OK...just a suppose here. I have been delayed once more by thieves breaking
into our cabin in NM, and now I am spending weekends there trying to secure
the place against break-ins, but shortly I WILL start work on the TR4.
I want this to be a 2-3 day a week commute to work car. The question is, do
I overhaul the existing engine, or do I change out to a non-British late
model Nissan or Toyota?
Before the purist flame me, it is a question of two parts, cost and
reliability.
The engine I have is quite tired, and was smoking heavily before I parked it
for the last few years. I will be:
A. Looking at doing a complete overhaul myself
B. Trying to get by with a cylinder hone and new rings and bearing and a
head job
C. Buying a TRF. rebuilt engine.
d. Buying a Nissan or Toyota pickup for say $2500.00 (wrecked)? and
transferring the engine/transmission.
I estimate the cost of the overhaul to be $2500 + in parts and a lot of my
time.
I estimate the cost of the half A in-frame overhaul at $500-800.
I estimate the cost from TRF at $4000 +
I estimate the Nipponese transplant at about $3000...with the possibility of
better power, mileage and reliability? V-6 and 5 speed?
Comments? Arguments? What would you do?
Regards,
Robert Houston
63 TR4
73 MG Midget
Texan in NM
I have strong feelings about gun control. If there's a gun around, I want to
be controlling it.
-- (from Pink Cadillac, 1989 - John Eskow)
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