Engine and Transmission Tech

I never had the balls to sleeve the 215 I had... It's definitely old school! The way I see it though a pretty mild 289 has got some good numbers for an engine that weighs 320 lbs. I bet it'd work fine if it was a street car. Right? I think most builds are a bit over the top lately anyway. Everybody's always shooting for 500 hp or something. I'll take a warm 275 hp in my 2300 lb. car all day... Yeah?

After lots of fretting I ended up with the Rover block. It wasn't inexpensive but not too bad. Not too plentiful at the time. I just had a little more piece of mind for performance. I was thinking I'd push it a bit too...

I always figured if I did sleeve the 215 I'd also fab a girdle for the main caps. Something that tied in the block skirt. I bet that would help structural rigidity. It's got to...

When I finally get my second 215 in the works (gotta get the TR6 powered by the first one on the road first!), I'd like to hear your ideas about that--the particular design you were contemplating. I have an ace fabricator friend who can make near anything happen--he's an engine builder too, owner of Adelmann Engines.

Come to think of it, one of these years I'd love to take a welding class. Be fun to try some of these mods myself. I got more ideas than skills. :^)

Phil is a great guy. I just talked to him this week.
He is getting old..... his son and daughter in law have tried to inventory all of the stuff he has accumulated over the years. I believe his son is selling stuff to sand racers and truck pullers.

Do you mean Tom, owner of Adelmann Engines in MN? Or are you maybe talking about Phil Baker, the Seattle-based 215 guru?

Phil Baker

Good to hear he's still around. Last time I talked to him was a half dozen years back or more. Real nice guy and knows as much about 215's as anybody around. We'll lose a great resource when he's gone.

Jim