TVR T350
TVR T350
MENU
F2000
LIGHTENING ROD
This is a project that originally started as another car. The man that owns this Lightening Hotrod had started this type of racing in a different series but got fed up with being shoved in the wall by other more experienced drivers. So he changed to this series which is supposed to be non contact.
As with all the engines used in this type of racing, the units only really last one season before needing a full overhaul and rebuild.
This is the rebuild story for this engine. It needed a set of new conrods, pistons, shells and piston rings. It goes without saying that all the parts of the engine are microscopically inspected and any faults found rectified. And of course the usual Mike paint finish and attention to detail.
A bit of a mess after a seasons hard racing.
The next three shots are of the engine being removed from the body.
The engine has now been removed from the vehicle and is set up on the engine stand. The unit will now be stripped down to component parts and inspected for wear or damage.
The engine being stripped
Last components being removed before block is stripped and sent off for stove enamelling.
Here you can see the head in the final stages of preparation before going off to the paint shop.
The block freshly painted and installed on the engine stand ready to start re-assembly.
Crankshaft installed, main bearings fitted and the bolts torqued to correct settings
The crankshaft cleaned and prepared, ready for installation.
The cylinder head stove enamelled awaiting assembly.
A new water pump fitted along the flywheel and various other components.
Three of the pistons fitted as well as the engine mounts.
All the pistons installed and the head gasket in place awaiting the assembled head to be fitted.
The cylinder head fitted to the block complete with the cam shaft and finger followers. The thick oily
substance you can see is engine assembly lube which is used to stop any damage to the cam or followers during initial start up. Valve clearances have been set correctly as has the camshaft timing.
All the alloy castings have been vapour blasted and stainless fasteners are used throughout. All the paintwork is stove enamelled for a durable finish.
Front pulley and casting fitted. The thermostat housing has no thermostat fitted in an attempt to maximise the coolant flow and keep the temperature down during the race. An average race time is around ten minutes, during which things can get quite warm.
The engine pretty much finished. Note there isn’t an alternator fitted to the unit, this is done to avoid any excess power loss by having one. The batteries are charged before each meeting and usually see the day out without going flat. The clutch still has to be fitted to the engine, but it needs to be removed from the stand before that can happen.
New clutch assembly complete with release bearing.
Engine bay prepared and cleaned ready to receive the engine.
And in it goes! Always an exciting moment in any build.
The finished engine ready for another seasons hard racing. Started first time and sounds wonderful. Lets hope it is the winning car of many a race to come.
