:::RHMT::: Real Home Made Turbo
Intro Posts => Intro => Topic started by: awptickes on July 04, 2023, 10:23:28 AM
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I know... The answer is always "yes". Eventually.
So... I always wanted an odd convertible car. I was trolling FB Marketplace and found one. And it looked decent. A 1980 Triumph Spitfire. I read a little more, and apparently it'd been Miata engine/transmission swapped. Cool.
The seller said it smoked a little on warmup, but the smoke went away after it got some heat into it. I didn't know that it had a spectacularly popped head gasket and no coolant, but I tried driving it the 54 miles home anyway. My tow coverage is 50 miles, so all I really had to do was get it 5 miles down the road. I got it 16 miles, the cabin filled with smoke, and I lost all power. Good times.
So, I got it home and saw some good carnage. Then I found a miata head on FB for $140 shipped, slapped it on, and made the thing run again. Now it runs, but it still smokes, this time oil smoke.
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So, I did the valve stem seals. Then I did some little things to make the car a little nicer. Replaced the seat covers, got new gauges from speedhut, and have been driving it a bit.
If I drive it hard it still burns oil, but a lot less. The leakdown is about 10% lost, but it's not horrible to drive. It's very tail-happy, and it runs a 7.58 0-60 MPH, and a 16.19@81 in the quarter, so it's not fast, but it's also not slow.
Also, I must've have really hurt a U-Joint somewhere... Because it makes the u-joint clicking whenever it gets warm. Oops.
(https://i.imgur.com/mB6hKMb.jpg)
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Pics O0
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Hmm. I'm not sure why the photos didn't show...
ah, BBCode woes.
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I like this Spitfire, chassis wiring updated avoid the stereotypical Lucas electronics issues?
Like the Gauges, and the classic look, love the exterior colour.
What ECU/EMU are you using?
When are boosting this?
Future upgrade?
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That thing needs a turbo stat!!
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Love to see a Triumph getting some love.
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That thing needs a turbo stat!!
^this^
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Wiring/Engine Management: It's a complete miata harness, spliced into the Triumph stuff at the spots where it makes sense. Thanks PO!
It's all "stock" miata drivetrain, with a stock spitfire rear diff. 1995.5 Miata engine, transmission, ECU, and harness and a 1980 Spitfire 1500 chassis.
The turbo is coming as soon as I can figure out how to fit it under the hood, which probably won't be until the cold months here in Maryland.
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Wiring/Engine Management: It's a complete miata harness, spliced into the Triumph stuff at the spots where it makes sense. Thanks PO!
It's all "stock" miata drivetrain, with a stock spitfire rear diff. 1995.5 Miata engine, transmission, ECU, and harness and a 1980 Spitfire 1500 chassis.
The turbo is coming as soon as I can figure out how to fit it under the hood, which probably won't be until the cold months here in Maryland.
Any updates, once turbo goes on this thread will be a new addition to our Turbo build database :noel: