[Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure

Sat Feb 10 12:38:48 MST 2024

Now, you've gone too far, Bob.  An electric Healey? Bleah!  As you say, to
each their own. There's plenty of room in the Healey tent for concours,
modified, big Healeys, little Healeys, Nash Healeys, Healey boats, etc.
Can't we all just get along? 😀

Rick

On Sat, Feb 10, 2024 at 1:22 PM Bob Spidell via Healeys <
healeys at autox.team.net> wrote:

> The most rational, pragmatic swap at this point would be to an electric
> motor and batteries; done right, it would blow the doors off an LS or
> Coyote swap (up to a 100MPH or so, I wouldn't push a Healey chassis much
> past that, for long anyway-BTDT). How many owners do more than day trips
> anyway (my days of 5K mile trips are, unfortunately, in the past).
>
> I wanted a big V8-powered car with all the modern improvements, so I
> bought a Mustang GT and left my Healeys as Austins (Jensens) un-mutated,
> and without the 20-50% drop in market value* (my survivors will have to
> sell my Healeys someday). 475HP--480 if I could get 93-octane--disks all
> around (Brembos in front), electric throttle and steering (several modes),
> 19x9/10 wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4ses, IRS, MagneRide and Steeda
> suspension upgrades (the IRS is a bit shaky); 0-60 under 5s (supposedly;
> I'm not good enough and the A10s are quicker). Bigger and heavier; I reckon
> a Nasty Boy would take me on a narrow twisty, but on the sweepers and
> straights it's sayonara. The Mustang hauls ass, and it's fun, but the
> Austin-Healeys are simply more satisfying to drive--by far--warts and all.
>
> Disclaimer: I am very much an "It's your car, do what you want with it"
> person. I've made small mods to my cars: Pertonix Ignitors in both; taller
> rear-end for highway driveability, Texas Cooler with shroud in the BJ8 but
> I never have, and never will, understand why people buy a car they don't
> actually want just to change it (owners with broken/missing engines who
> think 'Why not?' I can see). Why not buy a Saxon and build it up the way
> you want it from scratch? Oh, and for the record, I don't much care for
> breast implants either; just not the same.
>
> * Just my observations from BaT, FB, mailing lists, etc.; I've yet to see
> a Nasty Boy cross the block at B-J or Mecums--doen't mean it hasn't
> happened--but the muscle car 'restomods' with SBCs, LSes, etc. are a
> dime-a-dozen and, IMO, not particularly unique or imaginative (they do have
> garish paint jobs though).
>
>
>
>
> On 2/9/2024 10:25 PM, Chris Scholz via Healeys wrote:
>
> I love my LS1 swap.  It was a lot of work.  Aluminum dual passage Wizard
> radiator with 15” spal fan-I can drive in a parade at 110 heat index and
> car stays right at 195 degrees.  Lots of work to get the alternator to
> fit-I modified a bracket from a Jeep wrangler LS swap kit.   Everything
> barely fit longitudinally-there is one inch between the electric radiator
> fan and my water pump.   Had to cut the steering shaft and u joint.  Works
> great.
> Like Rick, I have the stock 3.55 Healey rear with a quaife limited slip
> diff and it works perfectly.  72” Daytona wire wheels with 205 wide tires.
>   Lowered the front spring perches -my front was so much lighter it was up
> in the air by 2-3”.  It rides and handles so well.  My car was a 1959 100-6
> so it wasn’t worth as much stock as a BJ8.  I feel my value went up.
> I love my reliability and the torque is amazing.  Car is so much fun to
> slowly cruise and then hit the gas and go.  I would never go back to the
> heavy iron block.  I feel this an aluminum V8 would have been Healey’s
> first choice if GM would have worked with him.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> Chris Scholz OD
>
> On Feb 9, 2024, at 7:58 PM, HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com>
> <healeyrik at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 
> A V8 swap is nothing to be undertaken lightly. It's not as simple as
> "dropping in a V8". That's the easy part, mostly focusing on making engine
> and transmission mounts and cutting away pieces of the footwells so the
> motor will fit with the exhaust headers in place.  It's all the other stuff
> you need to do that will really add the work. New electrical system,
> radiator, upgraded brakes, fuel system, transmission shifter, etc, etc.
