Healey Sports Cars

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

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Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: January 14, 2016 12:59PM

As the title states, I'm trying to figure out a way if it's even possible to get a SBC to fit under the bonnet of a bugeye without a scoop... Purely under the hood and that's it. Anyone been able to do it and how did you do it?


Jim Stabe
Jim Stabe
San Diego, Ca
(829 posts)

Registered:
02/28/2009 10:01AM

Main British Car:
1966 MGB Roadster 350 LT1 Chevy

authors avatar
Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Jim Stabe
Date: January 15, 2016 02:24AM

In the gallery

[www.britishv8.org]


HealeyRick
Rick Neville

(489 posts)

Registered:
12/19/2007 05:01PM

Main British Car:
1963 Austin-Healey 3000 Ford 5.0L

authors avatar
Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: HealeyRick
Date: January 15, 2016 09:57AM



Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: January 15, 2016 03:59PM

You can't blame me for trying... I think I'll have to do some more fab work to make it work... Or I could just go through the hood with another supercharger...
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/jpurdy231/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps4ujw49fk.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/jpurdy231/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsvpmwl27v.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/jpurdy231/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpssw9o62s3.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: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: January 15, 2016 05:55PM

A little bit of duct tape and a can do attitude will take you far Jim!

Live like you mean it
Fred


Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: January 16, 2016 09:46AM

Yeah, here's the rough measurements on what I would be cutting... And that's lowering the brake master cylinder down and the coolant recovery tank as well... Probably switching to a different distributor with a different coil setup so it would fit under the front and also swapping to a smaller radiator.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/jpurdy231/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsza1rkg0a.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/jpurdy231/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsalngblsu.jpg
These are rough measurements from when I had the supercharger on the old setup in the car... That front end was hinged in the front, this one would be a lift off version


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: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: DiDueColpi
Date: January 18, 2016 02:48AM

It would be a shame to blow a hole in that vintage front end Jim.
What about sectioning it in the depression between the "hood area" and the fenders?
Use the good old TPI setup and mill the top down or build a custom plenum to keep the engine height low. Throw the rad to the back in the trunk with a couple of good fans and you might make it.
Cheers
Fred



Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: January 18, 2016 08:23AM

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/jpurdy231/null_zpse18a7a3e.jpg

Here's where I was planning on putting the LS6 in it... Even with the intake turned around, the engine would have to almost be on the ground to hope to clear the Thomas dinner hood... Something like 8 inches drop
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g127/jpurdy231/enginein3_zpsf052d7c6.jpg

I looked into the radiator in the rear but with the frame I have bracing it in the back and the roll bar, it would hang way down with the fans. I'd do miss the look of the blower through the hood... I wonder how hard it would be to hop on you tube and make anothe Thomas dinner hood using this one as a blank to mold off of... Then, cut the crap out of the spare one, right?!


roverman
Art Gertz
Winchester, CA.
(3188 posts)

Registered:
04/24/2009 11:02AM

Main British Car:
74' Jensen Healy, 79 Huff. GT 1, 74 MGB Lotus 907,2L

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: roverman
Date: June 09, 2016 07:07PM

Jim, how is the "dinner" fit without the carb ? Room between the manifold to underside of dinner is ? Room for Webber/Del Orto side drafts on adapter manifold to low rise 4bbl manifold ? Dry sump and a small flywheel ? roverman.


Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: June 11, 2016 04:32AM

I doubt you'd be able to get it to fit. The problem if the engine gets any lower is the oil pan also gets closer to the ground but also exhaust ports get in line with the steering and exhaust becomes a nightmare to route. That is the lowest manifold I could find and the valve covers also hit, even if I run a short valve cover due to the sloping forward of the hood. I'm planning on swapping back to a supercharger here when I get off deployment and I haven't decided which hood (bonnet) I'm going to use. I kind of want to try to build a fiberglass front end for it using the metal front end I have right now to pull a mold off of. If that is successful then I wouldn't chop a big hole in the Thomas Denner hood, or I could make a copy of the Thomas Denner hood with the skills learned making the other one. We'll see I guess, a lot of other project plans going on between the Typhoon and the Triumph so who knows which wheel will get the most grease.


Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: June 11, 2016 04:33AM

oh yeah, forgot to mention, that's also using a 2 inch drop base air cleaner on the carb and the horn cut off the carb to allow for the lower cleaner. Filter element is a very thin one.


88v8
Ivor Duarte
Gloucestershire UK
(1041 posts)

Registered:
02/11/2010 04:29AM

Main British Car:
1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: 88v8
Date: June 11, 2016 01:03PM

All this does not sound conducive to good airflow/hp. Tail wagging the dog?

Perhaps put the engine in the cabin and the driver in the hood, like Stuck's C-Type Auto Union :}

Ivor


Anarchy99
Jim Purdy
Memphis, TN
(156 posts)

Registered:
12/06/2013 03:54PM

Main British Car:
61 austin healey sprite LS6

Re: anyone found a way to get a SBC to fit under a bugeye bonnet?
Posted by: Anarchy99
Date: June 11, 2016 01:16PM

How much HP do you need for a tiny car... There is always a trade off when packaging a massive engine into a small car. airflow seemed fine when I ran my setup that way. Seat of the pants felt the same that way and when I ran the car with no air filter at all. Having the 429 scoop helps a lot I think. I've tried everything to get stuff under the hood, but in the end, I prefer the look with the engine through the hood, preferably with a baby blower coming through the hood. More than enough power to raise the front end and smash it back down.


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