Healey Sports Cars

mods & upgrades for Healey (Nash, Austin, or Jensen) cars, including engine swaps

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mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: mgb260
Date: April 27, 2011 10:52PM

I don't have a Bug Eye but a friend had two back in our High School days. I might pick up one for a future project. Here are some pics of a Suzuki Twin Cam and Samurai 5 speed. I think they fit pretty well.
new10.jpg
0802_4wd_07_z+1994_suzuki_samurai+transmission.jpg link to this build:[www.ado13.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2011 12:00AM by mgb260.


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: mgb260
Date: April 27, 2011 10:58PM

You can use the 1300 GTI sprint head on the Vitara 1.6 block(also Geo Tracker, Suzuki Sidekick and Suzuki Esteem sedan). Need special timing belt with idler. For the tranny you have to make adapter brackets for 2 bellhousing bolt holes. Probably 130-150HP. Pretty compact package. Long block only weighs 160lbs.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2011 12:14AM by mgb260.


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: April 28, 2011 02:22AM

I really like these little engines. Pull the rev limiter out of the ecu and put in the Suzuki sport valve springs and it'll pull 9 grand all day long. The Samurai (SJ413) trans bolts right up. The Sidekick trans is slightly stronger but needs the upper bolt hole mods.
The twin cam head will bolt onto the 1.6 and 1.8 blocks with only timing belt mods. But it's rpm capabillities are wasted on these engines with their spaghetti rods and cast pistons. Besides they already have a 16 valve head that fits and suits them better.
Throw a turbo on the little G13B and it will push out a reliable/streetable 225hp with ease (and this was back in 1990). Used to race these little engines all over the planet and they were able to make us winners against much bigger players.
Bill Yearwood ran an E production GTI back when Westwood was still around and absolutely destroyed the competition.
Fantastic engine to swap into a light car.

Cheers
Fred


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: mgb260
Date: April 28, 2011 01:03PM

Fred, Good to hear from you! Sounds like you have first hand experience with these engines. I'm just doing research for a future project and for other interested parties. Yeah, the Samurai tranny bolts right up to the 1.3,the Sidekick tranny bolts up to the 1.6. If swapped you have to do the lower bolt hole mod.There is all kinds of info on the web on beefing these motors up and boring and stroking to 2.0,Turbo upgrades and more. There is an aftermarket 90 degree ditstributor adapter or you can use a modified 88-89 Mazda 323 Turbo crab cap for more firewall clearance. Fred, feel free to add or correct here. I think this motor/tranny combo is ideal for Spite/Midget and Spitfires.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2011 04:31PM by mgb260.


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: mgb260
Date: April 28, 2011 04:29PM

There is an adapter for 1.6 to Samurai trans for those who don't want to modify the lower bolt holes and the 1.6 has a 90 degree distributor adapter(don't know if it can be adapted to 1.3 head).
zukirobadapterplate.jpg
1.6 dist.jpg


DiDueColpi
Fred Key
West coast - Canada
(1365 posts)

Registered:
05/14/2010 03:06AM

Main British Car:
I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now!

authors avatar
Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: April 28, 2011 07:25PM

Used to work for Suzuki Jim.
Had a race program that ran out of western Canada.
We had Suzuki Sport's full support which was pretty cool.
Need a special manifold, ECU or a set of cams and "voila" they would show up on the doorstep.
We ran road cars at Westwood and rallied everywhere, India, Australia, Egypt, Alaska, Mexico etc.
Even the One Lap of America ( Cannon ball run).
Then we made the mistake of beating the crap out of the race car from head office back east.
So back to making our own stuff. And we still won.
Sorry about the bellhousing bolt hole on the top thing. The memory ain't what it used to be.
The right angle distributor drive won't fit the twin cam head. It uses a gear on the cam that the twin cam doesn't have.
If your using carbs or just want a stand alone ign. The early 1.3L sohc mechanical distributor fits and is pretty short. A crab style cap is available for it and it might be the Mazda one that you mentioned. If it were me I'd toss it all and go COP.
The powdered iron cam gears will break under sustained high rpm. And you want adjustable ones anyway or just use the stamped steel ones from the sohc engines. The forged crank and rods are bulletproof and the pistons will take a lot of abuse (had one that was perfectly happy with 26 lbs of boost) but these days custom forged pistons are pretty cheap. The main bearing girdle will fit the 1.6 with some work and on the GT engine it can be doubled up. Cylinder barrels will walk around under hard use.
Used to fix that with a double "o" ring. O ring the cylinder and the head with one set slightly smaller than the other so that they lock together when bolted up. No more fret marks on the block and the gasket quits dancing around. Head studs are recommended. The stock bolts are good but too long if the block or head are cut. High rpm launches will break the stock flywheel bolts and provide all the expected carnage. Locktite and ARP are your friends here. The stock fuel injection is pretty capable. An overbore of the throttle body and the airflow sensor ( can't remember how much at the moment) and an adjustable fuel pressure regulator will buy some power.
Anyway thats all I've got for now.
Cheers
Fred


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: mgb260
Date: April 28, 2011 07:46PM

Thanks Fred! I have heard of using Toyota connecting rods and a Honda timing belt for the 1.6 block with 1.3 head. There is an interesting porting article on the web about a bottleneck in the exhaust port and cleaning a ridge out of the valve bowls. 100HP out of the stock 1.3 twin cam is impressive. The head reminds me of a motorcycle or race car design. Good stuff.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2011 08:24PM by mgb260.



Healeyman59
Tim Moran

(1 posts)

Registered:
04/29/2011 03:15PM

Main British Car:


Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: Healeyman59
Date: April 29, 2011 03:21PM

Hey Jim,

You've got a couple other Healey guys up there.

John Cuny and Steve Sachs (V8 Modified).

Have you found them?

Tim


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2461 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: Suzuki twin cam and Samurai 5 speed
Posted by: mgb260
Date: April 29, 2011 11:27PM

Thanks Tim, I have'nt found them yet. When I do I'll check out their cars. I have found a few Suzuki engines around here. Actually a coworker has a Midget for sale and I can get a fiberglass Bugeye front piece. I better finish the dozen projects I already have first!


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