V8 Lotus conversion advice

lwasson · 02-18-06, 07:47 PM

I know this is not a GT40 question but thru the incredible knowledge and experience on this site I hope you can share some of that with me as I attempt to convert my 1983 4-cylinder turbo Esprit to a V8.

The engine has to be light wieght so the car can maintain its incredible handling. Individual throttle bodies of course. Probably a G50 tranny or Renault. Basically I want to put a GT40 engine/tranny setup into the back of the Esprit. Crazy I know and I will be shunned by the Lotus community as they throw me into the fires of hell. But its my car and I've spent over 3 years rebuilding it back from a scrap heap to where she drives and handles like a Lotus. She deserves what she was meant to have and that's a V8.

I know there are a lot of issues espcially with engine management, fuel tanks, cooling, etc, etc, etc,. This is why I need your experience and advice.

From your experiences who are the best engine and transmission companies to work with? I'm trying to avoid searching a lot of companies. Many times their talk is a lot of hype and just muddies the water. If one company is the best and has most of what I need and the technical advice, great.

I can not tell you how much I enjoy gt40s.com. Always good builds to look at, technical advice and some good laughs along the way.

Many thanks for your time and help,
louis

Eric A. · 02-18-06, 08:20 PM

This suggestion might get me kicked off of this forum, but you might want to consider the LS Chevrolet engines. All aluminum construction reduces weight considerably and they can be mated to the G50 transaxle. I am working on an adaptor to use this engine with the Audi transaxle. With the replacement ring and pinion that is being talked about here or the gear set that we hope is coming from Quaife this might be another choice of transaxle to consider.

Andy Besic · 02-18-06, 08:54 PM

Louis

If you want a GT40 buy one! If you want your Lotus to have more power try this http://www.wcengineering.com./esprit/turbo.html
PS I have a gt40 for sale in the Chicago area and I would be happy to share the thunder!

Rick Muck- Mark IV · 02-18-06, 09:00 PM

SWAG idea...how about a Lotus type 918 V8???? I think some guys in Hethel tried this swap!

Rick [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banana.gif[/img]

Ron Earp · 02-18-06, 09:04 PM

Louis,

I had, up until about 1 year ago, a 90 Turbo Esprit that made 337 rear wheel hp using a T3/04 50 series hybrid turbo and other mods. Cost was about $500 for the turbo, much less than the WC products with better results. The 4 bangers can make some serious power if you like. However, attention to detail, good compressor, and good intercooling are imparitive as well as a properly mapped ECU, which isn't easy to get if you simply buy a chip from Sanj, Markus, and the others. Those all ran too rich on my engine and killed power.

Ally V8s from Chevy, and of course you can get ally Ford SB V8s too, would be a way to go while being small and compact. Kennedy can provide adapter plates for the Porsche transaxles and can mate it to a Ford or Chevy engine for you.

Ahhhh Mark, not that lump! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bash.gif[/img]

R

lwasson · 02-19-06, 12:22 AM

Thanks Ron and also to the rest. Please keep the suggestions coming.

The LS1 was the first engine we thought about but I'll have to look into the Ford SB V8 and I took a quick look at the kennedyeng.com website. Great!

Andy, did you sell the GT40 you had up for sale last year?

louis

ChrisL · 02-19-06, 12:41 AM

HERE is a hint. Get in ahead of Lotus themselves and show them that it can be done [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Everyone who I've spoken to that has had anything to do with the Lexus V8 has had nothing but good words to say. The bottom end , I have been told, is almost indestructable in standard trim.

Andy Besic · 02-19-06, 08:40 AM

Louis

I may be re-offering it in spring. I made a turkey pan and have worked on some other minor improvements for cooling and electrical. Come on by and you can get infected by the virus that is GT40. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif[/img]

Howard Jones · 02-19-06, 04:12 PM

I will offer up what I believe to be the lightest power plant/train for dollar that I know of. Buick V8 mated to a Renault R21. This combination is very compact and will produce "enough" power. Remember a couple of hundred pounds saved is worth at least a hundred HP. The Buick V8 are plentiful, relatively cheep, can be run with a single 4 barrel carb. The single Holley option will save you thousands of dollars alone.

I know this isn't the newest or the highest tech but I bet if you execute a project like this well you will have a very fast car AND it won't cost as much as another car all together.

Ron Earp · 02-19-06, 05:00 PM

That is a good idea Howard. I fool with one of those in my racing partners TR8 and they are good motors. They can easily be taken out to 4L and 5L stroker kits are available for them while still being one of the lightest V8s around. Simple, very reliable, and cheap, cheap, cheap to work on and get parts for. There are companies that deal with the ally motors exclusively.

Ron

Ian Anderson · 02-20-06, 03:18 AM

Ron

Is the Buic not the same as the Rover V8 / Range Rover etc?

If so there are already adaptors in the market - hell I even have one on my 40!

Mine is Efi and about 300 hp on an engine dyno.

Can be stroked as in TVR.

There are some people in the GT40 club that are looking to make a clear cover over the plenium chamber of the Rover unit that will then show the 8 trumpets etc!

Ian

Ron Earp · 02-20-06, 08:33 AM

It is, Rover V8 in the TR8. Cheap in the US, but just not as common as Ford and Chevy SBs. Just not the first V8 an American thinks of when someone says small V8.

John Fitzpatrick · 02-20-06, 04:47 PM

Something similar has been done. Nice to know there's another Lotus lurker on the board!

John Fitzpatrick · 02-20-06, 04:50 PM

The car behind Mr Kitchner's F5000 above was the original 47--Here's where the engine went.. I've gotten some great advice on this board, and they haven't seemed to mind that I'm not a GT40 owner!

lwasson · 02-20-06, 06:08 PM

Again, thanks to all! Great info!

Hi John. I did a little pit crew work for Dr. Jim Roberts and his Lotus 49. Wicked quick.

I have a picture of the 49 and also the F1 Lotus 102B that I also got to crew. When we pulled the cover off the 102B I told myself I was going to put one of these in the back of the Esprit. The 102B is the inspiration behind all this.

My pictures are too large. I will have to decrease the size.

louis

lwasson · 02-20-06, 06:47 PM

Lotus 49 and the Lotus 102B driven by Mika Hakkenin(sp?)

lwasson · 02-20-06, 11:27 PM

Does anyone know of an engine/tranny shop that would carry the Buick/Rover V8 here in the States? I did find one company in UK that would sell the Rover V8/Renault21 as a turnkey. Wiring loom comes with the kit.

www.paralleldesigns.com makes several kit cars.

Thanks!
louis

lwasson · 02-20-06, 11:36 PM

Hi John

Wow! Nice 47.

I have a business meeting in Houston the first week in May. If we could get together it would be good to see the car. Also, LOG26 will be in Houston later in the year.

louis

lwasson · 02-20-06, 11:45 PM

To correct a few things in the picture I posted.

Its a Lotus 47 not a 49 and Mika Hakkinen drove the car back in 1990. In the picture is my good friend Hamies and Lee Clark (positioning the starter) of Barbour Motorsports Museum in Birmingham AL. The museum houses one of the largest collection of Lotus race cars in the world. When that Judd V8 fires up its sweet. Gives me a tingle just thinking about it.

louis

John Fitzpatrick · 02-21-06, 12:56 AM

Ron- thanks for letting us go off-topic! Louis-pm me and we'll see what we can work out.
John