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What have you done to your 1200 lately


OpelWagenGT

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Asked this question also on 1200.com:

 

The body mounts for the transmission are missing on my 1200....the previous owner lobbed them off with a grinder for a CA motor.   I am not going that route, I am still A series with a 60a 5 speed.  Instead of welding donor ones back on, I am thiking of using a new crossmember that mounts underneath the transmission.   I see that Maddat make a universal one (see photo).   Has anyone ever used this for a 60a trans and does it work?

 

I see that it has a V notched in it?  Why is this?

 

I am trying to avoid making one from scratch.

 

Thanks.

 

MD001.jpg

 

The v notch is for exhaust clearance. I've never run a Maddat one but I have made my own.

 

15 years ago when I ran a 60 series in my sedan we just cooked up a mount ourselves using handtools some steel channel, box tubing, and plate to bring it to the right height. This was then bolted through the floor with a plate (could probably use fender washers) on the inside to distribute the load. I made a similar version for my latest swap, didn't really take more than an hour to do, just some cutting and drilling.

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The v notch is for exhaust clearance. 

 

This. And it does help. 

 

 

when I ran a 60 series in my sedan we just cooked up a mount ourselves using handtools some steel channel, box tubing, and plate to bring it to the right height. 

 

Also did this with my 60-series.  :thumbup:

 

If you make your own, try to do it with the exhaust in place. Saves you from realizing after it's done that the pipe touches the crossmember. Ask me how I know.   :rofl:

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Mine was pretty simple since my car was originally an automatic...

 

1926653_10152035830897983_1111967646_n.j

 

 

And yes, the notch on the right side is for the exhaust pipe...   ^_^

 

I used two BMW transmission mounts bolted to the trans, then those bolted to that plate...

 

56002_x800.jpg

 

 

On a 60-series trans, the BMW mounts with be flush with the floor of the car, so you could really just use a piece of flat steel to mount it. 

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to bring it to the right height. 

 

 

How do you determine the correct position?

 

This. And it does help. 

 

 

 

Also did this with my 60-series.  :thumbup:

 

If you make your own, try to do it with the exhaust in place. Saves you from realizing after it's done that the pipe touches the crossmember. Ask me how I know.   :rofl:

 

I might have a try at making my own, but if the Maddat one already works it would save me a lot of trouble since I don't have a lot of tools and no available steel.

 

I would have to go buy some steel which is not a big deal in the end.   What worries me is welding....I have no welding machine either.   All in all its just alot of trouble for me, maybe not for others though.

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I used two BMW transmission mounts bolted to the trans, then those bolted to that plate...

 

 

That's pretty cool, did you still use the original transmission/"rear engine" mount with the rubber isolater or did you mount these directly to the transmission?

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That's pretty cool, did you still use the original transmission/"rear engine" mount with the rubber isolater or did you mount these directly to the transmission?

 

These bolt directly to the transmission. And if you use those, there will be no welding involved. Just a bit of drilling and cutting. 

 

There is a Metal Supermarket in Fairfield? How far is that from you? 

 

http://metalsupermarkets.com/fairfield/

 

Best part is they will cut it to the size you need, so you'd just have to drill it. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sometimes you fail.

P7190172.jpg

I wanted to install gear reduction starter in Smurf (See below)

P7190174.jpg

Not easy to see, but the top photo stock starter, about 3/4"  clearance between starter body and engine mount tower.

0" clearance between gear reduction starter and engine mount tower.- it won't quite bolt-up. And with zero clearance something going to break!

Solutions:

1) Carve the tower down for need space and reinforce. OR

2) Set the engine back 3/4", make engine mounting plates, cut and re-weld the exhaust, move the transmission mount further back, shorten the driveline and use inny plug in the back of the cylinder head and run without a heater. And the other things I didn't put on the list!

Well better to find out now then when dropping in another engine, with more compression, (the reason for the gear reduction starter) and finding out then. I guess that's why we stock pile old starters!

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Ran into the same problem on my 1200. So sad... :blush:

 

They only came on the B310, and I figured it was just because they were a "recent" invention. And I'm now thinking the B310 is the only thing they actually fit... :rofl:

78' B210 also, crossmember is redesigned that year for more clearance it is in the service update. They also use a slightly different metal motor mount bracket on that side.

