‘ Chris explains that he spends more time mapping the engine from idle to 1500rpm than he does to get maximum power’
To aid in the collaborative work are hexagonal overhead lights, the sort loved by influencer garages. But Chris explains they really help in the eradication of shadows and are ideal for when the car is being detailed. Then there are Lista cabinets across the back wall. Not only does Chris kit out each of Tolman’ s spaces with bespoke Lista cabinets, but he’ s also become a Lista supplier and sells the cabinets and benches alongside the company’ s upgraded 205 parts. If that isn’ t an endorsement, I don’ t know what is. But selling cabinetry came from customer demand. Chris’ s clients wanted to kit out their own garages and workshops like Tolman’ s, so their cars were stored in a place that matched the quality of the car. So now Chris also helps his customers fit out and design their garages.
Above the two bays is a Peugeot Talbot sign. A good reminder of the company’ s main focus now. And it’ s needed because one of the trio of cars in the room isn’ t a pristine 205 GTi, it’ s a Ford. Tolman has been commissioned to do what it does to Peugeots, but to an XR3i. And like the top-spec 205s that the company does, the CVH engine in the Ford is getting a 16-valve head. That’ s something I need to see, so the next stop is the engine room.
The new engine shop is really what I am here to see, not that the gleaming, perfect Peugeots and race and rally icons haven’ t been a real treat. The new engine build room is clean and clear. It’ s new, so that’ s no surprise. But there are still three engines on the go, so it’ s not unused. The T16’ s engine is in the prime spot, its cam and pulley covers are off. Chris explains that it needs a new belt, but, unsurprisingly, given the car is ultra rare and 40 years old, new ones aren’ t available. He has a used, old stock belt, but using 40-year-old rubber components isn’ t the Tolman way, so Chris is making new pulleys so he can use a brand new belt.
A 3-litre BMW straight-six is part way through a tear-down, and the Ford CVH bottom end is waiting for its 16-valve bits adapted from a Zetec engine. There are also Lista cabinets and drawers, of course, a high-pressure cleaning cabinet and a more ordinary parts washer. What’ s most notable is how quiet the area is, both literally – it’ s muffled from the rest of the industrial estate nicely – and metaphorically – there’ s no fuss or mess. It’ s the exact sort of place you’ d need when dedicating real concentration to assembling an engine. Or coming up with a solution to adding a head from one engine onto the‘ wrong’ block.
Above the main engine shop is a new area. A dedicated electronics space. It’ s in here that the looms for each of Tolman’ s cars get modified and adapted to incorporate more modern options: heated seats and windscreens, Bluetooth connectivity and, most importantly, a serious ECU.
It’ s not the most glamorous part of engine tuning, and I am certainly guilty of obsessing over throttle bodies, billet cranks and tubular exhaust manifolds, but Chris is really keen and very proud of the ignition and fuel maps, and safety systems that Tolman creates. The ECUs Tolman uses are made by a Swedish company called Maxx, and they can programme in fail-safe systems, such as limited revs when the engine is cold or they can shut off the engine entirely if the oil pressure drops.
No new part available? Not a problem for Tolman, they’ ll just remake it
‘ Chris explains that he spends more time mapping the engine from idle to 1500rpm than he does to get maximum power’
A jig for an engine loom becomes a surprising treat in a facility full of excellent equipment
52 The Engine Rebuilder Issue 01