Gordini head conversion?

[TNT Andy]

Just toying with the idea of doing this conversion as my engine went pop and I'm looking at doing a full rebuild on my C1J in Fluffy. I seem to remember somebody doing this conversion some time ago. Are there any guides or fundamental info that will point me in the right direction to get me going?

Andy

 

[Clarkey]

Biggest thing is the ££££££££££££££££££££££ I read somewhere

 

[gtmatt]

Works well ,cross flow head ,andy Cooke did one , scoff also started one , I made a adaptor plate for him at my work so the gt turbo pump would fit.

Andy cookes was the only one I seen with good power results

 

[TNT Mr Raider]

Hows the parts availability side of things?

 

[gtmatt]

I'm sure you will be get hold of a head I know someone who can get you one , ain't a clue how much they are

 

[Adey]

plenty of people on here now that can help with parts, you can still get alot of bits from continental ebay too. good conversion but a little involved but loads better than the gtt head

 

[TNT Andy]

Hmmm - I like the idea of the x-flow head, and the pump situation may be omitted with an electric pump plumbed in, it's just a matter of which head to use, what is possible etc. This part of project Fluffy as usual can take it's time. I wonder if Chris still has that head lying around??? I think a well aimed e-mail may be in order LOL.

 

[slgreavett]

Any cylinder head with " Amedee Gordini's " name on it has to better doesn't it!?? Would be very interested to see the project unfold!

 

[DaveL485]

Although the xflow head is a good upgrade, I would have to ask myself if it made sense.... for what I would wager with the same budget you could F4R Turbo it, with more power and reliability. You want to stick with the C1J, stick with the C1J, why spend more money for less power, parts availability, more bespoke parts and work. You're engineering a money trap for the future...what if this one drops a valve too?

I've invested a stupendous sum of money in converting an NA 12v 21TXi head to work with the turbo lump so I speak from experience.... Although yes, I get to say it's all Renault 21 parts and blah-de-blah, if the F4R was as available when I started in 2005 as it is now I wouldn't even consider it an option...i'd lob the newer lump in without second thought. I'm too far in now though to quit and go back, although the overall cost is pushing 5 figures I guess the bit where I have spent on the block and head is probably about £5000. The head owes me over £3k on it's own because I dotted the i's and crossed the t's. I even bought a spare head and 4 extra exhaust valves @ £84 each for the valve drop scenario so I wouldn't be stranded without a head in that event.

Can you imagine what I could do now, with a 21, an F4R and >£5000? Makes me a little bit sick. Food for thought bud...at the end of the day it's your car and your choice

 

[turboted]

You be looking at £3000+ to do the head conversion I recon,
Custom exhaust manifold, and down pipe,
Custom inlet manifold and injector rail
Machine work water pump,push rods rocker shaft I think the head or block needs to be modified for oil gallery and water gallery for head gasket,
Find a good gordini head aswell.
Looked into doing myself 4 years to my c1j and it cost to much for not much gain, when I built my f7p turbo first it cost £3500 and at 1 bar on a china man turbo it made 323hp.
If your not wanting any more power leave it c1j regards RobbieRobbie

 

[Clarkey]

You be looking at £3000+ to do the head conversion I recon,

WOW...

 

[Brigsy]

So much work and ££ for not a lot of gain Andy. From memory you will need dini pistons, cam, oil and water gallery mods, custom inlet and exhaust, the water pump saga etc. Finding a good engine/head will be a chew on.

I agree with Robbie, if power is the goal bin the c1j or be prepared to spend mega money for not a lot in return.

 

[DaveL485]

WOW...

Indeed... the highlights of mine were £749 for a billet cam and pulley, and almost a bag of sand for the valves, seats, springs and retainers lol. And the head is a bolt-on, no machining or mods needed to actually fit the damn thing to the block.

When you go for the bespoke one-off stuff plan on being bummed at every single turn

 

[Mart]

For someone still running the 32dis, the expense of carrying out the conversion wouldn't be worth it, imho.

However, you at least have the advantage of already having the efi gubbins, and assuming you want to retain the c1j block, a Gordini head conversion would be the next step in gaining good power.

If you can source a head, and know a good/cheap fabricator for the manifolds, the hard work is done.

Andy Cooke is ya man to speak to if you want advice from someone who carried out the conversion.

 

[Norwich Nick]

The continenatal boys were talking about this somewhere, iirc there's a guy who sells and fits everything you need for the conversion, can't remember where I saw it but think they said he was in Belgium?

 

[TNT Andy]

It's a very interesting idea to do this conversion, but like you all say, the FR route is possibly the way to go for x-head configurations with so many being done now, not to mention the prospect of a free engine. This is not for now, but I feel an FR conversion down the line. At 3K - that's way too much.

 

[ren5gord]

I could supply u a complete head for £300. You would then just need a camshaft from mecaparts and either a electric water pump or modify the head to move the water pump to the other end which isnt hard.

 

[marcel]

to build an 1,8 16v turbo fotr the 5 is nice to have lower pressure but more horsepower.
but more weight on the front of the litle 5.
to build the gordini conversion is the bomb , stil the orginal 1,4 under the hood.
i nice cilinderhead en also lots of power , everything to make more horsepower costs
a decent amount of hobby money.
i go for the gordini conversion thats the way to go in my opinion .

there is also a facebook page about the r5 gtt gordini/EFI conversion.

 

[TNT Andy]

to build an 1,8 16v turbo fotr the 5 is nice to have lower pressure but more horsepower.
but more weight on the front of the litle 5.
to build the gordini conversion is the bomb , stil the orginal 1,4 under the hood.
i nice cilinderhead en also lots of power , everything to make more horsepower costs
a decent amount of hobby money.
i go for the gordini conversion thats the way to go in my opinion .

there is also a facebook page about the r5 gtt gordini/EFI conversion.

That's great - Could you post a linky up please.

Can anyone comment on the 'extra weight' aspect of this? I was reliably informed there was not a huge difference in weight. I'm at a cross road which is going to give me loads of time to do this. I'd love to do the Gordini conversion and follow my mini routes as the bigger power mini's had the Arden 8 port heads.

whatever I chose to do won't be happening for at least 12 months due to financial constraints, and which ever route I take will need £££ - but I really would prefer the 1.4 Gordini route.

"I could supply u a complete head for £300. You would then just need a camshaft from mecaparts and either a electric water pump or modify the head to move the water pump to the other end which isnt hard."

This is good to know.

 

[DaveL485]

I think the bare F4R is somewhere around 100kg, maybe more. The cast block means it comes in about 30kg more than a 21 Turbo lump!