James B. Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Just a thought for all those 1.6 VXers out there or those thinking of buying one. The VX 1.6 Classic is one of the best value buys out there. You can buy a really good low milage 3 to 4 year old one for 10k, good strong engine and for under 1k you can turn it in to quite a potent force; 11k for a seven with more torque than a 160 bhp 1.8 XPower K Series, difficult to find better value. But the only person able to do the head and manifold work is Bill Blydenstein and he must be near retirement age. He does all the head work himself and as far as I know has not passed on his expertise to anyone else. James. (ps I'm not on commision) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyA Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Looks like an excellent cost/bhp but one possible downside.... the Graduates have a problem with breaking half shafts (& diffs) with the standard 100bhp, ok a lot of the half-shaft problems may be attributable to 'taking too much kerb' 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James B. Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 Good point Andy but of course the conversion would make the car ineligble for the track and the sort of extreem loads you would put on the half shafts on the track, for road use it shouldn't be a problem. James. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Smith Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Didn't realise until this month's Motorsport (In the nasty red cover...) that Bill was the man who fettled Gerry Marshall's Vauxhalls - Baby Bertha and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpm Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Did you manage to get some performance figures on this conversion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Smith Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Big Bertha? About 500bhp... Oh, you mean the VX1600 conversion? About 135bhp, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 134 bhp from my convertion....still well chuffed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJW Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 138bhp from mine, well worth the money!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 suppose you think you're all that and a bag of chips then do you Mr. DJW! you and your 138 bhp.....well i'm not sour that yours if more powerful than mine! 😬 i want a re test whats 4 bhp whenyou weigh as little as me! (tantram over) [ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.B Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Henry, DJW - any negatives after the conversion. Am very tempted to upgrade mine but for so little £ for so much more power I am worried there must be some downside to bite me on the 🙆🏻. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Mr. B - do not fear...although there's no such thing as a free lunch, this upgrade is as good a value as you can get. It truely transforms the car......around 35% increase in max bhp, but the most noticable thing is the increase in lower down torque. makes her quicker and alot more drivable....ohhh and she sounds alot meatier too! 😬 others (Boasis, i think) have said mpg improves....noise is more fun! it's proving to be a very popular convertion for the 1.6vx...go for it.... ...you would be disapointed. H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.B Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Thanks Henry. Will just have to convinve SHMBO that the bill will be due to a very large service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmdh555 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 I'd still like to know what this conversion could do on top of the factory 1800cc upgrade. My 1.8 VX makes 125bhp/115lbft on the rolling road, so I'd imagine 150-160bhp could be achievable. However, is this beyond what's sensible for a live axle? Cheers, Gareth Yellow and black 1.8 VX, pics here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJW Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Mr B I concur with Henry, nothing to worry about. The cheapest way is to do the work yourself (apart from Bill's work to the head) With a manual you will have no problems at all. Bill does confirm that in addition the the power output, your MPG will improve. Darrell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.B Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 DJW . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Guirey Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Mr B - where is sudbury? If it is the one in West London give me a ring you can have a go in mine. I endorse all the comments from the others - the difference after the work is brilliant. I also think mine is better on fuel. Bill Blydenstein said that the engine could be taken out to 2000cc. Chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.B Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Thanks for the kind offer Chas - unfortunately my Sudbury is on the Essex/Suffolk borders. However - am now convinced - winter upgrade in the offing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Mr. B...i'm just down the raod from you @ Kelvedon, if you want a run out in mine? Chas- very interesting about the BB convertion on top of the 1800vx. on the 1600vx the convertion raises bhp from 100 to about 135ish (35% ) if the 1800vx rated at 125 to start i would guess that 150-160 is on the cards 😬 the issue is about the axle i was told that the ital axle was good for 150 bhp....but is this at the flywheel or the rear wheels.? 140 bhp @ the flywheel is equal to 100 bhp @ the rear wheels. for raod use (not thrashing it to bits ) it may cope? all i need is 6 numbers now 😬 any oneelse got any thoughts on this? H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 i meant rOAd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmdh555 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 I would definitely be looking to use on track (as I do now) so I need to understand the limitations. Seems to me the extra power/torque is there whether you're on road or on track. Any track-related stress on diff/halfshafts etc surely has more to do with the extra speed/cornering forces etc and not necessarily a function of engine power.... Gareth Yellow and black 1.8 VX, pics here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.B Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Thanks Henry - YHM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas Guirey Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Henry - the VX1800 conversion by caterham already includes a hotter cam for 125bhp so I am not sure what the increase would be after BB has a go at the head and ports. However the cam we are using is from the SRI 2 litre 8 valve giving 135bhp (which is a short stroke engine hence it wont fit into a 7 because the carbs dont clear the body) so assuming we took the long stroke 1.6 engine to 2.0 with the SRI cam and opened up ports etc I reckon about 150bhp not sure the handling would be up to the increase in power even if the diff could take it. I suppose changing to the ford back axle would solve half of the problem Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 chas... so a hotter cam is inc. in the CC 1800 convertion. am wondering what the effect would be to my 1600vx which has had the BB head work and a hotter cam fitted if it were to be bored out to 1800? (this is in a world were money is no object!) H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 And if anybody's reading this and thinking that they would like a good 1.6 VX to carry the conversion out, on mine's for sale here. Sorry for the cheeky hijack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmdh555 Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Nice one Matt... According to "the Magnificent 7", the 1800 upgrade consisted of increased capacity, plus larger pistons, reworked carburettors and a different camshaft. I read somewhere that it is the cam that gives the lion's share of the gains. No mention of head or manifold work, which is why I'm interested in this as a complementary upgrade. I believe the Caterham upgrade is also a Kent cam - is it also the AST15? Gareth Yellow and black 1.8 VX, pics here Edited by - gmdh555 on 22 Sep 2004 20:07:40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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