I'm not exactly sure what series my 45 DCOE is... although it's a reasonably late model one as it has the adjuster screws on the side for tuning if you have a multi carb set-up. My cam is pretty much standard I think.

Currently my engine is just an a12 bottom end, flat top pistons - (if that makes much of a difference?), a14 head and that's about it... but in a car as light as a Sprite it really goes. I'm currently building up a lightly worked a14 bit by bit with a 5 speed gearbox that I have stuffed in the back of the garage - hopefully should be ready in a month or two.... or three or four. When that's in place it will hopefully really move along.

Does anyone know the seller of this item in Melbourne? Is he a trusted Datto1200 website member by any chance?

I busted a gearbox mount once and it made exactly that noise as the gearbox took up the engine load in 1st... but I guess that's unlikey as you would have a new mount right?

Hi Pete, I've got an a12 engine in my mkII Sprite. You will not have any clearance problems height wise with a side draft as it will fall just below the top of the rocker cover - you might have to modify the linkages a little though.

I've got a single 45mm side-draft Weber on mine and it runs great - I had a top carby mate here in Sydney who has been working on Weber's for the past 30 years sort it all out and here is how it goes:

45mm Side Draft Weber
34mm choke
1.25 main jet
50F9 idle jets
45mm pump jets
180 air correctors
F16 emulsion tube

Try that out and I guarantee you will smile every time you put your foot down. Anyway, just wanted to say go ahead and do the conversion - nothing is more fun than upsetting the British car purists... actually that runs a close second to driving you car with a reliable motor in it.

Just going back a few posts... I thought retreads were illegal anyway? can anyone confirm this?

Where are you?

Mate, I reckon you can expect about 10,000 horse power - is that what you wanted to hear? You could just modify the tacho so that it over reads by 3,000 rev's.

If you want an engine that rev's go and stick a superbike engine in it - then you can tell all of your mates that your engine rev's out to 20,000. I'm not being critical, well, maybe a little, but I just don't see the point. There are plenty of engines on this site that rev hard (but not 10,000 rpm's hard) and equally gain pace across the whole rev range - (which is the point right?) and are reliable.

Yes there are 10,000 rpm engines out there (I think), but you really have to know what you are doing. Anyway... you can go and make your engine hit 10,000 rpm's if you want to - but for the money that could cost you really could have a neat, worked, and reliable A12.

Anyway, tell us more - are you planning to be using this car on the street or track?

I found two guys sitting in my car one night. I was walking back to my car and there were these two hammered guys sitting in it, pretending that they were driving it - rally style. If I had not been so pissed off it would have been pretty funny. I was on my own so I just told them to both get the f**k out, which they eventually did. They crawled out more than got out.

It was only when I got in to drive it that I noticed that the f**kers had stolen my gear knob... that pissed me right off until I discovered that the moron who was sitting on the passenger seat left his wallet there with a fair amount of cash in it too... amongst other things... and no, I did not hand the wallet into the cops.

Maybe I should remove my location before putting my two cents in so I don't get hunted down... but I'm thinking you will see the odd WRX and EVO Lancer in 3O years time.

As above, I'm in the Sydney area if anyone has a spare one for sale - or knows of somewhere where I can get one.

Matt
matt@lunamedia.com.au
0419 901 863