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The 25 Year LX Hatch Project

Started by _mikeys_ , Aug 30 2018 03:53 PM

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14 replies to this topic

#1 _mikeys_

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Posted 30 August 2018 - 03:53 PM

G'day again Ladies and Gents, my name is Mike or Keysey, I answer to both and as per the title (and the Introduction Forum) I have had an LX Hatch in my shed for 25 years.

It was originally purchased by me Brother as a broken Opel engined Sunbird with the intention to send it drag racing. A better option appeared before work started, he took that, I took this one to build with my son.

Long story short, he fell in love with Commodores and I adopted the hatch.

It now has a 304 EFI VS engine (185kW ex a VS Clubsport) Tremec T56, 9" CRS chassis kit, Hoppers brakes and Axis power steering.

I am finding the biggest problem to be that the car is really too small for all of that, it seems that in several areas there may be a need for 3 items, eg, headers, steering and subframe, or headers starter motor and subframe and its a case of pick any 2, because 3 won't fit.

Or in the case of the T56, pick floor or trans, because you can't have both!

So, the car, as posted in Introductions.

The front guard is off for minor rust repairs in the engine bay.

This is the trans fit to the floor, at the correct height for driveline angle.

This is the mod. I can give more detail if anyone wants.

And this is the lever position, I was lucky that the trans I got with the Commodore was not the correct one for a VS but fitted well enough to the LX

This was all completed some years ago before there were many options, these days it's simply a matter of going to Mal Wood and asking for the correct extension housing for the application.

More later Guys.

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#2 Bigfella237

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Name:Andrew
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Car:(s) not as many as I'd like but more than I've got space for!
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Posted 30 August 2018 - 04:50 PM

Looks like a really clean shell, Mike. Following with interest...

So any ideas yet on colours? Or wheels? Flared or unflared?

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#3 RallyRed

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Name:Col
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Posted 30 August 2018 - 05:32 PM

nice project mate.

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#4 308 Sunbird

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Name:Stuart
Location:Melbourne
Car:SS Hatch, 308 Sunbird sedan-Improved Prod racer (sold), HZ Kingy wagon
Joined: 20-November 10

Posted 30 August 2018 - 05:52 PM

Gunna be a beauty mate.

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#5 purrlx

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Name:Danny
Location:Gladstone
Car:LX hatch
Joined: 23-December 11

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Posted 30 August 2018 - 07:14 PM

Looks like a good starting point, and welcome

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#6 axistr

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Posted 31 August 2018 - 11:38 AM

Gday Mike, a V8 in a Torana is always a tight fit regardless of any creature comforts, but it it possable to have them all. I have the same driveline in my SLR and was worth all the time spent. It drives better than a VS commodore. Keep up the good work.

Proof it fits.

IMG_20140719_093242_3801359.JPG 246.23K 20 downloads

IMG_20140823_142624_537_11368.JPG 176.55K 16 downloads

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#7 myss427

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Location:Canberra
Car:427 hatch, CV8 Monaro, Ve SSV ute. Was part owner A9X sedan until he sold it without telling me!
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Posted 31 August 2018 - 11:55 AM

Your conversions are always clinical, look factory.

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#8 _mikeys_

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Posted 04 September 2018 - 10:08 PM

Hi and thanks for the positive comments!

And thanks for the photos Axistr (Len?) because it confirms the path I am taking, I have a VT multi rib crank pulley and air conditioner bracket already and have the matching water pump pulley and alternator outer bracket (with the adjuster pulley) coming so I should be able to do something with that.

What power steering pump have you used? I have made an adaptor for the left hand head to use a VL 6 cyl pump and I am trying to move that to the right head as per Commodore.

Haven't looked too closely yet.

For plan A I cut the outer pulley off the VS crank pulley and had an adaptor made to mount the multl rib VL crank pulley.

I do have the headers complete back to the cats, starter and steering in so going ok.

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#9 axistr

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 09:31 AM

Mike, I purchased a 6pk serpentine belt pulley set from summit racing. The pulley set is a Billet Specialities listed for a 350 SBC, (long water pump). The water pump and alternator pulleys bolted straight on. I had to drill the four crank pulley mounting bolt holes because Chev use 3 holes and the Holden harmonic balance have 4.

I also had to move the alternator in towards the engine so it would clear the Torana chassis rail. I used the original VR bracket and mounted the alternator to the closer bolt on the bracket. (see photo). Although the alternator is adjustable I set the alternator as close as I could and tension the belt using an idler pully sourced from a VN V6 commodore.

IMG_20150116_093301_7032753.JPG 300.31K 9 downloads

The A/C bracket is the original VR 5.0lt which I mounted a new Sanden compressor with 6pk pulley. I used the original adjustable belt idler pully but again used a VN V6 idler pully which is flat to suit the belt and run it over the top, I did cut the idler pully off the main bracket and rewelded it in a better position to get more wrap around the A/C compressor pulley (see photo).

IMG_20140912_163804_386_22752.JPG 289.53K 9 downloads

I used the common Saginaw type 2 power steering pump sourced from a Ford BA 6cyl because the reservoir was mounted to the pump and on the right side which suited the application. My hatch also has a Saginaw type 2 pump but is from a Jeep 6cyl same pump but reservoir is on the right.

