Specification
Car ..................Reliant Kitten DL saloon. (The Kitten is the factory 4 wheel version of the 3 wheel Robin). Body is fibreglass.
Engine .............3528cc Rover V8 from a SD1, ARP big end bolts, ARP main stud kit (replacing stock bolts), reground crank, align honed mains, Crane cam and lifters, Cloyes timing chain, K+N bronze valve guides machined to take Crane teflon seals, double valve springs, 3 angle valve seats, home ported heads, heads skimmed.
Gearbox ..........Borg
Warner type 66 3 speed automatic, modified torque converter to give higher
stall speed.
Chassis ...........Space frame 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" x 14 SWG square
base with 1 1/2" x 14 SWG round upper, bracing in smaller sizes. Welding
with TIG.
Rear Axle .......Volvo 245 narrowed to 40" flange to flange. 4.1
: 1 ratio.
Suspension .....Rear.. Spherically jointed adjustable 4 link. Spax
coil overs, 110 lb/inch springs.. Front.. Shortened Ford struts. Spherically
jointed arms. 130 lb/inch springs. 6 degree castor, -1 degree camber.
Wheels ............Rear.. 10" x 15" Revolution 5 spoke..
Front.. 3 1/2" x 13" split rim Revolution RFX
Tyres ...............Rear.. 295 50 15 BF Goodrich ( replaced original
N50 x 15" Kelly Supercharger ).. Front 135 70 13 Michelin
Steering ...........Narrowed Reliant Kitten Rack ( by Steve Phillips
of DS Eng (see links)), upper part of column Fiat 131, middle CDS tube. Tubular
track rods, spherically jointed track rod ends mounted in double shear brackets
to strut.
Radiator ..........Opel Senator core, Rover SD1 end tanks, Marina top
and bottom plates.
Fan ..................Fiat 132 electric.
Brakes ............Rear.. Ford Capri discs and calipers. Mintex M1144
pads.. Front.. Volvo discs and calipers... Twin master cylinders with balance
bar (no servo). Reliant Kitten hand brake lever.
Propshaft ........1310 series slip shaft made by me.
Interior ............Fire extinguisher, master cut off switch, overhead
switch panel, B+M ratchet shifter, tachometer, Reliant Kitten speedo,
water temp. gauge, oil pressure gauge.
Performance ....With stock scrap yard engine 12.81 sec quarter mile.
With new engine 0-100 mph 10 secs. No accurate quarter mile times available.
( I ran 13.41 secs with the new engine but the track was very poor and I was
getting a lot of wheel spin in 1st and 2nd gear. On a good road surface I
struggle to get ANY wheel spin.) Top speed 130 mph @ 6500rpm!
Work................All work by me John Beardmore except :- Paint by
Robin Beardmore. Wiring by Robin Beardmore and Tony Amos, Axle narrowing,
steering rack narrowing and taper modifying on bottom of the strut ball joint
mounting by Steve Phillips of DS Eng (see links). Radiator by local firm.
Tube bending to my templates by local firm.
