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30 Nov 2016, 03:23 (Ref:3692267) | #1 | |
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 17
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Vegantune F3 Lotus Twincams
Does anyone have any information on the early 70's F3 1600cc Vegantune Lotus Twincam engines?
Were they fuel injected? I've read information about the Novamotor Twincam engines having Kugelfischer injection and 3 bearing cranks. Be nice to find out the specification of the Vegantune engines, and how they compared performance wise to the Novamotor and Holbay F3 engines. |
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1 Dec 2016, 06:19 (Ref:3692615) | #2 | |
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Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 17
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1 Dec 2016, 07:31 (Ref:3692617) | #3 | |
Racer
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 139
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I have got a set of Vegantune F3 conrods somewhere.
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1 Dec 2016, 10:05 (Ref:3692646) | #4 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 5,689
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I believe that Miles Wilkins' book titled LOTUS Twin-Cam Engine, if you can get hold of a copy, devotes half a chapter to the Vegantune engine.
It is said to be a very authoritative book on the subject. |
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17 Dec 2016, 03:40 (Ref:3696781) | #5 | |
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 17
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Thanks Mike,
Will get a copy, looks an interesting read |
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27 Dec 2016, 17:25 (Ref:3698681) | #6 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,710
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Book was very expensive but has now been republished, it is good.
A few friends generally refer to them as vaguely-tuned. Some are better than others! |
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27 Dec 2016, 23:58 (Ref:3698743) | #7 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,379
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A friend of mine purchased a 3 bearing block for his Formula Junior project which
turned out to be a 701M 6015 block and given that casting number you would expect 5 bearings , the block was not modified in anyway to remove numbers 2 and 4 mains , so these were specially cast by Ford in period . He neglected to check casting number prior purchase and presumed it was a 109E 6015 block. Bryan Miller. |
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29 Dec 2016, 03:51 (Ref:3698914) | #8 | ||
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 17
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Quote:
Maybe re-casting was needed to block the oil galleries. Has your friend found out where it came from? I have reaad that the F3 1973 twin cams had to run airboxes with restrictions, but could they run steel cranks and rods? I guess running a restrictor would mean the use of big valves and race cams was a waste of time? Maybe better to develop a three bearing crank with lower friction that with lightweight pistons would rev free Paul |
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29 Dec 2016, 10:59 (Ref:3698960) | #9 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4
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Vegantunes always ran (or at least were supplied with) Weber carbs (twin DCOE 40s for 1600cc) and I don't think they fitted 3 bearing cranks. Cast airbox and F3 spec restrictor limited revs to under 7000rpm. For this reason, high lift / short duration race cams, light porting and high compression would have been the norm for all F3 engines back then to maximise torque.
Greg |
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30 Dec 2016, 08:32 (Ref:3699076) | #10 | |
Rookie
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 17
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Thanks to everyone who has posted information
I'm planing to strip the lotus twincan engine in my F3 car in the spring and just wanted to get an idea of what could be inside. I'm pretty sure it's a later engine built in the early 90s but the only way to find out is to dismantle. It's an L block, dry sump, running on dcoe 40s and that's about all I know. The previous owner did not believe the crank and rods were steel, which got me wondering what spec the 1972 period F3 engines were. Read somewhere they had around 120 to 130 hp and replaced the 1000cc screamers to keep the costs down, so wondering if the engines of the day just ran iron cranks. Paul |
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