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Re: [Healeys] A serious YELLOW Healey <G> !!

To: Alan Seigrist <healey.nut@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] A serious YELLOW Healey <G> !!
From: Jody Kerr <jodyfkerr@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:34:23 -0700
Ok, wanted to clarify things a bit. For some bizarre reason people in
Arizona like to remove perfectly good engines from rare vehicles and
drop a Chevy 350 motor in there. I've seen Studebaker Golden Hawks
(which had a beautiful motor and paxton supercharger) get changed for
no reason. Add to that a list of other cars of similar quality of
motor and or rarity "ruined" (in my opinion mind you) at car shows. It
makes me a little crazy. Then there's the guys that spend upwards of
75K to build a ford/buick/plymouth/cadillac/studebaker/hudson hot rod
and put in a chevy motor. I mean hell, if you're going to spend that
much, put a more appropriate engine in place.

Now, when it comes to british cars, I like to see V-8 versions using
either the Rover V-8 or a Ford V-8. But the, there's a level of
provenance to the idea. The great AC Cobra was created by merging a
ford powerplant into an AC chassis. The Tiger used a Ford powerplant.
(I'm leaving the Jensen Interceptor out of this as it's a saloon car,
not a sports car).

The "Hemi in a Bug-eye" sounds like some incredible engineering. That
had to have required massive work, thought and talent to do something
like that. I think that sort of stuff is really cool.

At heart I'm still a purist. Driving cars like the Jensen-Healey has
shown me that I have to be more flexible/creative about that as parts
availability continually dwindles. I've learned to like doing/thinking
about engine swaps, but I still can't bring myself to do it unless
there's no original engine remaining in the car (I still want to build
a Porsche 944 with a LS-1 motor in it).

Jody

-- 
http://www.theymightberacing.com/
1953 Studebaker Champion
1960 Austin Healey 3000 (BT7L/5479)
1974 Jensen Healey MKII (14291)
1974 Jensen Healey MKII (18854)
1978 Triumph Spitfire (Mum's)
1981 Triumph TR8

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