Twin Cam Healey

[TodE]

I came across a Ebay listing for a Lotus twin cam engine. I know there was the "rare" Hunter Twin Cam put in a Healey years ago, but I was wondering why nobody put other twin cams in Healey's?
With the growing popularity and increasing prices of the MGA twin cam, nobody has done any installation of a twin cam. I do not know the HP output of the Lotus twin cam, but it looks like it would fit in the Healey without much modification.
Is it less expensive with better HP output to modify the Healey engine.

Thanks,
Tod

 

[steveg]

I came across a Ebay listing for a Lotus twin cam engine. I know there was the "rare" Hunter Twin Cam put in a Healey years ago, but I was wondering why nobody put other twin cams in Healey's?
With the growing popularity and increasing prices of the MGA twin cam, nobody has done any installation of a twin cam. I do not know the HP output of the Lotus twin cam, but it looks like it would fit in the Healey without much modification.
Is it less expensive with better HP output to modify the Healey engine.

Thanks,
Tod

It's pretty expensive when you also consider how much you're reducing the value by.

Here in So Cal, there's a guy with a Hundred with an Alfa 1750 engine. It may have more power than the Healey engine but when you see and hear it run, it sounds weird.

 

[John Turney]

There is a 100 with a Lotus twin cam in it in No. California. I don't recall hearing it run, but I have seen it at the fall show in Morgan Hill.

 

[Healey_Z]

Those motors are good for 200hp. A lot of other options, with a lot more power, greater reliability, for a lot less $ than that.

 

[aeronca65t]

This MG TF is local to me. It runs an ALFA twin cam. I have feeling the swap was done long ago, before the car was really that valuable. From that point of view it's an interesting artifact.

But considering the value of a nice TF (or even more so a big Healey), it really doesn't make sense financial to do this today (unless you absolutely want this sort of thing and you don't care about the possibility of reducing the value of the car) .

I think you'd have more driving fun and would be money ahead to simply keep your Brit classic with it's correct engine and use the money for the swap to buy a nice, used Miata.

Just my opinion, of course:

 

[Lotuswins]

Hi Tod,

I own a Europa TCS with the Stromberg carbed 1600cc version. In stock form its only 104hp, and in streetable form you can get up to 150-160 hp, but it will cost gobs of $$. A 200 hp full race version will cost over $10k, a streetable one over $5k. Just restoring mine cost me over $3k....so they are not cheap, and given the weight of the Healey the Lotus twink wouldn't be a good choice. Perhaps the 907 series engine would be a better choice but they sit at an angle so room may be an issue.

I agree that a twincam engine would be great in a Healey, so what are the choices at over say, 3. liters? and period correct?

Bristol? Jag (pretty big)? Singer? any others that come to mind?? Did Astin Martin have a TC during the period?

 

[AJAX50]

Hi Tod,

I own a Europa TCS with the Stromberg carbed 1600cc version. In stock form its only 104hp, and in streetable form you can get up to 150-160 hp, but it will cost gobs of $$. A 200 hp full race version will cost over $10k, a streetable one over $5k. Just restoring mine cost me over $3k....so they are not cheap, and given the weight of the Healey the Lotus twink wouldn't be a good choice. Perhaps the 907 series engine would be a better choice but they sit at an angle so room may be an issue.

I agree that a twincam engine would be great in a Healey, so what are the choices at over say, 3. liters? and period correct?

Bristol? Jag (pretty big)? Singer? any others that come to mind?? Did Astin Martin have a TC during the period?

An alternative is the BDA engine used in Ford Escorts after the Lotus twin cam. It was developed by Cosworth at the same time as the DFV F1 engine. It is an amazing engine that is very powerful in the standard road tune but can modified to amazing levels, it transformed the Escort into a world rally championship winner.

 

[maxwedge5281]

i remember way back...maybe 1968 looking at a healey with a jaguar engine while stationed at ft sill, oklahoma....it looked right at home and filled the engine bay with lots of polished aluminum...looked like a nice conversion!!

 

[andrea]

For the AH one AR unit can be the ideal conversion
A very compact unit -the last ver. at 3200cc and 24 valve have 224 HP (HP490 on the 155 GTA racing)
I have for many years a AR 3000 with this unit --a dream
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_V6_engine
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_V6_Busso
https://www.cuorialfisti.com/tecnica/v6.htm
https://www.moreschi.info/magazzino.htm
https://www.google.com/search?q=ALFA+ROMEO+6+cilindri+V+60%C2%B0+3000&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&imgil=fdYEnbtmRi-FAM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcSCJ_nl1mxDgdpBUnSNXOVO1J7ZjQVBcUCxuLf_-ZeNDZTwRI2pmg%253B245%253B254%253BqN_V3m_Hd5lkXM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.alfaromeo75.it%25252Ffile%25252Fmotori.htm&source=iu&usg=__fZldUCF1i15dBDgDddFuftPncBY%3D&sa=X&ei=cQcHU8TvB4W8ygPmw4GYBQ&ved=0CE8Q9QEwBQ&biw=1920&bih=1031#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=H33P_NJ7JfcmDM%253A%3BpuoX8xau0Mx2eM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fupload.wikimedia.org%252Fwikipedia%252Fcommons%252F7%252F75%252FAlfaRomeo25V6.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fit.wikipedia.org%252Fwiki%252FAlfa_Romeo_V6_Busso%3B1024%3B768

 

[HealeyRick]

A twin cam was envisaged for the Rolls-Royce motor in the Austin-Healey 4000:

"Fed by twin 2in SU carburetors, and with hydraulic tappets and a low compression ratio of 7.8 to 1, the FB engine delivered 175 bhp at 4800 rpm, with maximum torque of 218lb ft at 3000 rpm; in comparison the C. series BMC engine in the 3000 Mklll pushed out 148bhp at 5250rpm and 165.2lb ft at 3500 rpm. Weight was 450 lb, as against 550 lb or so for the C-series.

