It lives again!

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camB
Posts: 330
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:37 am
Location: Melbourne
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It lives again!

Post by camB »

Hi there. I still drive my first car which I've had for just shy of 20 years. It's a 1978 Sigma Galant. When I bought it someone had already changed the motor for a 2litre version. Since then there's not a lot I haven't (had to) replace or rebuild.
My wife rang me the other night to say the handbrake had failed and she'd watched it roll down a hill and hit a house. But... from write off to on the road for $70 - you have to love 30 y.o cars. :-)

I found a set of 5 Sigma turbo rims many years ago and they now grace the arches. Thin rubber at the moment, but I may get excited again and go for wider boots whilst I'm fixing any other damage. I think it's time for a respray too. The motor is a G52B which I've balanced and stuck hi-comp pistons in; the cam has had a mild regrind too. The 5 speed is sounding a little tired and could be due for a rebuild.

The last time I rebuilt the top end I just threw on the head and inlet manifold from a 2.6l astron motor - I'm wondering if the Magna head with hydraulic lifters would be a straight swap... Hmmm....

Anyway, glad to have found this forum after many years of ownership.
Cheers,
Cam
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cheaterparts
Posts: 660
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:06 pm
Location: Cranbourne Vic

Re: It lives again!

Post by cheaterparts »

camB wrote:Hi there. I still drive my first car which I've had for just shy of 20 years. It's a 1978 Sigma Galant.

The motor is a G52B which I've balanced and stuck hi-comp pistons in; the cam has had a mild regrind too. The 5 speed is sounding a little tired and could be due for a rebuild.

The last time I rebuilt the top end I just threw on the head and inlet manifold from a 2.6l astron motor - I'm wondering if the Magna head with hydraulic lifters would be a straight swap... Hmmm....

Cam
Yep got to love these older Chysler sigmas I must have owned mine for 15 years but its been a CAMS log booked race car for 10 years this year.
mine started life as an 1850 as well

the magna head although has the same bolt up pattern has much larger combution chambers and will drop the comp way to much
I was going to use one my self on a 2 Lt in the race sigma and found if you machine 3.5 mm
off the face the comp was back about std but then the top of the bore needed to be releved
a bit to clear the inlet valve
anyway I built a magna head to fit the 2Lt but burnt a hole in a piston at Caulder running it a bit lean
(mind you these days if I where to do a magna head to 2Lt I would look at a M8/9 head off a TS magna they run a smaller chamber )
from there I've run a 2.6 and never looked back

any way welcome to the forum
cheater
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GC75
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Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:30 pm
Location: Gold Coast, QLD

Re: It lives again!

Post by GC75 »

camB wrote: My wife rang me the other night to say the handbrake had failed and she'd watched it roll down a hill and hit a house. But... from write off to on the road for $70 - you have to love 30 y.o cars. :-)
poor house :lol:

welcome 8-)
Previous owner of a GC Coupe, a few GSRS and random Sigmas.
Converted to the Ultimate Driving Machines
camB
Posts: 330
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:37 am
Location: Melbourne
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Re: It lives again!

Post by camB »

Thanks for welcome and informative replies people. I can see this is going to be my first stop whenever (sorry.. IF!) something goes wrong with the Mighty SIgma.
Cam
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81GL
Sigma-Galant Police (Global Mod)
Posts: 912
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:27 am
Location: Mildura Sunraysia Vic

Re: It lives again!

Post by 81GL »

Welcome to the site!
camB wrote:I'm wondering if the Magna head with hydraulic lifters would be a straight swap... Hmmm....
Not a straight swap, but it isn't too difficult either. Makes for a lively little 2lt ;)

Cheater, just curious, what head did you have on a 2lt? (when you say try a M8/9 i'm guessing you mean the kidney yeah?)

Nick.
Old school Mitsu's, its not a hobby; it's a life style.
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cheaterparts
Posts: 660
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:06 pm
Location: Cranbourne Vic

Re: It lives again!

Post by cheaterparts »

81GL wrote:
Cheater, just curious, what head did you have on a 2lt? (when you say try a M8/9 i'm guessing you mean the kidney yeah?)

Nick.
no the head I did for my 2Lt was a M4 magna machined 3.5 mm you could live with the combution chambers then ( had some comp ) and I had already sused out that the inlet valves just touched the bores as they opened
not that that was a problem it only needs a little die grinding for clearance
as it was I updated to a 2.6 and ran the milled down head there

I did this work 9 years ago and if I did it now I would use a M8/9 as less material would need to come off the head - but remember 9 years ago it was hard enough to find M6 heads

I just ran the burret over a m8 head and it had 59 cc compared to 70 cc for other other astron 2 heads both unmachined
cheater
camB
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Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:37 am
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Re: It lives again!

Post by camB »

There's a TS Magna head on ebay at the moment. Item 150341356265.
Looking at the top and bottom - it looks to be an exact match. Do my extractors from the 2l fit on to the Magna studs? And the head and inlet manifold on my 2l are actually off a 2.6l auto (seemed easier and cheaper than repairing my head) - would they match the inlet manifold studs on the Magna head? Distributor too?
Thanks guys for the input.
Cam
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panda
Posts: 378
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 8:41 am
Location: Mount Gambier, South Australia

Re: It lives again!

Post by panda »

camB, on any Magna head, the exhaust stud pattern is the same, but..... the inlet side is different. Easier to use an Astron I head. ;)
I'm here for a good time, not a long time !

Image

GJ Rally Sigma, 2.6 Haltech MPI [SOLD]
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psshhhht
Posts: 283
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Moe, Victoria
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Re: It lives again!

Post by psshhhht »

G'day Mate,
Welcome to the group. I'm a noob too, but it's great to be part of such a friendly and helpful bunch of enthusiasts.
Cheers!
:mrgreen:
looking to start an mechanical apprenticeship, if you know of anyone in Melbourne or Gippsland who's looking for a first year, let me know!
camB
Posts: 330
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:37 am
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Re: It lives again!

Post by camB »

Thought I'd show the damage. :-)
Oops...
Image

Not bad for down a hill into a house though...
Image

and thrown quickly back together...
Image

I'll let you know when it's all nice and tidy.
:-)
camB
Posts: 330
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:37 am
Location: Melbourne
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Re: It lives again!

Post by camB »

Well, I've sanded a decade's worth of dirt off the body and wheels. Had to "rebuild" the back left pillar because I could fit my hand between the screen and the nearest metal. :lol:
I'm off on a work trip for 2 months so the respray will have to wait.
Image
Back together and after a full body sand to remove the dirt.

Image
A good indication of before and after dirt-wise. :roll:
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