S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

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Bigcatfrankie
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#1 S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by Bigcatfrankie » Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:26 pm

I have a Series 2 1970 US spec automatic 2+2 that is currently being converted to right hand drive. The company doing the work have said that the pedal box clashes with the air cleaner, (twin Stromberg's set-up). Has anyone come across this problem and if so how did you solve it? Thanks.....Tim
Tim

1970 ex.U.S. Series 2, 2+2, in course of restoration
1965 Austin Healey 3000

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abowie
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#2 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by abowie » Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:23 pm

The plenum should have a scalloped cutout underneath to clear the pedal box, as should the trumpet plate it mounts to. This is only about half an inch deep however so if the interference is more than that there may be some other problem.

Some photos would help. I've never converted an automatic 2+2 so there may be a problem I'm not aware of.

Cheers.
Andrew.
881824, 1E21538. 889457. 1961 4.3l Mk2. 1975 XJS. 1962 MGB
http://www.projectetype.com/index.php/the-blog.html
Adelaide, Australia

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mgcjag
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#3 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by mgcjag » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:08 pm

If you look in the Knowledge base section of the forum there is a 10 part artical by Mike Cassidy on lhd/rhd conversion.....have a look at this link and scan down a bit to find it viewtopic.php?f=16&t=700 Steve
Steve
69 S2 2+2 (just sold) ..Realm C type replica, 1960 xk150fhc

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#4 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by Bigcatfrankie » Sat Jan 13, 2018 5:37 pm

Many thanks Andrew and Steve...........very helpful.
I have been advised that I have 2 options.........1) Fit triple SU's instead, (a very nice but very expensive alternative to ditching the twin Stromberg's) or 2) Fit different (and smaller) separate air cleaners, eg. K&N pancake filters, Lynx RF352S Ramflo filters or trumpet/mesh filters..........I am not bowled over by any of these options as the originality of the car would be severely compromised. Any thoughts?
Tim

1970 ex.U.S. Series 2, 2+2, in course of restoration
1965 Austin Healey 3000

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mgcjag
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#5 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by mgcjag » Sat Jan 13, 2018 6:54 pm

Hi Frank....what is the exact problem....spacers can be used under the engine mounts..or your mounts may be worn
Steve
69 S2 2+2 (just sold) ..Realm C type replica, 1960 xk150fhc

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#6 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by 1954Etype » Sun Jan 14, 2018 9:36 am

I think you must have the rectangular air filter canister and not the drum and plenum type? If so, you can either modify the air cleaner or fit the earlier drum and plenum. (FWIW, I don’t think the factory produced a RHD car with twin carbs so didn’t have this problem).
Angus 67 FHC 1E33656
61 OTS 875047

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Bigcatfrankie
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#7 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by Bigcatfrankie » Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:28 pm

Thanks for your advice on the engine mounts.........they are worn and are in the process of being replaced. I would question the wisdom of using spacers though. I would have thought this could cause other problems.

On a different tack.....Has anybody successfully replaced twin Stromberg's with triple Webber's? I believe the fuel pump would possibly need upgrading, (eg. Facet type) and a Filter King fuel regulator would require fitting. The whole set-up though could be achieved at less cost than fitting triple SU's.
Tim

1970 ex.U.S. Series 2, 2+2, in course of restoration
1965 Austin Healey 3000

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#8 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by mgcjag » Thu Jan 18, 2018 10:49 pm

Hi Frank...the spacers are in the parts catalogue and are a ...use as required item.....i didnt just make it up.. Steve
Steve
69 S2 2+2 (just sold) ..Realm C type replica, 1960 xk150fhc

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#9 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by 288gto » Fri Jan 19, 2018 8:10 am

Hi Frank,

As Steve says, the spacers are a genuine Jaguar addition. When I got my new frames from Uryk they came with two spacers.
The throttle linkage is very tight to the engine frames on the tripple SU set up to the extent that on full throttle the linkage could jam on the frame. Fitting the spacers lifts the engine just enough to prevent this.
The spacers are only a few mm thick and given the "hand built" nature of the cars might not be required. They are slotted so very easy to retro fit should you have a clearance issue.
I know sometimes on forums, "heard it from a mate, who had a mate who knew someone who....raced one on the North Circular against Hill and Fangio..." can be misleading, however, if it comes from Steve, it's normally right, :lol: :lol:

