Actually, Triumph did install the "slant 4" engine into a mockup or
prototype Spitfire to see if it was feasible (it wasn't). The engine was,
in later years, installed in the TR7. The rights to this engine were also
sold to SAAB, which uses variants of those motors today! The original
quote in Cooks book was something to the effect that "it was quite a carve
up to get the engine in, requiring frame modifications [and possibly body
mod's, my insert] to get it in" As far as stuffing the old 232 (3.8
increased to 4.0) liter Jeep straight six in (RE Engine Swaps Again). In
the "specs" listing for the performance equations you forgot to add about
400 or more pounds that this engine and tranny (plus other mods) would add
to the equation raising the curb weight to roughly something closer to 2500
lbs (2035 curb weight for a MK4). Besides being a really front heavy car
needing drastic upgrades in the braking department (read lots of
understeer, the AMC straight six alone (I used to have one) weighs in at
around 735+ lbs) I'm pretty sure it would take more than a GT6 bonnet to
clear ;-)
Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
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