Super Carry Project.. Step 1: Lowering!

[jezzza]

Hey guys,

A little background to my van, its a 1988 Super Carry, 135,000kms, 4 speed (i know )

Firstly, ive been reading around and cant find a good answer on how to lower my van (ST90)
Rears are lowering blocks, but fronts are springs
Does anyone know what springs would suit?
I believe the MB uses Swift SA springs to lower it 2" (read on this forum)
Are MB and Carry struts the same?

Im keen to get some sort of aftermarket carby/weber setup, but unsure of what will work and im not too keen to be the guinea pig! Ill be sticking to carby setup (too much stuffing around going EFI)
Would love a quad throttle body but couldnt really find any threads on here where people have actually got one working
Anyone have anything that has been tried and tested?, and preferbaly something easy to setup (I can weld up a manifold if need be, thats about the most work I want to be doing)
Im a noob at carbys so bear with me if i say something stupid

Step 1: Rims and lower
Step 2: Headers and full 1.5" twin exhaust system
Step 3: Intake and carby
Step 4: Tune and dyno run!

Cheers guys

[havabeer]

how much more do you expect to get out of a 33kw motor. you could go fairly ghetto/commodore and just cut the springs to a level you feel is decent and then take the measurements to king springs or a similar brand and see if they sell a smillar sized springs.

even just look up there cataloged and see if the numbers line up some where.

exhaust is fairly simple (except for the headers) as its a fairly straight through pipe.

in take and carby.... its almost hard enough to get a good condition stock carby as opposed to getting a new one

[Brayden]

I believe the MB uses Swift SA springs to lower it 2" (read on this forum)
Are MB and Carry struts the same?

Not even close. I've lowered the rear of my supercarry 2" with Datsun 1200 lowering blocks, and the front I'm still yet to work out, but I'm pretty sure a spare set of 65mm coilover springs I have will go close. Hopefully the spring rate is similar, because the Carry springs look pretty heavy duty to carry the weight of the motor and the driver/passenger right over them.

(I can weld up a manifold if need be, thats about the most work I want to be doing)
Im a noob at carbys so bear with me if i say something stupid

Welding an intake manifold would be pretty difficult (specialist job) because of the water galleries that run inside the stock manifold. You'd be better off using an adaptor plate on the standard manifold and fitting a sidedraft SU carby.

As havabeer said, the exhaust (from the collector back) is simple. I made mine in a couple of hours using a straight piece of 2" pipe, two mufflers and a mandrel bend. Completely ghetto-spec but it sounds awesome - one of the best 4cyl exhausts I have heard.

[PhilODendron]

hi,

if you do not use the full load capacity you could go my way:

front:
cut away three windings of the coil spring on each side
cut the rubber bumpstop in half and remove the cut piece

rear:
cut rubber bumpstops down
add 2" ford escort mk1 lowering blocks
remove one spring leaf and the overload spring leaf

13" wheels do not touch the arches when springs are compressed
ride is still comfortable but a lot more like a gocart

a rear anti sway bar would be nice and would add more stiffness to the rear.
anyone knows if someone offers such a kit?



cheers, phil

[Brayden]

front:
cut away three windings of the coil spring on each side
cut the rubber bumpstop in half and remove the cut piece

Cutting that much out of the coils would wreck the strut valves in no time, and in such a top-heavy vehicle, running close to the bump-stops is never a good idea. I've reached the limit of compression in my van when carrying a heavy load and it wasn't a fun moment.

[jezzza]

Wow! So many replies!
Im not aiming to get a big HP out of it (thats what my RX7 is for!).. although i would like to do something out of the ordinary, eg. twin carbs, quad throttle bodies? haha..
BTW, what is a SU carby?? <-- mind my stupidity, and where can I get an adaptor plate from?

Ive bought some 13x5.5, but they are around +38 offset. Ive had conflicting information as to what fits an what doesnt. Planning to run 15mm spacers all round if it doesnt fit haha
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/233/wheelb.jpg/

I want to do suspension properly, no cutting springs.. i feel uneasy already taking a corner quicker than usual

Exhaust is a definate, ill be getting the little guy tuned and dyno run haha

[jezzza]

Ok, so Ive been talking to my tuner who owns a turbo'd EFI SC and runs about 60+hp atw, and hes told me to go EFI
So plan now is
Throttle body injection
MT4 or similar
and electric dizzy <-- need some clarity on this

What "electric" dizzy will suit? Does it have to match anything lithe TB?

[NozMonkeys]

What programable computer are you going to run?

You can keep the standard dizzy and install a tone wheel and magnetic pick up sensor onto the front pulley. That's in the event you can't find an electronic dizzy.

You'll then need a tps, air intake temp sensor, coolant tempo sensor etc.

[jezzza]

What programable computer are you going to run?

You can keep the standard dizzy and install a tone wheel and magnetic pick up sensor onto the front pulley. That's in the event you can't find an electronic dizzy.

You'll then need a tps, air intake temp sensor, coolant tempo sensor etc.

Hmm.. but going an elec dizzy would mean I dont have to stuff around with points ever again! *sigh of relief*

BTW, what tyres to run on 13x5.5?
I would prefer something that would give me a bit more revs on highway (only got 4 speed )

[Brayden]

I'm running 155/80 on my SC. A bit of a stretch on a 5.5" rim but they'll give you more diameter.

[jezzza]

Sweet.. I actually wanted bulge haha
Ill see how they sit first, just got the wheels today! So keen to get home from work lol)
Also enquiring about a Cordia Turbo TB

Any help on electronic dizzy

[NozMonkeys]

Installing the magnetic pick up and tone wheel on your crank pulley eliminates the points. It becomes the electronic distributor signal.
It then sends a signal to the ECU and the ecu sends a signal to the coil then the spark goes through the dizzy cap to the spark plug.Total contact point elimination.
I was told it was only approx $100ish for the tone wheel and pick up.

Being Throttle body injection you wouldn't need a fancy tone wheel as it wouldn't have to reference where number one cylinder is. so 4 equally spaced reference points will do it.

An electronic dizzy would be a good option but best of luck finding one. I'd suggest modifying the original if your searches are unsuccessful.

You'll also need a high pressure fuel pump and fuel pressure regulator. Theres $300-$500.

Unless you buy all second hand parts its going to be as expensive as running sequential manifold injection.

[jezzza]

New wheels
Fronts rub.. will need maybe 3mm spacers

Thanks for all the help guys!

[Karu]

Sorry to hi-jack, but I have to ask you Jezzza, how did you go with the Cordia? You know that the turbo model was one of the most dangerous cars don't you? The huge power gives torque steer and pulls you dangerously to the left and fighting that drivers would pull hard to the right and lift their right foot and the Cordia would then rapidly change direction to the right, often killing the occupants. That is why they are rare and cheap. I had a worked 1600 non turbo. It went extremely well without the turbo danger.

[upg]

elec ignition kit
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bedford-Rasc ... 19c5a79645

with coil
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Bedford-Rasc ... 1c1d38ba13