Z motor car, 100/4 fold down windshield on a 3000?

[Healey Z]

I am down to the short strokes on buying a '63 3000.  It has a 260Z motor / 5 speed which I am pretty sure has a blown head gasket and quite a laundry list of poorly done body work.   Eventually it will have a 289/302/5.0 with a 5 speed, but for now I will hopefully get the Z motor to work for me.  Note: I am a previous FFR cobra replica owner, so that is my standard of performance.

However, I have the vision of this car.  I see it as a really cool two tone car, fold down windshield, racing mirrors.

MY QUESTIONS

I love the look of the fold down windshield of the 100/4.  Has anyone adopted/created one for the 3000?

How much more work is it to swap out the Z motor for a 5.0?  Does the Z motor get me a good way there on a conversion?

thank you in advance,
Ken

[HealeyRick]

Ken,

The 260Z swap is one of the easiest Healey swaps out there, hardly any modification needed to the car to carry it out.  What that means is it doesn't really help you out too much if you're planning on swapping in a SBF.  If you want to see the steps in that swap, see my project journal:  http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?13,8264

Don't know anyone that's done a 100 windscreen swap on a 3000.  Anything can be done, but the differences in the doors and scuttle areas would make it a daunting process,

Rick

[BWA]

http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0703_custom_austin_healey_v8/index.html\\

Check the above link to see a 3000 that has a 100-4 windshield grafted onto it.  I think you are in for a lot of work to do this.  However if you got the time, money, and skill to do it then try it.

Byron

[HealeyRick]

;^^^^^^^ Love this quote: " Ron Weingart's stunning V-8 Healey is a Frankenstein sports car  with the face of a super-model. It took 10 years and the cost of a small house in the suburbs to get the lay-down windshield to fit on this car."

[Healey Z]

Thanks for the replies.  I bought the car today and actually it looked better to me than the first time I looked at it.  It feels like it is running on 5 cylinders, leaks badly and is tempermental to start/idle.  So I think the engine may be coming out here shortly.  Now I will have to decide to just get it going with the 260Z motor or do what I know I will eventually do anyways and drop a small block in there.

It looks like the fold down window idea may have to be scratched.

[Healey Z]

Here is probably my favorite looking Healey ever and my inspiration for the folding windshield.  I will pick up the car in a week or two and post more pictures.

[HealeyRick]

Nice looking car!  You could do way worse than trying to get the 260Z motor running well and if doesn't work out, upgrading to a SBF later.

[Healey Z]

Rick,

I think that may be the path I take.  Here are some pictures of the eng/trans.  What would be perfect is if I could adapt a SBF to the existing bellhousing/trans of the Z, since it is there, has the clutch linkage all worked out and was done without any cutting of the Healey,   Any thoughts if this is possible?

p.s. Rick, did (do) you own an FFR Cobra?

[socorob]

If it has a z motor in it, have you thought about getting a jdm rb for it?

[HealeyRick]

Ken,  

For all the work necessary to design an adapter for the bellhousing, matching up input shaft splines, etc.  I think it would be easier to swap in a T5 along with the small block Ford.  As you can see from my build, it fits perfectly and the shifter will come up right where the original Healey shifter does if you use that as your reference point.  

Don't have an FFR, but I started hanging out on their Forum to get ideas for my motor and still check in thre often.

[HealeyRick]

Ken,

Checked out the other pics of your car on FFCars.com.  It's a MKIIA, same as mine.  Just wanted to point out that if you're going to go the SBF route, you are going to have to cut the inside of the footboxes for clearance.  The tranny clearance isn't an issue at all with a T5.  PM me if you want any further info, I'm happy to help.

[Healey Z]

Rick,

I followed your build over at the cobra forum and was really impressed with the work you did on the car.  I'm dragging the car home on a trailer next weekend.  I am kind of hoping the Z motor is shot, which will then push me toward dropping the 5.0/5 speed in the car sooner rather than later.  Do you have a list of all the things you had to do to make the swap?  I'll PM you my email.

Ken