Andy,
Yes, you probably did see my name on the sign up for the VTR convention....
unfortunately there is a chance that I won't be able to make it because of a
personal situation here in Dallas.
To answer your question about the V8 conversion, I never got serious enough
about the conversion to try figuring out the logistics of making the engine
fit. With the "open" bay of the Spitfire I can't imagine it'd be too hard,
with the possible exception of how to route the exhaust and any height
problems with the carb/air cleaner assembly. The same engine was dropped
into the MGB engine bay without mods (except for radiator mounting), and the
MGB 4 cylinder isn't significantly larger than the Spitfire 1500. Anyway, I
was a young pup fresh out of college in my first real job, and there was
barely enough cash to think about getting the stock motor going again, much
less a V8 swap! And the rear axle issues would have driven me crazy!
There is a gentleman here in the Dallas area that shoe-horned a Ford 289
Hi-Po into a 1500 body. He's running a narrowed Ford rear end, and
something like 295/50/15 rubber on the back wheels. From what I remember of
the car the frame from the seats forward is completely custom, and the
engine is set back far enough that the back 2 or 4 spark plugs are accessed
from within the cockpit! The rear wheel arches look like washing machine
drums in the trunk. His comment is that it can be a bit "squirrely". Texas
understatement?
I now have a TR7 5-speed (same trans as from the TR8 :-)... and I'm still
dreaming of finding a V8 to stuff into something (my Mini Cooper maybe?)
Jim
ps. Grassroots Motorsports is in the process of finishing my other engine
swap choice... rotary power! If they'd started with a '67 or earlier car
they could stop whining about the car not being street legal!
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lindberg, Andrew (MN12) [SMTP:Andrew.Lindberg@CORP.honeywell.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 1998 12:57 PM
> To: Gambony, Jim; rstieg@ci.bartlett.tn.us; spitfires@Autox.Team.Net
> Subject: RE: spitfire names (New Topic)
>
> jim.gambony@eds.com wrote: "When I bought my '73 Spitfire, I seriously
> considered locating a rover 3500 V8 as a replacement motor. Of course, the
>
> conversion never happed."
>
> Jim --
>
> This has been a dream (fantasy?) of mine for a few years, but I've never
> been able to find much info on it. So I have a lot of questions of which
> the following is just the tip of the iceberg: Does the Rover/Buick fit in
> the Spit/GT6 engine bay? Easily or with a lot of pounding/cutting on body
>
> panels? How much heavier/lighter is it than the Spit/GT6 iron engines?
> What trannies hook up to it? How long can the rear differential stand
> the
> V8's torque before it explodes?
>
> I've never seen a report by anybody that's done the conversion (unlike the
>
> reports on the web and elsewhere of people that have dropped a Ford 302 in
>
> their TR6), but I'm not quite ready to let the dream die yet.
>
> Anybody out there done this? Seen a car which has had the conversion
> done?
> I'd appreciate any info (or even speculation) on this topic.
>
> -- Minnesota Andy (A GT6 owner who doesn't have the money, or time, or
> talent, or space to do the conversion right now but would like to start
> planning for more prosperous times. And who also knows where he can get a
>
> Buick version of this engine for not too much.)
>
> p.s. Jim, did I see your name on the sign-up list for the VTR convention
> up
> here in the great north woods?
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