[Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure

Sun Feb 11 09:08:48 MST 2024

Joseph--

As the famous Wellerism goes *''Every one to his own taste,' said the old
woman as she kissed the cow".*

Best--Michael Oritt

On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 10:30 AM josef-eckert--- via Healeys <
healeys at autox.team.net> wrote:

> What I do not understand is, why you want to convert an Austin-Healey to
> V8, Electtric, etc? For me the decision is clear to keep an Austin-Healey
> as Austin-Healey and when I like to have a V8 as well i would buy a Jaguar
> XK8 or similar as an addition. We did this with our holiday car which is a
> Mazda MX-5 Miata. The car is absolutely great and in many ways superiour to
> the Austion-Healey, especially when it comes to the heavy traffic on
> European roads and Safety. Meanwhile I do not go on any  motorway here in
> Germany with one of my Austin-Healeys. Its just painful.
>
>
>
> Josef Eckert
>
> Königswinter/Germany
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original-Nachricht-----
>
> Betreff: Re: [Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure
>
> Datum: 2024-02-11T14:44:08+0100
>
> Von: "Chris Scholz via Healeys" <healeys at autox.team.net>
>
> An: "HealeyRick" <healeyrik at gmail.com>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I would be concerned with the lack of passion with a full electric
> conversion.
>
> An aluminum V8 keeps the spirit and improves the driving experience.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> Chris Scholz OD
>
> On Feb 10, 2024, at 9:16 PM, HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 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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