Ok, for all the technical arguements Trevor and I've gotten into...
1) The 'B engine?
I agree, a *built* 'B engine can be fun, but it's not gonna be a real
go fast. Plus, there's the joy of dealing with things like cracked
cylinder heads etc. Go to the aluminum crossflow? I'd love to build
one as an experiment, but for bang for the buck I'll go Rover V-8 any day.
A tuned 'B engine just will not last as long as a properly selected
transplant.
2) Cost?
I've got three Rover engines. A '91 hotwire injected 3.9 w/63k miles,
I paid $950. A running '88 3.5 longblock, one burned valve, $225.
An '81 SD1 3.5 with fuel injection, in pieces, $2k (well, it also had a
'B GT with magnesium revolutions, complete SD1 fuel injection, and
the SD1 gearbox with it)! You can get 'em for a decent price if you
play the game.
3) Weight?
Yup, there are some lightweight V-6s out there. There's also the RX-7
rotary (better in a Spridget I think). But still....
4) My opinion:
Go with a Rover engine. Why? Well, it has more acceptance. This is a
personal opinion. I'd rather have something that's all Brit, kicks *ss,
and still has a row to sit in at the local Brit car meets. Plus, parts,
parts, parts. Rover's still making the engine (RPI in the UK will sell
you a *new* 3.9 shortblock for under $1400!) and you can get things like
radiator hoses and so forth that could become a royal pain if you do an
atypical conversion. You go Rover and decide to make a big roadtrip away
from Canada, eh, to the MGB V-8 convention. You pop a rad hose. One of
the other guys has one to keep it running. No big deal. You have a V-6
with something
oddball, and then you gotta remember what you got it from etc. That's not to
say that a V-6 conversion can't be engineered to be even better (and cheaper
to run) than a Rover, it's just that with the Rover most of the engineering
has already been done. And, there's lots of guys with experience and true
enthusiasm to share the project with.
The Rover engine can also really rock. The 3.5's can easily put out 200 bhp.
And *lots*'o'torque. (compared to other potential engines)
The one thing I know I'm going to miss, is that A/B series exhaust note.
No other simple plebian engine sounds so aggresive...
-Keith Wheeler
Team Sanctuary http://www.teamsanctuary.com/
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