Av it! (Roots knowlage please??)

[slater]

If you havent put two and two together yet, me and Mr
Pandamonium swapped cars.

I'm pretty new to this Roots/Chrysler game but I'm after some 'upgade' ideas? Are there any options for 'keeping it in a family' (Lotus Sunbeam? )

One thing I'm really after in the short term is a taller diff! do they exist?

Not had much luck searching in the usual places! cant belive these cars don't have a following out there? they curse word all over anything thats ever came out of a ford factory!









point me in the direction of some useful info!

[R3TR0_R0B]

Cool car and very nice color, never seen one of these before.

Btw, was it you that drove through that field?

[briandamaged]

IIRC Avenger/Sunbeam auto diffs were higher ratio.

Type 9 Ford box used to be a popular swap for the rally boys back in the 80's, Skip Brown Cars up in Cheshire used to do a bellhousing kit, but I'm sure a man of your calibre could knock one up.

140bhp is about the limit of the stock 1600 pushrod.

Lotus Sunbeam running gear works well, Chrysler Competitions Dept built several Lotus-powered Avenger estates to use as chase cars for the Rally Team in the late 70's. Seth took a pic of one of the survivors at Race Retro this year.

And if you haven't already done it, weld some strips of steel across the top of the rear spring pans to strengthen them. Even with a stock 1600 a bit of spirited driving will fold them like paper.

[impmann]

There's a Avenger that used to do the rounds with a RedTop VX engine feedling a Type9 gearbox (from memory) - now that was brown-trowser quick and thanks to having the correct Bilsteins and works springs, it cornered like it was on rails - with a bit of tail swing action, baby.

Ace cars.

[B-8-D]

if u want to keep it in the famly(ish lotus route..)
i know for a few old healy engines same as lotus but ally and 2l..
prob need rebild from sitting but 3 engines some strippege and much "layed-up-in-a-shed-for-many-years-ness"...
but last i heard he wanted 100 quid.....
si

[Davenger]

The owners club will be a good source of parts, keep meaning to join myself
www.asoc.co.uk/

[av8enger]

as said the asoc has all you will ever need for these,contacts for mal stuart motorsport,skip browns,and all sunbeam stuff also range of diffs available from the 1250 model right through to estate diffs and 5.1's(rare) for rallying you have made a wise chioce my friend(I'm biased have 4 and a lotus sunbeam) enjoy!!

[slater]

Il keep my eye out for an auto diff, i suspected they might be a likely source!

To be honest i don't have much time to do a major conversion now but i might do a bit of pepping up of the old pushrod lump if thats the best engine they did that will just 'bolt up'. I'm tempted to hang a couple of throttle bodies off it simply for economy rather than power! If anyone had a decent exhaust manifold going spare thats where i want to start!, head swap will probably free up alot of power and mpg too.

Further than that your talking swapping everything to ford bits, type 9 and a x-flow or something i guess. Id fancy a Zetec SE in it but its just too much work. Got to keep it sensible for now.

[briandamaged]

Sunbeam Ti uses same 1600 pushrod lump, albeit with Duplex timing, forged pistons, big valve head and twin 40's, to push out 100bhp. Avenger Tiger was the same, but based on the earlier (and sweeter, it's been said) 1500 block.

Old Grp2 rally bits are about, but predictably expensive now.

My old Avenger ran a big-valve Grp2 head, Ti bottom end and chucked out 109 horses (about 125 flywheel) at the back wheels on 40's, but did 14mpg (this was 1987, I could afford it back then). A switch to a pair of 175 Strombergs on a modified Avenger GT manifold upped it to 35MPG+ and TBH it wasn't THAT much slower. Didn't sound as good though!!!!

You noticed one thing straight away though. A stock Avenger will run rings round any of its (stock) Ford rivals handling-wise.

[Seth]

Looking great there Slater. Those the rims off your Fiesta?

(I have minimal relevant Rootes knowledge...)

[Davenger]

I've got a twin carb manifold if you want it, I'm switching to a Nikki twin choke

[slater]

strombergs or webbers? might come in handy either way attualy!

They are indeed the fiesta rims, thought i better use them before the tyres go too hard. Not quite wide enough really!

[mk14dr]

Very nice Mr Slater, this gave me the horn when Pandamonium had it and it looks even more the part on those allycats.
Also, I can believe that they handle better than any standard Ford, they wouldn't have to try very hard after all
Should go well with the planned zetecS lump.

[Keefy]

thats one sweet looking ride!

[Davenger]

Strombergs

[alolympic]

I can be of no real help I'm afraid, although I did use to own a Sunbeam Rapier.
Just want to say, that car looks fantastic. Loving the Allycats, on Yokohama's if I am not mistaken.

[gotwood]

I don't know much about Avengers but i know it would confuse the hell out of a few people if you rebadged it as a Volkswagen Dodge 1500 and hit the VW shows in it ...

[suterman]

looks great! you could try some taller profile tyres maybe.

[Fennec]

Knew I'd like what you'd do to it!
Looking good.

[trigger]

Didn't know you had it now, Looks much better with them wheels on.

I've got a autobooks manual in the garage for one of these, If you want it, It's yours.