.

Engine wise I am at a crossroads as to whether to bother spending money on the Ford Crossflow, it might just need $100-150 for leads, plugs and maybe coil. That would prove the condition of the engine, for either keeping it in there or selling it to fund a modern engine swap. It's never going to be a race car so maybe a 120hp crossflow with doorty bike carbs would be good? That is also least expensive and keeping it ''original''. Alternatively a K swap of either Honda or Mazda, K20 or KLZE. K20 is modern and reliable. I don't think the Honda 4 cylinder exhaust note would suit the car. I know it sounds silly but I think the car just needs something more than that. KLZE sound would really suit it, have been keeping an eye out for a cheap mx6 but there are surprisingly few. Getting to be an old engine though... Both should be around 200hp and probably lighter than the Crossflow. Both would probably not break the VW transaxle, which apparently can handle around "150hp" in standard form. The crossflow should be worth around $500. Maybe more with the DCOE 42?

Also, holy shit the turbo intake noise is obnoxious with the 4" intake and no restriction. What do the Aussies call it? Dose? It does that lots haha.

Got this started using a start up map from the Link support forum, it'll probably be over fueling heaps with the 1000cc injectors. But it started first try, fucking stoked.... Pretty happy with that since I'm a total wiring novice and I changed so much other stuff and it just works. Fck yeah etc. Still have to figure out a problem with the idle speed stepper motor seemingly continuously resetting itself on shut down. But it starts! Tune will be based on what the current clutch can handle, will go for more power later... I want to finish at least 2 other project cars before going further with this one. At a guess it should handle maybe 260-280 rwkw and lots of good torque. This setup should be able to do 300kw with the standard cams but I doubt the clutch will do that. Even with limiting to that sort of power it'll be awesome fun.

Well the stuff in the old Honda dirt bike smells pretty varnishy, I better not put the 8 month old fuel in the 200sx to get it started with new fuel system. I just need to empty out at least one 20L container so I can go get some new 98, maybe I'll just mix it into the wifes modern car.

I did google it and got wildly varying answers. I have about 50L of BP 98 which is about 8 months old, was drained from a tank and put in fuel containers. Some google results says its too old, others say it will last years. I also have some which is probably about 6 years old in an old Honda dirt bike. Will just drain that and use for cleaning. Does anyone have any knowledge of fuel in NZ, does it have any additives for shelf life?

Semi on topic question, does anyone know if Bosch plug lead part numbers refer to the length? Like B106SI and B40SI? Trying to see if I can get essential parts to make up a set. Then again, maybe the lock down will allow some shops to open next week and I can get a set cheaper.

At this stage I don't think I'll use it, so its probably more use to you. Unless the computer is hidden under the dash or something silly so I can have a play with it, otherwise you can have it for free. Yep it had a ball bearing inside, cool design. Never seen anything like it before.

Oh man... making dinner and just saw I missed the auction. What are the chances of that turning up?? I don't really think I would have used it.

Oldschool delivers! What a cool thing, I wonder if maybe one of those was mounted inside and removed at some stage? At least I know I don’t need it.

Excuse me, but what the fuck is this? It’s Inline with the fuel hose before the carb. I thought it was some kind of flow restrictor or flow sensor? Was not expecting to find a bulb inside.

+ Ahhh... this makes sense of it! Maybe it would have actually started if it stayed engaged a bit longer. I thought about a tow as well, bit hard to justify tow starting on the way to the supermarket for some essentials haha.

Bit more testing today, tried blasting carb cleaner through all the passages but didn't seem like any where blocked and didn't make a difference. Took out a spark plug to test for spark, nothing. Tested the lead and getting spark when held close to the engine. Tried connecting the lead without the old lead-ends jammed on (was just to hold the stripped lead core onto the spark plug) and used electrical tape to hold it onto the spark plug. Again this is just to see if there is any life in it. I'm not normally this cheap lol. Now I can see a spark on the spark plug itself. Maybe the old plug lead ends were causing resistance or something? Did this to all 4 and tried again. Still not firing. Took plugs out again, broke one spark plug....taped it back together lol... and squirted a little fuel into each cylinder. Tried again and now it almost fired again. I think that is convincing enough for me to spend a bit of money on some leads and maybe a new coil and distributor. Maybe an electronic ignition conversion? I then did a compression test since it seems to be turning over pretty well now. Remember this thing was basically seized and I had to use a power bar to get it to turn! My compression tester has always read pretty low but I was amazed to see decent compression numbers and it is obviously dead cold. Three cylinders are 120psi and one is 140psi, not ideal but bloody amazing considering its history. I reckon if I can get it started and hot it will improve, probably not a huge amount but getting some heat cycles through it wouldn't hurt.

Man, a bunch of months have gone by. Lock down time now, so had a play with this. Cleaned up the points, rotor and cap. Turned over engine to see if the points open, which they do. Connected a battery directly to the coil and starter. Turns over but no spark. Tested leads and it turns out none of them have any continuity at all. I guess they have been unused for 35 years and probably over 40 years old. The Cap to Coil lead would have a connection if I bent it at the right angle. So because shops were closed I cut up some spare extension lead, not that dodgy considering the LUCAS leads just have a bent metal cap shoved into the core and jammed on. So I reused those end pieces. The spark plug ends are literally screwed into the core. I tried reusing these but there was still no continuity. It turned out all of the spark plug connector bits were the problem. So I then made it properly dodgy by stripping the rubber and wrapping the wire around each plug and jammed the old ends on. I know, pure class. But I just wanted to see if there was any life in it before spending any money on the engine. IT HAS SPARK! On what is probably 40 year old bits! Poured some fuel into the carb. Tried to start it, no life. Sprayed some carb cleaner in the throats, because that all I had and its flammable. And it almost fired!! I don't think it's getting any fuel from the carb, its probably just trying to run on the carb cleaner fumes. Once it tries to fire, the starter disengages and free spins. Not sure why since I am bypassing the ignition switch altogether. Just using a battery on the driveway and jumper leads. All the while my 2 year old girl is saying ''gen gen'' (again again) from the deck above me and my 5 year old boy is running around excited. Raising them right haha This is encouraging.

Haha there it is again. I saw a recent post on facebook of the engine running. I wonder in what state? The guy I knew that had owned it for ages until recently, said the cooling system was so rusty it was like washing out sand but did get it running. The brake seized and he left it for a long time. I still have mine, hasn't moved. Haven't heard anything from the original guy who built the 7 NZ originals in the 70's. Think I need to give up on him finding any paper work. I have heaps of things to keep me busy in the lock down but maybe I should have another look at getting the engine started.

Also bought a label maker:

Extended intake pipe and new bigger K&N