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arrocuda

United Kingdom
501 Posts

Posted - 20 Jan 2011 :  18:58:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ok.... Here's the thread I said I'd start. As I understand it piston swap outs to increase cubic capacity are....

1600 Avenger
Early Rootes 1500
Volvo P1800
MGC 1800 (Shortened rods)

I believe that with the Rootes 1500 con rods need to be exchanged also but would be interested to note any rod changes needed to the other suggestions. Also.... anyone got any CR figures for any of 'em?

Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda').

UMU

United Kingdom
343 Posts

Posted - 20 Jan 2011 :  20:29:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hey buddy

although i really dont know whats what with the inner working of the engine - i dont mind asking the garage that did my engine what they did.

The feedback i had from them was so positive and they said that with the work done it has really high compression, which im guessing is what we want for a bigger bang, yeah??

Also i know my pistons have flat tops, like in the H120, apart from that im not sure, but think its all standard

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arrocuda

United Kingdom
501 Posts

Posted - 20 Jan 2011 :  22:52:34  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That's interesting Martin.... the standard Rapier head doesn't have a combustion chamber like the H120's so would expect a really high compression ratio. Wouldn't mind knowing if they used the rapier rods or not. Any chance you could find out?

Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda').
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1922

United Kingdom
549 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2011 :  16:07:04  Show Profile  Visit 1922's Homepage  Reply with Quote
My 1840 uses 4 MGC pistons. The MGC is the 3 litre six cylinder engine, similar to the Austin Healey 3000 and Wolseley 6/110.
This was done by Holbay twenty years ago - they never told me where the pistons came from - I figured it out from a catalogue borrowed from the local car spares shop!

Standard rods are used but with a different little end bushes to accomodate the smaller gudgeon pins.

The piston skirts are shortened to just below the gudgeon pin and the tops milled down a little - here's a picture.



Edited by - 1922 on 21 Jan 2011 19:13:09
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1922

United Kingdom
549 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2011 :  19:32:31  Show Profile  Visit 1922's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Oops - I think I made a mistake earlier when I said I had 1600 Avenger pistons.

It's actually 1500 Avenger low compression pistons and 1500 Hunter rods (longer than 1725 rods). These require an enlarged combustion chamber in the head (slightly bigger than normal H120/GLS) to reduce the compression ratio - even so I may have to use super unleaded. Also required are custom made head gaskets as the holes in the standard item are too small.


Edited by - 1922 on 22 Jan 2011 19:30:55
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arrocuda

United Kingdom
501 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2011 :  21:06:18  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That makes sense with what I had heard re: the Rootes 1500 conversion. So it's Hunter 1500 rods with Avenger pistons. The Avenger had a wider bore, so is a rebore and custom head gasket also.

Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda').
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1922

United Kingdom
549 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2011 :  19:46:06  Show Profile  Visit 1922's Homepage  Reply with Quote
This is what the Avenger piston looks like



Compare the bore 3.39" with the standard bore (1725 & 1500) of 3.21".
In metric that is 86.1mm & 81.55mm, over 4.5mm bigger diameter.
The difference between the 1725 and 1500 Hunter/Rapier engine is just the stroke, 3.25" for the 1725 and 2.82" for the 1500 - the bore is the same.


Edited by - 1922 on 22 Jan 2011 20:01:53
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arrocuda

United Kingdom
501 Posts

Posted - 23 Jan 2011 :  14:06:16  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
So.... that's that one cleared up and now the list looks like this...

Avenger 1500 piston heads/Hunter 1500 Rods.............. 1922cc

MGC 3000 piston heads/Std Rods (mod' little ends)....... 1840cc

Volvo P1800 piston heads/??? Rods......... 1912cc





Building the 'Mark II' fastback Rapier ('Arrocuda').
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