Will Zehring (who knows everything else) asked:
> What I'd simply like to get is a feeling from list members for
> the price of a tired but rebuildable 3-main. By that I mean a solid block
> and head and a good crank. My local lbc mechanic (who is expressing renewed
> interest in my OD box after a few "words" over the phone-thank you very
> much) has a couple in the dark recesses of his garage. We haven't talked
> price but I'm wondering what the heck such a lump would go for? What is a
> fair price for a fair engine?
If you're going to stick the original engine under the workbench for future
concours, why put in another 3-main for go-fast purposes? It seems to me
that 3-mains are going to be hard to find because the ones that haven't blown
up are probably all in LFA's. And with a 5-main in there, you can mate it up
to a fully synchro tranny and get rid of that annoying starter rattle.
However, you'd have to install an electronic tach because you wouldn't have
anywhere to attach your mechanical tach.
I'm told by people who care about these things, that the later blocks (68?
69? and later) are stronger and that smog heads have better porting. Since
you're probably going to need to bore the cylinders and replace the pistons
anyway, you can use a _really_ late engine and dump those dished pistons.
Heck, buy a '79 B, lower it and remove the smog stuff. Just kidding.
At a recent San Diego MG Club meeting, someone announced that they had a
low mileage, complete '67 B long block with carbs, flywheel, and oil filter
for sale for $300. Much to my surprise, no one else even talked to him
about it. I bought it. If this wasn't a bargain, I can't imagine what is.
> Any netters out there that I could correspond with regarding such a project?
Well, yeah, I guess so, you know how I love to show off.
Denise Thorpe
thorpe@kegs.saic.com
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