Engine change Mk8

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Garry1
Posts: 6
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:14 am
Location: Lymington

Engine change Mk8

Post by Garry1 »

Due to the problems of finding Renault parts for my rear engine car Mk 8 ,i`m thinking of fitting a more modern engine set up.Can anyone come up with some pictures showing a transverse engine, so i could see how much the rear of the tub is cut away. Any other thoughts would be helpfull. I may be looking for a CVH engine cradle.
cheeser
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:33 pm
Location: West Dorset

Re: Engine change Mk8

Post by cheeser »

Hi Gary,
Can think of a few things that might help you. I have a MK8 with mini engine which is obviously not modern, but it will give you the basic layout principles for any transverse engine ( it's the Mk8 shown in a book called Maximum Mini ) and I'm not that far from you being in West Dorset. Another Mini engined example is owned by 'Matnrach' a member on this board, who I believe lives in the Bicester area. Unlike my tatty car his Mk 8 is VERY tidy with a good number of photos in various places on the net, but like most Davrians the small details of his engine installation are a bit different! Probably the nearest installation type to your thoughts were of the Dragon originally owned by the late Rob Barksfield. This car had a transverse Ford XR2 type unit originally with 4 speed box, but was then converted to 5 speed. The basic layout for this transverse Ford unit was very similar to the Mini units, but when the 5 speed box was fitted a semitrailing arm had to be modified to clear the extended gearbox. Unfortunately this fantastic sprint/hillclimb car was destroyed by fire a few years ago, but I did have the pleasure of passengering in it in the mid '80s when it was still road legal! Also you might have a word with Phil Gale, Darrian owner, who lives in the Dorchester area. A few years ago he helped his brother convert a Mk 8 for Mini engine, having bought the shell from my brother. In recent years this car seems to have changed hands several times, its a yellow car (unregistered) and seen on ebay and other sites. Not sure I understand your CVH comment, but I wouldn't have thought a CVH engine to be a very unusual choice, having friends with Westfields glad to change quickly to Zetec power!
Good luck with your conversion and contact me if I can be of any help
Robin
oltomjac
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 3:15 pm

Re: Engine change Mk8

Post by oltomjac »

I have just bought a MK8 which has a honda 1.6 16 valve engine fitted.
I will grab a camera and post some photos.
Eyre
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun May 03, 2015 11:05 am

Re: Engine change Mk8

Post by Eyre »

Hi Garry, did you ever upgrade from the Renault engine or have you still got it? I'm about to fit mine so would appreciate any feedback or pictures of the installation. Thanks
Chris_Lincs
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2015 12:15 pm
Location: Lincoln, Lincolnshire.

Re: Engine change Mk8

Post by Chris_Lincs »

Here's some photos of the engine bay in my Davrian Dragon (mk8a), this was originally fitted with a 1.6 CVH out of an XR2, unfortunately this had long since gone when I acquired it. I'm currently in the process of fitting a 2.0 Zetec Blacktop to it, but even with the modified trailing arms (as was fitted to the Dragon) clearance is tight.
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Nugget
Posts: 161
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:26 am

Re: Engine change Mk8

Post by Nugget »

Nice project, looking good
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