[Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure
Bob Spidell
bspidell at comcast.net
Sat Feb 10 21:27:57 MST 2024
If you choose performance over originality/authenticity, why go half-way?
https://browncarguy.com/2023/05/08/classic-austin-healey-3000-100-6-converted-to-electric/
On 2/10/2024 11:38 AM, HealeyRick wrote:
> Now, you've gone too far, Bob. An electric Healey? Bleah! As you
> say, to each their own. There's plenty of room in the Healey tent for
> concours, modified, big Healeys, little Healeys, Nash Healeys, Healey
> boats, etc. Can't we all just get along? 😀
>
> Rick
>
> On Sat, Feb 10, 2024 at 1:22 PM Bob Spidell via Healeys
> <healeys at autox.team.net> wrote:
>
> The most rational, pragmatic swap at this point would be to an
> electric motor and batteries; done right, it would blow the doors
> off an LS or Coyote swap (up to a 100MPH or so, I wouldn't push a
> Healey chassis much past that, for long anyway-BTDT). How many
> owners do more than day trips anyway (my days of 5K mile trips
> are, unfortunately, in the past).
>
> I wanted a big V8-powered car with all the modern improvements, so
> I bought a Mustang GT and left my Healeys as Austins (Jensens)
> un-mutated, and without the 20-50% drop in market value* (my
> survivors will have to sell my Healeys someday). 475HP--480 if I
> could get 93-octane--disks all around (Brembos in front), electric
> throttle and steering (several modes), 19x9/10 wheels with
> Michelin Pilot Sport 4ses, IRS, MagneRide and Steeda suspension
> upgrades (the IRS is a bit shaky); 0-60 under 5s (supposedly; I'm
> not good enough and the A10s are quicker). Bigger and heavier; I
> reckon a Nasty Boy would take me on a narrow twisty, but on the
> sweepers and straights it's sayonara. The Mustang hauls ass, and
> it's fun, but the Austin-Healeys are simply more satisfying to
> drive--by far--warts and all.
>
> Disclaimer: I am very much an "It's your car, do what you want
> with it" person. I've made small mods to my cars: Pertonix
> Ignitors in both; taller rear-end for highway driveability, Texas
> Cooler with shroud in the BJ8 but I never have, and never will,
> understand why people buy a car they don't actually want just to
> change it (owners with broken/missing engines who think 'Why not?'
> I can see). Why not buy a Saxon and build it up the way you want
> it from scratch? Oh, and for the record, I don't much care for
> breast implants either; just not the same.
>
> * Just my observations from BaT, FB, mailing lists, etc.; I've yet
> to see a Nasty Boy cross the block at B-J or Mecums--doen't mean
> it hasn't happened--but the muscle car 'restomods' with SBCs,
> LSes, etc. are a dime-a-dozen and, IMO, not particularly unique or
> imaginative (they do have garish paint jobs though).
>
>
>
>
> On 2/9/2024 10:25 PM, Chris Scholz via Healeys wrote:
>> I love my LS1 swap. It was a lot of work. Aluminum dual passage
>> Wizard radiator with 15” spal fan-I can drive in a parade at 110
>> heat index and car stays right at 195 degrees. Lots of work to
>> get the alternator to fit-I modified a bracket from a Jeep
>> wrangler LS swap kit. Everything barely fit
>> longitudinally-there is one inch between the electric radiator
>> fan and my water pump. Had to cut the steering shaft and u
>> joint. Works great.
>> Like Rick, I have the stock 3.55 Healey rear with a quaife
>> limited slip diff and it works perfectly. 72” Daytona wire
>> wheels with 205 wide tires. Lowered the front spring perches
>> -my front was so much lighter it was up in the air by 2-3”. It
>> rides and handles so well. My car was a 1959 100-6 so it wasn’t
>> worth as much stock as a BJ8. I feel my value went up.
