Twin OH Cam for the BIG Healeys

[bob hughes]

Just came back from a quick spin in the Healey to our local DIY centre in Waterlooville Hampshire and whilst I was there I got into conversation with an old timer who used to work for Wadham Stringer ( now long gone) - the local BMC outlet/service centre back in the day.

He regularly had a run up to Abingdon on business for the company and he said that one day he saw the then new Jag 3.8 out on the road at traffic lights and next to it was an old post office van. When the lights changed the van took off leaving great skid marks on the road and left the Jag standing.

When he got into the works at Abingdon, and mentioned what he had seen, the MG boys told him that the van was a test-bed and that they were testing an OHC engine for the Healey 3000 and that it was seriously quick. Has any of the collective heard about this, I have not seen anything in the books that I have read about Healeys.



Bob

 

[Randy Forbes]

The Big Four had a rare aftermarket head conversion, but I've never heard anything about a 6-cyl SOHC/DOHC cylinder head.

https://www.acmefluid.com.au/larry/hhstory.html

 

[GregW]

This dual overhead cam conversion (Hunter Head) was for the 100, maybe that was what he saw?
The Story
Some Photos

I spent too much time reading that article again Randy.

 

[Randy Forbes]

This dual overhead cam conversion (Hunter Head) was for the 100, maybe that was what he saw?
The Story
Some Photos

I spent too much time reading that article again Randy.

It was the photos; you went back for the link to the pictures, and I snuck over the line

 

[HealeyRick]

Can't imagine what motor the old gent was talking about, but I did see a modern iteration at the AHCA New England Region "Summit" meet that provides proof of concept. A 4.2L DOHC all aluminum six with variable valve timing from a Chevy Trailblazer that put out approx 300 hp in a Healey. Stock looking car that still had some of the sound of a Healey. Here's some pics:

 

[John Turney]

The Hunter Healey Story mentions "Fro [sic] $1,600.00 we can supply one of two complete motors excepting electrics. One motor is 2660cc and the other is 2994cc." Isn't 2994cc the size of a 3000 engine, or could one bore out a 4-cyl to that displacement?

 

[twas_brillig]

Top speed 155 mph? 0-60 in 6.5 seconds; quarter mile in 14.6? in 1955!!! I WANT ONE NOW!
If I had ten grand to blow, I'd sure look into installing the DOHC EFI BMW motorcycle head on our 1275 cc Bug-Eye - just for the cool factor. Any chance one of you technical types can find a modern head with the same bore spacings as the 100-6/3000???? Doug

 

[Randy Forbes]

Top speed 155 mph? 0-60 in 6.5 seconds; quarter mile in 14.6? in 1955!!! I WANT ONE NOW!
If I had ten grand to blow, I'd sure look into installing the DOHC EFI BMW motorcycle head on our 1275 cc Bug-Eye - just for the cool factor. Any chance one of you technical types can find a modern head with the same bore spacings as the 100-6/3000???? Doug

That's the question and answer all in one; an oxy-moron, if you will. There wouldn't be anything with similar, let alone siamesed bore spacing, anything modern would be a thin-wall casting.

I'd opt to put an S-54 BMW engine in the car; 3.2 ltr, 343 bhp stock with variable cam timing, knock-sensors (11.5:1 compression ratio) and six (6) individual throttle bodies

Just have to modify the sump and xmsn mouting to get it to stand up straight!

Well, looks like I'll have to add the other pictures later; server seems to be acting up, and I'm not at home to reboot it (we've been "on the beach" for the past 1-1/2 weeks__in case my posts seemed less cynical than usual, it's because BEACH LIFE).

 

[Jim 58 BN6]

(we've been "on the beach" for the past 1-1/2 weeks__in case my posts seemed less cynical than usual, it's because BEACH LIFE).

A few weeks of that might even adjust my crummy attitude! eaceful:

 

[dougie]

It could have been this project. From Geoff Healey's book "The Healey Specials".

 

[HealeyRick]

Were'nt GPO vans Morris Minors?

Six cylinder swap might have been a real task.

 

[dougie]

I'm thinking more like this, plenty of room to work with.

 

[HealeyRick]

Whichever one it was, it would sure be great to find it. What fun!

 

[bob hughes]

I did not go into van details with him, but the guide to the date was that Jaguar produced a 3.8 saloon with the rear open wheels, not the covered ones - so whenever that was.



Bob

 

[pan]

G'day Bob Hughes, As a former owner of a Jaguar Mark II Saloon I can tell you that all of this model had the removable wheel spats. Some modified racers, such as Coombs has abbreviated spats that exposed the whole wheel, but only the S Type had the spats deleted. The Mark II was available in 2.4, 3.4 & 3.8 litres. Jaguar introduced the Mark II model in 1959. The S Type came along later, around 1964.

 

[bob hughes]

Pan

That info has put the cat amongst the pigeons as to the date.



Bob