Carlton Est Part 3

[mantaray]

Did a bit more to the bumpers this week.

Exhaust cut out is nearly finished.

Strengthening the wheel arch.

Front air dam.

Moded section in front bumper ( Top Middle)

and yet more work on the bonnet.

Well I’m off to the NYB now so I’ll see you there if your going.

Well it’s now nearly 1.30 am, and we have just finished putting the first couple of coats of base on.

I must say that it is starting to all come together now and she does look good.

2008

Sorry I’ve been away for a long time.

Just a bit of an update on the Carlton.

Got the car finished in time for Billing 2007, as some off you may have seen it there.

After Billing I used it as an every day car for a couple of weeks, and then an electrical fault decided to have fun with me. Some times when I tried to start it the engine would turn over but not fire. I’d try replacing something and all would be ok, then for no reason the fault would come back.

This happened so often that the car was not reliable and so went back in the garage.

By Billing this year it was still not sorted and I’d had enough, so a plan was hatched..... I was due to go over to Holland in September for a big Manta show, but my Manta is also off the road (no floor) and I did not what to go over with out something different to drive. The Carlton would go down well over in Europe so it would be nice to take that over, but with the ongoing problem it could not be relied a pone, answer.....Change the engine to a V6.

I started the conversion on July 30th and had a dead line of 4am Thursday 4th September. 5 weeks.

Well I did it but only just. Fired engine on the Sunday (31st), got the car road legal 5.30pm on the Wednesday. I only had time to give it a quick 30 mile test run before leavening for Holland the next morning.

Ran really well with not major problems. I had a PS pipe split on me but that was soon sorted and I think the valve stem seals have dried out as she was smoking a bit and the engine has been sat in the garage for almost 2 years( was the replacement engine for the Manta)but apart from that she was great .

I still need to change the rev counter and tidy up under the bonnet a bit, but hopefully it will soon become my every day car again.

I have used the Carlton gear box as this bolts straight on to the V6 engine and V6 clutch, but the box is sitting 21/2” forward of its normal passion. The front prop has been lengthened and the gear selector support plate modified to suit.

I have had to relocate the ABS unit from the chasse rail, as it sat to close to the manifold, and make a small cut out in the bulkhead to give clearance on the injection unit.

Manifolds and down pipes are Omega and connect via a Y section to the original system. Engine mounts are the original ones moded.

I didn't think to take any pics while i was doing it, but will take some when I remove the engine to strip it and do the Valve stem seals.

A few pics.