Simon
Simon
1969 S2 OTS

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#10 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by 1954Etype » Fri Jan 19, 2018 9:56 am

Spot on. With the introduction of the 4.2, the linkage runs underneath the carbs. If your mounts are worn or the engine isn't level, the linkage can foul. The worst happens when you drive the car hard and the engine cranks over resulting in a temporary sticking throttle. Happened to me years ago and took a little while to work it out as the throttle didn't stick without the engine running.
Angus 67 FHC 1E33656
61 OTS 875047

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Bigcatfrankie
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#11 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by Bigcatfrankie » Sun Jan 21, 2018 2:39 pm

Thanks for clarifying things on the engine mounting spacers front..........most helpful. Has anyone out there fitted a Series 3 V12 type air cleaner to a Series 2 twin Stromberg engine and so possibly avoided the clearance with the pedal box problems?
Tim

1970 ex.U.S. Series 2, 2+2, in course of restoration
1965 Austin Healey 3000

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duncanmason
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#12 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by duncanmason » Tue Aug 28, 2018 9:43 pm

I see this conversation is a few months old but did you ever find an answer? I am in the same position and think the only fix (other than to fit a new set of triple carbs) is to get get 2 'trumpets' made to enable the filter box to be moved away from the original Stromberg carbs?

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johnetype
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#13 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by johnetype » Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:30 am

The answer is this:
1954Etype wrote:
Sun Jan 14, 2018 9:36 am
I think you must have the rectangular air filter canister and not the drum and plenum type? If so, you can either modify the air cleaner or fit the earlier drum and plenum.
with a bit more background, all cars up until around 1970 had the silver drum containing the air filter and a plenum with a back plate that either fitted the triple SU set-up or the twin Stromberg one and it cleared the pedal box etc. so was suitable for LHD or RHD installations.

Around 1970 onwards, LHD cars in the US which all had twin Strombergs by then had a different rectangular air filter fitted which had a thermostatic warm air supply for emission reasons and is like the air filter arrangement fitted to Series 3 cars. This air filter arrangement fowls the pedal box etc. if fitted to RHD cars, so the solution as Angus suggests is to fit the silver drum air filter and earlier matching plenum for a twin Stromberg set-up.

The air filter drum and mounting bracket can be bought new as reproductions - although not cheap - and the twin Stromberg plenum should be relatively easy to find secondhand from folks who've converted from twin Strombergs to triple SUs.

Don't forget to modify your inlet manifold to hold the inner throttle plates permanently open on your twin Stromberg set-up, details elsewhere on here. That way you'll get almost as good performance from the Strombergs as you would from triple SUs.
John

1969 Series 2 FHC

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catnip
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#14 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by catnip » Wed Nov 07, 2018 9:58 pm

I have played around with alternative air intakes for my S2 two-Stromberg CD175 engine.
I bought two K&N filters and fitted them.....

Image

They look OK, but the bottom of the left hand one fouls on the clutch fluid pipe. When the engine starts, it's going to knock on this pipe and something is going to break. The engine has not been started with these fitted.

Image

I am now looking at Ramflo 452s or 352s since they will fit. They have a claimed flow rate of 400 and 300 cubic feet per minute. I'm not sure what the flow rate of the K&N filter was.

I cannot find the 452s anywhere in the UK. The 600 series ones will not fit.
Dan
E-Type Series 2 OTS 1970 (76k miles)
Mk2 3.8 OD 1964 (48k miles)
XJS 5.3 1978 (24k miles)
XK8 Coupe 1996 (32k miles)
XKR Convertible 2010

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tim wood
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#15 Re: S2 LHD/RHD steering conversion

Post by tim wood » Thu Nov 08, 2018 7:57 am

The interference appears to be with your clutch master cylinder and specifically the output pipe. Are you sure this cylinder is correct as mine is different with angled output pipe work.
Series 1 FHC purchased 40 years ago. Courted my wife in it.
Series 1 2+2 when the kids were small now sold.
Series 1.5 OTS in opalescent maroon, Californian car. My retirement present.

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