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WOW!!! V8 Healey!!
- Thread starter john_j
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anthony7777
Yoda
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johnj, its all three but man is it fun! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif
BlueRidge2
Jedi Hopeful
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Can't decide if this is innovative, pushing the envelope, or complete madness! Either way it looks impressive!
Poor judgement imop! Could have been a nice car.
Poor judgement imop! Could have been a nice car.
V
vagt6
Guest
Guest
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I agree. All that money and skilled labor to create an essentially new, unoriginal car.
It's not longer a Healey, but very interesting nonetheless.
Sad. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/nopity.gif
It's not longer a Healey, but very interesting nonetheless.
Sad. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/nopity.gif
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Hi John,
I did a very similar project with a BN2 in 1960. It was very fast, exciting, & extremely expensive. The acceleration & top speeds were exceptional. Front end weight was less than with the original engine so traction was pretty good. The rear sparkplugs were accessed via removable covers in the footwell sides. It was a great experience for a short time. You can see a lot more of such cars here. https://www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/
The down side was increased passenger compartment heat, in spite of much insulating & other heat relieving measures. Something that Healeys really don't need. The final result was a car which would sell for about half that of an unmolested car in similar condition.
Needless to say, my next Healey didn't have a V8. To each his own.
IMO, one of the repro kits with different running gear & bodies set up for a V8 would be a much better & cheaper way to go.
D
I did a very similar project with a BN2 in 1960. It was very fast, exciting, & extremely expensive. The acceleration & top speeds were exceptional. Front end weight was less than with the original engine so traction was pretty good. The rear sparkplugs were accessed via removable covers in the footwell sides. It was a great experience for a short time. You can see a lot more of such cars here. https://www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/
The down side was increased passenger compartment heat, in spite of much insulating & other heat relieving measures. Something that Healeys really don't need. The final result was a car which would sell for about half that of an unmolested car in similar condition.
Needless to say, my next Healey didn't have a V8. To each his own.
IMO, one of the repro kits with different running gear & bodies set up for a V8 would be a much better & cheaper way to go.
D
longbridgehealey
Obi Wan
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I guess that it is impressive, but maybe I'm too much of a traditionalist. If I wanted a V-8 I'd be buying old vettes, or who knows what. I love the big Healeys for what they are, not what they might have been.
BlueRidge2
Jedi Hopeful
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I like the look of the car in picture number 14 on the link Dave provided. BN1 with a Jag engine. I would not have sacrificed a 100 M factory car for the build though.
( Not your run of the mill been done to death small block Chevy) I have seen a few and very few tastfuly well built modified cars that I have been impressed with. To each his own i guess.
( Not your run of the mill been done to death small block Chevy) I have seen a few and very few tastfuly well built modified cars that I have been impressed with. To each his own i guess.
R
RonMacPherson
Guest
Guest
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Yup, I think Carroll Shelby would like it!
Bruce Bowker
Obi Wan
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john_j said:
Far from innovative. This has been going on for nearly 50 years.
Bruce
tiga2
Jedi Trainee
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...Looks GREAT to me, as I have one also, but not this modified. Cant figure why peple object to this stuff. Seems like if was done in the 50's and 60's it was cool, but if you do it now its "sacrilege".
A modifed Healey is rude, crude, fast and a total blast to drive...'nuff said!
A modifed Healey is rude, crude, fast and a total blast to drive...'nuff said!
Cottontop
Jedi Warrior
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"I’m not criticizing anyone who wants the V8 power. I think a straight six just looks better in the engine compartment"
Well GregW, as my old pappy used to say, "That's why there's blondes, brunettes, and red-heads". There's something for everybody.
But THIS can't look too bad....
https://www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/Photos/1Moran/4Carbs1/HealeyEngine1.JPG
If you don't like that... How's this for BLING ?
https://www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/Photos/1Moran/4Carbs1/Carbs1.JPG
Tim
Well GregW, as my old pappy used to say, "That's why there's blondes, brunettes, and red-heads". There's something for everybody.
But THIS can't look too bad....
https://www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/Photos/1Moran/4Carbs1/HealeyEngine1.JPG
If you don't like that... How's this for BLING ?
https://www.ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/Photos/1Moran/4Carbs1/Carbs1.JPG
Tim
Ed_K
Jedi Knight
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I think that was a great way to utilize an old V8 conversion that came without the original engine and running gear. I think DH would appreciate folks using his old car bodies in such a way.
He would probably own one if he was still with us. It was DH's creative use of a lot of existing parts along with some innovation and invention that gave the world Healeys to begin with. That kind of restoration has a lot in common with DH's experimenting IMHO. Didn't he try to buy V8s from Ford and GM but they wouldn't sell him any as they needed all they could make for their own cars at the time ? If sales were slower in those years, we may all have been driving our 283 or 289 cubic inch Healeys today. ... Your opinion may vary.
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif
He would probably own one if he was still with us. It was DH's creative use of a lot of existing parts along with some innovation and invention that gave the world Healeys to begin with. That kind of restoration has a lot in common with DH's experimenting IMHO. Didn't he try to buy V8s from Ford and GM but they wouldn't sell him any as they needed all they could make for their own cars at the time ? If sales were slower in those years, we may all have been driving our 283 or 289 cubic inch Healeys today. ... Your opinion may vary.
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/driving.gif
