I ve been messing around with a part finished book chassis with pinto I bought ages ago ( I was gonna finish it in one or two weekends!) And Im staring to think about the bonnet and nose. The engine and box were already fitted and the previoos owner has cut holes in the bonnet and nose to clear the rocker cover and cam pulley. I cant decide how to deal with this and wondered how others with a book chassis and pinto have coped?

Ill post a photo if 1) someone tells me how 2) Its easy

Simon

I spoke to Martin Keenan (MK) before building the chassis. He told me to make it 1" taller.

I did and all his fibreglass fits a treat.

The rocker cover was modified by cutting off the filler cap and welding it on at the other end.

Ahh something else I can flog.... modified rocker cover for Pinto for sale..... £10.00

Its too late to make it an inch taller sadly. Acually I doubt an inch would do it as the cam pulley is more than 1 inch proud of the bodywork. Maybe the engine is mounted too high or too far forward. I have the oil filler moved to the rear of the head already.

Have you modified the sump? This needs to be done.

Its got an rs2000 alloy one on - does its still need modding?

There's no point having the sump shorter than the bellhousing so probably not.

I'm in a similar position myself- can't fit the sodding Pinto in- and that's with GTS' 3/4" taller nose/scuttle.
My engine's as far back as it can go and I can't lower it now without major chassis work. As I've got the 32/26 carb I can't fit the MK style bonnet bulge and that's the only one I like the look of (matching the colour to the GTS stuff is hard too).

Kicking myself for not taking the risk and mounting the engine lower!

I've resorted to raising the top of the chassis by 1" all round to raise the bodywork/bonnet up a bit.

Aaagh well, chassis #2 will have it built in in the first place!

Cheers,
James

The bellhousing is lower than the sump so I guess theres no point cutting the sump, although I was told that I could take a hacksaw to the protruberance from the bottom of the MT 75 to give more clearance. How close to the ground do people go?

I dont really want to raise the chassis and as i said one inch probably wont do it. If the engine just stuck out of the bonnent Id just fit a bulge, but it sticks out of the rear of the cone also meaning a bulge in both that match a line up which is beyond me.

Doesn't the Tiger Avon have such bulges in the nose cone / bonnet?

I was hoping to spend nowt but perhaps I should measure up an Avons bodywork. I can see a bonnet an nosecone being quite pricy