[Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure

Michael Oritt michael.oritt at gmail.com
Sun Feb 11 09:42:37 MST 2024 

Joseph--

You said:  "I usually try to understand why others do such things my mind
cannot follow."

That's a different problem as what makes sense to one of us may not make
sense to another.

In my case I replaced my BN1's original three-speed transmission with a
Smitty's five-speed conversion and W58 transmission because:

1.  I had driven to California--about 3,000 miles from my home in
Maryland--when the second gear cluster broke and
2.  I wanted to complete the trip driving the car rather than having it
shipped home, still broken, and
2.  I was about 100 miles from Smitty's shop in Thousand Oaks CA and he had
both a rebuilt W58 and a conversion kit on hand, and
4.  Even assuming I could have found a replacement cluster and a facility
that could have installed it in a reasonable amount of time, etc., the
original transmission was a POS in the first place, as was the manual
clutch which I also replaced with an hydraulic clutch (later upgraded to a
BJ8 diaphragm unit)

So, my decision was easy for me to make and after a couple of days working
at Smitty's shop and an outlay of a reasonable sum of money I was able to
drive back to MD.  Beyond that I feel that what I gave up in originality I
have more than gotten back in driveability.

Best--Michael Oritt


On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 11:23 AM josef-eckert at t-online.de <
josef-eckert at t-online.de> wrote:

> Michael,
>
> I do not mind and I am fully with you. I even do not mind if one puts his
> car in the dining room or fills it with water or throws it down a bridge.
> Its his/her car and everybody can do with belongings what they want as long
> others are not hurt.or their belongings are not damaged with.
>
> But I usually try to understand why others do such things my mind cannot
> follow.
>
>
>
> Josef eckert
>
> Königswinter/Germany
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original-Nachricht-----
>
> Betreff: Re: [Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure
>
> Datum: 2024-02-11T17:09:02+0100
>
> Von: "Michael Oritt" <michael.oritt at gmail.com>
>
> An: "josef-eckert at t-online.de" <josef-eckert at t-online.de>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 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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>
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