ok, done some measuring.

I measured distance of prop from top of transmission tunnel and height of the tunnel and the prop is more or less horizontal - that I would guess is good.

I don't think raising the gearbox mount in order to drop the front of the engine down is gonna work.

I have about 30 mm clearance between clutchl release arm and chassis on driver side.

By doing mpore measuring, if I drop the front of the engine by 30 mm, usinbg simiular triangle and assuming the gearbox/engine pivot on the gearbox mounting, the gear stick will go up by 10 mm but to do that, I need to remove a chassis member - the one that is below the starter motor bulge.

Hmmmmm ... if I were to do that, what rails would I need to maintain chassis rigidity?

An option is to weld a tube to this member below it then cut the top part off.

One last possibility is getting hold of 1600 manifold - there are 4 types, long/short and 1300/1600 engines.

I beilieve I have long/1300 but a long/1600 would have less of an angle, the angle being there to clear the distributor.


hmmmmm so do I cut it or not? There is no gurantee that removing this rail will fix it ...
Rescued attachment DSC04719.JPG

manigold with less rise may fix the car issue...
Rescued attachment DSC04723.JPG

My mates got a pre litigation westfield, very similar dimensions with a little stubby manifold, carbs just clear the chassis rail, ie exit straight from the head.

Get the correct manifold or chop and reweld what you have. would be my choice.

im guessing that the carbs would actually sit lower than that as the manifold isn't bolted to the head fully & there is a big block of wood propping them up just use some normal, non-nyloc nuts to attach the manifold and get an exact realisation of where things are going to sit

HTH

Alex

[Edited on 18/6/09 by omega0684]

That's an important chassis rail unfortunately, besides supporting your engine mount, it adds significantly to the torsional rigidity of the chassis so cutting it out completely isn't an option.

You can probably get away with using a Y brace, as others have done with the top engine bay triangulation members. This will give some clearance whilst maintaining some strength.

Suitable manifold perhaps?

[Edited on 18/6/09 by MikeRJ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by MikeRJ
That's an important chassis rail unfortunately, besides supporting your engine mount, it adds significantly to the torsional rigidity of the chassis so cutting it out completely isn't an option.

---

How about something like this:


Chassis mod to clear starter

hmmm, I see what you are saying but there is no room for the left arm of the Y-piece - see photo, plus the tight angles on the RH arm and chassis corner will make it hard for me to get Mr MIG in.

Instead of the Y- can I not run the tube straight to that rail.

I can weld a 2 or 3 mm fillet plate below the joins to maintain strength.

... but this means moving the entire rail over - I am trying to avoid that.
Rescued attachment qwe.JPG

quote:

---

Originally posted by 02GF74
Instead of the Y- can I not run the tube straight to that rail.

I can weld a 2 or 3 mm fillet plate below the joins to maintain strength.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by 02GF74
... but this means moving the entire rail over - I am trying to avoid that.

---

Make sure that any alterations still have a load path to channel the stresses, this might not be structurally correct but you get the idea
Rescued attachment cut3.JPG