I am the some what new and damn proud owner of DTW and Possum's old 1200 coupe. It came up for sale in about Feburary this year and although I hadn't ever seen it in the flesh, I couldn't get the money down the internet fast enough. Just check out how well it was built..




I bought it as a rolling shell, with most of the interior, engine and gearbox removed. Over the last few months I have shoehorned my a14 (bored to 1608, lots of compression, twin 45's, etc) in there in front of a 2t toyota box. Fitted some seats and things, and did all the really fiddly things like making brackets and whatever that comes with modifying cars. Enough talk:




putting the engine in.







With half an interior




As it looks now.




Forgive the awful photos.

Since then I fitted an oil cooler, got it running, fitted some 175/50's to my 6 and 6.5 inch watanabes, etc. I had it out at Stuart Wilkin's last week to get tuned. It made 105rwhp on a rough tune, which I was stoked about. I now have to fix my weber linkages and align the engine better, modify the exhaust, make an air box, etc etc. Then take it back for another tune up.

Anyway, once that's done the exhaust will hopefully be out of the way enough to get it about another 20mm lower. That should get the guards about level with the tyres. Future plans include some guard mirrors, making a front spoiler, a gx-5 red and black stripe and changing the 6.5 wats to the front and getting 8's for the back.

The plan is for it to be a fun weekend car that is quite capable of doing the odd supersprint and hillclimb. I think it also fits in with all the rules for Improved Production...

Some inspiration:

Great stuff Ian, 105rwhp, thats not bad, I think you will be very happy with that little engine.

Yeah that is an awesome looking car mate not overkill or under kill just spot on . And some Power at the treads to boot. Well done my envy buttons are going off big time here.

love the pic with the wheel off, inspires me to sort out some disc brakes, shocks and swaybar seeing it set up so nicely.

Cheers fellas. Andy when i finish it i'll come round and take you for a spin. Found a couple more photos on my computer.




What happens when you run out of beer? You start drinking red wine...




I'm pretty sure that was the night we got it started. We cranked it without spark for a while to get oil pressure, then it went first go. Amazing.

Cheers

Great job looks nice not to over the top like some.... Great work

Love the brake set up, very nice

I got a bit more work done on my 1200 tonight, but no photos unfortunately.

Has anyone ever drilled into perfect guards to mount guard mirrors? Bloody hell, never been so scared in my life. They look the goods though. I also got the weber linkage setup sorted. I have a part time job cleaning offices, and one of them happens to be a plating shop, so I got my linkages zinc plated for free. Woohoo!

Quick question to those who have mounted an a14 in a 1200 with a late model crossmember. Did the engine sit correctly or did it tilt towards the passenger side about an inch off centre? I have the feeling that someone has modified the engine mounts which is causing it to sit strangely.

Cheers

Edit: if you look at that last photo I posted, you can see the lean. That middle 'rib' in the firewall is where the rocker cover is supposed to sit. You can see how it is about an inch off.

G'day lads, I took a couple of new photos.










And this one is a picture of my mate Mitch and my new project once I finish off the last few thigns on the 1200. It will have two suzuki swift gti engines, one in the front and one in the back. I then have an audi tt fibreglass body to cover it all up. Should weigh in less than 600kg's.

Hey mate what are the dimensions of ya watanabes? and were did ya get'em? awsome looking coupe!