Postby Ferris » 12 Jan 2008 18:19
How cool is it that a 14 year old young man is interested in and working on a 28 year old British car? I think it is great - most guys your age are trying to fit more stickers and a bigger rear wing on their Civic. You are a rarity.
Fitting a 4.3 Chev engine in a TR7 is tough, since the distributor is in the rear. The 4.3 is also a close cousin of the small block V8, and is heavy. For these reasons, not many people do it. But, they are reliable and powerful, so if it was done well, I'd leave it. The Buick 3.8 would not be a direct swap for a 4.3 - they mount differently.
With a heavy engine in the nose, the need for brake and suspension improvement will really be a priority, for safety's sake. Stock TR7 brakes were barely adequate even when new. I'm sure your Dad can guide you in this, as he will likely be very interested in the safety of the finished product. Has any of that already been done?
Got Rust?
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Kevin Anderson
1980 TR7 DHC
1974.5 MGB GT
1990 Jaguar XJ40