MGMagnette@aol.com wrote:
> Trevor, poor lost wayward soul. A nice two litre B-series engine is STILL
> just the ticket to a rip snorting MGB. Even a 1800 cc but very well built
> engine can be wicked fast.
Ah, but please compare apples to apples. Yours isn't the first
response
that mentioned getting horsepower from tuning. However, you can get
horsepower from tuning most any engine.
The old "sure that engine has 50hp more than mine but I could just
add X Y and Z and I'd be faster!" argument, where the talker forgets
that
other engines can be tuned too.
Not knocking your comments at all, but for true rip snortingness
the B engine would have to go. I haven't decided my goal is rip
snortingness, but if I get a new engine, a fun project, AND some
extra hp, sounds like a plan.
> #1 TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE! any junkyard engine that cost less than a B engine
> needs to be rebuilt. MGB engines can be rebuilt rather inexpensively, 6 and 8
> cylinder engines have more parts and cost more. Don't let anyone charge you
> Lotus prices for a B engine.
I can get a B engine for $300CDN, I think that's reasonable.
However, the 2.8L V6 engine in question can be junkyarded from 80s
camaros. These are cars that are very often crashed, and getting a low
mileage one is quite possible. As well, demand is low since most of
the camaro crowd wants the V8 engine anyways.
> #2 TOO DAMN HEAVY! Unless you get Rover V-8, realize that most engines out
> there are cast iron. Nasty stuff cast iron. You'll soon be budgeting for
> springs and a handling kit. Add that to #1
Hehhe, well, it's about 15 pounds more according to the engine
weight FAQ.
> #3 NIGH ON IMPOSSIBLE TO SELL OR INSURE! Most insurance companies won't
> touch a car with a funny engine in it. Alot of buyers aren't too keen on
> home-job engine swaps.
Well, selling is not my goal at this time. I like my B, but it's
never going to be valuable. I'm not cutting up old number one, here. ;>
> I like B engines if you get my drift... Others apparently don't.
hehehe and I'm not KNOCKING the engine, and I don't want to
make it sound like I am refuting all your points. However, the
B engine is non-ideal, and tuned versions are expensive and
to some degree less reliable and long lived.
There is still a great chance I'll put another B engine in,
probably much higher chance than swapping. But I do want to
collect some facts first.
What started this was that a member of my local MG club has
a V6-equipped MGB. I haven't seen it, but people whos opinions
I trust and agree with really liked the car. It's certainly worth
checking into, I figure.
--
Trevor Boicey, P. Eng.
Ottawa, Canada, tboicey@brit.ca
ICQ #17432933 http://www.brit.ca/~tboicey/
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