Doug, I think you'd be best off rebuilding the original 1147cc. engine.
It is a fairly simple job, with most parts easily available, although you
may be destined to contact one of the suppliers (Kipping, Rimmer Bros.,
etc.) in England to get parts.
Replacing with some sort of Japanese (or anything else) drivetrain is
always a possibility, but probably not worth the time and expense of
fabrication, etc. Heralds aren't really worth all that much; you'd
probably further decrease the value of the car by going that route. A
possibility, though, is to upgrade to a Spitfire engine. In most cases,
this is virtually a bolt-in operation, with relatively few changes,
depending on what engine you go with. If you go that route, you'd
probably want to consider some minor suspension/wheel/tire upgrades as well.
Reliability? If you want go forever without lifting the hood, you're
better off with a 66 Biscayne with a straight six. :-) Frankly, the
simplicity of the Herald, combined with routine maintenance, will give
you as much reliability as you're likely to need with a pleasure car.
If you have further questions, please feel free to e-mail me directly.
Andrew Mace
Herald/Vitesse Consultant, Vintage Triumph Register
amace%sedofis@vm1.nysed.gov
or
amace@unix2.nysed.gov
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