Talk me out of it
 

Imagine you had a pretty nice 1965 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 that you had inherited in a 90% restored state. No rust, mecanically sound, interior diassembled. Let's also pretend that there's a "spare" 467ci street motor just taking up space.

I know people have put Ford V8s and T5 5 speeds into these forever. Would a Pontiac V8 and a Tremec fit? More importantly, should it?

I'm the worst person to ask, since I would just say f it and go for it. Life is short, if you want to do it, do it. Anything will fit anywhere if you can cut and weld.

Could have a drivable AH in a couple of months, enjoying it for what it is. Or, a project probably a couple of years in the making which may or may not be worth driving. You are talking about seriously disrupting the weight balance of the AH. A small upper 200s CID V8 yeah, full size 700lb V8 sounds a bit much, would the rear drive train even take it?

It's not a Pontiac, but the AH is still a very attractive little sports car, would hate to see one cut up.

Maybe with a 301T block with aluminum heads & intake with tube headers to keep the weight to a minimum would work...and a custom 9" IRS rear.

Dennis

AH is a flyweight euro sports car, sporting 150 hp inline-6.

I think the 467 could be made to fit, and be enjoyable.
Probably a better, lighter fit than the OHC-6 (230hp) and it's sweeter rev range.

I proved to myself that my 469 (AL intake, waterpump, iron heads, crank, balancer, oil pump, cam, EXH manifolds) even flywheel and Saginaw going to AL flywheel& Muncie)) was lighter than the OHC6 4BBL. Never weighed bare blocks but i could pick up and carry a bare 455 block but not carry a bare OHC-6 block. I did the swap while restoring the OHC-6 and Saginaw 4-speed ( great excuse!).

IF you could prove the 467 is lighter (Al heads, water pump, intake, starter, etc) than the AH 6-CYL, then you'd claim an improved AH. Value may stay put as the AH engine/trans gets (resto and ported) or sits safely on display at home.

Is fun to think about it, i suspect the rear axle bust, so the fun is gone.

fix the AH and enjoy it the way it is. to me the 467 would be overkill.

find something else to the put the 467 in. Just my2 cents...

I can't believe I am going to say this, because I am always the guy who wants the most Cubic inches in the lightest smallest cars but if the floor/rockers are that nice in that A-H I would leave it alone & enjoy it.

The best ones to build with "Monster Motors" have decent bodies, but rotted floors, because to do them right, you are only using the outer body anyway.

There is a guy over on the HAMB (in the O.T. Section) doing a build thread on a "Baby Corvette" Opel GT that I am following...Always loved the look of them.

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...closed.614419/

As interesting as it sounds someone else really wants that AH the way she is...drop that unit into a slostace haha

Good luck either way

If you view yourself as a "steward" of an historical artifact, no.

Preserve it for future stewards.

It is the opinion of many that we are all stewards of these historical vehicles.

There's no shortage of other more suitable vehicles in which that big engine would work.

For comparison, in the Healy world the 3000 BJ8 is what a Corvette is in the GM world. The lower cost A-H Sprite thus is comparable to a base Camaro. When new a 3000 cost over twice what a Sprite cost so most folks couldn't afford one.

At some point you will have to sell it and the price will take a hit the same way if you were to pull the 427 out of a 67 Corvette and drop the 467 in. 1967 was the last year of the 3000 and it was the high point of Healy evolution.

The decision is the classic "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

My dad had a garage that where he worked for cars for the general public when I was growing up. When I was in my late teens, a guy came to my dad with a Healy 3000 and wanted him to finish putting in a Chevy 327 and Muncie. Dad didn't want anything to do with it, but it interested me because I loved the Cobra. I ended up buying what he had and finished the installation. The fit wasn't an issue, but it ran hotter than I liked. I never beat on it because I didn't think the rear end could handle the torque. Anyway, I drove it briefly, then sold it. I think the issue is the car just didn't feel very solid to begin with, and putting in an engine with more power didn't improve the overall handling and feel of the car. I was also young, so the work probably wasn't anywhere near what a professional would do.

Keep it stock.

Stock never goes out of style.

Doing anything else will drastically reduce the value of the car and the number of Austin-Healey buyers in the future if any of that matters to you.

Another vote for stock, or pass it on to someone who wants it as is..... in the day a swap with a Ford 260/289 or Chevy 283/327 was not unheard of, but that was back in the 70s when they were just another used Brit sports car and you couldn't afford an AC Cobra.
They were a handful to keep on the road, too much chassis flex, not enough brake for the power/speed. Fun yes, kinda, but now its not a Healey 3000 and its not a muscle car.....
Its yours so you decide...

If you go forward with it, please let me know. I have friend who owns the worldwide BJ8 registry. He would be interested in documenting that car.

Keep is stock-able. Another point is the AH 3000 BJ8 will have a history. Your idea would be an Interesting Chapter in that car's history.

Like my former 69 Sprint 4-speed Bird got the 469+ Muncie; it is also back to stock ( for the past 30 years). I have no regrets with V8 while building the OHC-6. In fact i probably saved money doing the swap.

The Austin-Healy's Pontiac-powered Chapter will be a value-add because competency is implied. Pontiac-powered and stories to tell about the differences, while the inline 6 & trans gets a makeover ( porting, breakerless dizzy, forged slugs, all that). Then be able to close the chapter for back-to-stock. This way the next owner might just want to talk (or do) that V8 up to others.

The Powdercraft fella that was in West Chester PA had a big AH following.

Reminds me of a PA neighbor that got a ford Cobra body (probably a kit body) , widened it 11" down the middle, and securely mounted it to a Chevy Nova "frame". BBC-Muncie-12-Bolt. Glossy Wood wheel, them little vent windows, side-pipes. I was able to touch the sidepipes (and maybe the ground) while a passenger.

What a fantastic result! Probably not an original Cobra body...but i dunno. It was metal.