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Old clutch master cylinder, well used and leaking!

P7230199.jpg

New one, took a bit longer to remove the old one and installed the new one as being an automatic car no mounting studs, instead nuts and bolts-what FUN!

P7230201.jpg

Ran new hard line and installed braided steel line to slave cylinder.

P7240206.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

I recently moved from Utah to Houston, Texas after graduating from BYU. I am working in a rotational program in the oil and gas industry. My first rotation is a 50 mile one way commute. I have been driving my coupe a couple days a week to save on gas, even though it is hot an humid this time of year. Actually I think about selling this thing and buying a newer car with AC, but I don't think I will.

 

Anyway, on my way home this evening I turned a corner and the shifter got all sloppy and would not go into gear. Rah roh. Got off the road and pulled the shift boot and discovered the pin that holds the shifter in had disappeared! I didn't have any tools with me and was still 30 minutes from home. What to do?

 

Well I dug around in the car to see what I could Macguyver with. I found a pencil in the glove box. Broke off the end with the eraser and metal sleeve stuffed it in the hole and off to the closest autozone I went. Actually likely would have made it home, but didn't want to risk it. Bought a bolt and nylock nut, burrowed a wrench and got home. Luckily I have a spare in my small stash here.

 

Pretty proud of the ratsun style fix.

 

IMG_2195.jpg

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I recently moved from Utah to Houston, Texas after graduating from BYU. I am working in a rotational program in the oil and gas industry. My first rotation is a 50 mile one way commute. I have been driving my coupe a couple days a week to save on gas, even though it is hot an humid this time of year. Actually I think about selling this thing and buying a newer car with AC, but I don't think I will.

 

Anyway, on my way home this evening I turned a corner and the shifter got all sloppy and would not go into gear. Rah roh. Got off the road and pulled the shift boot and discovered the pin that holds the shifter in had disappeared! I didn't have any tools with me and was still 30 minutes from home. What to do?

 

Well I dug around in the car to see what I could Macguyver with. I found a pencil in the glove box. Broke off the end with the eraser and metal sleeve stuffed it in the hole and off to the closest autozone I went. Actually likely would have made it home, but didn't want to risk it. Bought a bolt and nylock nut, burrowed a wrench and got home. Luckily I have a spare in my small stash here.

 

Pretty proud of the ratsun style fix.

 

IMG_2195.jpg

Awesome fix and story. Welcome to Texas. As you are finding out, Summer here with no AC really sucks. There are a few 1200 guys here but you are the only one I have heard of using a 1200 as a daily driver. They are great little cars and as you have shown, very easy to repair. If you can find the parts. Sometimes you just have to improvise.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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I have wanted one of these, mostly just to have a place to mount my shoulder belts when autocrossing- just a start.

A local company has a mandrel tubing bender that bends 1.5 inch .120 wall tubing. Now just need to get plates welded into place and start burning in the hoop and bracing.

PA020488.jpg

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No pictures but I had to fix the exhaust after it came apart at a track day, the pipe cracked where it was welded to the flange. I drove near a full lap with the thing dragging the ground.

 

The installation the H190 required a new driveshaft, the modified one I got from was a bit shorter than what I needed so to make everything fit I moved the motor back 1.5" but guru fabricator I am I simply shoved the exhaust back (stretching the rubber mounts) and cobbled together the bit going over the axle.

 

I managed to get 2 years out of it, my slamming it over the kerbs didnt do it any good either. I went over to my buddies shop to get it done up properly. He rewelded the flange (the exhaust has been on the car since 1997) and cut a section out of the pipe so the rear hangers weren't stretched to the limit and put a proper band clamp (I had one off a Yoshimura slip on) on the piece that connects the rear section to the tail end off the muffler.

 

The system no longer slaps the underside of the car and clears the rear axle with ease. I did leave the cherry bomb style muffler on it as it wasn't near as heavy as I thought, the entire exhaust weighs slightly less than 10lbs.

 

Tom

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