Well the motor in Rays Fairmont does sound loke the motor I am talking about
(there was another 2300 but it was a push rod motor). I would agree that a
~100 HP four would be hard pressed to serve well in a Fairmont Wagon but it
should not do to bad in a 2200 lb Alpine.
I agree that the rotories are also cheap and readily available. I toured
several Sacramento/Stockton area self serve wreckers last weekend and saw a
half dozen or so that could have been had cheap. I also saw at least 75
pinto/mustang motors. The going rate for the pinto motor/4spd is about $225,
I'm sure the rotories were not much more.
I am surprised to hear bad things about the pinto motor from a reliability
standpoint. They can be dogs especially in a heavy car but I have always
heard that they were durable. Many of these motors were equipped with
"questionable" induction systems because of the smog ignorant years they were
produced in but thats not really to the motors discredit.
You can get all maner of carburation and fuel injection systems for these
motors. Webers, Holley 2bbls, throttle body and port injection and even
Mikunis (sic) and turbos. With decent carburation/cam/exhaust you should
easily get in the neighborhood of 150 HP out of the OHC 2300 (hmmm, more
than a stock Tiger with 600lbs less weight). The late model ('87 up NA, '84
up SVO) port injection is pretty good and could give you good power and
driveability as is in an Alpine.
They are ampely strong to handle 150+ HP as well. The bottom ends are strong
and the rods are very good and there are lots of goodies to strengthen 'em up
if you are weak of heart. You can stroke them a bunch, I have heard 3.0L is
possible. The Toyota 20R crank will get you an extra .3L in a stocker with
some "minor" mods, plus its steel and very cheap.
I am unawar of the type of top end problems Ray mentioned but I will try and
find out some about this. My biggest problem with the 2300 so far is its
looks. It's just ugly, I'd take the looks of the 1600 Alpine motor anytime!
Frank Marrone at marrone(at)optilink.dsccc.com
or fmarrone(at)aol.com
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