"It was a delightful engine, and would run up to high revs very easily if you didn't watch it-you didn't realise it was a 'big six' four-litre," recalls Geoffrey Healey.
"But the breathing on an inlet-over-exhaust engine is limited by the compression ratio- you can't go very high. And although with the 'F' head you can get a lot through the inlet valve, you can't get it out, as the exhaust gases have so far to travel from the combustion chamber to the exhaust valve.
Despite such shortcomings, the Extra power and reduced weight of the FB60 made it look ideal for the Healey. Tantalizingly, Rolls-Royce had evolved a twin-cam head for the engine, giving around 268bhp in triple-SU form, and with the potential for an easy 300bhp. If this engine could be winkled into the Healey, as was envisaged, Jaguar would be severely embarrassed!"

https://www.ewilkins.com/wilko/ah4000.htm

 

[pan]

So many things are remanufactured today, it is a wonder that no-one has bothered to replicate the Hunter DOHC conversion for the 100 engine.
Alwyn

 

[aeronca65t]

An interesting alternative might be the ~DMD aluminum replica engine built in Australia~

Although it hardly seems worth the cost (over a standard engine), it's sort of a neat choice that seems at least semi-original in concept. Maybe if I won the lottery.....

 

[Randy Forbes]

Since ANY of these examples would result in a "modified" Healey, why not go for the most long-lived and proven inline-6 on the planet? BMW I-6s are plentiful through salvage dealers, not prohibitedly expensive and the higher output M3 versions (S-50/52 & S-54 types) produce sock horsepower ratings of 240 (S-50/52) to 343 bhp (2001 - 2006 M3 S-54). Many, many of them still producing those numbers (as BMW gave conservative ratings, quite unlike the red cars from Maranello...) with 100,000, & 200,000 miles on them.

I take them apart with 100,000 -150,000 miles on them, and can still see a faint cross-hatch pattern on the bores, and rebuild them with std/std crankshaft sizes__they just don't wear out! Don't let one overheat though, as the heads will warp...

Yep, if I was going to do a twincam engine swap in a Healey, no doubt in my mind; just imagine how still would look (standing straight up, of course):

In this guise, with a positive displacement compressor, the S-52 3.2 litre is producing about 450 bhp at the crankshaft; that'd be at the top of my wishlist!

 

[Lin]

So Randy, when are you going to do it! Did Udo Putzke finish his?
Lin

 

[healeyblue]

Randy, is this a good engine. Seems like a good price.
https://lafayette.craigslist.org/pts/4349095327.html

 

[Lin]

Randy, if HealeyBlue pursues this, isn't it important to get the computer and possibly the ignition (key)? I guess other computers could be used, but won't you encounter some security issues in starting if you just acquire the motor alone?
Lin

 

[Randy Forbes]

So Randy, when are you going to do it! Did Udo Putzke finish his?
Lin

I've got too many of the cars that originally came with those engines to do that swap__I'd just as soon clamp my hand in a bench-vise and take a few swings at it with a hammer!

Randy, is this a good engine. Seems like a good price.
https://lafayette.craigslist.org/pts/4349095327.html

The definitely is a good price__and certainly close enough! However, that's a 2-1/2 litre engine, so on the low end of the food chain. If I was going to do it, I'd hold out for one of the 3.2 litre engines (from an ///M car).

Randy, if HealeyBlue pursues this, isn't it important to get the computer and possibly the ignition (key)? I guess other computers could be used, but won't you encounter some security issues in starting if you just acquire the motor alone?
Lin

There are work-arounds; ideally, yes, the original (not necessarily THE original, but same spec) DME (digital motor electronics) should be used, but there are after-market options too.

For the sake of simplicity (laughs to self...) the 1996 - 2000 S52B32 engine (with single VANOS) would be an xlnt choice. The DME for this engine still can be manipulated (eliminating the need for the drive-away theft protection, for example) whereas the 2001 - 2008 S-54 engine (with continously variable intake and exhaust__double VANOS) gets a lot more complicated.

Like Jim found though, there are people unloading these, for one reason or another (LS-x SBC V8 swaps are popular with BMW guys too) and "package deals" can be found that include the DME and relevant harnesses. I highly recommend getting the engine harness/computer specific to the engine, if going this route__it'll make your life a lot easier.

If anyone here is seriously thinking about pursuing this, I've got most (all?) of the relevant engine/chassis wiring diagrams available as pdfs. If you're going to take this trip, you definitely want to use a road map

 

[Randy Forbes]

Randy, is this a good engine. Seems like a good price.
https://lafayette.craigslist.org/pts/4349095327.html

Interestingly enough, I only lived about four (4) blocks from where that engine is, before I moved out to the place right across from Poche's. I was on (#309) Goldman, in between the two Evangeline throughways.

It was later on, in 1986 that I moved onto that property at the end of the side street where Leonard brought you out to. I replaced the floors/sills, etc. in his MGB while working under a tree__man, does that seem like another lifetime now! Last time I went past there, three (3) MGBs were still in the garage...

 

[healeyblue]

Don't think I would do a swap like this but your talk of the BMW swap reminded me of seeing that engine on craigslist just the other day. I sold my 635csi to a friend a while back, so no BMW's for me anymore.

 

[healeyblue]

P.S. Leonard still has the MGB. It has been one of his most reliable cars yet. Never fails to start and give service no matter how long it sits or is neglected in the back of the garage. It's a good looking car and nice driving, just not as flashy as his Porsches or his Healey or Vette.