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TR2/3/3A Turbo on a '59 TR3A?

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Bainesy

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One of the options i'm considering to give this car a little more pep is turbo. I'm concerned that these engines may be too thin-walled, and i'd prefer to avoid a catastrophe under boost. Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with turbo on TRs from this era? Any and all opinions appreciated.

Thanks,

Gordon
 
I think you have to first ask yourself how fast you really want to go and what you want to do with the car.

The TR2/3/4/A motor is pretty strong. Can't speak to any turbo experience but it is a very strong and robust little motor, I'm sure it could handle 10lbs of boost.

The easier alternative is the Moss Motors Super Charger Kit. It retails for like $3500 and is a complete bolt-on set up. It's been tested and all the legwork and R&D is done. Plus, the under the hood look of it is not *that bad*.

Not sure how creative you are comfortable with being but that's the easy way out. In the long run it will save you time and possibly money.
 
Bainesy said:
One of the options i'm considering to give this car a little more pep is turbo. I'm concerned that these engines may be too thin-walled, and i'd prefer to avoid a catastrophe under boost. Does anyone have experience (good or bad) with turbo on TRs from this era? Any and all opinions appreciated.

Thanks,

Gordon
Click to expand...

I really don't know what you mean my "thin walled" because these engines have wet cylinder liners. If you have a fresh rebuilt engine that has had all major components replaced and balanced, I'd say the likelihood of a failure under boost was low. However, even a race-prepared engine can go bang!

T
 
rlich8 said:
I think you have to first ask yourself how fast you really want to go and what you want to do with the car.

The TR2/3/4/A motor is pretty strong. Can't speak to any turbo experience but it is a very strong and robust little motor, I'm sure it could handle 10lbs of boost.

The easier alternative is the Moss Motors Super Charger Kit. It retails for like $3500 and is a complete bolt-on set up. It's been tested and all the legwork and R&D is done. Plus, the under the hood look of it is not *that bad*.

Not sure how creative you are comfortable with being but that's the easy way out. In the long run it will save you time and possibly money.
Click to expand...

I for one will never understand the allure of souping up a TR engine. Even professionally prepared ( as in Kas Kastner)full race engines do go bang on occasion. Unless an owner intends to drag race his TR, bolting on a super charger is unlikely to improve the overall enjoyment of this car. More HP? Of course, but at what cost? What about the balance of the drive train, e.g. clutch, gearbox, prop shaft, differential.

The engineers at Canley didn't do a bad job 50+ years ago.

T
 
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