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Alternative engine/transmission compatibility

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Tom, how's the trans clear? Rick, I heard it was based off of a MB design, then I heard that was BS. If I persoanlly had to swap a big Healey, it's be with BMW S54 :eagerness:
 
58Custom said:
Another good engine swap option is the Fiat twin cam. It's short, powerful, classic, and beautiful. Up to 2.0l. Use the 124 trans. Here are some pix I saved of one going into some spridget.
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I have a 2 liter Fiat Twincam w/5 speed, but it's slated to go into one of my Morris Minors. The engine bay in the Morris is very short, so it would easily fit the longer engine bay of the Sprite, but the larger gearbox needs the gearbox cover increased in size considerably. The Morris having much more room when it come to the transmission, would certainly require serious modification to the Spridget tunnel.

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nomad said:
What model Fiat is that engine/trans out of?
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124, I think. I bought it off a friend, so don't know a lot of detail other than it has Elgin cams w/adjustable degree cam sprockets and has about 130HP. It's fairly fresh (maybe 5k miles). It used to be in his car, but has been superseded by a 350 Chevy.

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Hope to put in this one of these days...

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A little bit of overkill.
 
Wonder how many part's of a Minor you can break with a hot 350 in it! Looks to me as if the Fiat is about right.

Kurt.
 
nomad said:
Wonder how many part's of a Minor you can break with a hot 350 in it! Looks to me as if the Fiat is about right.

Kurt.
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Well, the Minor part (pun intended) is pretty much skin deep... It's built on a shortened and narrowed S10 chassis, and believe me, it's done right (see pic) looks pretty much stock from the exterior. If you didn't look under the car or under the bonnet, you'd never guess.

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HealeyRick said:
Firing up the motor might give the game away, too, I suppose. :jester: Very nice, Gerard. I really like it.
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Thanks Rick, yeah, it'll be a sweet ride. He's almost done with the wiring, so it'll be on the road soon. I'm looking forward to my first ride in it.

The muffler are pretty quite, so while it won't sound like an A-series, it'll be more "hmmm.... somethin's different" but it won't be a dead giveaway.
 
Wonder if he can fit a parachute in the "boot", he might need it!!

It is nicely done, Gerard. As mentioned the "Minor" looks like its rather minor!

Kurt.
 
HealeyRick said:
I'm having a bit of a problem keeping the Ford-Healey a secret through the mufflers:
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I think I saw that video before a while ago. Unmistakably a Ford. Sounds wonderful, I love it!!
 
nomad said:
Also like to comment on the swap's.
Rick B, Mike, and myself have cars running the A 15 1500cc datsun engine and five speed trans. This is about the easiest swap other than the 1275 and ribcase. I like the swap and have procured parts for more. Having said that I would caution anyone considering it that Nissan has NO support for these older engines. At least where I am I can't find a Nissan parts person that can get me anything.
The front steering rack tube is the only body mod I have made. The engine require's a reworked oil pan, home built exhaust, and finding rare sidedraft intake or making one as I have done. Trans can be mounted with Gerard's or other's aftermarket kits. Engine mounts need to be fabricated.
Power is only a guess but figure at least 80hp. I have no trouble cruising all day at 80mph plus if necessary.
The 4AGE toy swap has been done and the suzuki DOC engine as well [bugzuki]. Not many engine's that fit and finding rear drive transmission's is getting to be a problem. If you think about it the only rear drive stuff out there now are high horse power or pickup's.
The 4AGE hooks up to the t50 toy trans but the bell housing is almost impossible to find. Then you are looking at making the fuel injection work and better have the brain box and know how to hook it up. Spectacular engine if you can make it work and keep from snapping axle's!
BMC really makes the most sense even if a bit stressed on free way's.

Kurt.
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Thanks Kurt, I was thinking that a Datsun engine/tranny would be a better "modern" solution. Now I'm thinking more a about a built 1275 with a ribcase and maybe 3.9 gears would be a better compromise. Or maybe just do the datsun tranny if I can find one. I was at a British car show in Dallas last month, every spridget there had a 5 speed. I guess they are out there if you're willing to pay.
 
David,

Having a 5 speed was one of the Prerequisites when I bought Bugsy II. The guy who bought Bugsy I provided a 210 Tranny as partial trade. Adapter Kit is not inexpensive but if sourced from Gerard beautifully crafted precision product. Gerard has a nice 2 minute video on his Kit over on Bugeyepart.com under new parts section. Expressway cruising at 5k RPM is not what I want to do. With ski boat in the water, kitchen counters installed, almost all palnts in the ground, and forecast for rain, rain, rain this weekend in Dayton, I may finally get some time to work on the bonnet, get Wishbones packed up and sent for new bushings, Dual Master packed and sent for resleeving. Now SWMBO may have different plans for me but I've got some semblance of a plan.

1275 and a 5 speed is the way to go. That and you need to add some stopping power with a set of disk brakes up front.
 
David, if you don't have equipment to do a little bit of fabricating then BMC bolt in is the best plan. Don't want to completely discourage folks from the Datto swap though, the engines are pretty much a copy of what England was producing only improved! The Japonese auto industry in it's entirety copied the British when they were getting started. Then they started to improve! First Japonese electrical connector's were an exact copy of the Lucar connectors that drive us wild but they quickly covered them with a neoprene sleeve that sealed all water out!
Kurt.
 
72 Midget on E-Bay right now with a A15 Datsun engine and trans. It appear's to use the stock carburetor and stock exhaust. Special air cleaner that I have no idea where it was sourced from. The stock carb setup almost touches the bonnet.
I think I would still want a different exhaust since the stock set up would route it back close to the foot well. I suppose a sharp bend could take it back to midget stock location.

Kurt.
 
nomad said:
72 Midget on E-Bay right now with a A15 Datsun engine and trans. It appear's to use the stock carburetor and stock exhaust. Special air cleaner that I have no idea where it was sourced from. The stock carb setup almost touches the bonnet.
I think I would still want a different exhaust since the stock set up would route it back close to the foot well. I suppose a sharp bend could take it back to midget stock location.

Kurt.
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Kurt, I just looked, did not see it. Link??
 
Thanks Billy. Guess I got mixed up on the years from looking at several and am a computer illiterate or would have given you the link!

Kurt.
 
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