The pump is attached to an adjustable bracket also from summit racing which they list for a SBC circle track pump bracket. I had to make a spacer plate to mount between the pump and adjustable bracket behind to get the pump to line up with the 6pk serpentine belt. The pump pulley is also a Billet Specialities listed for a Saginaw pump straight shaft press on. Its been over five years since I bought the pulleys so I can member which vehicle the pump pulley was listed for.

IMG_20140719_093055_640_12751.JPG 274.04K 9 downloads

I could have used one 6pk belt to drive all of my accessories but decided to use two belts. One 6pk belt drives the power steering pump and the main belt drives the water pump, alternator and A/C compressor. I haven't had any issues and never have any belt noise or slip. The belts don't have to be very tight to do the job so It does save on a bit of drag.

IMG_20140618_133714_6181360.JPG 291.26K 9 downloads

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#10 _mikeys_

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Posted 05 September 2018 - 12:33 PM

Reply to Bigfella first, sorry Bigfella, it was rude of me not to reply in the last post.

Dark blue for colour, as dark as I can get without being black.

Not metallic, car will be street registered and used for gymkharna, hill climbs etc many of them in country towns so I expect a few rock chips etc, maybe the odd graze from a witch's hat......

No flares at this stage.

Wheels are an issue, I wanted to run 16" max but may have to go 17's. Type of wheel will be simple muscle car type 5 spoke, grey spokes with polished rim, or the minilite type used by some touring cars back in the day.

Thanks Axistr I will study closely your photos and take my broken arm out to see if I can hold the alternator in the same place as yours without getting caught in the shed by my wife.

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#11 _mikeys_

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Posted 14 April 2019 - 10:59 PM

Good evening/morning Ladies and Gents, I am sorry I have not been here for some time but while my broken arm healed quite well, my mangled wrist did not.

I have been back in the shed and having had the time to think and research I have made a bit of progress.

I discovered an alternator that will fit in front of the left cylinder head which leaves the right side of the engine clear for power steering and air con.

The alternator is pad mounted, ie at right angles to the shaft but it fits neatly between the cylinder head bosses and the bracketing is quite straight forward.

I have used a late VT crank pulley as suggested above and fitted the standard late VT air con bracket after measurements indicated that the VL power steering pump would be a good fit direct to the bracket. The bracket is drilled for single bolt from the back and I have cut an access hole in the bracket to fit the bolt.

The pump is deep enough at the rear to give clearance to the lower bolt in to the cylinder head, and I made brackets for the front of the pump, using an old style elbow adjuster.

I wanted to use the existing multirib p/s pulley with the smaller matching crank pulley so used an adapter on the crankshaft to mount the VL pulley.

Some photos will make things clear, I will post this and go back and learn how to post them!

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#12 _mikeys_

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Posted 14 April 2019 - 11:17 PM

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#13 _mikeys_

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Posted 14 April 2019 - 11:22 PM

Ok I am on to it now. Above is a general view of the layout, it's quite compact I think, short belt runs should be stable even when pushed to the dizzy heights of 5,000 rpm....

The power steering belt as you see it is probably 10 to 15mm too long and the alternator around the same. The air con belt is standard VT.

I will go shrink more photos and post them.

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#14 _mikeys_

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Posted 14 April 2019 - 11:45 PM

You can see the alternator bracket is quite simple really, I had a master plan to make the upper bolt the same as the lower, through from cylinder head to the alternator bracket.

Actually had most of it made and then had a brain snap, lets see if the throttle body bits. Ahh no, it didn't. Hence the shorter spacer/bolt and the smaller tab on the outside.

The alternator has a single mounting hole outboard, and under the alternator is another bracket that runs from the bottom mounting boss on the cylinder head under the alternator and secured to it with another 10mm bolt and continues to the outer bracket where it is attached with another 3/8" bolt.

This photo sort of shows the relationship between throttle body and alternator but you can't see the throttle switch and Idle Control Valve hanging down.

For the power steering I started with the pump bolted to the air con bracket and a bit of whipper snipper cord to see what it looked like.

It needed this hole to access the rear bolt due to the way the engine block is cast.

And this is the end result.

The length of the spacers between the bracket and water pump depend on the thickness of the water pump so I fitted a new one before I made them, the pumps do vary in thickness so I will make it a service item maybe yearly and change it out at home so I can remake the spacers if required. If the worst happens there will always be a small machine shop that can make them. What I should have done is bought 3 or 4 , same supplier, same brand to keep in my shed but I didn't think of it fast enough, brain lacks sometimes.

All three idlers are the same, the standard VT air con item which is a standard Dayco part.

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#15 _mikeys_

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Posted 14 April 2019 - 11:57 PM

This is the crank pulley adapter. The photos show a V belt pulley which was the original setup I planned with the pump mounted on the left side before I realized I am old and feeble and needed air con.

The original power steering V pulley has been machined off and a locating register machined inside the pulley, then an adapter made to fit with the same bolts that secure the pulley and the smaller VL pulley bolted to the adapter. I had the VT multi rib pulley modified the same way and used the same spacer.