Simon
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| posted on 12/4/23 at 11:24 PM |
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tin top Live axle to IRS swap
Ok, so I have another project that turned up this evening
I will probably stick with originality but theoretically if one was to remove the live axle, watts linkage, trailing arms, torque tube and it's
crossmember and replace it with say a complete S type Jag (or from another make) rear suspension subframe modified to fit the original spring/shock
mounts, and torque tube mounts (the torque tube is actually the bit the rear axle "pushes" against rather than the trailing arm so
definitely up to the job).
The car is very untidy and will be a resto but I have no problem rectifying what the manufacturer omitted to do 38 years ago 
Thoughts?
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ReMan
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| posted on 13/4/23 at 07:04 AM |
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What is it? !! 
www.plusnine.co.uk
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JAG
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| posted on 13/4/23 at 07:28 AM |
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Let's see if we can guess....
So the car was manufactured 38 years ago.
2023 - 38 = 1985
Even in 1985 live-axle production cars, in the UK and Europe, must have been pretty 'thin-on-the-ground'
Ford had ended production of Cortina, Escort had moved to front-wheel drive in 1980'ish, but Capri was still being made up to 1986.
Other contenders would be BL Marina or Ital but that car ended production in 1984.
There is probably lot's of American cars still using live-axle in 1985
Justin
Who is this super hero? Sarge? ...No.
Rosemary, the telephone operator? ...No.
Penry, the mild-mannered janitor? ...Could be!
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dmac
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| posted on 13/4/23 at 09:05 AM |
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Opel Manta carried on until the late 80's and Rover SD1 until about 85
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Simon
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| posted on 13/4/23 at 12:15 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by dmac
Opel Manta carried on until the late 80's and Rover SD1 until about 85
You won- Rover SD1.
Unclear on model but chatting to someone who knows substantially more than me, its either an Injected VDP or auto Vitesse.
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dmac
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| posted on 13/4/23 at 12:45 PM |
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I nearly bought one once but a mate who sat in the passenger seat opened the glovebox and it dumped about half a gallon of water in his lap!
Apparently they were very prone to leaking at the bottom of the windscreen and the glovebox collected it all.
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Sanzomat
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| posted on 13/4/23 at 02:41 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by dmac
I nearly bought one once but a mate who sat in the passenger seat opened the glovebox and it dumped about half a gallon of water in his lap!
Apparently they were very prone to leaking at the bottom of the windscreen and the glovebox collected it all.
Second that. I had a 1978 model V8 that also filled the glove box with water. As long as you remembered to empty it regularly it stopped the carpets
getting wet to so actually a good design!! I bought mine for £200 in 1987, ran it for a year and scrapped it for £150 so pretty low depreciation. The
boot floor where the panhard rod attached seemed to have fatigued. It wasn't rusty but the mounting bracket just ripped out one day leaving
distinctly nervous handling as the whole axle moved around an inch to the side until restrained by the coil springs hitting the inner arch.
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Simon
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| posted on 13/4/23 at 09:53 PM |
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From the very brief look at mine, seems ok.
I had 1978 auto V8 in 1985 when I was 18 then a series 2 manual v8 in 1993 ish. Still one of my fave cars. This should be quite a project and if
confirmed it's an efi vdp my £380 might turn out to be a good erm; well not sure investment is the right word. Better than buying a football club
season ticket anyway
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