S1 Rebuild(s)

[Dave Adams]

some pics of the rebuild process,

the top trailing arm bracket is broke......

the diff is sloping back a little (looking up) so that will need sorting.......

As you can see there isn't a lot of bracing in an S1 chassis, that will be sorted.

[Dave Adams]

It was my plan to have been well on my way into my lancia project car by now.....however......all the work on the house has delayed things and I am struggling to clear my garage. Also my legerra needs some work......I think I need a spare life.
Not helping is one of my pet cats haad to go to the vets on sunday, turns out he has broken two teeth at the gum level and has got it infected. £160 on sunday £16 yesterday and £201 dental on saturday....someone up there really dont want me to get started on my cars.

[Dave Adams]

Its weird to think i will be doing this all again......

[1midz0wwbl268]

Oh come on Dave, you enjoy it really, otherwise you wouldnt be doing it, at least you can improove the next one,based on lessons learnt on the last one.

[Dave Adams]

I did!

The cockpit area was untouched and we walked away from the accident.....would have been a different story prior to the rebuild.

[Dave Adams]

Scott, you might like to give this thread a bit of a read.......

[Dave Adams]

Here you are Wayne......its a long read.

[Dave Adams]

My use of 1/2" tube was partly to give more internal space in the seating area.......not much but 1" wider each side makes a huge difference To the comfort when driving long distance. .......

[Dave Adams]

Well i think i will just reactivate this forum post since the S1 is now in the garage and the Legerra is parked on the drive under 3 tarps......i want it to stay dry.

The chassis will be cleaned and the axle mounted on 5 links, the Panhard rod will be lengthened to full width and there will be as much stiffening to the chassis as the one in the start of this post. i dont have a spare S1 bonnet that is in good condition so may well fit it with a nose cone and clam shell wings.

I will of course need sundry items like polly bushes brakes and the like, a may even convert it to ford front hubs......although i am tempted to go for Mazda PCD and fit the rear axle as a De-Dion set up using a Mazda diff mounted to the chassis. i will look into it but its not high on my list of priorities. but such a choice will open up a myriad of wheel choices should i need them ....one day.

[James Doulton]

I like the idea of a De Dion rear end, it would be an interesting experiment.

[Dave Adams]

Well i have made a start......

the Lancia engine is in the weeds so i now have to work out the new gearbox mounts followed by the new engine mounts. so here is the stripped chassis.

I have laid the MT75 roughly where it needs to be and started to take measurements, i remember the pinto crank pulley was over the forward cross member so taking that as a reference i measured the engine and worked out where the gearbox bell housing needed to be, i also saved part of the original foot well so i could take reference measurements.

I also need the scuttle in place for some of the measurements.......good job i kept that as well ;-)

20 inches from the cross member....16" from the drivers side rails and 15" from the passengers side....so not quite central, just as Dutton did it.

As it happens it looks as if the MT 75 would have fitted in the original tunnel....just.

I have left the Lancia gearbox cross member in place and will add another parallel to it then use the angle iron welded in place to create the new gear box mounts, also by laying the chassis on the floor i can be fairly certain that the engine and box will be as low in the car as possible but still have ground clearance when it is on its wheels. 

[Dave Adams]

the Lancia despite being full of very expensive new tuning parts is seized solid it may have salvageable parts on it but i would need a good running engine and swap what i could. to replace just what is missing on the Lancia engine added up to over £250 and i haven't  made an exhaustive list yet.......sad but its just not cost effective. 

[Dave Adams]

some progress today....lots of measuring.....anyway the gearbox mounts are more or less welded in the engine......well not yet. it looked too high to me so i had to dig out one of my knackered bonnets to check and LO! it fitted.....snugly, but it fitted. The engine will just fit under the closed bonnet and the sump pan will be just lower than the bottom chassis rail. (i/2" or so....nothing at all really.)

the gearbox mounts wont move in a hurry.

i have a kit of parts to make new Zetec engine mounts......but the dutton Chassis looks like the front mount (as for the FWD Mondeo) could be used with a brace bar to keep the engine moving under its own torque.....dont know i am stil trying to decide.