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TR2/3/3A I bought a TR2 project

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Oh...you will probably want to plan your head too. The TR2 came with a "low port" head, where the intake runners do not rise above the top of the valve cover mounting pad. It is rare...so if you have one, keep it or sell it! Do not just let it go into the trash. Most of the low port heads were replaced long ago for the high port design, which is has better performance (at high RPM). The TR2 head takes H4 carbs, while the high port takes the larger H6's. On the street, both heads "feel" the same, as the TR2 optimizes the normal driving range as well as the TR3 head. Of course, the TR3 head produces more power, if you drive wide open throttle.
 
The cracked block is indeed the original to the car. It's engine nuber is within a hundred or so of the commission number for the car. I also have hte low port head and manifolds, along with the H4 carbs. I'll keep the block and repair it if the means ever come up.

My basic plan is to build a stout motor around 87mm pistons, since that seems to be the size most companies are building the best piston/liner sets around. If I go with just a replacement block, I'll rebuild and keep the TR2 top end and carbs/manifolds. If I end up with a complete engine I'll see about using the high port head. I don't want to spend a ton of money on carbs and manifolds when I have a perfectly good set of H4's and low port manifolds on hand. Not sure how much of a cam and larger pistons the H4's and low port head will feed, though.

The only thing I was planning on reusing from the TR2 enigne was the crank. Everything else was getting replaced anyway. If I'm going with a later block with better oil flow, I'd probably be better off getting a new crank as well since they have better drilling for oil flow as well.
 
In that case you want to retain the block and heads. They will add value to the car when you go to sell, and repairing the stud holes is really not a big deal, once we find you the right kit. I think even Heli-coil makes a solid insert that will work. Car parts "evolve". 50 years ago you couldn't get a penny for a TR2 block or low port head, so they were not worth repairing. Now they are very, very rare...so well worth the effort and cost to repair them.
 
I would say use the low port head and carbs, and maybe a newer block if you have to. That is what makes it a tr2. You can find the high port stuff all over for just a few hundred dollars. The head might be 200. heck I will sell you one for 200.00 and I am not a seller.

I paid about 2K for the low port stuff, head, manifold, and carbs because my tr2 had a newer engine from a tr3 and it took me years to find the stuff

Things like the wipers, brakes, seats are the difficult stuff to find for a tr2, and it sounds like you have that stuff.
steve
 
I may have found a block!
A member of our local Triumph club is also nearing the end of a long term restoration of a VERY early TR2. He's got a spare 3A block that's been sitting bare in his garage forever. He said if it's usable and I want to come get it, it's mine.
I'll check it out and pick it up next weekend if it's good. My crank is indeed the "best" version of the TR crank. They went to cross drilling at engine number 8xx. I was thinking it was 8xxx. So my crank should be good to go in a new block. Maybe the oil pump after rebuild. DIstrubutor drive gear, but not the oil pump drive shaft. That's about it.
Got the old guy pushed into the shop and on a lift last night. Restoration thread and tons of pics incoming. We'll now see what I've gotten myself into.....
 
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