If you mount your transmission brackets inline, yes indeed your engine moves to forward. This is point that i haven't thought at all. Of course you have make engine mounting brackets because they won't line up anymore with front cross member.badlyworntoy wrote:Tommi
Top man thanks for the info, I'm still a little bit confused though...if you lined up the gearbox mounts, the 131 bellhousing will surely sit a good inch or two further forward than its Lada counterpart thus solving the bulkhead clearence and Exhaust/starter motor problems that you have on your twin cam lada. I'm suprised you never opted to do this, or maybe I'm missing something? I know you say they is clearence issues in the tunnel but Guy doesn't seem to remeber having any when they did the Lotus Lada,except for the hole with the Abarth remote. I've yet to offer the 131 engine and gearbox in my Lada and are considering adding a whole 132/argenta gearbox tunnel in but don't want to if I dont need to.
Ian
I know couple LHD driven Ladas with 131 gearbox and they all use central mounting points for engine and they have also removed transmission mounting points backwards, which is an easy task.
Transmission tunnel needs to cutted some amount, whether you use Abarth extension or not. Fiat 131 gearbox is much taller than Lada one, and there is not a lot room even with Lada gearbox.
And remember, your Lada is RHD and mine LHD driven. Thus i won't be able to use Fiat 131 gearbox "as is" because there is absolutely no room for starter in left side. Steering box is on the way.
Commonly used practise is to use belhousing from Fiat 131 OHC gearbox, which throws starter on the right side. But this doesn't apply to your case.
But when you fit your package in Lada, you will notice where metal has to cutted and where not..
Hope this helps.
-T