No one else seems to have taken the bait, so I'll throw some opinions in the
ring <g>
It depends substantially on circumstances, in particular how much of your own
time, tools and abilities you plan to invest (and what you value them at), as
well as whether your current engine is in need of a rebuild or already
'fresh'.
If your engine is 'tired', and especially if you have to pay someone else to do
all your work, then I'd vote for a typical naturally aspirated build-up : cam,
compression, headers, exhaust, little bit of head work, ala the comp prep
manual, plus a pair of HS6 or Hitachi "SU clone" carbs. Spend some time with
needle selection, and my guess is that you can easily get into the 150hp region
and still have a solid, driveable street engine. You'll probably have a fairly
lumpy idle, but if you can get the idle mixture lean enough (without going lean
at cruise), you've got a fair chance at passing a "tailpipe sniffer" emissions
test.
OTOH, if your engine is fresh, then I suspect a blower is more cost effective.
5-6 psi on a stock TR6 motor should get you into the 150bhp range with no
other modifications, no intercooler, etc. There was part of a TR6 turbo kit
sold on eBay a few months back, and there should still be at least a few
supercharger kits floating around, or if you're handy with a welder and machine
shop, you could roll your own. If you're not up to doing this yourself, there
are several shops around CA that will do it for you. Two I've heard of are Ak
Miller Enterprises (I think they're still around), and Gale Banks Engineering.
Don't know if the folks at Jackson Racing would talk to you or not ...
IMO, a V8 swap is not going to be very satisfactory for only 150hp. _Lots_ of
work here. Of course, if you're looking for 250+, this is the only way to go.
Don't forget the various frame and driveline weaknesses that are known and
will have to be dealt with, plus the steering will have to be rerouted, etc.
If you are serious about this route, contact Dan Masters.
Another option I heard mentioned at Triumphest (sorry, I've forgotten who I was
talking to, but if you see this, please speak up and correct my memory) was a 3
liter in-line 6-cylinder engine (PI of course) that was used in some UK cars,
particularly police cars. Supposedly 200+bhp, bolts right into a TR6 ...
IMO, just bolting on a fuel(petrol) injection system, either electronic or
mechanical, is not going to buy enough power to be worth the expense and
aggravation. Ease of tuning (and smog reduction if that's your thing) becomes
a big factor for a heavily modified engine and IMO would be the major
justification.
Randall
Cregg Cowan wrote:
>
> Ahhhh, "Bang for the Buck" is just what I'm looking for.
>
> I'd like to hear opinions on the most cost-effective way to convert a stock
> setup to ~150Hp for street use. (I don't plan to campaign the car, but I
> would be interested in more "umph." I'm currently exempt from smog tests,
> but I wouldn't want to make a lot of emissions.)
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