1954 Austin Somerset MX5 swap

[v8jim]

My Mrs and I have got ourselves a joint project to work on, being a mechanical engineer she knows how it all works but hasn’t had the hands on old car tinkering experience so we bought Giles.
The aim for this one is to leave the exterior as is but rebuild/upgrade the running gear to make a really useable old car that we can drive all over the country and maybe even the other side of the channel




















































We didn’t rescue it from this old garage we got it from the guy who did. It had been abandoned untouched in here since 1979

[horrido]

Cool. Didn't know these came with a factory sunroof. Nice touch. Hopefully some MGB gear will be adaptable to the car.

[theoldman]

Turbocharged T-Series and an LT77 will drop in there nicely.

[v8jim]

Not sure what I’m going to put in yet but I hadn’t thought about a T series

[daddyshortlegs]

Mine also has a factory rain roof, the 1800 "B' series will fit if you modify the front chassis member, A70 Hereford differential, speedo' & brakes were the usual upgrades but hard to come by now.

[v8jim]

Sept 1, 2021 18:21:38 GMT daddyshortlegs said:

Mine also has a factory rain roof, the 1800 "B' series will fit if you modify the front chassis member, A70 Hereford differential, speedo' & brakes were the usual upgrades but hard to come by now.

The B series is the obvious choice and with the right gearing should make a nice car but is it too obvious?? If I find one locally at a good price I’d probably buy it but can’t help thinking perhaps I should put something more unusual in it

[MiataMark]

Wouldn't the obvious (not very unusual) more modern choice be MX5 engine/gearbox?

[v8ian]

Zetec and Type 9, gearboxes are more expensive than the engines at the moment......

[theoldman]

Sept 2, 2021 6:12:46 GMT v8jim said:

Sept 1, 2021 18:21:38 GMT daddyshortlegs said:

Mine also has a factory rain roof, the 1800 "B' series will fit if you modify the front chassis member, A70 Hereford differential, speedo' & brakes were the usual upgrades but hard to come by now.

The B series is the obvious choice and with the right gearing should make a nice car but is it too obvious?? If I find one locally at a good price I’d probably buy it but can’t help thinking perhaps I should put something more unusual in it

As the T-Series block is a mildly updated B-Series it should fit just as easily. The engine and dynamo (!) mounting holes, bell housing bolt pattern etc are the same.

200bhp out of the box should be 'unusual' enough.

I admit Sherpa van bits to mate up to an LT77 are getting a tad rare though. Maybe there are other options these days. I wonder if an ZFHP22 could be persuaded to play nicely with a T-Series?

[kevins]

whatever you fit it's going to be very tight to the front crossmember, looks like the x member may have already been cut in the engine photo?

[Morris63]

Will watch this with interest, both my Dad & Grandad had a selection of Somersets and Devons over the years.

If you haven't already, I'd join the Austin Counties car club. A friend has an A40 Sport and I've been to a couple of excellent rallies with him and he says the club support is excellent.

[75swb]

Love it. Now if you could just sling a peripheral ported rotary in there that'd be ideal.

[vanpeebles]

I'm more worried about what the dog did to that person's trousers!

[v8jim]

Sept 2, 2021 7:40:19 GMT MiataMark said:

Wouldn't the obvious (not very unusual) more modern choice be MX5 engine/gearbox?

Yeah definitely a good option if you can get a whole car for sensible money or find an engine with loom and ecu

This has to be near the top of the potential list as I’ve wanted to use one for a while

[v8jim]

Sept 2, 2021 7:46:56 GMT v8ian said:

Zetec and Type 9, gearboxes are more expensive than the engines at the moment......

I know I’ve already been looking at prices

[v8jim]

Sept 2, 2021 8:10:59 GMT theoldman said:

Sept 2, 2021 6:12:46 GMT v8jim said:

The B series is the obvious choice and with the right gearing should make a nice car but is it too obvious?? If I find one locally at a good price I’d probably buy it but can’t help thinking perhaps I should put something more unusual in it

As the T-Series block is a mildly updated B-Series it should fit just as easily. The engine and dynamo (!) mounting holes, bell housing bolt pattern etc are the same.

200bhp out of the box should be 'unusual' enough.

I admit Sherpa van bits to mate up to an LT77 are getting a tad rare though. Maybe there are other options these days. I wonder if an ZFHP22 could be persuaded to play nicely with a T-Series?

I didn’t know that about the T series (I don’t really know anything about them) I imagine they are not the easiest of things to find these days or parts for them

[v8jim]

Sept 2, 2021 8:45:13 GMT kevins said:

whatever you fit it's going to be very tight to the front crossmember, looks like the x member may have already been cut in the engine photo?

No it’s all stock nothing has been messed with yet but notching the crossmember a bit for clearance wouldn’t be difficult

[v8jim]

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They journey home wasn’t completely uneventful as when we started hearing strange noises we pulled over to fine it was I gear and smoke coming out of the engine

[horrido]

Even it would bolt in, I wouldn't be in any hurry to fit a B series. There are so many better, more modern and lighter engines that would make more power and use less fuel.

Remembered this thread...hehe....
www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/austin-somerset-gasser-build-dragnasty.859106/

[v8jim]

Back home in the garden 3 steps from the conservatory waiting for some tinkering time

First things on the to do list are a good clean and protect the body with something, probably boiled linseed oil and restore the seats so we don’t make them worse as they’re really dry and crunchy