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Greetings from the TR3A forum

Has anyone ever thought of using a Chevrolet 283cub. inch (4990cc) or a 327 cub.inch engine in a TR7/8 or a Grinnall?

I have one of the former in a boat which I don't use much more, and was wondering if the engine would be suitable. I have no idea what the engine is worth, it has been in my possession since 1963. Of course it has marine clearances on the shaft and water jackets instead of the usual exhaust manifolds, a lightened flywheel bought from the boat designer in California, as are the water jackets, and no gearbox as it drives off of the timing casing end. It has an Edelbrock aluminium inlet manifold and a Holley 4 barrel carb. The heads have been ported to the maximum to reduce weight, and it has solid lifters instead of hydraulics.

Anybody any ideas?

Dave

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Hi Alec

 

As I understand it, the Chevrolet V8 is the lightest and gives the best power to weight ratio of all the Yankee V8's. As I added mine has an aluminium inlet manifold that reduces the weight by 25lbs or more and the fully ported heads also remove a lot of weight as does the VERY lightened flywheel. With all this I think that it weighs less than the Rover V8 that is the standard V8 engine used.

Let' s have you valued opinion on this set of conditions. Maybe if I don't use it in a Wedge then a kit car is the only other alternative (but not an AC Cobra) I still prefer the shape of the original AC ACE or ACECA

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Hi Dave,

 

correct me if I'm wrong, but surely a 283 that you've had since 1963 would be an iron block and an iron head ? Weight of the peripherals isn't that significant in comparison to that of the block and head, and I'd guess the 283 Chevvy in comparable fitment trim to the 215 Rover must tip the scales some 200-250lbs heavier ? The matching manual gearbox would I think be significantly weightier than an LT77, certainly if it's a 60s vintage four on the floor.

 

I'll leave you to do the detailed research !

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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Fitting a SBC engine have been done over in America, but even they say the car is only driveable in a straight line... For anything else they use either a modern all aluminum version - or (very popular!) the V6's.

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Hi Dave,

 

correct me if I'm wrong, but surely a 283 that you've had since 1963 would be an iron block and an iron head ? Weight of the peripherals isn't that significant in comparison to that of the block and head, and I'd guess the 283 Chevvy in comparable fitment trim to the 215 Rover must tip the scales some 200-250lbs heavier ? The matching manual gearbox would I think be significantly weightier than an LT77, certainly if it's a 60s vintage four on the floor.

 

I'll leave you to do the detailed research !

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

 

 

Hi again Alec

 

Yes! the engine is a 1958 all iron one but as I stressed the inlet manifold was changed to an ali one and both heads fully ported to get better performance out of the boat through weight reduction. The design of the boat by a firm in California stated that his design was centred on the small block Chevvy (283cu,in.) driving through the timing casing end to a vee drive box to allow for the normal right hand propellor. It also meant that the weight of the engine was directly over the prop,

The gearbox was always going to be the problem, not having one, likewise the exhaust manifolds, but then what's out there in the market more modern and lighter?

The net result of your replies and that of the other member has convinced me that it is not a proposition

Thanks for your input

 

I'll stick to my TR3A

Dave

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  • 2 weeks later...

Has anyone tried this one;- we all know that the saab 99 engine was a copy of the tr7 engine,right? so saab developed that into the 16v turbo in the 900, following me so far? so instead of the usual rover v8 or dolly sprint 16v, a 900 16v turbo should fit shouldn`t it? a nice modern alterative? May even have simular engine mount points n bell housing pattern? Anyone got any thoughts??

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The Saab engine wasn't a 'copy' it was more by way of a licensed development exercise - the two engine families stemmed from the same base, but Saab's path rapidly diverged from that of BL. Despite the basic similarities, the differences are more than significant, not least the fwd as opposed to rwd configuration. For all practical purposes, the Saab engine family is irrelevant to our cars.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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