Where to get aluminum head

[Demidion]

I have a 66 AH 3000 and have seen some threads here and there that aluminum heads are available. Just no one has said from which company!! Can anyone help?

Thanks!
Joe

[HealeyRick]

Here you go:  http://www.bighealey.co.uk/category/catalogues/austin-healey/engines/3000-top-end

[pointnette]

Here's another source for both 6 cylinder heads and aluminium blocks. Although I know nothing about them other than what is written:
http://www.dmdaustralia.com.au/

[DC Townsend]

"Here you go: [www.bighealey.co.uk]"

Youza! $2600 (or so) US for the standard and $4200 for the zoomy one. And this will do...what for the car?

[HealeyRick]

"And this will do...what for the car?"

Nowhere near as much as a V8 :-).  A well prepped Healey six vintage racer will put out 200 bhp.  The best racers have put out about 285 bhp, but it's going to take a lot more than an ali head to get near that.

[Demidion]

Thank you some very good info!! I am trying to figure out what I am going to do with it. Build the engine, or just go with a newer one. I've done a Datsun 280Z with an SBC 400 so maybe I'll go that route.... just not sure yet.

[DC Townsend]

"Nowhere near as much as a V8 :-). A well prepped Healey six vintage racer will put out 200 bhp. The best racers have put out about 285 bhp, but it's going to take a lot more than an ali head to get near that."

You know, when I started the MG, I actually considered building up the 4-banger - originality (sort of), no swap headaches, all the usual reasons. So I ran a build sheet and, by the time I was done, it was every bit of about $8000 and maybe a little more. As we both know, you can build out a heck of an SBF for half that money (except if you go dry-sump of course) and get twice the horsepower. Unless your building a vintage racer, seems to me it;s hard to make a good $/horsepower argument for keeping the original lumps.

[pointnette]

Moss has one, too:
http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=28854

[Demidion]

There is no substitute for cubic inches that's for sure! I was just looking at Jegs and the 480hp LS3 for $8000... hmmmmmmmmmm

[DC Townsend]

You could certainly go that route but 480HP in a 2000 lb car is going to be problematic on several levels. First, is just getting enough tire under it to provide any kind of hook up without tubbing the rear end. Then there's resolving the whole wind up problems that come with the straight axle/leaf spring rear end. And the list goes on. Truly, I'm guessing mine will put out a tad over 400HP when complete and, even with all of the suspension and drive train modifications I've pursued, I still have no realistic expectations of having it really "git and go" without feathering the throttle on the way in.

Bottom line is, you can buy any number of SBF crate motors or long blocks that will put out 340HP-425HP for half the money you're talking about. To me (and that's the operable word here), spending $4,000 for HP bragging rights seems kind of silly.

[Moderator]

So now it's time to be practical?  I think there's an especially good case to be made for "going big" with an Austin Healey project.  

This thread needs photos, and if you guys won't post them I will. Enjoy this!

[DC Townsend]

"So now it's time to be practical?"

Yeah, probably a little for me in that department, eh? That said, I've already started thinking about another build (cue up the divorce attorney please). This one would focus on optimizing the horsepower and suspension with the planned weight of the car. Just the excuse I need to line up for one of Dave's new body kits.

DT

[roverman]

Way to go David, a Sebring, Tranverse mounted mid-engined, MGB GT beast. Perhaps a Gen III Hemi, under glass ?? Healey Monster II, is taken/lol.  roverman.

[Demidion]

Wow now that's cool Curtis!

Practical... don't think I know that word I'll have to go look it up... lol

Well I will say my 280Z wieghed in at 2800 lbs and I was putting out about 525hp with 245/50/16 tires. I used a t-56 trans and the stock Datsun rear with a limited slip. I also had the lightest aluminum flywheel I could find. I think the flywheel helped significantly reduce the amount of tourque available on launch so it wasn't that bad and damn but it was fast.

Now I really am starting to think about how I would go about shoehorning one in... which engine is best, light enough etc...

fun!