TR2/3/3A 22RE into a TR3

[justin_mercier]

Wow... that link is kinda freaky Jay... only because... they did, visually with the exterior, to their TR6 exactly what I'm planning on doing to mine. I'd never seen that car before, but wow, it's almost exactly, stylistically, what I've got in mind for my own.

Towel-rail bumpers, remove the side-reflectors from teh front fenders, get rid of the chrome under-door trim, miata seats.

The only major difference is, my TR6 is a later model TR6 where the front turn signals mounted under the bumper, and as a result I'm using headlights with built in turn signals instead. That and my TR6 will be silver. Stock (though improved) engine and W58 5 speed HVDA transmission, triple ZS175s.

 

[angelfj1]

I am considering a engine swap into a 59 TR3.

Jeff

WHY?

 

[Andrew Mace]

I am considering a engine swap into a 59 TR3.

Jeff

WHY?

Fair question. On the other hand, "why not?" (as Carroll Shelby must have said whilst gazing upon an AC and a Sunbeam Alpine, etc., etc.)!

 

[mallard]

It might be hard to find any part in North Pole Alaska let alone an engine. Not my cup of tea, but that BMW engine in a TR3 sure would be fun.

 

[4aKen]

With Toyota spec's on that engine, 116hp, 140tq.....hardly seems worth it. The wet sleeve TR is forever rebuildable and hard to replace.

 

[cheseroo]

This kind of sounds similar to the situation that brought us Reeses. Peanut Butter sitting over there and Chocolate over here. Put them together and voila! I can easily see having a roller TR3 in one end of the garage and a running gear from something or another on the other end and naturally thinking....Hmmm. Maybe he wants something he can put the wife in and send her out on the road alone. Who knows? Even if you butcher the thing up, fixing it later couldn't be any worse than some of the rust repairs some owners have had to do. Nothing is irreversible. I guarantee you that a LOT of these pristine Big Healeys running around are reversed V8 swaps. Here is So Cal it seemed like there was a time where a truly rare Healey was one that had an OE type engine in it.

It sounds like the only thing that might horrify some people more would be to put an MGA motor in the TR3. Imagine that, a car you could take to a car show and manage to [censored] everyone off.

 

[DNK]

That's how a Jag V12 ended up in a Spridget

 

[3798j]

Voila.

"just because you can doesn't mean you should"

 

[billspohn]

I watched Randy build his 240 powered TR and consulted on some of the stuff he was using and it is a very interesting car, with very little left of the original hulk he started with. Which is just fine as he already has a fairly stock TR-3 and didn't need another one.

I have no problem if someone takes an abandoned car lacking much of the necessary bits for a restoration and creates a car out of it.

As far as engine swapping goes, I think it is nice if you don't have to butcher a car to stick an engine in, and if it can be theoretically reversible, all the better.

I wouldn't bother swapping out a TR engine for a low power Japanese engine, but there are a lot of very decent moder twin cams that offer 150 - 200 BHP that will motivate the cars quite nicely without going overboard.

Face it, the engine in a TR is the best part of the car (aside from the looks perhaps). Yes it is basic and agricultural, but it is also rugged and puts out decent power with a bit of tuning. The TR chassis sucks - it will never be a sparkling handler and there are limitations to the chassis that indicate that any big power swaps (V8s etc.) are a waste of time, as well as possibly unsafe - I say this having owned and worked on a dozen Triumphs over the years. That means that you want a reasonable engine but should stay within the abilities of the chassis, which are more modest than some. A nice 4 cylinder swap fits into that restriction, as would a small V6.

I run a 3.4 GM V6 in my MGA that had been rebodied by someone else and it makes a great combination. Had to do considerable frame modification but as it was never going to be anywhere near original anyway, I had no problem doing that. It is possible that one of these 60 degree V6 engines might fit the TR if that happens to be your bag. power from 140 - 160 stock, and 200 or more is pretty easy to get.

 

[Twosheds]

Isn't this the guy who was looking for a TR3 block a while back?

Perhaps he couldn't find one at the North Pole.

He should have asked Santa Claus to bring him a block from warmer climes when returning with an empty sleigh.