2.0s-to-2.3lpt

[Dirty Rooster]

Originally Posted by peteroliver

I have a 2.3 lpt 1998 celebration auto with bodywork that needs quite a lot of attention and a 1994 2.0s auto with engine troubles but a good shell. I am thinking of putting the celebration runningear in the 2.0s and realise that I would change engine/gearbox/back axle. My concern is converting from non turbo to turbo engine and loom layout etc. I wondered if another member had carried out this conversion and the problems encountered.

Reading between the lines I feel you like the way your 1998 runs but wish it had non-rusty bodywork.

How about spending the "engine swap" time on doing up the bodywork and continuing to enjoy the car.

[peteroliver]

There is minor damage to both front wings, both nearside doors, lacquer peeling in a few places and bubbling rust behind the top of the windscreen seal. This rust was probably caused by a windscreen being replaced by a careless fitter and scraped the paint, in fact it has now cracked the screen. I have been advised to repair this would involve removal of the windscreen, drop the front of the headlining and weld new metal. He wasn't sure if the headlining would go back.
I came to this decision based on the above and thought it might be worth a go.

[peteroliver]

Just to add to the above that since I purchased to car it has had in the last five years;
Gearbox mount
Discs and pads allround
Propshaft support and bearing
Auto box fluid change twice
Steering Pump
Thermostat
Nirvomats
Auriga alloys
Cap,arm,leads
The usual plugs and always Volvo oil filter
Door cards fine
Mechanically the car is really good.

[Laird Scooby]

Reading that lot takes me back to a suggestion i made earlier, buy another car similar but without body problems and swap the good bits onto it, keep the rest for spares and sell the other one with the duff engine.

That's a hell of a lot of bodywork, if the welder can fix the roof properly there's no reason the headlining shouldn't fit but might be a bit out of line slightly.

That said you're into a four figure sum for the paintwork afterwards to make it look half decent unless you can spray it yourself. Even then it's going to be the sharp end of a grand to have the screen removed, front of the roof welded and so on.

As such, much better to buy a car similar (in terms of model, year etc) with good bodywork but a blown engine and/or box and swap yours into it and transfer the other good bits at your leisure.

[peteroliver]

So rather than buy another car another car, I transfer seats, wood trim, aurigas and nirvomats/springs then all I need to buy is either a 2.3 n/a block or engine.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by peteroliver

So rather than buy another car another car, I transfer seats, wood trim, aurigas and nirvomats/springs then all I need to buy is either a 2.3 n/a block or engine.

I suppose that's another option - probably cheaper to buy a complete car than an engine from someone else breaking a car for spares though.

For example, i bought a car for spares a few years ago for £100. The engine was no good to me (wrong sort) and the same with the gearbox. Engine sold For £100 and the gearbox for £75 plus a whole host of other stuff that wasn't any use to me.

I bought it for the front bumper and bonnet which i'd been quoted a total of £140 to buy from someone else breaking another car and then i would have had to get them painted the right colour. The car i bought was the right colour for what i needed.

I can't say which method is going to work best for you, just trying to give you a few different options/scenarios to help you decide what you think will work best.

[peteroliver]

Yes, plan to look for either car or engine. Now being semi-retired and haven't done a project like this for years. In my youth have built two Beach buggies, Beetle with turbo/nitrous/water injected and in the late 70's I had a nice modified 1800s which I wish I still owned but marriage and mortgage disposit came first. So looking forward to unlock tool box.
Just had a thought wonder if I can convert rear window to electric.
Many thanks.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by peteroliver

Yes, plan to look for either car or engine. Now being semi-retired and haven't done a project like this for years. In my youth have built two Beach buggies, Beetle with turbo/nitrous/water injected and in the late 70's I had a nice modified 1800s which I wish I still owned but marriage and mortgage disposit came first. So looking forward to unlock tool box.
Just had a thought wonder if I can convert rear window to electric.
Many thanks.

The electric window conversion should be possible, obviously you'll need the switches, motors regulators etc and probably the door cards as well.

If you don't have the door cards you'll need to come up with a novel way of filling the hole where the manual winder currently is, this would be my first thought :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boat-Car-...sAAOSwHtJaiCHb

A round USB socket where the winder was, i'm guessing you've probably got grandchildren if you're semi-retired and they've probably got phones, games etc that run on USB power so would be a useful addition if so.
If not and you regularly transport rear seat passengers, they've probably got phones, tablets or whatever so similar would apply.

Ideally you'll want the loom too although you may find you've got the loom already there, just not connected to anything.

" in the late 70's I had a nice modified 1800s" - A Volvo P1800S or a BMC/Austin/Morris/Wolseley 1800S?

I've done a fair few modified cars in my time, last one was a 2.0 16v Montego which earned the nickname "Pepperami" for being "a bit of an animal"!
Upset many people with that including a Porsche 928 driver!

[peteroliver]

The electric rear window parts can come of my other car but will look in this next week. Have change the wood dash trim form my Celebration looks good, installed the black trim back on the other car for now.
I had a 1966 Volvo 1800s and at 100,000 rebuilt the engine which was excellent apart from no3 piston ring broken. Head gas-flowed balanced not sure what valves were used, Stage 1 David Newman Cam and rest of the engine had new bearings honed and balanced, went well. Most of the work was done by Malcolm Prior at Strand Garages Services in 1977. Malcolm was quite a successful racing driver but moved to Hart Racing Performance who became famous for making the Triumph Stag V8 engine reliable. I also fitted to my 1800s a set Koni Shocks which really suited and improved ride and handling. I would love another 1800s but funds don't allow so in the next few months going to look for a mk1 c70 coupe instead.

[Laird Scooby]

Going off at a slight tangent and it may sounds strange at first but i'm kind of glad you can't afford another P1800.

I had a Mk1 Cavalier Coupé in my late teens/early 20s and that ended up with a Piper Magnum 285/2 camshaft (very fast road/rally), 38DGAS carb (ex 3-litre Capri, jetted to suit) and a few other mods including a hybrid Jetex/Janspeed exhaust system. That was very quick, would outgun and outrun the Manta GT/E without breaking sweat, it also did the same to a 3.0 Senator which turned out to be an unmarked police car as i discovered when i slowed down.

Anyway, i swapped it for an SD1 V8 and a year or so later, swapped something else with the original owner of the SD1 to get my Cavalier back again.

It just wasn't the same the second time around, still went like the clappers but it was missing something somehow. I ended up disappointed and sort of resenting it for quite a while.
I was young then and bounced back from that fairly quickly but none of us are any younger these days and i wouldn't like to think of you being disappointed by another P1800 that for whatever reason, didn't quite measure up to your first.

Much better IMHO to move on with another worthwhile project!