Convincing Sleepers.

[18436572]

Everyone loves a good sleeper, but not many are 100% convincing. I seem to remember a black Austin A35 a few years ago that looked totally original from the outside but had a hot Zetec under the bonnet and a 103e Popular with Cosworth running gear - looked completely standard from the outside...
So... Post up what you've seen and snapped...

[Deleted]

450sel with a 560sec engine conversion


wheels give it away abit but 2.3l with a decent 2.8 conversion : )


was mad selling this : ( let it go for £300 aswell!!! (with brand new exhaust system) debadged soon after getting it xr4x4i with a specialist engineering 3.1 conversion

[fred]

My old 'Tina looked stock
but ran a 24v 2.9 cossie lump in her

[fred]

And I wish for her to be mine again !

[mikeymk]

I've searched far and wide for the parts to ensure mine looks as near as possible to the standard 55bhp car it was when new, but the circa 140bhp bike-carbed 1.6 16v lump has it surprising modern TDi drivers to such an extent i have to take particular care.

Period photos of this exact model..



Mine..

[Mantasport]

The one that always sticks in my mind is Juha Kankkunen's 1929 Model A


It had a ground up rebuild and looks totally stock, if you hear it running it sounds like the original engine as its spluttering and coughing.


But its no where near stock in the places that matter.
You get your first hint when Juha (the 4 times world rally champion) flicks the switch on the gearlever to turn off the misfire mode.
Then the works spec BDA engine comes to life, all 250bhp of it (Juha's favorite engine from his time driving works mk2 escorts) thats connected to a close ratio ZF rally box and a 4 link live axle in back.



The wheels are custom alloy replicas to look like the original wooden ones, the suspension has all been redone at the rear but unless your a Model A buff it doesn't stand out as having been changed
The engine is all dressed up to look period and even has fake spark plugs on top that look like the originals


There's a good right up and video on
HOTROD.com Full Build

Oh and if you want to loose a lot of time have a look HERE at MAT who built the A and many other cars. I especially recommend the rebuild of the ex-works toyota celica found in a forest somewhere i think. Then rebuilt to original spec for Juha's collection

[hamps]

Sept 6, 2013 8:58:52 GMT Mantasport said:

The one that always sticks in my mind is Juha Kankkunen's 1929 Model A

EPIC Now that is a sleeper.

[keithyboy]

Sept 6, 2013 8:58:52 GMT Mantasport said:

The one that always sticks in my mind is Juha Kankkunen's 1929 Model A


It had a ground up rebuild and looks totally stock, if you hear it running it sounds like the original engine as its spluttering and coughing.


But its no where near stock in the places that matter.
You get your first hint when Juha (the 4 times world rally champion) flicks the switch on the gearlever to turn off the misfire mode.
Then the works spec BDA engine comes to life, all 250bhp of it (Juha's favorite engine from his time driving works mk2 escorts) thats connected to a close ratio ZF rally box and a 4 link live axle in back.



The wheels are custom alloy replicas to look like the original wooden ones, the suspension has all been redone at the rear but unless your a Model A buff it doesn't stand out as having been changed
The engine is all dressed up to look period and even has fake spark plugs on top that look like the originals


There's a good right up and video on
HOTROD.com Full Build

Oh and if you want to loose a lot of time have a look HERE at MAT who built the A and many other cars. I especially recommend the rebuild of the ex-works toyota celica found in a forest somewhere I think. Then rebuilt to original spec for Juha's collection

I'll be reading that when I get home.

I have plans for a sleeper of my own. My idea is to take one of these:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251329372663?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_55wt_1162

Ideally in poverty spec with wheeltrims like that one and get it remapped to approx 230BHP. A few RSPB/Friends of the Earth/Greenpeace stickers in the back window for effect and Bob's yer uncle.

[Dez]

I don't think that A is as much of a sleeper as they seem to think, the 'wooden' wheels stand out a mile to anyone who knows the first thing about model As, as they only ever came with skinny 21" wires (on passenger cars anyway) so it's a pretty big clue to something not being as it should, so the only person it would really fool is a layman who knows nothing about vintage cars.

I also fail to see how a car that came with a 4l v8 or 2.3l v6 from the factory can be considered a 'sleeper'. Sleepers by their very definition need to be povvo spec models with lowest levels of trim and smallest engines. A 4l luxury saloon isn't a sleeper.

[moggyman]

Spotted this on Rods'n'Sods

[popuptoaster]

Sept 5, 2013 23:38:25 GMT fred said:

My old 'Tina looked stock
but ran a 24v 2.9 cossie lump in her

Mine would have done when painted as well, I even had a stock 2.3 back box on it.

and yes I really want it back as well, suprised the fook out of me that engine, absolutely awesome in a light car with a manual gearbox.

[18436572]

The white Hillman Minx..............

Now THAT is a sleeper!!!!!!

[dave80]

[The Transplanter]

2.7 Bi Turbo Audi S4 motor (in the back)

[The Transplanter]

And 10 years ago, before Caddys got popular, my 2.8 VR6 Turbo was sleeper

[TopJobHobNob]

ahem.

and...

[Spud_133]

My little beige mini, running a 1293, 276 cam, twin hif4s and is chucking out more than 90 bananas. Certainly enough to leave a few people looking confused.

[craig1010cc]

Sept 6, 2013 9:59:17 GMT Dez said:

I don't think that A is as much of a sleeper as they seem to think, the 'wooden' wheels stand out a mile to anyone who knows the first thing about model As, as they only ever came with skinny 21" wires (on passenger cars anyway) so it's a pretty big clue to something not being as it should, so the only person it would really fool is a layman who knows nothing about vintage cars.

I also fail to see how a car that came with a 4l v8 or 2.3l v6 from the factory can be considered a 'sleeper'. Sleepers by their very definition need to be povvo spec models with lowest levels of trim and smallest engines. A 4l luxury saloon isn't a sleeper.

I have to say I disagree with you there Dez. I think that just about all cars that have been shown here, too most people that are clued up on that car they will spot a few things that would make them take another look.

And I don't agree that it has to be the lowest spec/ tiny engined models either, I recon that a stock looking Nova GTE running a 300bhp LET in it would definately qualify (even though I agree if it looked like a 1.0 merit it would be better). At the end of the day, to 99% of drivers out there, if they pulled up alongside that Model A, they would expect to pull away from it with some ease so that to me makes it a perfect sleeper (although I agree it would look better on wires)

[TurboDieselWeasel]

&



^700HP, Audi Quattro AWD drive train. Build thread: forum.savarturbo.se/viewtopic.php?t=11084&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[HoTWire]

That Saab is another one of those "one day" cars for The Gathering