No, I'm sure PRI is a great company (They have to be
to support Spitfires and Gt6s!)
Not to knock PRI, but I spoke with several people
including Mike and Ted S. (both of whom's opinion I
respect greatly due to their experience.) and
eventually changed my mind as to which way to proceed
with higher performance engine.
I was planning on doing a 1300 block with aluminum
pistons, chromoly connecting rods, extreame head kit,
and aluminum fly wheel in an attempt to pull around
150 horses out of the Standard block.
Due to the fact that this car is going to be driven on
the street (in wash. DC metro area, which is around #3
for most traffic in the US) the high RPMs that would
be generated by a race prepared engine would be an
annoyance to drive and would also be bad for the
engine to be driven in that manner.
Although, I'd really like to do some autocross or
gymkana (sp) in the near future, I don't think that
justifies the $3,000 in components and the extreneous
$6k in accessories, work & assembly to bring the
performance up to that level. And I want to maintain a
semblence of reliability.
A bored out 1500 will give good displacement and the
use of TR6 or forged pistons (if I decide to run
octane boosters), a hotter (A-6) cam, lightened steel
flywheel, and a slightly milled head for increased
compression would end up being a more drivable engine.
That along with lightening the payload a bit, would
help in the get-up-and-go in the car.
I've heard nothing but good comments about their Big
brake kit (I wish I knew about it before I spent about
$500 on my GT6 front end) and their suspension
components, but I feel that their aluminum pistons and
$700 head accessory kit would be better suited to
someone racing the engine full out. Of course, I'd
think you'd be exempt from racing in autcrossing in
any scca/vtr class (Prepared maybe? and then you're
racing suped up RX-7's and such), so you'd have very
limited use of the engine.
Now, if I had spent several thousands on just an
engine and then couldn't drive the car, THEN I'd have
a problem with PRI.
You know you've made it to the big time when your name
is in the subject line!
-Terry
'76 Spit 1500 (ah....now what to work on next?)
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