There are some excellent Tiger's out there and a wealth of knowledge on the forum but there must be things you would have done differently if you could go back to an un-modified car and start from scratch?
Many thanks in advance
JB
Fast road Tiger - please comment
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guest tiger
Fast road Tiger - please comment
Please don't make this another 250 views, 1 reply, I need ideas!Please give me some ideas: If you had a starting budget of £1000 to spend on an almost stock Mk1 Tiger, what would you buy? She has had a full rebuild, paint,re-trim, Koni shock's and uprated springs and a KN filter. The engine has been rebuilt but is standard manifold, Ford autolite and points in the distributor. She is ready to develop. I would like to keep the standard look from the outside but have a very fast/reliable road car.
There are some excellent Tiger's out there and a wealth of knowledge on the forum but there must be things you would have done differently if you could go back to an un-modified car and start from scratch?
Many thanks in advance
JB
There are some excellent Tiger's out there and a wealth of knowledge on the forum but there must be things you would have done differently if you could go back to an un-modified car and start from scratch?
Many thanks in advance
JB
JB,
I hope this topic does provoke more replies from the shy folk of STOC...
From my experience of modifying a stock Mk1: If you take the car as is on track days, you'll quickly notice that it goes quite well, but doesn't stop more than once per session, and quite possibly melts the grease in your wheel bearings if you try. Consider a vented disc conversion, I believe Capri Mk1 discs are the cheap option, and even fit within steel wheels. No doubt any of the UK Sunbeam specialists can advise further.
For reliability I'd swap points for Ignitor electronic ignition or a complete electronic disi - if it's a 2nd hand Malory, make sure it's Hall Effect as my photosensor version kept dying.
Swapping the dynamo for an alternator is quite common, I think mine is from a Metro but again I hope someone of a more technical bent can clarify.
With better brakes the car will stand on its front end quite embarrassingly, I have 800lb front springs in mine now (I think) and I can't say I noticed any deterioration in ride quality, but then subtlety and sensitivity were never my strong points.
Engine? Swapping the choking 4-into-1 exhaust manifolds for tubular headers is one thing you can do within budget, maybe leaving enough for a Holley carb, but whether that really makes difference to your BHP with the standard inlet manifold I don't know.
Come on STOC, must be lots more intelligent ideas out there!
Depending where you are the regional meets are also a good place to discuss such things in enthusiastic company.
Good luck trying to keep to your budget!
The Slowest Tiger on Track
I hope this topic does provoke more replies from the shy folk of STOC...
From my experience of modifying a stock Mk1: If you take the car as is on track days, you'll quickly notice that it goes quite well, but doesn't stop more than once per session, and quite possibly melts the grease in your wheel bearings if you try. Consider a vented disc conversion, I believe Capri Mk1 discs are the cheap option, and even fit within steel wheels. No doubt any of the UK Sunbeam specialists can advise further.
For reliability I'd swap points for Ignitor electronic ignition or a complete electronic disi - if it's a 2nd hand Malory, make sure it's Hall Effect as my photosensor version kept dying.
Swapping the dynamo for an alternator is quite common, I think mine is from a Metro but again I hope someone of a more technical bent can clarify.
With better brakes the car will stand on its front end quite embarrassingly, I have 800lb front springs in mine now (I think) and I can't say I noticed any deterioration in ride quality, but then subtlety and sensitivity were never my strong points.
Engine? Swapping the choking 4-into-1 exhaust manifolds for tubular headers is one thing you can do within budget, maybe leaving enough for a Holley carb, but whether that really makes difference to your BHP with the standard inlet manifold I don't know.
Come on STOC, must be lots more intelligent ideas out there!
Depending where you are the regional meets are also a good place to discuss such things in enthusiastic company.
Good luck trying to keep to your budget!
The Slowest Tiger on Track
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JB
Swapping the Autolite 2-barrel and intake manifold for a 4-barrel setup seems to me the first step for more HP. I picked up a Mustang manifold and some used Holleys for peanuts (but haven't fitted them yet). I suspect that getting the Holley optimal may not be so easy though; not sure of the best size for a stock 260 engine. I have a 450 and a 600, but I think the 450 will be best as the 260 heads do not have the bigger valves and ports of the 289/302 engines, so they will limit ultimate gas flow. If you just swap heads, the problem is most 289/302 heads have larger chambers, so will give lower compression ratio; so you would also have to change pistons I suppose. By the time you have messed around its probably better to go for a complete 289 or 302 engine (probably then need an adaptor to fit the 5 bolt bell housing to the 6 bolt engine).
