My RWD C20XE Chevette build

ok, so i decided to start this build. i picked up an XE of burgo and am working towards getting it good. basically going for the big kit of migweb (£450) but getting it of ebay as its a tad cheaper. should get the engine to a good state.

head needs to be skimmed. and some other small bits of work.

just gonna run standard power, maybe a set of fast road cams and a good exhaust manifold.

after ages of trying to decided between, injection or carbs i choose carbs. for a few reasons, i have always wanted a set of 40's or 45's. i love carbs. and there is less wires everywhere so thats all cool. and also i will get away with low emisions. so i am looking for either a set of 40's jetted and choked to the max, or a set of 45's down choked/jetted.

then, im gonna run mega jolt for ignition to make it simpler.

what car, im unsure yet, im keeping my eyes open. but something 70's/80's rear wheel drive. i will make the XE fit in. use a coverter bell housing and then probably a type 9 gearbox and then custom propshaft and then the cars standard rear diff etc. i am loving the viva's, chevetts and early cav's

should be awesome once i have done and a quick toy for me to enjoy

so less of the talking and some first pics of the engine etc etc.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/DSC_2344.jpg
ok so got it on the engine stand and just had a quick fit together to see how it all looks, im liking it.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/DSC_2353.jpg

i know the inlet cam is wrong lol, was just playing about.

no more pics atm, but the head has been stripped of the valve stem seals. and is bare now. going to get it skimmed soon to get rid of the pitting on the bottom side, to make sure it isnt warped and so it makes a good seal with the head gasket.

cleaned up the block, stripped it totally. both faces are good and im gonna buy a honing kit, so i can lighlty hone the bores and remove the slight lip at the top of the bores.

i measured the crankshaft and its all good and not gone oval, and with the shells it looks good. the shells are being replaced btw.

so for now, im concentrating on getting the engine good, while keeping my eyes open for a set of delorto's ( main reason over webers is the dellortos are better for road driving) a cool shell for the Xe to go into and a few bits for my XE, rocker cover, calbelt cover and maybe some fast road cams.

get the pistons pocketed and run some decent lift cams be good to go then.

will have sump ready to go this week too, im flat out trying to get an XE mini finished for 2moz!!:mad:

cheers phillip, the sump will be great.

sump????? as in rwd sump? and martin there is 2 mk1 cavs near you on ebay, one is £200 and has mot and the other is 99p but needs work. the mot'd one is better for a conversion mate. due to gearlever hole etc.

rob

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Originally Posted by Sloth

sump????? as in rwd sump? and martin there is 2 mk1 cavs near you on ebay, one is £200 and has mot and the other is 99p but needs work. the mot'd one is better for a conversion mate. due to gearlever hole etc.

rob

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in a mustard colour. im watching it pal.

but atm, im not really looking out for cars, as a mate is getting a van soon, and he has a trailer and he's not afraid to travel to get cars. so when hegets a tow vechile, i will start looking.

thanks sloth

p.s, no a normal sump.

kool mate, any mk1 cav gen just pm me. have ya thought of a manta? cheap and the later ones are injection so easier to do. just that they rot more lol. but then all cavs disolve badly....

if theres big lips on the bores you may wanna think about a rebore ?

just a small update, i have bought a honing kit, and a valve lapping tool and some paste

the head is being skimmed tomorrow. £32.50, which i thought was a fair price.

then i will have a good clean up of the head. and assemble it.

and im gonna start buying service bits for the engine, like gaskets etc etc

drop steveboyslim a pm over on mig for your rebuild parts mate

is he the one who does the 450 quid kits?

because i worked out, i can get all my bits posted for about 350, as i dont need tensioners, which are about 70

a hole camblet kit is £50 so were does £70 come from, no he dosnet advertise stuff its just word of mouth mate

link to £450 kit ??? seem very expensive to me ???

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Originally Posted by djbrowney

a hole camblet kit is £50 so were does £70 come from, no he dosnet advertise stuff its just word of mouth mate

link to £450 kit ??? seem very expensive to me ???