> It's worth it in the end if you want a Healey/Cobra, but you'll also knock
> off about 30 percent of your car's value or more.  You can see the work I
> had to do to put a Ford 5.0L and 5 speed transmission into my BJ7 here:
> http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,8264  The Ford 5.0 is narrower
> than the Chevy LS so less body cutting to do, but not a huge difference. LS
> motors are more likely to be found in a junkyard with low mileage now and
> with your brother a GM mechanic, would be very helpful.  I did about 50-75%
> of the swap myself, except for the engine rebuild and body fabrication. My
> car has 350 hp and I run the stock rear end with 3.55 gears and Dayton 72
> spoke wires.  Much more power than that and those parts will start
> braking.  A good engine swap is really a joy, but if you do a bad one it
> will be a nightmare forever. Chris did a really nice swap with his LS but
> he can speak to how much work it was.
>
> My first choice if you don't have that "Need for Speed" would be to try a
> replacement Healey 6.
>
> Best of Luck,
> Rick
>
> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 2:11 PM <rfbegani at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Funny you should suggest a v8 replacement.  Chris just made that
>> suggestion to install an LS1 with GM Trans.  My Bother is a retired GM
>> mechanic, and he agrees.  Did you do the exchange?  What engine trans etc.
>> did you use?  All options are on the table.
>>
>>
>>
>> Bob
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com>
>> *Sent:* Friday, February 9, 2024 1:32 PM
>> *To:* rfbegani at gmail.com
>> *Cc:* healeys at autox.team.net
>> *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure
>>
>>
>>
>> Sorry to hear this Bob. What you've been told so far seems correct.
>> Without the main bearing caps you're in a tough spot.  Maybe trying to find
>> a BJ8 block or a rebuildable BJ8 motor is the best of a bad group of
>> choices.  Too bad, I gave away a bare block with caps from a BJ7 a few
>> years ago for a donation to our club charity.  I'd put a wanted ad in the
>> club magazines and Healey forums, Facebook pages and hope someone out there
>> might have one. Try Hemphills, Healey Surgeons, David Nock, maybe they have
>> one that needs rebuilding somewhere. Or do what I did and put a V8 in there!
>>
>>
>>
>> Best of luck,
>>
>> Rick Neville aka "HealeyRick"
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 11:12 AM <rfbegani at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Gentlemen:
>>
>>
>>
>> I arrived back to Florida in May and decide to drive my 67
>> Austin-Healey.  Drove it a mile and heard clanking engine, looked at the
>> oil pressure, It was O! Instead of stooping to have towed home, I drove it
>> back slowly.  Last month, I dropped the pan and started to remove the rod
>> and crank caps and bearings.  My mechanic friend said you got lucky the
>> crank may only need polishing and new bearings.  So, I packed and marked
>> each of the main bearing caps, bolts, and bearings along with piston rods
>> and caps in individual plastic bags. Then packed them into a larger plastic
>> bag which was put under the workbench near the garbage.  We towed the car
>> to Mikes garage so he could pull and disassemble the engine.  Tuesday, he
>> asked me to bring the parts I had removed from the engine so he would have
>> everything in one place.  I looked around but could not find this black
>> plastic bag and then remembered it got pitched in the garbage. So, I am now
>> up the famous creek and am asking this group what I can do?
>>
>>
>>
>>    1. I am told the engine is finished because the Main Bearing caps are
>>    not available and even if you could find them, they would need to be line
>>    bored on the engine.
>>    2. I am told that finding an engine block for a 3000 with original
>>    main bearing caps is almost impossible.
>>    3. Finding an engine to be rebuild might be possible.
>>
>>
>>
>> My engine was rebuilt 6000 miles with years ago everything new, so I
>> would like to find a way of fixing the existing engine, if possible.
>>
>>
>>
>> Please give me your advice.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>>
>>
>> Bob Begani
>>
>> 67 Austin-Healey BJ8
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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