spridgets
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Re: Engine and Transmission

To: robert@woozy.com, toyman@digitex.net, ryan_marro@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Engine and Transmission
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2000 12:24:55 EDT
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net
Hi list,

I think I represent the middle of the road view here.  I am not in favour of 
a car with no synchromesh on first gear, that while being a sports car has 
trouble keeping up with Mr & Mrs Average, their kids and a dog in the back of 
Euro Hatch/Rice ride and gets scary when it does get up to 90mph or a corner.

I think that what amounts to 'period modifications' are preferable to extreme 
engine swaps but do absolutely believe in uprating the car.  In the UK at 
least the Rover/MG K-series engine is a popular swap and I guess if the 
engine went into the MG F cannot be all bad.  Likewise the Ford gearbox went 
into the Caterham 7.  Brakes are uprated all round on my car but still period 
British.

Let us not forget though that these old cars and others have had extreme 
engine swaps since they were first made.  A saw a picture (dating from the 
1960s) in one book of a Morris Minor that had a 3.8/4.2 Jaguar XK engine 
under the bonnet (in fact half way into the car) in place of the little small 
block A-Series.  

Just how old is the Chevvy vee 8, and might it class as a period modification?

And what is the alternative - another Spridget that goes to the crusher to 
say hello to 'Mr Cube -it'?  Lets be honest our cars are not Bentley's (even 
vintage Bentley's get modifed with overdrive) are the historical value or 
scarcity is not such that another modified car is the end of the world.

I simply wouldn't recommend a vee 8 swap in the Spridget because it just 
wouldn't go round corners.  I wouldn't recomend a rotary swap because the 
engine is a deviant (I would rather get the power with a turbo K) - these are 
just my opinions.

Each to his own.

Daniel1312

In a message dated 22/10/00 14:37:44 GMT Daylight Time, robert@woozy.com 
writes:

<< Arghhh...
 
 He could just go buy a Miata or a Z3 or a Corvette instead of 
 chopping up yet another Bugeye. I still don't understand why anyone 
 would want to do this to a classic car.
 
 I hope by the time I have the funds to buy a Bugyeye that there will 
 still be some around that haven't been butchered.
 
 That's my rant for the day,
 
 Robert Weeks >>

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