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MG TD TF 1500 - XPAG TWINCAM at Beaulieu

Hello,

We had the prototype TWINCAM cylinderhead on our stall in Beaulieu (see pic), and I can say it was quite an eyecatcher.

Lots of people were interested and asked quistions about it.
I was surprised how many people know about these engines or recognized it.
Sofar some 20 T-typeowners showed serious interest in it; i'll keep them informed.
We hope to have it running by Christmas, and perhaps have it commercially available in the course of next year.
If you are interested sent me an email on erikvanhardeveld at online.nl (@ for at)

Erik vanHardeveld

If I only had the money!
Gene Gillam

Ditto. I'd love one to play with but that isn't an inexpensive toy!
Steve Simmons

It is certainly an interesting project.

What are the options on position for the distributor or magneto?

What about chain tensioner(s) and the idler pullys?

Can you post the plans and engine pictures again?

DLD

What about the water pump?

It really is a masterpiece esthetically speaking!
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Please read earlier thread under "XPAG Twincam at last"

For waterpump see oic.

Erik

Erik vanHardeveld

Would a single overhead cam arrangement be a more practical possibility - I wonder if there is room under the hood for everything with the twincam.

A single cam arrangement - as with pre-war cars - would also be an improvement over the rocker-type arrangement.

DLD

Hello DLD,

I can think of a lot of more practical possibilities, but a twincam has some history in MG-racing.
Think of the MGA Twincam and efforts in the fifties en sixties to produce a twincam xpag.

The engine as it is should fit under a standard T-type hood.
If that is also the case with the inlet- and outlet manifolds and carburettors fitted depends on the design of those.

Erik
Erik vanHardeveld

A MMM single cam has rockers DLD, which means grinding valves, I would guess this TC would use bucket shims which are quite easy to work with. As an aside I am sure that there was a TC prewar head experiment? maybe somebody would remember?
mog

There have been several twin-cam conversions made over the years for the XPAG.

Here's an excellent article by Kev Clemens of the Vintage MG Racers - http://www.mgvr.org/keepers/t_twins.html

One such conversion, the Runyan twin-cam head has been under the recent wing of Carl Cederstrand, but according to the article, its future is at best, cloudy. Picture - below.

Finally, one of the conversions mentioned in the above article, the Puma, concerns a former Moss employee, Chris Nowlan. Read the article to see his involvement.

If its the same Chris Nowlan, I believe that he may now be living in Amherst NH, and is today involved in Triple M MGs.

While I don't propose to tell Erik vanHardeveld how to run his business, may I suggest that he consider a finned cam cover. I think this will bring "sex-appeal" (for the lack of a better suggestion) to what appears to be a well thought out project, and will bring increased interest whenever the finished project is shown. Right now, it might be mistaken for a Giuletta head.

I'm sure we all wish Eric the best of success with this project. It is daring indeed and deserves success.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A Clark

Thank you Gord for your kind words.
It is no secret, that it IS a modified Alfa head, hence the shape of the cam cover.
Your and mine taste in "sexappeal" are about the same, but it would cost a lot of money to do that.

As for more information on previous attempts to produce a twincam cylinderhead on an XPAG simply google "TWINCAM XPAG" and you'll find more info.

By the way: it is not me who is making this; it is all the work of Jan Roelofs, a keen Dutchman who has a professional machineshop and modifies racing engines etc.
As an MG-addict he produced this cylinderhead.

As he is a (much) better machinist than an internetter, he asked me to put this on the web.

I am an amateur in both, but I'll try to keep you informed.
Please, don't hesitate to ask questions or make remarks

Erik
Erik vanHardeveld

Erik,

Being an Alfa owner (750 Giuletta), it became immediately obvious to me; but I was reluctant to suggest that it was indeed, a Giuletta head. But the secret is out!

However that is no sin. The Alfa Giuletta is a superb engine, modeled after the 6-cyl 1900 engine - also an excellent engine.

If I weren't spending my spare shekels on the restoration of my PA, I'd certainly be interested in your Twin-Cam Conversion.

Keep up the good work.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.



Gordon A Clark

As a side note. The Runyan set up was being resurected by Terry Peddicord..at least as of a couple of years back. I know that he had some castings made and some machine work done and was planning on doing a very limited production run with some required modifications for reliability. I haven't heard from Terry in a couple of years so I have no idea where he is at with the project. I imagine Tom Lange might have an idea.
MG LaVerne

Hi Erik,

I am fascinated with your conversion but have a few questions. Are the Alfa bore centres the same as the EXPAG? How do you arrange for the head studs - drill the head or the block? Do the water galleries line up? The photo of the water pump shows the timing chain cover to one side. Will this not require two jockey pulleys for the timing chain? There doesn't appear to be much room for these. Have you considered using a Mazda MX5/Miata or Ford Zetec head. The are readily avaiable, the Alfa ones are not.


Cheers


Jan T
J Targosz

Hello Jan,

The bore centres of the Alfa head and the XPAGblock the water galleries did not exactly line up.
So both the head as well as the engineblock needed modifications on this.
An additional sprocket makes it possible to locate the timingchain to one side.

Perhaps some other heads were a possible start for this, but Jan took the Alfa head also because it is more "period".

Again it is all still in an experimental stage; we hope to have it running by Christmas.


Erik
Erik vanHardeveld

This thread was discussed between 14/09/2014 and 19/09/2014

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