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this stuff is GM

http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/items...arts-more.html

the very first "kit" of bits

and the 70 quid price is just what i have heard in the past, just saying i dont need them lol

you dont need the steel head gasket complete waste of time, use your old oil pump (check the gears are ok and fit a nylon relife valve) and buy a complete cambelt kit is not worth the risk.

im sure you could buy all the parts your self cheaper from sbs and auto vaux

sorry jav lol

see i dont wanna reus my oil pump incase its over used etc. bt as you say, check it etc.

and i know the tensioners are brand new, so im just gonna buy a cambelt. and yeh gonna start looking at autovaux.

also i am gonna get a tripple layered head gasket, as my head is on the limit because its been skimmed, so it will hopefully get the compression back to somewhere normal and it should stop some valve/piston love making

the steel gaskets are no thicker than a standard one mate, jut check your oil pump i would rather use that than a pattern part one any day !!!

just for the record a new gm oil pump is £197 on it own plus the vat from auto vaux i darent even ring vauxhall lol

Ok, i got paid, so the head has been sent away to be skimmed and i am getting it back tomorrow night, the guy said he couldnt take away all the pitting, but it will be ok.

i ordered:
valve lapping tool
honing kit
head gasket set
bottom end gasket set
bonded baffle plate
main bearings
big end bearings
plugs
water pump
cool running thermo
timing belt
head bolts

just waiting for it all to turn up.

also been reading into Mega jolt
and found some useful links for information and parts

for a mini, but same principle

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums...howtopic=51065

http://www.autosportlabs.net/index.p..._Users_Welcome

and AF racing who do kits
http://www.afracing.co.uk/MJ/index.htm

also, been looking into the oil pump situation,

and think im just gonna measure my one and then fit a relief valve as mentioned above from SBD, their code is OS-NV-1-K and price is 49.95 which i dont think is to bad, because if my gears are ok, and i fit this for 50 quid, it saves me buying a aftermarket one for 50 quid.

good times.

Meh, fook the nylon relief valve, more hassle than they are worth IMO

MJ kits
http://trigger-wheels.com/store/

Most difficult part is mounting a 36-1 trigger wheel/ford crank sensor

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam

Meh, fook the nylon relief valve, more hassle than they are worth IMO

MJ kits
http://trigger-wheels.com/store/

Most difficult part is mounting a 36-1 trigger wheel/ford crank sensor

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ok, thanks adam, what does the valve do?? from sbd?

i see no big end/main bolts ???

Quote:

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Originally Posted by djbrowney

i see no big end/main bolts ???

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correct,

i am unsure yet to go for ARP's or just normal.

should they always be replaced?

and i doubt i will run ARP's as im not aiming for any high power so...

they say to measure them iirc but i dont have that book they all follow so i just replace them, no need for arp if you dont want to rev the tits off it but they are a small insurance lol

any pics of the head now?

hey guys
i got the head back today, and the guy let me down yesterday.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/DSC_2541.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/DSC_2542.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/DSC_2544.jpg

it was pitted, thats why i got it skimmed, and it has lost alot of the pitting, but some still remains. the guy who skimmed it said it would be fine as long as it doesnt go into the seal ring.

and also some new parts arrived, a valve lapping tool and paste
head bolts

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/DSC_2547.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...e/DSC_2549.jpg

waiting for more mr postman now.

Nice work :thumb:

Sorted a car yet? :p

thanks dude,

nah i havent sorted a car, yet. i will start to look in the future when the engine is good. and ready

not sure what to go for, something rear wheel drive, and small and light. doesnt have to be vauxhall

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bmw156

and small and light. doesnt have to be vauxhall

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http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_abjdfre12M...20/p50sale.jpg
:thumb:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by srnova89

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_abjdfre12M...20/p50sale.jpg
:thumb:

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consider it done lollollollol

ok, got through a cold running thermostat, 82 deg rather then 92 deg.

a baffle plate with bonded gasket.
just a quick question, do i still need any other gaskets with this bonded gasket?

what do you want? id buy mikes corsa tbh. ideal for a conversion.:thumb:

nah, im going for RWD, i saw mikes corsa, but as i said i want something which started out as RWD, like a mk1 cav or something from that era.

go get a morris marina, ital, or trumph dolomite, or hilman avenger.

i have been looking at the dolmites and they are going quite cheap. up to about 500 quid. and will have a look at the others.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bmw156

just a quick question, do i still need any other gaskets with this bonded gasket?

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no mate

Quote:

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Originally Posted by yayoboy

no mate

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thanks dude.:thumb:

avengers use alot of the same components as a mk2 escort, so lots of trick bits available.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sloth

avengers use alot of the same components as a mk2 escort, so lots of trick bits available.

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oooooo thats cool.

tbh tho it doesnt matter what i buy, i will just cut in a type 9 box, and make the rest fit lol .

i wouldnt bother with a type 9, just use a r25 from an omega. far cheaper, and bolts straight up.

oooooo and is the right way for RWD

yup. they go for £30 up. just get the gearlever housing, and the prop and get it cut and welded.