RPR
04-25-2006, 07:44 PM
I have an 88" SIII with a 2.25 petrol on Volvo C303 axles that I am far too committed to for my mental and financial good. We all have our problems.
I have taken an incrementalist approach to "building" it, largely driven by the self-delusion that I wasn't really pissing time, effort, and money away trying to create a serious and somewhat modern offroader out of a great vehicle that has some pretty clear engineering limitations. Everyone needs a hobby.
The latest iteration of the madness is the recognition that the horsepower fairies and all the bolt on goodies from ACR just aren't going to make a purse out of that 2.25. It isn't enough. But a key feature of the psychosis is an anglofilic prediliction for prolonged suffering in the pursuit of satisfaction as opposed to the more rational American desire for instant gratification. My wife is English, for example.
In any event, looking at different options for a repower. I want to keep the modding and hassle to a minimum for several reasons - some rational and sensible, others, not so much. I have narrowed it down to a few options, rightly or wrongly:
1) 4.3 l Chevy V6 - NP435 - Series t-box
Pros - reliable, readily available engine (which I detest having had one in a Blazer when I lived in Dubai), great gerabox and @ 115:1 1st low;
Cons - Lot's of work - perhaps not on the scale many of you measure by, but on mine. Consequently expensive - I have neither the time nor facilities to do the most complex and difficult parts of the conversion. More modding than I would like (as I said, some reasons less sensible than others)
2) The Robert Davis GM 2.5 4 pot conversion.
Pros - Clean relatively easy bolt-in that has been tried and tested (qualifications on that below) durable engine delivering numbers not so far off a modest carbed 4.3 V6 with a very flat torque curve and enough power for teh Tonka;
Cons - Expensive way to get 30 - 40 hp and 50 lbs ft of torque (albeit lower down). No less of a non-standard mod than the 4.3 and I understand that Ike Goss had a fair few problems with one of his engines - although, to his credit, Robert was up front about the problems with me;
3) 3.5 Rover V8
Pros - The British SBC :shaking: It's a V8 and will bolt up to the Series box without much difficulty and a bog standard low compression 2bbl 3.5 should be readily available and cheap (who wants it). Or so I thought :laughing: Called D&D today (aluminumV8.com) to ask about one to get an idea on a price tag. "Hi, looking for a bog standard 2bbl 3.5 good for no more than 140 hp and 180 lbs/ft. Have you got any lying about?", says I. "Who is this? Is this a joke?" say Mark, pointing out that he's used to people calling up asking for 1000 hp out of a Rover V8 but has never had anyone ask for one going the other way...
Cons - It's a Rover V8. It appears that they aren't readily available in 8:1 mundane tune. And it's still quite a bit of fiddling and mucking about.
So - I recognize that I will draw appropriate abuse for my conservative/unimaginative proposals for a repower. Yes, I could (if they were still a going concern) ship the truck out to Paso Robles with instructions: "Please insert SBC/NV4500 and return" but that just doesn't sit well with me. Yes, I should go whole hog and dump the Series gearbox and turn up the power, but the puritan in me as it at war with the heathen on that.
So, any suggestions on where to get a pretty pedestrian 3.5 ?
I have taken an incrementalist approach to "building" it, largely driven by the self-delusion that I wasn't really pissing time, effort, and money away trying to create a serious and somewhat modern offroader out of a great vehicle that has some pretty clear engineering limitations. Everyone needs a hobby.
The latest iteration of the madness is the recognition that the horsepower fairies and all the bolt on goodies from ACR just aren't going to make a purse out of that 2.25. It isn't enough. But a key feature of the psychosis is an anglofilic prediliction for prolonged suffering in the pursuit of satisfaction as opposed to the more rational American desire for instant gratification. My wife is English, for example.
In any event, looking at different options for a repower. I want to keep the modding and hassle to a minimum for several reasons - some rational and sensible, others, not so much. I have narrowed it down to a few options, rightly or wrongly:
1) 4.3 l Chevy V6 - NP435 - Series t-box
Pros - reliable, readily available engine (which I detest having had one in a Blazer when I lived in Dubai), great gerabox and @ 115:1 1st low;
Cons - Lot's of work - perhaps not on the scale many of you measure by, but on mine. Consequently expensive - I have neither the time nor facilities to do the most complex and difficult parts of the conversion. More modding than I would like (as I said, some reasons less sensible than others)
2) The Robert Davis GM 2.5 4 pot conversion.
Pros - Clean relatively easy bolt-in that has been tried and tested (qualifications on that below) durable engine delivering numbers not so far off a modest carbed 4.3 V6 with a very flat torque curve and enough power for teh Tonka;
Cons - Expensive way to get 30 - 40 hp and 50 lbs ft of torque (albeit lower down). No less of a non-standard mod than the 4.3 and I understand that Ike Goss had a fair few problems with one of his engines - although, to his credit, Robert was up front about the problems with me;
3) 3.5 Rover V8
Pros - The British SBC :shaking: It's a V8 and will bolt up to the Series box without much difficulty and a bog standard low compression 2bbl 3.5 should be readily available and cheap (who wants it). Or so I thought :laughing: Called D&D today (aluminumV8.com) to ask about one to get an idea on a price tag. "Hi, looking for a bog standard 2bbl 3.5 good for no more than 140 hp and 180 lbs/ft. Have you got any lying about?", says I. "Who is this? Is this a joke?" say Mark, pointing out that he's used to people calling up asking for 1000 hp out of a Rover V8 but has never had anyone ask for one going the other way...
Cons - It's a Rover V8. It appears that they aren't readily available in 8:1 mundane tune. And it's still quite a bit of fiddling and mucking about.
So - I recognize that I will draw appropriate abuse for my conservative/unimaginative proposals for a repower. Yes, I could (if they were still a going concern) ship the truck out to Paso Robles with instructions: "Please insert SBC/NV4500 and return" but that just doesn't sit well with me. Yes, I should go whole hog and dump the Series gearbox and turn up the power, but the puritan in me as it at war with the heathen on that.
So, any suggestions on where to get a pretty pedestrian 3.5 ?