Newbie to the blog here; looking to purchase an early 70s spider to reno steampunk style.. would appreciate any input/advice from those who may have converted the front or rear suspensions to aftermarket components, &/or replaced factory powertrains for other(thinking about shoehorning in a turbo'ed Miata engine/trans.. Seen 302 ford conversion on internet(NOT gonna try some like that). Gonna try to end up with a groovy dirty little roadster(that has power & is reliable under the metal).
Thanks for anyone's input!
pwertrain/suspension conversions
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dadscar1
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:32 pm
- Your car is a: 1972 Spider
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DieselSpider
- Posts: 2130
- Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2014 10:21 pm
- Your car is a: 1978 124 Spider with Isuzu Turbo Diesel
Re: pwertrain/suspension conversions
Mine has a 1.8L Isuzu OHC Turbo Diesel literally shoehorned into it perhaps 3/8" clearance between the head and firewall and maybe 1/2" between the water pump and radiator. Cooling fan had to be moved to in front of the radiator, guibo removed to match up the yoke on the Isuzu MSG5 transmission to the drive shaft. Suspension mods were not required as it all works.
Pulls like a tractor, old school mechanical diesel Kiki pump with no computer and a very simple flat plane turbo manifold with a pressure activated mechanical waste gate on the turbo. Almost 40 mpg in the city and close to 50 highway. Basically a one wire diesel to open the fuel valve aside from the starter and alternator.
All done by the owner prior to the one I bought it from. Biggest problems for me were involved with cleaning up all the unused electrical wires that were left loose, uncapped and hanging in the engine compartment.
Pulls like a tractor, old school mechanical diesel Kiki pump with no computer and a very simple flat plane turbo manifold with a pressure activated mechanical waste gate on the turbo. Almost 40 mpg in the city and close to 50 highway. Basically a one wire diesel to open the fuel valve aside from the starter and alternator.
All done by the owner prior to the one I bought it from. Biggest problems for me were involved with cleaning up all the unused electrical wires that were left loose, uncapped and hanging in the engine compartment.