me:
"Hi, my name's Richard, and I'm addicted to a British car, and I live in Kansas
City."
Support group:
"Hi Richard!"
Me:
"Well, my story starts 6 years ago, when I came across a forlorn little TR7
that just needed the completion of a clutch job. I was young and foolish, and
should have known better. My friends and family tried to warn me, they told me
horror stories of Lucas Electrics, and Side draft carburetors. But I didn't
listen. I'd experimented with side draft carbs on motorcycles, and figured I
could handle it. It was no big deal, I could quit anytime I wanted.
Well, it wasn't long before the clutch job turned into needing a starter, and
then a master cylinder, and brakes, and boiling out the gas tank, and I guess I
was getting out of control because one of the headlights started retracting
slow. But I was having fun, I was in control, Driving her around, or was she
driving me?
Well I came crashing down as she began to puke water out of the overflow at an
alarming rate. So I limped her home, and turned my back on her; I quit cold
turkey. That was 3 years ago.
Well I fell off the wagon this last weekend, I opened the hood, managed to
start her back up with an IV of Pure gas, and drive her up to the garage. I
guess I've seen it coming, I knew I couldn't stay away, because somehow I'd
been planning an engine swap for my poor girl. But I couldn't do anything
ordinary (read easy) like another 2.0 or even a Rover V8, no I chose to
re-engineer the John's Kit of old.
If you remember from the late 80's, There was a guy named john that could stuff
American iron into anything British, and actually was good enough to sell you a
kit that would make it about as bolt in as possible. Well for the TR7, he
chose a Buick 3.8L V6, because the 3.8L Chevy's distributor interfered with the
hood latch. So if you found one of the old rear drive, carbureted, Buick V6's
you could get it in the engine bay and even close the hood (if you didn't need
an air filter).
So fast forward to 1998. I contact Mr. John (I've forgotten his last name) and
asked if the new Buick 3800 series engine will work with his Kit. He says "No
front wheel drive engines will work" I point out that the one I'm considering
is a rear wheel drive out of the 1997-2002 V6 Camaros. He says it is based on
the front drive engine, and won't work.
I'm too stubborn to listen, and too hooked to give up and sell the wounded TR7,
so I find a wrecked 1997 camaro V6 that hasn't been parted out yet. I arrange
to buy the engine, manual transmission, wiring harness, gauges, and steering
column. The Wrecker is super friendly, and even agrees to deliver the entire
car to me, and allow me to pull everything myself. Perfect. I've now got a
high torque, fuel injected, Computer controlled, reliable as hell, 200hp
engine. Maybe the TR7 will travel more than 100 miles per 5 years in the
future.
So I pull it all out of the camaro, and sure enough Mr. John was right, his kit
is not going to work. I'm glad I didn't buy one of his kits. I guess I'm in
uncharted waters now.
So now that I've actually fallen off the British car wagon, It doesn't take
long to spiral out of control. I yanked the TR7's original running engine and
transmission out last Sunday. Laying side by side, the GM V6 doesn't look that
much bigger than the 2.0L four. and most of the hard mounting points are within
a couple inches of each other. I'm beginning to be optimistic and hope this
might just work...
So my fellow addicts, now that you've toured my insanity; do you have any
advice to ease my journey? I'm sure I will need many a details answered, and
parts purchased. Eventually I will replace the suspension components, and have
to get larger wheels and tires under her. I luckily work a mere mile from
Vicki Brit, and will no doubt be frequenting them.
No? You mean I'm the only one? Why are you all backing away? I'm not crazy
really? Ok, I guess I'll just have some more juice then."
Richard
80 TR7
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