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1973 1800ES project

I have been keeping it and all of the associated parts in storage.

Sometime in between, about a year or so ago, I did have a place to work on it. Got the LH 2.2 harness built among other small things.

I recently acquired a shop space and moved everything over there, I plan on starting it again soon. I'm thinking about just tossing the drivetrain in and getting it going, and worrying about the whole gnarly restoration later.
 
Wooohooo an update!

B23FT is almost ready to go in! Ordered a baffle box, plate and B20 oil pump from Hi-Performance Auto. Once that stuff is in the pan will go on and she will finally go in the engine bay.

Details about the engine -

120k B23FT bottom end with fresh seals and gaskets
AN 10 return [Yoshifab's kit]
AN 10 crankcase vent [Yoshifab]
B20 oil pump/pan with early B21 oil delivery pipe
398 SCP head w/K cam & adjustable gear
Custom intake manifold [B21F intake with shorted runners and Yoshifab custom plenum]
90+ exhaust manifold with 19T
 
Update again -

After losing storage space on the car, I almost sold it. But I decided to actually send the car off to get the rust fixed on it. I found the perfect person to do the work - he has done all the bodywork for a well known VCOA guy who deals with a lot of 1800's.

Very excited about this
 
Hi mate,

I was in Santa Cruz during August, should have come to see this beauty :cool:

Can't wait to see pictures, and good point for the rust repair !!
 
So yesterday, I got a mixture of motivation and laziness - so instead of dropping in the B23FT I have for test fitment, which would have involved borrowing a load leveler, and schlepping my crane from the other side of my house [which involves a truck since I live on a hill], I simply took a bare B230FT block I have, bolted the adapter mounts to it, and set it in the engine bay by hand. I slapped a junk head on it, as well as a T3 bolted to a old style manifold



I plan on running a 90+ with a K24 or 19T, either of which should be much smaller than the old style manifold with a T3. Should have more room with a smaller turbo.



The intake manifold has obvious clearing issues, even without the giant master cylinder/brake booster which I am trying to retain. My plan for it is to cut the flange and about 3-4'' of runner, weld a couple of 2'' 90 degree elbows to the end into some velocity stacks inside of a nice sized plenum. I think with the runners already at a 45 angle and the additional 90's, it will tilt the plenum under the booster and master. I might have to cut an edge of the plenum to clear the steering shaft. I am running a Yoshifab CCV plate in place of the normal big plastic box, so that will be fine



The nose of the car, while unique, also makes things very tough as far as mounting a radiator that will suitably cool a turbo engine, on top of an intercooler and oil cooler. I have found that a Mini Cooper S or Saab Viggen intercooler will work well with the nose. For the cold side outlet, I will have to cut into some sheet metal. I am trying hard NOT to cut into the body of the car but that is one spot that I can't really avoid. With the engine also in place, I have 9.5'' of clearance from the block to frame rail where the radiator sits. The water pump needs at least 6''. I found a radiator on ebay that is crossflow [stock turbo redblock style] but similar dimensions to the upflow stock 1800 radiator [16'' X 20''].

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Northern-20...ash=item5b036ff476:g:QgkAAOSwDk5ULZ79&vxp=mtr

With that radiator, I only have about 1.5''-2'' of space. Standard electric fans with center mount motors will not clear, I have found an alternative and while expensive, I think it will give me enough space to make it all fit with the water pump pulley.

http://www.the-fan-man.com/shop/side-winder-electric-p-176.html?cPath=31

I'm also thinking of running a standard fan, that radiator, and an electric water pump with a machined outlet to fit in place of the water pump.

 
Went to the Bay Area this weekend to go to a couple of Giants games, and do a loop to pick up parts.

Went to Kens to get some stuff for the 140 mostly but he donated a b20 KJet intake manifold in the name of science.

Went to Windsor afterwards, met an old gentlemen who had some nice 1800 stuff he was selling as a lot for $160. I was mostly in it for the near perfect windshield that came out of his 71 1800, but I got a good amount of spares for the 1800 and the 140 to keep and other random bits and bobs I can sell.



Fiddled with the KJet intake today. Initially I was thinking of welding an LH throttle body on the end of it, but after some looking at it I figured it would be easier to swap parts between the two. The throttle plate is the exact same size between the two, the only difference being the LH throttle body has a half moon slot on one end of the shaft for the TPS to mount to.




On one side, I'll just have to weld up a nut along where the casting is in the center with a screw through it to serve as a throttle stop/idle adjustment.

On the other side, it will just be a matter of properly mounting the plate that mounts the TPS. Also need to get new seals that pop around the each end of the shaft


Kinda cool finding out things are not that hard :nod:

Thanks Ken again for the manifold!
 
kjwML42.jpg

aenDQeb.jpg


Needed motivation on this thing, so I bought some slightly used 205/65/15 Uniroyal's and slapped them on the MSW's I've been threatening to sell to fund the rally car.

Speaking of the rally car, I have a 1983 244DL I bought cheap off Crazychopstick. The panels that are not rusted are getting used as backups for the rally car. The car has a really tight B23F [10.3:1!] and since nobody wants my OHC mounts or T5 stuff, I guess I will plan on using it for the ES. I sold the 75 B20 I had for this months ago after I found out it needed more work than expected.
 
So this newfound motivation is [kind of] going places.

The car was repainted by Maaco literally a week after it was purchased in 1973. While I believe they did it in #42 California White, I am not 100% certain. I took the hood to a local auto paint place and had them match it. I only bought a pint, but I think it should be enough to do the spots where the rust repairs were done. My plan down the line is to finish all the nitpicky bodywork like the roof rack holes a few years from now and do a whole paint job.

Also, my significant other works for Specialized Bicycles, which is down the road from Iroll Motors. Had her pick up a windshield seal as well as new trim clips and a few other miscellenous items to complete the outside of the car again. I have a glass guy coming to put the windshield in next week.

HmU0qtEl.jpg


My plan right now is to still work my way from the outside of the car to the inside to make it complete again. Once that is done I should have my drivetrain plans sorted out.

I ended up selling my Bob Foltz upright mounts, as well as my T5 adapter. I am going this weekend to look at a 1994 850 sedan with a thrashed interior and exterior but most importantly an M56. Apparently it runs great and the price is more than right. I am going to drive it for a little bit while I put my C30 down for a new timing belt, water pump, axle and and exhaust system.

Plan with the 850 after that is to strip it and crush it. The M56 swap bits will fetch me back some money, and maybe some other parts too. But the engine as well as the ECU's will be saved for the 1800. It will stay naturally aspirated using the factory engine management, an 850 cluster and an M90 or a T5 behind it.
 
Judging by the gold patches where the trim and accessories were, I'd guess it was a color change.

This.

I had a long conversation with the 95 year old lady [in 2008] I bought it from before I made an offer on the car, because I could tell she had an attachment to the car I wanted to listen. She mentioned they [her and her husband who owned the car] originally wanted a white one, but the dealer had the gold one ready to go. Her husband was part of a jazz group in SF and people in the group joked the gold was too flashy. It also did not stand out enough when they would go duck hunting in the central valley so it went to Maaco to get shot in white.

I kinda actually want to leave it looking the way it is with the white outside and gold jambs/engine bay just as a nod to the original owners before me. Part of what was bugging me when I was trying to sell it was I gave my word to the lady that I would make it really sweet some day. Hope to someday drive it to that house she lived at in hopes that at least her family is still there to see the car.
 
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