>> I love my reliability and the torque is amazing. Car is so much
>> fun to slowly cruise and then hit the gas and go. I would never
>> go back to the heavy iron block. I feel this an aluminum V8
>> would have been Healey’s first choice if GM would have worked
>> with him.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> Chris Scholz OD
>>
>>> On Feb 9, 2024, at 7:58 PM, HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com>
>>> <mailto:healeyrik at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> A V8 swap is nothing to be undertaken lightly. It's not as
>>> simple as "dropping in a V8". That's the easy part, mostly
>>> focusing on making engine and transmission mounts and cutting
>>> away pieces of the footwells so the motor will fit with the
>>> exhaust headers in place. It's all the other stuff you need to
>>> do that will really add the work. New electrical system,
>>> radiator, upgraded brakes, fuel system, transmission shifter,
>>> etc, etc. It's worth it in the end if you want a Healey/Cobra,
>>> but you'll also knock off about 30 percent of your car's value
>>> or more. You can see the work I had to do to put a Ford 5.0L
>>> and 5 speed transmission into my BJ7 here:
>>> http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,8264 The Ford 5.0 is
>>> narrower than the Chevy LS so less body cutting to do, but not a
>>> huge difference. LS motors are more likely to be found in a
>>> junkyard with low mileage now and with your brother a GM
>>> mechanic, would be very helpful. I did about 50-75% of the swap
>>> myself, except for the engine rebuild and body fabrication. My
>>> car has 350 hp and I run the stock rear end with 3.55 gears and
>>> Dayton 72 spoke wires. Much more power than that and those
>>> parts will start braking. A good engine swap is really a joy,
>>> but if you do a bad one it will be a nightmare forever. Chris
>>> did a really nice swap with his LS but he can speak to how much
>>> work it was.
>>>
>>> My first choice if you don't have that "Need for Speed" would be
>>> to try a replacement Healey 6.
>>>
>>> Best of Luck,
>>> Rick
>>>
>>> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 2:11 PM <rfbegani at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Funny you should suggest a v8 replacement. Chris just made
>>> that suggestion to install an LS1 with GM Trans. My Bother
>>> is a retired GM mechanic, and he agrees. Did you do the
>>> exchange? What engine trans etc. did you use? All options
>>> are on the table.
>>>
>>> Bob
>>>
>>> *From:* HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com>
>>> *Sent:* Friday, February 9, 2024 1:32 PM
>>> *To:* rfbegani at gmail.com
>>> *Cc:* healeys at autox.team.net
>>> *Subject:* Re: [Healeys] BJ8 1967 Engine Rebuild failure
>>>
>>> Sorry to hear this Bob. What you've been told so far seems
>>> correct. Without the main bearing caps you're in a tough
>>> spot. Maybe trying to find a BJ8 block or a rebuildable BJ8
>>> motor is the best of a bad group of choices. Too bad, I
>>> gave away a bare block with caps from a BJ7 a few years ago
>>> for a donation to our club charity. I'd put a wanted ad in
>>> the club magazines and Healey forums, Facebook pages and
>>> hope someone out there might have one. Try Hemphills, Healey
>>> Surgeons, David Nock, maybe they have one that needs
>>> rebuilding somewhere. Or do what I did and put a V8 in there!
>>>
>>> Best of luck,
>>>
>>> Rick Neville aka "HealeyRick"
>>>
>>> On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 11:12 AM <rfbegani at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Gentlemen:
>>>
>>> I arrived back to Florida in May and decide to drive my
>>> 67 Austin-Healey. Drove it a mile and heard clanking
>>> engine, looked at the oil pressure, It was O! Instead of
>>> stooping to have towed home, I drove it back slowly.
>>> Last month, I dropped the pan and started to remove the
>>> rod and crank caps and bearings. My mechanic friend
>>> said you got lucky the crank may only need polishing and
>>> new bearings. So, I packed and marked each of the main
>>> bearing caps, bolts, and bearings along with piston rods
>>> and caps in individual plastic bags. Then packed them
>>> into a larger plastic bag which was put under the
>>> workbench near the garbage. We towed the car to Mikes
>>> garage so he could pull and disassemble the engine.
>>> Tuesday, he asked me to bring the parts I had removed
>>> from the engine so he would have everything in one
>>> place. I looked around but could not find this black
>>> plastic bag and then remembered it got pitched in the
>>> garbage. So, I am now up the famous creek and am asking
>>> this group what I can do?
>>>
>>> 1. I am told the engine is finished because the Main
>>> Bearing caps are not available and even if you could
>>> find them, they would need to be line bored on the
>>> engine.
>>> 2. I am told that finding an engine block for a 3000
>>> with original main bearing caps is almost impossible.
>>> 3. Finding an engine to be rebuild might be possible.
>>>
>>> My engine was rebuilt 6000 miles with years ago
>>> everything new, so I would like to find a way of fixing
>>> the existing engine, if possible.
>>>
>>> Please give me your advice.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>>
>>> Bob Begani
>>>
>>> 67 Austin-Healey BJ8
>>>
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>>
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>
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