I thought I'd break this out as some of you wanted to know more about the Sumo
HistoryThe car has been owned by me since I was 17, so the term Barn Find was a bit tongue-in-cheek, although it has spent a number of years residing in agricultural buildings. I bought the car off an RAF guy who built it as he was trading up to a TVR. All I can say is that I hope the guy was a pilot, rather than anyone responsible for making anything airworthy as the car came with some truly bonkers 'foibles'. Namely:
A 'custom loom' where 75% of the wires used were light blue
A radiator that sat below the level of the water jacket and no header tank, meaning you could never fill the car with coolant.
A stock 1970's italian fuel injection system - which was a reliable as one would expect
As you can imagine, the guy had got the hump with its lack of reliability and let me have it for about £1900 (in 2002). My dad and I more or less rewired it, threw away the crazy fuel injection system and added twin webers.
I drove it for a couple of years, then managed to crash it obviously, (because I was a teenager with zero driving talent and no appreciation of that fact). The car as you see it now has had the entire OSF wing rebuilt/re-attached (by me, by hand) after being completely torn off. I also had Pilgrim remake an entire front quarter of the chassis, which was welded in place.
Its not got a 1.6l Cortina engine in has it?No. But it does have half an engine. Ie a 2.0 four pot fiat twin cam from a Supermirafiori. This was a very deliberate choice as no insurer would cover me for anything over 2L / 4-cylinders until I reached 21.
With the webers, the engine should deliver about 140bhp (so the internet says) and considering that's around 150bhp per tonne, it delivers acceptable performance. Its comparable in performance to one powered by a 3.5 rover v8 in stock trim. Although obviously the characteristics and sound are very different.
Also, it has a live rear axle, so the handling is fairly ' Traditional'.
What work does it need?Its been stood for getting on 20yrs, so, in no particular order:
- New Tyres all round
- Complete fluids & filters change
- New belts all round
- New electric fan
- Diff seal replacement (Ford Atlas diff iirc) it used to leak but has now stopped. I assume this means its out of diff oil
- Refit handbrake cables
- Refit seats
- New battery
That should see it right for an MOT. Then:
- Re-trim the interior
- Get a professional to sort the front wing and give it a respray (currently its had the rattle can treatment)
- Sort the seats out
What I don't know is what the ultimate plan is for it. I would really like one with a V8 (obviously) now that I'm aged enough to be able to insure whatever I want. However, given the new emissions regs etc, that is not simple to achieve as a new Engine means: new gearbox, rear axle, brake upgrades etc etc etc. So therefore, probably a new IVA certification. The twin cam takes well to supercharging, but this doesn't address the cylinder deficiency, nor the need for better running gear to sit underneath it.
Ultimately, by upgrading all I would be saving is probably the body, chassis and trim. In the grand scheme of things, I think I would be better starting over. Probably with a more sophisticated kit using something like an LS small block, or similar. Answers on a postcard please...
Then of course theres's the Aston Martin Vantage I've hung my nose over for years...