Tim Wescott wrote:

carl mciver wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
| Since I want to go around corners weight is a concern, and since I want
| to pay for this in my lifetime an aluminum block is probably not in the
| cards. But I'm putting a 5-speed behind the V-6, which should be
| equivalent to an automatic and at least 25 more horsepower (automatic
| transmissions are for weenies).
|

Sure they are! Buick 215 V8. All aluminum. Go looking for a BOPR
(Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Rover) V8 which can be had from the original 3.5
liter/215 up to 5.2 liter (with money of course!) They're still out
there. Used in the Buick Special from about 59 to about 63 and in the
Olds Jetfire
(and even turbocharged from the factory.)

They cast the blocks with
sleeves, and that never worked out so well. Rover cast the blocks first
and then pressed in the sleeves, which was a whole lot cheaper and a more
consistent process. There's lots of aficionados, mostly because the
whole motor, soaking wet, only weighs ISTR about 320 pounds and put out
about 180
horse originally, give or take, depending on the configuration. This is
one of those underappreciated motors due to the lack of use on this side
of the pond and the reliability issues built into the processes of the
time.
The Buick V6 is a cast iron version of this motor with two cylinders
lopped off, so the bolt pattern is the same and most of what's up front
is also interchangeable, even with a lot of the Rover stuff, obviously
which evolved on its own after being freed from GM's ownership in 1974.

I considered that, but I can get the 3.4L from a catalog, and the
Edelbrock intake from a catalog, and headers -- well, I'll have to have
those made.

You can get the BOPR V8 from a catalog too. It was still in production
until last year I understand--if you can find pre-2002 Range Rover or
Pre-2005 Land Rover Discovery in a junk yard it should have one, or if you
google "Land Rover Parts" you'll find some US sources for complete engines.
If you google "Land Rover Engines" you'll find a different set of
suppliers, mostly in the UK, that have new engines with various mods.

Looks like with Ford taking over Rover, though, they've decided to purge
themselves of GM influence. Perhaps somebody else will buy the tooling and
keep it in production.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)