Does anyone know the real weight of an FE, preferably WITHOUT the stock intake ?

I want to compare to other options I have for putting in a car not meant to be Ford powered (read: Triumph TR7).

Yes, the FE would fit, I already checked about 15 years ago

I wonder with aluminum heads and intake, what the result would be... yes, I need a 4x4 pan to clear the rack-and-pinion....

art k.

ps: so far, the 302: 425lbs for a long block - 351w 545 lbs w/intake for anything up to a 392 450ft/lbs@4000 430HP@5500 and a 460 is 670lbs intake to pan.

 

I think about 625 lbs. with a cast iron intake manifold; according to PRATICAL ENGINE SWAPPING by John Thawley. The intake has to be the heavist stock manifolds around. Just look at it. My book is almost 30 years old. I'm sure it's still available and updated. If your'e putting an engine into a TR-7, I'd go for a ford small block. This book also has the dimensions of various engines and other good information for engine swapping.

 

When you say you checked and it will fit, did you also mean the radiator it'll need will also fit? I am just thinking out loud here and don't see how an engine as large and tall will work, because the radiator cap will have to be higher than the level of the coolant in the engine. I'll admit I have not seen a TR7 in a long long time, so maybe I am drawing a premature conclusion.

It does sound like an interesting and crowd attracting swap when you get it finished though.

 

Yep there's know Doubt it will fit....years ago I put a 302-C4 in a 62 Austin Healey Bug eye sprite......the major problem was stopping it!! It had the front brake shoe's that st Horizontal and the weight of the engine after a 40 or 50 mile cruise,would heat up the front brakes and cause fade!!

But with a newer model with dics brakes you should have to worry!! I also built a TR3 with a small block Vette 327 in it.....I have pics some where...its been 28 years ago..if I find them I will send them to ya....

Good Luck!!

Russ

 

I cant remember where I read it, but an FE with aluminum heads, intake, and pistons, weighs as much as a 351w. ive asked a few people who has built them over the years and they seem to agree. I know they arent all that heavy, I took a 302 out of a car, and put a 390 with alum. heads intake & pistons and it didnt sit the car down no futher than the 302 did. Maybe Im crazy though but thats my story and im stuck to it.

 

Thank you for blowing my next project right out of the water

krewat, that sound like a nice cruzer (or racer) if you can get it done.

 

I have no idea on the weight, but as for the radiator heigth, that can be solved with a late model MGB overfolw tank (keeping with the brittish car theme) The radiator cap was on the expansion tank, not the radiator, so you could mount the tank high on the firewall or inner fendor and leave the radiator low in the engine bay


I want to see pictures of that 302 in a Bugeye!

I am working up the cash to put a rover 4.5 liter (basicly an alum. block Buick 218) in a MGB, and would love to see what others have done.

 

I'm not worried about building a sealed radiator with an overflow tank somewhere. The radiator would go up into the nose of the car - there's plenty of room in the nose if you tilt the radiator and use an electric fan. Matter of fact, the original 4 cylinder 2.0L used a sealed radiator, with the thermostat higher than the radiator, and an overflow tank. To fill the motor, the thermostat housing had a plug in the top.

Thanks for the thoughts guys!

I knew about the 625 lbs for an FE, but didn't know if that was with the cast-iron intake. I would imagine with aluminum heads and intake, it would be pretty light.

But the small-block is probably the best choice - I found a 351W stroked/bored to 392 cubes, shipping weight is 545 lbs intake-to-pan. 450ft/lbs @ 4000, 362HP, $6500.

And, with the original rear at 3.90:1 (yea, 13" wheels with a 3.90 rear!) I need an overdrive. Eventually, the rear would be replaced, like after it blows up, but initially, it would use the rather "stout" rear that was also used in Rover sedans/TR8's with the 3500 (Buick 215) motor.

Besides stopping it, which would require going up to TR8 brakes, there's getting it going with all that power - I'd need some fat meat in the rear... and I don't think there's room with the stock suspension for much - imagine a TR7 with fender flares to fit the 285/45R15's ...

This all depends on my finding a good TR7 body to work with too

 

There should be kits available for that, right? I've heard of the 3500 in MGB's, does the 4.5 litre have a higher deck height? Fuel-injection or carb?

I could always buy a TR8 bell and k-frame and use the Rover 4.5 too...

Oh, the cam for the 3500 is the same as the Buick 350 (same timing chain too). So, crane sells cams for it. Would that fit in a 4.5?

art k.

 

A 64 427 with a 1x4 aluminum intake (25 lbs) has a weight of 658.66 lbs. This is fully dressed with carb, pulleys, dizzy, wires, crank (iron), rods, pistons, flywheel everything. The cast iron intakes are close to 75 lbs so you can figure that if needed. I have the weight breakdowns of each part if you need this also. G.

 

I know for a fact the original Triumph motor block was much heavier than a 289/302 block. I could pick up the 289 block, the Triumph block I needed a hoist for

I think a small-block would be pound-for-pound the more reasonable choice.

Got to think about an FE though, I still have my 390 from the highboy ...

 

I'm thinking about stuffing my FE446 into My 52 Mercedes cabriolet project. I bet nobody has ever seen that before :-) I know it would be a shame to mutilate the Cabriolet, but there is no chance of me finding or making the parts to make it all original for less than $100k....I figure for $25k, I can make one of the most unique hot-rods...

 

If it's worth anything, sell it to someone who can spend the money - like Jay Leno...

Then, take that money, AND the FE446 and go nuts ...

Unless you're into unique things, then go hog-wild...

 

I think this car is so rare and old that it would take an orginal Mercedes engineer to reassemble it, a machining guru and a master carpenter. Yes, a carpenter, it has structural wood! I'd love for the right guy to get this car, but there's probably only 5 guys in the work with the money and the knowledge to do this right. What are the odds of me finding him?
I've seen similar restored models of this car get bid up to $150,000 on ebay and still not meet the reserve! But honestly, I'm afraid I could spend half that and still not get it right. I may try to inventory it the best I can and see what happens on eBay....but the thought of this thing running 10s at the track with the FE446 in it, that is tempting :-)

 

A friend of mine has two cars, one is a Cadillac with a v16 that is like one-in-thirteen from the 1920's or so I think. It is in original condition, not well, but you can see it being restored with a lot of help - the floors are rusted, etc. The V16 was taken out of it to preserve it and a V8 was put in place so it could be driven. The V16 is in his garage.

I think a cousin of this car - it was produced as a limo from the factory while only one other was - got to $250K or $300K or so last time at auction restored. An unrestored one still went for big bucks, like $50 or more.

Something like that I'd think you would need a broker or something to do it right. Given a percentage of the money, they work FOR you, not against you. But, I have no idea if that even exists.

But, I see what you mean about doing 10's...