Hi It seems the Ol Girls engine has finally decided it needs remedial work, she has been getting very smoky and running out of puff for a while now and seems to be getting worse. I borrowed a tiny camera thingy from a fried of mine and looked down the bores, it seems bore 6 has a 1/4 inch score and bore 4 one of about 1/8 inch, so guessing brown piston rings, also I think the head needs a rebuild, worn guides, valve seat recession etc etc. I already know the water jacket is hanging for dear life.
To this end I am going to fit my Triumph straight six in while I take time to rebuild the AC lump over a period of time with the hope of sourcing parts as I go along and spread the cost.
The Triumph engine when last used gave me some 116bhp, so a healthy increase over the 2 litre, however the engine does not look so pretty. I will be using the Triumph box with Overdrive. It may transpire that I like the conversion so much, that I will just oil/grease cover the AC engine and wrap it up for when ever I sell the car one day in the distant future.
Anyway I will detail the swap with pictures etc as I go along, I am at present just stripping the Triumph engine to give it new set of gaskets/seals etc and check all is ok (far cheaper than AC parts). I have also just purchased a little run around while I am doing this swap which is a 1966 Series 2 Landrover albeit V8 powered.
I hope to get this done for the new year but as I am having a knee replacement late Oct it may roll on a little.
I may even contact Terry to see if the swap is of interest to Action, I know I am bastardising an Ac 2 litre but at least I will be keeping her on the road and keeping the original engine for prosperity and a future owner one day.
Cheers G
