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I have been wondering how to put IRS systems into almost every (200+) vehicle I have owned that wasn't a parts vehicle or just for scrapping. (Of course "parts vehicle" is a VERY fluid title as I usually end up driving and/or selling them as running vehicles after some repairs. Why ? Because they often are better than the vehicle they were "parts" for)
So, of course I now have a Triumph Spitfire with a narrowed 9 inch. Typical !
However, I also have another Spitfire and a GT6 (with a Capri V6) that are earmarked for the next builds. To eliminate the swing axles I have acquired a Merkur Scorpio IRS, a Lincoln LS IRS, and I have a Lincoln Mark 8 that I bought for the IRS and the DOHC V8- which officially made it a "parts car" (guess what my fair weather daily driver is now?)
I read good things about the handling of the LS and after much poking, prodding, and measuring, decided the LS IRS would be easiest to narrow for the Spitfire or GT6. The engine will be either a Barra which I have waiting for some upgrades, or the more practical (if that word even applies) idea I have is to plunk a slightly warmed over 460 in it. The 460 actually works out to be easier to swap in than the Barra (on paper and by eye). It means the GT6 won't work because to make it as close to even weight distribution and reduce polar moment of inertia the engine will have to move back several inches. That requires moving the seats back almost a foot which raises them up about 3 inches. That will make visibility in the hardtop GT6 somewhat "limited".
I have a shipload of questions to be answered before I put any money into this, I will just start with these questions;
1. Will the centre section from a Mark 8 fit the LS crossmember ? I haven't actually tried, I sold all the Mark 8 parts cars I bought except the one I kept for myself.
2. Has anyone ever narrowed an LS IRS ? Pictures would be awesome !
3. Are there any issues with the LS IRS that makes it a bad choice for this swap ?
AND a rant or two off topic;
WHY does almost every American designed RWD Ford car made since the 1960's look like they took the front axle and moved it back 8 to 12 inches just as the blueprints were about to be green lighted !?!?!? Somebody must really like doing donuts or they dislike evenly balanced vehicles !
WHO was responsible for the cancellation of the 9 inch diff and replaced it with that barely useful 8.8? I hate that accountant SO much ! They need to stop letting accountants into the grown-up's offices during design until the final draft is rubber stamped ! Anyone who says the 8.8 is nearly as strong as the 9 inch is hopelessly delusional ! I have NEVER broken a 9 inch, even with a lowriser 427 and four speed. I HAVE broken FOUR 8.8's, twice with 6 cylinder engines, and one of those was an automatic ! In a RANGER !
WHO is responsible for the ethos at Ford,"we have a new engine, make sure you use a new bellhousing bolt pattern ! We don't want enthusiasts to be able to swap anything, after all they are the most loyal customers !"
WHO is responsible for the 97 F150 wheel bolt patterns !?!? "let's change the bolt pattern, after all it dates back to the 1920's and we can't have something that works and leave it alone ! Let's INVENT a NEW bolt pattern that NOBODY else uses ! NO, let's invent TWO patterns !"
WHY did I pick Ford ? <headslap>
BTW, any chance of setting this site up to show pictures that are in my computer ?
Last edited by Braindead (6/05/2020 7:52 am)
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Merkur based conversion has been done before, it is what I intend to use in my 'Trick-6' GT-6 build.
TRIump-buiCK-6.
231 V6 and T5, lots of frame mods.
I cannot imagine a 460 in a GT-6 or Spitfire unless you are just putting the skin on a custom frame like a Funny-Car dragster?
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Well, the idea formed out of necessity, I have a couple extra Triumph cars; A Spitfire and a GT6, and two lonely engines, a 460 and a Barra. As I see it the key to getting either engine wedged in is to parallel the backbone part of the frame before removing the original spine to free up room for the driveline. Either engine will require radical relocation towards the rear to clear the steering and for weight distribution. Without the roof on it is easy to have the seats moved back about 10 to 12 inches, eliminating the need for the footboxes and the recesses in the floor where the seats usually reside allowing substantial frame strengthening.Removing foottboxes frees up space for exhaust and turbo on the Barra and the engine itself for the 460. The pedals and steering are obviously an issue and i am not sure if entering and exiting the vehicle will go "gracefully", but I don't see that being a deal breaker, after all, without a roof you can always just step over the side.
The Barra does have one possible issue that might cancel it going in; the engine's height. I do not want to be cutting the windscreen !
I have been checking this out for over a year, measuring and re-measuring countless times trying to find fault in the plan and have not really found anything that makes it impossible. In fact, because of the body on frame construction, it will be relatively easy !