RS Motorsport :: Classic Speed Restored

Built by Wayne Poulden, Adelaide. First log booked 1980 with Lotus Twin Cam. Then sold on and converted to SOHC Pinto.
Purchased the car as a rolling chassis 1992. With a rocket box/4.1 diff and 16" wheels it had some issues but was brilliant to drive. Only a lack of quality slicks stopped it from being really competitive. Killed the Pinto at 1994 Aust hillclimb title.

Car has sat in the shed from lack of funding for extended periods but eventually built a N/A Cosworth engine.This engine was built on a limited budget back in the late 90's and it took me years to get it to the hillclimb in any competitive state. At the time with the exchange rates and budget that I had, a reliable low power/ good torque engine with standard driveline would give me most fun/$$$$ ratio. Engine developed 95KW on 48mm Dellortos. The car weighs 910kg with me in it so it went well. Don't think it was ever going to be class winner but it would have been fun driving the wheels off it.
Gremlins were chasing me in 2010 however. Ignition troubles and then head gasket problems resulted in the engine being removed and stripped. It was obvious when the head came off that a lack of compression was the main issue.
New Accralite short height pistons and Farndon long rods were chosen and a Pinto block sourced and prepared.
YB head which I believe is an ex Carter RS500 head had been ported on the inlets but the exhausts left virtually untouched
Bench flowing showed ok flows on the inlet(226cfm@.500") but the exhaust maxing out at 156cfm@.300". More porting needed. Biggest issue is the head has been skimmed to 137.2mm so the combustion chambers are going to need work also.
Onwards

Funnily I don't recognize this car !



Steve any pics from how it used to be etc ?

Thanks

Monteroso Bro's fibreglass nosecone and rear wing.
I'll find the log book with the original body and scan it in
et voila'

Look more familiar now?
And it was 1980 not 1983

Hi Steve i would be interested in talking to you in regards to your car. I have an Escort Sports Sedan here in Adelaide and im having lots of issues finding out who actually owned my car. (NO LOG BOOK, BEEN LOST). PM me ..thanks

Steve check your PM's

Head is still having porting work done. Quite a few deliveries from the UK have come in in the last month. Valve springs, steel retainers, solid followers and a very nice alloy sump. Also a new cam belt/tensioner bearing and distributor cap. Other than a new oil pump everything is in place for the bottom end. I need to get flow figures for the head then talk to Tighes about camshafts. I took pictures of the ports and seats then left my camera at home so cant post any pics just now. Home next week so I'll put some pics up then.

Update 21-3-2011
Head has been ported and bench flowed to 250HP @ .450" lift. Started at 233HP then went back to 200 with the inlet manifold added and with further porting is at the 250HP. Exhaust ports have yet to be touched but will probably only get a light taping and matching to the exhaust manifold.

Porting finished. Bench flow figure 250HP @ .450" lift.
Ordered camshafts from Tighe's in Brisbane. They should be delivered in Adelaide just in time for the Easter break. Next step is to finish valve stems and set up the followers and shims(which according to Danny M can be "fiddly")
Then it's dummy build time.....

Camshafts arrived in Adelaide. Little bit underwhelmed; no markings to indicate inlet/exhaust, no timing wheel or other info for fitting. Nothing happening till after Easter now regarding valve stem length and shims. Luckily I have a nice new teflon crankshaft scraper to set up on the old block and crank as an Easter project.

Valve lengths being sorted this week. Assembly and valve shimming next

Assume that weight saving and reliability are the key issues, which FORD gearbox is going to be the best choice for this car.
Would it be Type 3 alloy case 4spd rocket box, or alloy case Type 9 5spd. Just choosing a set of ratio's is hard enough
Either are expensive to import or build from parts.
Any feedback appreciated.

My custom long stem valves with 37mm inlets and 32mm exhausts are now standard length.
Somehow this has been made my fault!!!!!!!!! What part of;
"I'm having trouble sourcing long stem valves with 37mm heads. Can you make some from blanks? Sure Steve, we do it all the time, no worries." are you having trouble with.
List price for G & S Valves 37mm/31mm UK17.00 ea off the shelf. My so called custom valves which are now not what I wanted will be double that at least.
Not effin happy at the moment.

Ouch! I've learnt to be weary of someone thats say 'we do that all the time'.
On a brighter note, at least your mother's no injecting botox into your 8yo face before beauty contests! (I know not relevant, but things can always be worse).

Cylinder head is finished. Tighe camshafts installed and shimmed. I now have every component ready to go for the dummy build other than a largish wad of cash. Just need to get the Annual holiday in August out of the way.

Alloy main case for the gearbox should arrive end of August. Due to lack of funding I think further progress on drive line will have to wait for next year. I have to focus on getting the engine finished. Still, all in all, from a stuffed head gasket in June 2010 to where I am now I'd have to say I've done OK.

Thanks to all forum members who have contributed to the process so far.

Regards SB

Steve,

The UK GS valves are said to be pretty good. This is what Burtons used to sell. [and others]

Then my understanding is Burtons out sourced them overseas recently and they were not so good.

Another big UK engine re builder re brands GS valves as REC.


Dan gets his heads welded up. The Chamber is pretty open without it [long flame front]


He also used to use a type 9 but had a fair bit of trouble even though it was Quaife?? Pro gears, from memory.


It would be interesting if some one would show us a chart with ratios of suitable boxes etc

Thanks for updates. Even though no one says, they are watching

Keep up the good work

The REC valves 878 and 879 were what I looked at originally. Talking directly to Paul Ivey in England the cost of getting this size valve in long stem was expensive to say the least. As I said, list price for the standard length valve was 17 quid each plus freight or about $475 AUD. Valves as machined and fitted( includes 2 x inlet, 2 x exhaust made for porting, plus the other 12, machining collett grooves and polishing plus freight to exchange followers for central pillar type) for a grand total of $1137.

Will they be of the same quality as Ferrea or G&S remains to be seen. From what I've seen and heard the springs are the more critical component in these heads so lets hope the REC gold springs are up for the job. For an 8500RPM engine i hope they're good.

Watch this space!!

Steve, concerning the valve springs i know of a couple of people that have used GSX1100 (i think) valve springs in these cosworth heads. From what i have seen they work well but dont like real wild cams thou. Have seen a couple of the inner springs that were broken when stripped down. Might be worth checking out. will be a lot cheaper and i would guess should handle 8500rpm easy.


Mik