Urba Centurion Update - (Kubota diesel, 100+ MPG in mixed driving - Fall 2012 on)

[changzuki]

OK, the intermission is over, now let's get Back-To-The-Future or Centurion will end up eight months ahead of ecomodder postings..

After being a contortionist for about 30 minutes, the driveshaft is removed through the cabin, and transmission/shifter are now disconnected.

Working on a floor made up of loose stones and boards strategically placed is not a good setup for a shop engine puller. Instead, we need a high point which has been used many times in the 27 years or so I've been here at 9 Main:
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Yes this will do nicely! Now all we have to do is to harness the beast and lift it out...
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UP! Ginger!
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UP! UP! Carrot Top!

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UP! UP! And Awayyyyy! Pippi In the South Seas!!! What?!
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Psssst! Go to commercial!! Time to go to a commercial...... And cut!
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~CrazyJerry

[Xist]

[changzuki]

And with a mighty viking roar!
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The Kubota D850 and Spitfire transmission are out:
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Time to find some baby wipes....
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~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

While we wait for Pippi to be exorcised from the set, we may as well go "Back to the Future" and take a peek:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6vo...ature=youtu.be

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~CrazyJerry

[ME_Andy]

You may be crazy, Jerry. Let me guess, taller gears are coming?

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by ME_Andy

You may be crazy, Jerry. Let me guess, taller gears are coming?

ALERT! ALERT!
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We have one that can see!
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~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

After driving down and back to the Green Grand Prix, On I-81 and I-90, it was easy to hit Centurion's top speed of 65 mph and then the governor would take over - yawn! It seemed pointless to wind this little engine against that limit when it clearly was capable of higher speed if only the gearing were different.
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By the time I arrived home, it was decided this "gearing change" was going to happen!
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Working out the details during the trip:
- Swap out the three-rail 4-speed for a single rail 4-speed with the optional Laycock overdrive unit.
- Swap out the longer driveshaft for the shorter one.
- Possibly modify the shifter hole in the console.
- Run a couple of wires to the overdrive shift solenoid.
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So the itinerary was done and with the original set of 1982 plans on-hand, and a 1966 Spitfire base to work with, this seemed like it might be quite easy to do - - - yeah right!
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With the engine and transmission separated, it was time to first look everything over, starting with the Kubota flywheel.
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Nothing out of the ordinary there, and the adapter plate is perfect, so the newly acquired "vibration" I felt on the way home was from elsewhere. Will table that rabbit hole for now because it's:
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Time to find another transmission and get the party started!!
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~CrazyJerry

[changzuki]

Although it would be a personal challenge to make a posting for everyday the parts were in transit, fast forwarding should keep the thread more interesting so we don't all fall asleep.
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"Gearing up" Centurion beyond what the original plans call for puts this project in uncharted waters, but, if successful will propel the car to new heights. There is plenty of discussion on the internet about engine sizing/gear selection and the general comments are that small/minimal engines (such as this D850) in street driven vehicles aren't suited to normal driving. (Imagine when tall gearing is applied - the car probably won't even move.)
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Specifically, original/unmolested early Triumph Spitfires with 1147-1296cc gas 4 cylinder engines are generally not advised to use a 3.27 rear differential with the 4speed Laycock overdrive transmission. In a nut shell: too much gearing / car becomes a slug / blah - blah - blah - blah - blahhhhhh....
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Another point to be made was brought up earlier in this thread where the Laycock overdrive pressure pump is concerned, and the "perceived" drag it would place on the engine thus lowering energy available to the rear wheels, etc, etc.. (or something to that effect..)
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If the discussions against doing this are true, then why do it at all? Well, having bombed around in this legalized go-cart for sometime now, it's quite obvious there is untapped potential that can translate into a "Freeway Capable" car and I find this very appealing.
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This may also be a stepping stone to a couple more milestones I'd like to see Centurion pass such as:
---> Upon successful completion, this would by default make it the "World's fastest Kubota powered Centurion". After all, the only two others are limited by the "gearing dead-end" that's being addressed here. Since I'm unable to locate more of these cars beyond the Original RQ Riley Centurion / The Lane Motor Museum example / and CrazyJerry's, then it appears I have a 1-in-3 shot at victory!
(Oh, W-h-a-t-e-v-e-r! - )
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No more time to contemplate the meaning of life - the parts have arrived!
And first on the list arriving from the postal service, we have some very hard to find brackets:
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WONDERFUL! So these are likely never to reach their intended destination. No problem, I can fabricate brackets and there's enough stray metal around here to do so. Moving along ---> at least the bigger stuff coming will make it...

(So long as it's not a 2x2 ft crated differential in Point Roberts, WA... Never made it out of the facility - never to be seen again... Simply amazing really.. )
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Luckily, the brown delivery trucks will shine where the postal service fell short. The 4-speed transmission with highly desirable Laycock overdrive arrives and after much anticipation I now have it my clutches! Putting on my glasses "all the better to see it with", I notice not only is it very clean it's also ..... soooo........very....... damaged.....
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Yup. The crate was a mess and the wooden front retainer that was bolted to the transmission was destroyed in transit. I'm sure along the way, nobody was observant enough to notice this, or the input shaft dangling about. A mounting ear and the input shaft were going to need some attention. Further inspection also revealed a missing overdrive shifter and rear mount.
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Lovely....
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Looking at this optimistically, it was simply a matter of fixing the problems and replacing some missing parts then everything should be plug-n-play.. Right? (......Crickets......)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ux3-a9RE1Q

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~CrazyJerry

[some_other_dave]

Ugh, sorry to hear about the shipping troubles!! They can be a pain...

I know that the magazines have ads for swapping Toyota 5-speeds onto Triumphs. Might that be another option?

Oh, and I believe the overdrive was more properly the "Laycock De Normanville overdrive".

-soD

[Xist]

Did you insure the shipment?