Berlinetta mods.

[philws]

I have totally stripped my Cortina based Berlinetta and I am about to start the rebuild, One basic mod I want to make is to give myself a bit more width in the cockpit. The door side is fixed so I am looking to narrow the centre tunnel! Has anyone undertaken this modification. How narrow can I go without causing problems with clearances etc.
Any advise and comment would be gratefully received.
Phil

[Dane_Rescueman]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Phil, A couple of years ago I fitted a type 9 gearbox to my Berli. It is a tight fit so I don't think you will be able to reduce the size of the tunnel. Possibly moving the engine and gearbox forward a bit may allow some "thinning" but this could produce further problems for you. I seem to remember someone advocating door bulges but this was way in the past. A very old Pitstop may contain the comments perhaps. Otherwise there is not a lot you can do. I hope James Dresch sees this as he has experience of "adjusting" the tunnel during his conversion of Berlinettas to LHD. I was unsure about the elbow room when I first got a Berli but once on the move it doesn't seem to matter.
Good luck with it and let us all know how you get on.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Phil,
When the Berlinetta was intrduced in 1984 the tunnel was wider than later models. As the car was developed the part of the tunnel from the tail of the box and along the prop length was reduced to allow a little more width for seats. I have seen cases where the builder reduced to much, to narrow and the result was prop slap. Let me know what width your tunnel is and we can compare. Then you will know what you can gain and consider if it is worth doing.
I have a photo of a members Berly with cut down doors, and soft side screens, so his arms are out over the cut down door, roadster style.
Regards
Danny.

[csjcarolyn]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Danny, can you let us have more details, I too would like to have "Roadster" style doors.

Roger

[danny_nelson]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Roger,
The glass and frame surround was removed. Then the tops of the doors were cut so they raked downwards at the back. A piece of wood was then bonded in between the skins at the top to make the door rigid again.The reduced height of the door lets the arm fall over, and no glass to restrict the shoulder. You can then follow lots of different ideas to make side screens as seen on many roadsters. Give me a call, tel or email if you want any more info.
Regards
Danny.

[philws]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Danny
I have measured my tunnel today at 6.5" wide. I have the car totaly stripped but for the axle and note that the diff. is offset towards the drivers side by 1.5" the axle is a 2 litre mk3 Cortina do any of the other axles sit any more central. The footwells measure 17"
I don't like the idea of altering the doors, for me one of the big attractions of the Berlinetta is propper doors and windows making it a true all year round car.

[danny_nelson]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Phil,
My tunnel tapers from the bulkhead to the gearbox. I have reshaped an area beside the clutch pedal so that my foot sits comfortably beside the pedal. There is a straight section in my tunnel which starts before the handbrake and continues back, and then widens out just a little before the rear bulkhead. This straight section is just over three inches wide. Reshape your complete tunnel so that you get the max area for your seating. YKC, and Marlin took this on board as the models were developed. There is nothing to be gained on the diff, this only covers a short length and can easily be tapered. When you have max width then the seat of your choice can be padded/upholstered, to be level with the top of the tunnel so you can again spread rather than be hard against. If I can help in any way or you want to talk it through tel or email anytime.
Regards
Danny.

[philws]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Thanks Danny
What you have described is exactly what I had in mind, I did not think of the little bit of extra for my big feet.
What I will do is mock it up without the tunnel but with the prop in place then see what I have, 3.5" gain sounds good. I have some MGF seats which I am determined to fit!
I will be in touch if I need any more info.

[gaddbrose]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Phil. you mentioned the differential offset in your last note. It appears that this is standard on every axle, even the Sierra set up has half shafts of different lengths and it has caught quite a number of first time builders out, I asked the same question in 1987. The reason, I got out of Marlin, was that the prop shaft was deliberately mis aligned so that the "Hardy spicer couplings" would have to move. If the diff. was in the middle, the prop. shaft and bearings would be straight , then the internal rollers in the H-S, would take the load on the same part of the case and would cause an indent known as 'brinnelling'. The indent would grow, and wear and clearance takes place, followed by breakdown. In the event of the diff. offset, the rollers have to move about and work on different portions of the case, and the wear is better distributed and the whole thing lasts longer. In short, you will not get a 'straight' axle, it does n't exist Brian.

[philws]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Brian
It all makes sense when it is explained. But it would have helped if it was more central.

[James]

Re: Berlinetta mods.

Hi Phil,
As Dane mentioned I have indeed widened the footwells of my Berlinettas (I too have big feet). I have not made any changes to the width of the transmission tunnel rear of the gear lever. Widening the footwells is quite a straight forward process but you do need to make clearance measurements with the engine/gearbox in situ. This has of course not widened the cockpit, only made more room for my feet.
James