David, many years ago (1976), I installed a 1970 TR6 engine, radiator,
and a TR4A transmission with overdrive into a TR3A. I had to modify the
cross
member that ran in front of the TR3A engine between the two towers and
modify the tie rod assembly with a U bend to clear the front of the
longer engine as
well as modifying the plastic fan blades so that it would not hit the
tie rod modification. I also changed the mechanical guts out of the tach
to the electronic TR6
innards and installed the TR6 seats as the originals were not that
comfortable. To get the seats in I had to bash the drive shaft tunnel in
a bit and when you went
around a corner at high speed, the transmission tended to make contact.
Don't remember what I used for a drive shaft but I did find some TR
shaft that fit. I
had some oversize tires (TR6 size) and from what I recall the steering
was a bit stiff. Could have been the tires and extra weight. The
conversion went fairly
well however it tended to overheat. The next owner advised me that he
had overcome the heating problem by installing a reservoir for the
coolant since the
radiator was so low it must have been air locking. I took it on a trip
with a girlfriend from Edmonton to Los Angeles and had many little
mechanical incidents,
the worst was running it out of oil on one of the freeways. Turns out I
decided to use a barbed fitting and a rubber hose (tygon) for the oil
pressure line with no
clips and it came off at the engine. Pumped all of the oil out of the
engine. Here we are, two kids that have never seen an eight lane freeway
and the oil light
comes on while we are trying to figure out where we are. You check the
oil pressure gauge and see nothing. First reaction is to turn the engine
off and get over
to the side. With the engine off, there are no signal lights and you are
start to slowdown. Well this big semi is behind me and he starts laying
on his horn. Four
quarts of oil and two or three tins of STP allowed me to limp it home at
about 40 mph without hearing the engine knock. Still have that engine.
We would be
on the road for 10 to 12 hours a day and maybe cover 250 to 300 miles.
Some of the other mechanical issues on this trip was a leaking clutch or
was that the
brake master cylinder, no battery power due to a bad connection at the
ammeter, a torn diaphragm in one of the carbs, a leaking water pump and
oh yah, the
carpet started on fire between Vegas and LA. This all happened before
the oil problem. The carpet problem was pretty humorous as we had left
Vegas and
were driving through this desert when I started to smell this sweet
odor. Not having seen much desert before, we thought it must have been
desert air. A few
miles later, smoke is wafting out from under the dash. I check under the
dash and the bonnet? hood and find nothing. Get back into the car and
the same thing.
Turns out a hole in the carb diaphragm might have raised the exhaust
temperature and the muffler must have been close enough that the carpet
behind the
drivers seat started to melt. Had to put the beer ice on the carpet to
get back to Vegas. Have you ever tried to find a pub in Salt Lake
City??? I will never
forget the warm beer, the 105 degrees, the thermal sleeping bags and the
campground right next to the railway tracks. The previous year, I had
fitted some
wire wheels on it and while returning from a trip to Vancouver Island
and traveling through Kamloops, the driver side front wheel came off.
The first thing that
goes through your head is...I didn't see a pothole. The next thing is
... Boy is it ever a long hole, and then the wheel pops out and goes
down the road for a
block until it runs into the back of someone's car. Looks like I forgot
to tighten the four studs that held the spline on. Just about lost the
car to the ocean on that
trip as I roared out onto the beach and got stuck and the tide started
coming in. Anyway, she was fun and I still miss her. The TR3 was also
fun, and I was
happy with the conversion and since there were no structural changes
other than to the tie rod and cross member it can be easily restored to
the original
equipment. I must say that I sure did get good support and encouragement
from all of the people that I dealt with on my trip through the US right
from the
service station attendant that drove me back onto the freeway with my
four cans of oil and the fellow at the garage that lent me his pressure
tester when I
changed the water pump. It sure is funny how you can remember all of
this after 24 years and you have a hard time with your wife's bithday or
your wedding
anniversary.
Larry Ternowski
Surrey BC
3 Spits and a Vitesse and still waiting to get one on the road.
Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 13:09:48 -0400
From: "David A. Templeton" <davidt@opentext.com>
Subject: Re: engine swaps
I asked this question with the help of Joe yesterday and nobody
challenged
me so I will post again, Has anybody seen other engines/gearboxes in a
TR3a?
Thanks
David A. Templeton
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