Wheels on the Ground | Sunbeam Tiger engine swap project - Ep. 9 - Hagerty Media
What goes up, must go down- at least that’s the hope in this latest episode of the Sunbeam Tiger project series! I get the front subframe aligned and mounted up under the car again, freeing the car from the jack stands and engine hoists that have taken turns holding it all up off the ground. I also take the opportunity to finish out most of the engine compartment, or at least the stuff that is really hard to get to with the subframe mounted. Here we go!
We really covered some critical systems here, as not only the subframe got mounted up. It was time to fish the carefully disconnected brake lines out of the boxes and get them reconnected, as well as get that steering column and linkage slid back into place and bolted up. The final positioning of the radiator, hub, fan, and hoses all gets taken care of, too. This proves to be a very smart move, as there is very little room to work here, and setting all those other components up ends up making all the difference.
While some of this was seems like a very satisfying bolt up affair, the actual lining up of the big bolts that go up through the blind holes in the bottom of the frame is a real challenge. I had to enlist the help of my son to shine a light down through the top, as well as make triple sure the bolt wouldn’t fall out of the socket and roll down into the cavern of the assembly. It’s a tricky, “little bit here, little bit there” job. but it’s so important to get right the first time.
Thankfully—okay, unbelievably—the car finally gets back on all four wheels. It also lets me also do a very important readjustment of the engine position as it relates to Top Dead Center. In all my banging around of getting the transmission and clutch assembly mounted a few episodes ago, I bumped the engine over to about 30 degrees on the balancer instead of the 12 degrees I need it to be so I can get the distributor in. With everything connected now, I was able to put the car in 4th gear and move it forward and backwards some, which got the timing mark back where I needed it.
Alright, hope everyone enjoys this week’s video. Next episode I hope to be finished in the engine compartment except for the components that say HOLLEY on them, and then only back under the car to finish the exhaust hook ups. I am so ready to get back out there and drive, but I’m not quite there yet!
