Fitting a radiator after a motor swap

[NZJLY]

Greetings all, we have a wee problem you may be able to help with. Bluebell, my sons 52 minor had a bit of a heart attack and its motor (803 side valve) is in a sad way.

We have a spare 950 motor and box that we have fitted (sort of) and it is in, bolted in on the engine and gearbox mounts. One of our challenges to fix is that if we put the fan back on, it will be sitting in the radiator, as the motor is sitting so far forward. It cant go back without moving the mounts and chopping into the firewall (ain’t much room back there).

I would like to ask how others have solved this problem, which may be the first of many

Thanks

[bmcecosse]

The 803 was not a side valve - it was 918 cc if I remember correctly. I guess you will need to fit the later radiator intended for the 948 engine - but you may need a later front panel to do so - or make up your own brackets to hold the rad. There should be stacks of room !

[NZJLY]

She's a sidevalve, so must be the 918. We have the later radiator, and it fits after modifying a panel we had lying around (grinders are wonderful things ) but there is no room to fit the fan (there is around half an inch between the pulley bolts (waterpump) and the core of the radiator . Do you think I will get a better fit by using a later model grill? Thanks
John

[bmcecosse]

Well maybe - but is the engine far enough back ? The heater valve should be just about touching the battery box !! I doubt the grille will make much difference but I am not an expert in the early Minors. Be sure you have the cable correctly fitted at the gearbox rear mounting - this is to stop the engine 'leaning' forward when braking and destroying the radiator. You could always fit an electric fan - but 1/2" is not enough clearance from the water pump.

[Kevin]

You could always fit an electric fan - but 1/2" is not enough clearance from the water pump.

But a slim one can be front mounted if its the blow rather than suck type of fan.

[NZJLY]

It is as far back as it will fit, any further back and it would be mounted in the front seat

Looks like I will be fitting an electric fan - any ideas on what will fit 'tween grill and core, and will a generator run it - or is it time to source an alternator?

(wanders off into the sunset mumbling about old cars... )

[Cam]

Have you got any pictures of the positions? Are you using the original engine mounting towers or the later A-series types?

Also, is your car an MM bodyshell or a series II bodyshell? (the last MMs used the series II 'shell). The MM ones have a perfectly straight bulkhead crossmember and the front shock absorbers have the upper mounts bolted to a plate that sits up higher than the crossmember. The series II bodyshell has an indent in the bulkhead crossmember to allow for the slightly longer A-series engine and has the front shock absorbers mounted slightly lower down and all 4 mounting bolts are through the crossmember.

If you let us know some more info, it might shed some light on the problem. You SHOULD be able to fit the later radiator and fan without problems.

[bmcecosse]

The 1/2" I was worried about is the clearance between the waterpump pulley and the radiator core !! It will move forward and eat a hole in the rad !! So 1/2" is NOT enough.

[NZJLY]

The bulkhead cross member is straight (if I am looking at the right bit ), and there is maybe 1/2 inch between the gearbox and the firewall, so I assume it is the earlier body (with the shorter motor ). We have taken the motor out to drill the holes in the (monocot) chassis rail to mount the clutch support bracket so he can change gear (most useful thing to do ), but will try to post some pictures of the motor in position.
For those who have modified, how have you done the cooling?

[bmcecosse]

If you sit the unit a bit lower - can it then go further back ?

[NZJLY]

Probably, then do we change the mounts? We have the 950 ones currently. It may make the driveshaft fit a bit better, as it ain't what I would call a snug fit.

[NZJLY]

We have done it a different way. Tried a metro radiator and fan, but too much like hard work to fit with no real gain. So instead we have welded the fan onto the pulley about halfway down). We are new to this welding thing, so please be nice about the weld quality . Not sure how to post the pic but hopefully someone will have better skills than mine.
[img] http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_f ... o=25712435

The other image is the back of the engine bay, to show the lack of gap there
[img] http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_f ... o=25712436

Must go, somewhere along the line we had a short in the system, and it burned through the starter cable Boy that was fun...