Well--guess we should call the nasty boy guy and tell him what a big mistake he
made putting that lump in the Healey.
Just to give a few facts----4.2 E-Type-----6.9 - 7.1 sec--0 - 60
Healey----~9.7sec 0 - 60
XKE----140 - 150 MPH
Healey----maybe 115.00
Ask the Healey racers at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix about the XK 140
that blows them off the track every year.
As much as I love my Healey, it is not in the same performance category as the
E. I have a 3000 BJ8 and a 66 E-Type, and the Healey can't compete with the E
in any way----take off---speed--handling--ride.
So--if, in a race an E had some problems and a Healey "whooped em", it was
simply a bad day for the E. But then again, this is only based on my
experience owning both of them for years.
Can't wait for the string of comments to follow this:):)
Cheers
tom
---- Chris Dimmock <austin.healey at gmail.com> wrote:
=============
And some of us would say the maths - or engineering - or lack thereof
- is why E types never excelled on any motorsport dais in their era.
Oh wait. Except for those lightweights. And those aluminium block
cars. Yeah. Production cars. All six of them..
Well, the only Healey with an aluminium block didn't ever race or
rally, in the era. But the production Healeys still opened a huge old
can of wooppass on the E Type back in the day, and still do in
Historics.
Just ask Dennis Welch.
The beauty and charm of every Austin Healey was that it was
agricultural.
Alfas, Lancias, Jags, Lambos, Ferraris, Aston Martins, whatever, were
so high tech you can't fix it yourself....
But agricultural high performance - Healeys - from Sprites to 100's to
3000's - and all the stuff you can do yourself to make the go faster
or just enjoy as standard and fix as you go - that's the Holy Grail.
At least for me anyway.
Chris
PS.
And I love the purposeful look and sound of a 3000 over the look of a
cigar shaped, and undertyred e type, anyday.
PPS. I take back what I said earlier about engineering of that 3.8
100/6 - that 3.8 100/6 still has a C Series Healy Diff!!! Ooooohhhh
old fashioned solid rear axle.... At least Doddsies 3.8 bugeye has a
high tech suspension rear end...
;-)
Sent from my iPhone
On 23/07/2011, at 9:00 PM, Tom Felts <tomfelts at windstream.net> wrote:
> Hummmm--some of us would say the 4.2 is the "Grande Dame":):)
>
>
> ---- Alan Seigrist <healey.nut at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> =============
> A final note - the 3.8 E-Type is the grande dame of LBCs, and
> absolutely gem to drive on a big road and the ladies will love every
> minute of it. But to be honest I find the shifting, steering and esp.
> braking on the BJ8 to be a more sophisticated experience. The E-type
> motor is a better motor with oodles of power, but the 6cyl iron pig in
> the BJ8 sounds more sporty to me. All in all the BJ8, when suspension
> is properly sorted, is an excellent driving car. Of course the
> handling of the 100 outclasses them all.
>
> On 7/23/11, Alan Seigrist <healey.nut at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Moss box. Oy... I helped my friend do a complete rebuild for his
>> early S1 E-type. A rudimentary box that frankly, no matter how good
>> you get it, shifts like a bag of...
|