1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

This is an area for discussion about Restoration issues.

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby yoeddynz » Wed Feb 20, 2019 8:20 pm

Looking great! But crikey- that pedal box position :shock: The standard pedals are already offset quite a bit from the centre of the steering wheel and now with that the pedals are even further to the right! You'll hopping out of the car after a drive and wont help but walk in circles :-) A permanent kink down your body..
yoeddynz
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 707
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:47 pm
Location: South Island, New Zealand

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby Icedmunkie » Mon Jun 28, 2021 8:49 pm

Well, a bit of an update on the project. It's now at the front of jobs list. ECU is complete, just some tidying up to do. All the mechanical jobs are complete including custom propshaft.
Finishing off the electrics and throwing some seats in, ready for an MOT. Next challenge is getting the MX5 alternator now repalced with an easier to manage MK1 style to work with the ignition warning light. Will get some updated pictures in the next few days. I have a deadline on the 24th July as it's due to be a wedding vehicle!!
All Smoke...... No Poke
Icedmunkie
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 596
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Broad Marston, Worcestershire

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby Icedmunkie » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:03 pm

The car finally made it onto the road after many years and many other projects getting in the way. It is also MX5 powered now with a 1.8 Engine, box and aftermarket ECU. Alternator still not working and bias pedal box is in the wrong place to drive it any great distance and has barely any interior but it's got MOT and insurance which is the main thing!

Image

Image

Image
All Smoke...... No Poke
Icedmunkie
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 596
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Broad Marston, Worcestershire

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby Fred Dukes » Fri Jul 30, 2021 7:41 am

Well done Chris your getting there :P
CHAIRMAN, and general dogs body
User avatar
Fred Dukes
Club Chairman
 
Posts: 5467
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2005 10:13 am
Location: Newport, Shropshire

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby HC Fairley » Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:58 am

Looking good !

I am going down this route myself, I have an engine box, full loom and ECU from a mk2.5 MX5. How did you go about the wiring loom, is it custom or a stripped down version of the mx5 loom? I'm trying to determine how much of i I can cut out and scrap.

Did you stick with the Viva fuel tank ?
User avatar
HC Fairley
GT Viva
GT Viva
 
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby Icedmunkie » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:25 am

Hi,

I ended up going for a link ECU as I wanted to be able to modify settings in the future. I think I still can get good discount on them, if your interested.

Another reason for not going down the MX5 loom route, was that there are a lot of other sensors that were not required. I have stripped out the security ones, the charcoal canister etc and left just VICS.

You will need to change the alternator and work out how to get it to work with the Firenza clocks. I am in the process of this now, if you go aftermarket.

VICS on mine needs to be looked at as not working correctly. Yes I am using a viva fuel tank, I need to modify it as the pickup location I welded in isn't in the right place, so don't get to use all the fuel. I am running a low pressure pump into a swirl pot then into a high pressure pump.

Coilpack is to big to fit in its normal space, so went coil on plug. Its a good engine and goes well in the car. My axles is a 2.0l axle as well, running 14 inch tyres.

I will get some more pictures of engine bay over the weekend for you. Any questions ask :D
All Smoke...... No Poke
Icedmunkie
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 596
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Broad Marston, Worcestershire

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby Icedmunkie » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:25 am

Hi,

I ended up going for a link ECU as I wanted to be able to modify settings in the future. I think I still can get good discount on them, if your interested.

Another reason for not going down the MX5 loom route, was that there are a lot of other sensors that were not required. I have stripped out the security ones, the charcoal canister etc and left just VICS.

You will need to change the alternator and work out how to get it to work with the Firenza clocks. I am in the process of this now, if you go aftermarket.

VICS on mine needs to be looked at as not working correctly. Yes I am using a viva fuel tank, I need to modify it as the pickup location I welded in isn't in the right place, so don't get to use all the fuel. I am running a low pressure pump into a swirl pot then into a high pressure pump.

Coilpack is to big to fit in its normal space, so went coil on plug. Its a good engine and goes well in the car. My axles is a 2.0l axle as well, running 14 inch tyres.

I will get some more pictures of engine bay over the weekend for you. Any questions ask :D
All Smoke...... No Poke
Icedmunkie
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 596
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Broad Marston, Worcestershire

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby Icedmunkie » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:26 am

yoeddynz wrote:Looking great! But crikey- that pedal box position :shock: The standard pedals are already offset quite a bit from the centre of the steering wheel and now with that the pedals are even further to the right! You'll hopping out of the car after a drive and wont help but walk in circles :-) A permanent kink down your body..


Its awful, it is getting moved, the biggest problem is the way you sit, you can't stretch and arms are at full stretch. Another job!!!
All Smoke...... No Poke
Icedmunkie
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 596
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Broad Marston, Worcestershire

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby HC Fairley » Fri Jul 30, 2021 10:14 am

I'll have to take a look at my coil pack, I don't recall having any fitment problems when I did the test fit. Then again I have the VVT engine instead of the VICS one so there may be a few differences.

It was my intention to take the full mx5 loom and remove as much as possible as it weighs a ton weight and is riddled with sensors I won't need in the viva as you have rightly said.

I have the mx5 clocks so I might be able to do something with them to keep the alternator going. That being said, I'd rather not use them in the car as they aren't very period looking.

I got my hands on a 1.8 axle, didn't fancy running this power through the feeble 1256 one :shock:

Photos would be great thank you !
User avatar
HC Fairley
GT Viva
GT Viva
 
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland

Re: 1972 Vauxhall Firenza Restoration and modification

Postby Icedmunkie » Fri Jul 30, 2021 9:38 pm

Cor, your posh with a vvt one!

There is a lot you don't need! You can easily pull out the engine loom from the rest of the loom from memory.

If your using the MX5 ECU it's not such an issue as MK2 onwards is ECU controlled.

Will get some over the weekend. It's not the neatest of complete install yet though mind!
All Smoke...... No Poke
Icedmunkie
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 596
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Broad Marston, Worcestershire

PreviousNext

Return to Restoration

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

cron