Dutton Kit Cars and their owners

gearboxes and axles

So there he is, 4wd kit car with 2.9 of boat anchor and it will not go around corners, " Stevo, what do I do?" chuck in a Rover V8 half the weight, "But how do I keep the 4wd?" well that's a tad more difficult, so what you do is this, get a saw cut off the bell housing, get the Rover bell housing and chop a bit of that off and weld them back together, and bingo you have the full monty, here, just like this !

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Permalink Reply by Steve Kerswell on January 28, 2016 at 17:02

Oh, hit a snag ! getting a starter motor and clutch arm opening in the right area. More fag packets needed. On the good side. The Sierra clutch is very small and the Rover is very big. What he ended up with is, a late Transit clutch plate (which also used a MT75 box) which is 272mm. and the Rover pressure plate which is...... 272mm. Someone must think a lot of Billy to let him get off that light. Even the bolt holes line up. That's all for today, They are out on a mission, I have my own gut feelings of what may be coming home (their home) tomorrow.

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Permalink Reply by rob saul on January 28, 2016 at 19:11

There is a set of pictures from years ago of the British off rd champion who had a mental v8 off rd land rover that ran with brand new bright yell s1 phaeton bodywork

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Permalink Reply by James Doulton on January 28, 2016 at 19:13

So, how to get it all welded up in line? If you stood the engine pointing down with the flywheel at the top and flat, then bolt the Rover bell housing on, then dangle the gearbox vertically with the input shaft in the clutch. then just weld the two bits of bell housing together. Simples.

In order to get it properly set up then get the flywheel exactly level with a spirit level and separate the gearbox at its first joint so that you can get a spirit level on there too. I wonder how close to true it has to be?

This is fascinating. Can't wait to see the next instalment. It is like Project Binky all over again!

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Permalink Reply by Steve Kerswell on January 28, 2016 at 19:43

Interesting in seeing the aluminium castings. The Ford one is very coarse and the rover/ Borg Warner is very fine, should be fun, with some sticky back plastic. Lining it all up, I will build a very novel jig, it's all scribbled down and felt pen marks at present.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Kerswell on January 28, 2016 at 19:46

I should own up and say I've seen this done before. The V8 is here tomorrow, so I could be well on for more pictures !

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Permalink Reply by Steve Kerswell on January 28, 2016 at 21:21

I'll take that on board Graham,and try to include some grinding tomorrow, I didn't use it today because I had no aluminium disc, honest :-)

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Permalink Reply by Steve Kerswell on January 28, 2016 at 21:53

Because of measurement you cannot use an adapter plate, the shaft is to short, so this may work, it has been tried before but the guy gave up because of the alignment after welding. Fingers crossed I can help Billy wizz to do this. Billy Hill lives down the lane, hence hill Billy.