Author Topic: For Lazs and his "Truck" (Healy) (Read 774 times)

Ripsnort · « **Reply #15 on:** September 27, 2002, 10:22:13 AM »

Why anyone would take a small car that already drives like a truck, and slap even more weight in it with a big V8, is beyond me..other than just to race a 1/4 mile....

Elfenwolf · « **Reply #16 on:** September 27, 2002, 10:47:56 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Why anyone would take a small car that already drives like a truck, and slap even more weight in it with a big V8, is beyond me..other than just to race a 1/4 mile....

Actually Rip the stock AH 3000 block (a straight 6) weighed over 600 pounds. (I had a 63 AH 3000 from 1972 until 1981.)

The block was copied from the old Chevy 235 straight six, had SU carburetors and produced only 130 BHP but a ton of torque. 4 speed with electronic overdrive produced a top speed of bout 120, but over 110 the front end would shake pretty bad.

Driving it fast around a turn was an adventure because the front end was so heavy, so to go fast you had to control your drift and heel- toe the throttle and the brake like a dirt track car.

I loved my AH. It wasn't as fast as the 240Zs or the Triumph TR-6, but it was a beautiful car and had I kept it my 700 dollar investment in 1972 would be worth 27k today.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #17 on:** September 27, 2002, 10:59:14 AM »

Interesting Elf, thanks for the tidbit..600lbs! Whew thats alot of banana's by todays standards..

Kieran · « **Reply #18 on:** September 27, 2002, 11:39:47 AM »

Which one, Lazs? You mean *your* car, or one like your car?

lazs2 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 27, 2002, 02:46:14 PM »

kieran... mine is number 108 on the site. When you click on the picture There is a short video my kid took of me testing the new traction bars. If you wondered what a solid lifter high compression motor with 25 degrees initial advance sounds like then check it out.

rip.. the small block and muncie weighs about 40lbs less than the stock healey units. adding dependable (double to quadruple the amount) horsepower and torque with no gain in weight or complexity is allways a good thing. in my case I quadrupled the horsepower for less weight and increased dependability and handling. seemed like an ok idea to me. When you built your BMW what things did you consider?

beetle the jensens were 383 ci and 440 ci. mopar motors. the cars weighed between 3500 and 4000 lbs so there was no real advantage weight wise over a large American sedan. They are not that expensive to buy now but will probly go up.
lazs

Ripsnort · « **Reply #20 on:** September 27, 2002, 03:05:07 PM »

"When you built your BMW what things did you consider?"

Lessee, cost, fuel efficiency, enough room for the whole family...ummmm, tracking ability, suspension, certainly not "straight line" performance.

Kieran · « **Reply #21 on:** September 27, 2002, 03:14:51 PM »

Oooh... I had a Fiat Spider 1600 I did in that color combo! Not anywhere near as cool a car as that one though. As you know, FIAT stands for Fix It Again, Tony.

I'd take that over a Bimmer any day of the week.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #22 on:** September 27, 2002, 03:24:33 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Kieran
Oooh... I had a Fiat Spider 1600 I did in that color combo! Not anywhere near as cool a car as that one though. As you know, FIAT stands for Fix It Again, Tony.

I'd take that over a Bimmer any day of the week.

Yeah yeah yeah, everyone says that until they hit the first corner

Seriously, two different cars for two different purposes...you want straight line speed or something you can out manuever someone with? Kinda like our aircraft in AH

Sweet looking ride Laz, too bad you don't have the same to say about anyone elses preferences

lazs2 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 28, 2002, 10:39:09 AM »

rip... both of my cars corner quite well. Certainly for real world driving the power and torque of both is useful. I have no trouble pulling away from cars that may or may not have a slight edge in cornering on twisty real world roads. Haven't you ever wished for a little more power on that uphill straight?

And... I don't care if you like my car or not. I didn't build it for you. I put a lot of hours into it's construction but none were for your approval. I certainly think that all the time you spent building your car has made you a little touchy. All those long nights with a torch and welder and all that figuring out steering geomety and stuff and then to have someone like me tell you you coulda done it better? Still... ya gotta admit that an all aluminum small block of around 450hp and richmond 6 speed would wake that car of yours up.

Maybe this winter I will come up and help you drop one in.
lazs

Kieran · « **Reply #24 on:** September 28, 2002, 11:17:11 AM »

Rip, you have to realize I am just jerking your chain. I do confess, the AC cries "open road fun" more than your stock 4-door BMW. Bimmers scream "soccer mom" to me.

Sikboy · « **Reply #25 on:** September 28, 2002, 02:27:17 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ripsnort

Yeah yeah yeah, everyone says that until they hit the first corner Seriously, two different cars for two different purposes...you want straight line speed or something you can out manuever someone with? Kinda like our aircraft in AH

Sweet looking ride Laz, too bad you don't have the same to say about anyone elses preferences

this post need more disengenuous

's in it.

-Sikboy

Elfenwolf · « **Reply #26 on:** September 28, 2002, 09:06:23 PM »

Lazs, e-mail me your phone number. I'll be through Dixon next week, would like to check out the Healey. Saw the video and photos, it looks great.