Test fitting Princess Gearbox into Mini Subframe
On Saturday I decided to start construction of the 'it-will-fit' test bed for the V8 project, so I dug out the spare front subframe and removed the spiders, earwigs and driveshafts. As there is no scuttle or bulkhead, the next thing was to make a couple of brackets to stop the steel flip front from falling off the back. This was acheived by the subtle method of welding some 20x20mm box section up from the rear of the suspension towers to support the rear of the wings. The wing supports also make good handles for moving the thing about, especially when combined with an old pair of 12" alloy wheels.
Then bolted the Princess box, clutch and transfer housing together and dangled it into the subframe with the engine crane. Eeeeeek (it looks quite big again).
<+MAD TECH> Hmmm, I wonder how easy it will be to bump start ??? <-MAD TECH>
The main problem is that the side of the subframe needed to be 'releived a bit' so that the transfer housing will fit. After chopping out a 5 inch long chunk, there only seems to be the little 1 inch flat bit left at the bottom..... This may impair the overall strength of the subframe, but the box sort of sits in ok now :-) Seriously, I will use some 20x20mm box section to make a sort of full loop 'frame' around the cut out bit, this will allow the box to sit about 2 inches lower and line up the dif with the hubs. The front rail of the subframe is ok, but the long lower lip will need to be shortened by about an inch, I think I will cut a bit off the edge, then weld a plate up the back to make the front rail a nice box section.
To get the flip front to fit, the end of the starter cover on the bell housing had to be 'modified' with a hacksaw! This should provide a nice window for setting the timing :-)
THe flip front also needed a bit of attention from the tin snips but none of the cuts come forward as far as the front of the grill.
Looks like there will not be much room for... anything !
The top of the inlet manifold will just fit under the bonnet when the box is lowered the final 2 inches into the subframe
Go on, admit it, it really doesn't look that big, now does it ??
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