TR2/3/3A Miata Engine and transmission

I know this maybe totally unacceptable but has anyone installed a Miata engine and transmission in their TR3?
Rob

Not a TR3, but there is a thread on 6-Pack at the moment where a woman has put one in a TR6.

Cheers
Tush

The Google is your friend:

https://ericsgarage.blogspot.com/2014/09/miata-engine-swap-into-triumph-tr3ayeah.html

rcdore said:

I know this maybe totally unacceptable...

Click to expand...

Wellsir, it would be unacceptable in my garage. But really, I cannot think of a single good reason to so this.

Then there's Randy Schultz' TR3 plus 4 with the Nissan engine. Nice job.

https://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Triumph-TR3-Plus-4.htm


I don't have any problem with any engine conversions, or any other modifications, as long as they are done properly. After all, if that's what you want to do to your car, then do it. They made about 80,000 TR2/3/3A/3B's. Even with the high percentage of those lost over the years, these cars will never be rare. There are enough people out there that feel they must keep them as original as possible so we will always know how awful they really are. layful:

Miatas are wonderful cars in and of themselves. I've owned and driven four of them for 22 years and a couple of hundred thousand miles. Putting a stock non-turbo Miata engine in an early TR would add a lot of complexity for a not all that great power increase over a well-built TR engine, and you risk losing some of the wonderful mid-range torque of the TR motor. The result might wind up something like a late-50s/early 60s ALFA Spider only with less capable handling.

Instead of a conversion, I'd recommend that you simply consider buying a good used Miata and enjoy driving the bejeezus out of it. They're inexpensive to buy, have OK seats, heating and air conditioning, good-enough stereos, and a top that keeps the water out. The only downside is that you may find yourself driving it more often that the TR.

M_Pied_Lourd said:

Not a TR3, but there is a thread on 6-Pack at the moment where a woman has put one in a TR6.

Cheers
Tush

Click to expand...

It's on miata.net as well. There's another one where someone is using a turbocharged Honda S2000 engine and transmission in a TR6 all while using the suspension and subframes from an NC (2006-2014) Miata to hold the frame off the ground.

Tybalt said:

It's on miata.net as well. There's another one where someone is using a turbocharged Honda S2000 engine and transmission in a TR6 all while using the suspension and subframes from an NC (2006-2014) Miata to hold the frame off the ground.

Click to expand...

Actually, they wound up building a whole new frame for the car. About all that's left are body parts, and most of those are modified also. It's quite a fabrication. You can see the whole story in the link below...from the Triumph Experience forum...

https://www.triumphexp.com/phorum/read.php?2,911500

martx-5 said:

Actually, they wound up building a whole new frame for the car. About all that's left are body parts, and most of those are modified also. It's quite a fabrication. You can see the whole story in the link below...from the Triumph Experience forum...

https://www.triumphexp.com/phorum/read.php?2,911500

Click to expand...

There is indeed very little Triumph left in that car at this point. Even though we had do a good bit of fabrication to build it, that TR6/S2000/NC makes the RHD 914-6 we built look like child's play. I knew about the frame but since it was the NC bits that tied the project to Miatas and not the one off frame that they attached the subframes to, I didn't mention it earlier.

I'd way-rather keep an engine-swap project "all Triumph": a TR6 engine in an early TR4 is what I've always wanted. Or a TR3 engine and gearbox in a TR6, just to for the joy of weirding-out folks at British car shows.

If I had the money to urinate away, I would buy the nicest example of a tri five chevy available, swap in a small block Ford and watch the bow tie bunch grab their chests at car shows. Oh yes and for good measure I would butcher the firewall whether I needed to or not.

TRMark said:

If I had the money to urinate away, I would buy the nicest example of a tri five chevy available, swap in a small block Ford and watch the bow tie bunch grab their chests at car shows. Oh yes and for good measure I would butcher the firewall whether I needed to or not.

Click to expand...

A friend in Florida built a Factory Five hot rod (basis Ford) with all Chevy internals. He had to do all sorts of fabrication / modification to make it work, but in his mind a crate Chevy engine is better than the equivalent Ford. The end result is both a beautiful piece of engineering as well as aesthetically beautiful!

Thanks, my wife has an 04 MX5 that we both drive, and my son has our original 89/90. Perhaps the money would be better spent on the suspension.