With my Superlight still not having been shipped from England I now, at least, have my engine and transmission.
Headed off to St. Louis a few weeks ago to our Antique Fan Collectors convention along with about 400 lbs. of fans in my Rav4 (all the seats were out). On the way home I was planning to go through Denver and pick up my engine/transmission at Caterham USA. Cody told me he didn't see how I was going to fit the engine with transmissing attached into my car but I thought it was very possible and it would save me a considerable amount in shipping costs by picking it up.
Arriving there around midnight I met Cody (who I had talked to many times on the phone) when he opened at 9am and I began to take out many of the old fans I had in the car so I could get the engine in. The car was already very crowded. The engine was on a pallet of sorts but I thought I could just bolt it onto the 3/4" plywood I had in the car to bolt the fans to for safe transport. Cody, Nathan Downs from next door at Rocky Mountain Motorsports, and I lifted the engine/tranny into the Rav and slid it into place where I bolted it down and then reloaded my fans alongside the engine. I would not be able to sleep in the car any longer but, with one night out, that didn't seem to be a problem and it wasn't.
The drive home to the SF bay area went smoothly and the engine rode well inside the car. A couple of neighbors were enlisted to help get the engine out of the back of the Rav. Putting it on two bathroom scales I found that the engine and trans. weighed 370 lbs together. The engine is a Focus SVT and the transmissing is a BGH 5 speed with long first gear. That's very close to what Cody had thought the unit weighed. With side exit exhaust I should see about 190 HP from the stock SVT 2 L. motor.
On another note, I am glad I purchased the engine when I did several months ago as there may not be any more available. All that Caterham USA had gotten from Ford (these are brand new engines) have been sold and there is a waiting list of those wishing to buy one. Caterham is working with Ford to try to get some more but the remaining supply is very limited and may be spoken for. The engine is out of production so there will be no more made.
I'm hoping my car will arrive sometime this month and I can get started on the build. Just received my new jackstands and am all ready to go.
Steve
Headed off to St. Louis a few weeks ago to our Antique Fan Collectors convention along with about 400 lbs. of fans in my Rav4 (all the seats were out). On the way home I was planning to go through Denver and pick up my engine/transmission at Caterham USA. Cody told me he didn't see how I was going to fit the engine with transmissing attached into my car but I thought it was very possible and it would save me a considerable amount in shipping costs by picking it up.
Arriving there around midnight I met Cody (who I had talked to many times on the phone) when he opened at 9am and I began to take out many of the old fans I had in the car so I could get the engine in. The car was already very crowded. The engine was on a pallet of sorts but I thought I could just bolt it onto the 3/4" plywood I had in the car to bolt the fans to for safe transport. Cody, Nathan Downs from next door at Rocky Mountain Motorsports, and I lifted the engine/tranny into the Rav and slid it into place where I bolted it down and then reloaded my fans alongside the engine. I would not be able to sleep in the car any longer but, with one night out, that didn't seem to be a problem and it wasn't.
The drive home to the SF bay area went smoothly and the engine rode well inside the car. A couple of neighbors were enlisted to help get the engine out of the back of the Rav. Putting it on two bathroom scales I found that the engine and trans. weighed 370 lbs together. The engine is a Focus SVT and the transmissing is a BGH 5 speed with long first gear. That's very close to what Cody had thought the unit weighed. With side exit exhaust I should see about 190 HP from the stock SVT 2 L. motor.
On another note, I am glad I purchased the engine when I did several months ago as there may not be any more available. All that Caterham USA had gotten from Ford (these are brand new engines) have been sold and there is a waiting list of those wishing to buy one. Caterham is working with Ford to try to get some more but the remaining supply is very limited and may be spoken for. The engine is out of production so there will be no more made.
I'm hoping my car will arrive sometime this month and I can get started on the build. Just received my new jackstands and am all ready to go.
Steve
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