A pity there doesnt seems to be info on what the effects of simplyuprating inlet or exhaust parts. Is it really worth it?
A pity there doesnt seems to be info on what the effects of simplyuprating inlet or exhaust parts. Is it really worth it?
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Guest JB
I was looking at a 500 cfm holley, the exchange rate in the US is pretty good at the moment and there are some good deals about. Maybe a new carb, inlet manifold, exhaust and vented discs is the way to go! It is interesting though, where do you stop? What are the limits of a 260? I would imagine a well set up and tuned 260 will give a bigger CC unit a run for it's money!
Good to see some replies for a change! Thanks.
Good to see some replies for a change! Thanks.
Hi guys, for what its worth, I started with a stock 260, well wellied I believe by previous owner, and first had headers fitted, by Ian Richardson Racing in Bedfordshire. (probably well retired by now !!)
The noticeable difference was it revved easier, but don't forget, the 260 is not intended to rev much above 4,800, the push-in rocker studs will lift out !
Going the route of a bigger carb is next, but it is too easy to go too big, and lose all the low-down torque, which is the Tiger's forte; I had an Edelbrock F4B dual -plane manifold fitted, along with a Holley 650 cfm vacuum secondaries, but feel that was too much. Top speed and top end acceleration improved, but bottom end torque dropped off.
Probably the 500cfm would have been the better choice.
This is how the car is today, I believe, in the hands of Dave Wynne.
The noticeable difference was it revved easier, but don't forget, the 260 is not intended to rev much above 4,800, the push-in rocker studs will lift out !
Going the route of a bigger carb is next, but it is too easy to go too big, and lose all the low-down torque, which is the Tiger's forte; I had an Edelbrock F4B dual -plane manifold fitted, along with a Holley 650 cfm vacuum secondaries, but feel that was too much. Top speed and top end acceleration improved, but bottom end torque dropped off.
Probably the 500cfm would have been the better choice.
This is how the car is today, I believe, in the hands of Dave Wynne.
I would always change the engine to a 5.0 HO for getting more power.
It is too expensive to tune a 260 engine in the same way than a 302.
If you take the bellhousing from the 302/5.0 HO, it is easy to get the transmission fixed on the bellhousing. You only need a small ring and 4 new holes for the screws.
I had a 260 engine with headers, 4 barrel intake, a 600 holley and only get 165 DIN-PS on the dyno.
The problem of the 260 are the heads with the small valves and intake and exhaust runners. With other heads you always have the problem with the bigger combustion chambers.
Other brakes are a good thing, but you can drive with the original also.
I have a really strong 331 engine with original breakes and no problems, as I do not drive faster with the stronger engine than with the 260. It is only much more funny to drive in the same speedrange with the double power.
But I have ordered now vented discs for the front by dales restaurations, as this is a cheap change and it makes the brakes a little more save.
So if I had 1500 Euros, I would look to get a running 5.0 HO, good headers, a 4-barrel intake (weiand stealth), a 600er holley vacuum secondary and a mallory pointless ignition.
I you do all the work on yourselve, look for cheap parts I think this will work for your money.
regards
Hans from Bavaria
It is too expensive to tune a 260 engine in the same way than a 302.
If you take the bellhousing from the 302/5.0 HO, it is easy to get the transmission fixed on the bellhousing. You only need a small ring and 4 new holes for the screws.
I had a 260 engine with headers, 4 barrel intake, a 600 holley and only get 165 DIN-PS on the dyno.
The problem of the 260 are the heads with the small valves and intake and exhaust runners. With other heads you always have the problem with the bigger combustion chambers.
Other brakes are a good thing, but you can drive with the original also.
I have a really strong 331 engine with original breakes and no problems, as I do not drive faster with the stronger engine than with the 260. It is only much more funny to drive in the same speedrange with the double power.
But I have ordered now vented discs for the front by dales restaurations, as this is a cheap change and it makes the brakes a little more save.
So if I had 1500 Euros, I would look to get a running 5.0 HO, good headers, a 4-barrel intake (weiand stealth), a 600er holley vacuum secondary and a mallory pointless ignition.
I you do all the work on yourselve, look for cheap parts I think this will work for your money.
regards
Hans from Bavaria
Sunbeam Tiger MK1 with 357 strokerengine, really funny.