Re: Transplants (a wee bit of Alfa content near the end)

["Eric H." <ejham@domain.elided>]

Irony in some of those American transplants...one of the
better one's is the use of the GM 350 in Jaguars with the
factory GM auto transmissions. This would be horrid in an XK
or E-Jag...but somewhat practical in an early 80 XJ with
their high failure rate. The irony lies in the fact that the
new ones have Ford V8's in them.

I actually liked the offline suggestion of one AD reader of
a kit to put a Ford 302 in my Volvo 740. That would be a
showstopper at green lights. The big tank has the frame for
it too. And no loss to the world of car purists...who would
care? The old 4 could be recycled as a boat motor, where it
belongs.

I've always been taken with the idea of using a Mazda RX
engine for marine applications. A Berkley jet drive and
10,000 RPM engine that has one of the lowest power-to-weight
ratios going would be way cool. Guy Hamilton and I actually
started informally surveying Alfa engine compartments for a
model which might accommodate the depth requirements of the
rotary. There's a purist's nightmare: an old GTC with a 1.5l
rotary! We never made it past the day-dreaming stage though.

(This actually has me thinking...hmm...the GTV's flex joints
might handle a little more flex and the drive-shaft tunnel
could be expanded upwards...)

I seem to recall reading somewhere on the 'net about
someone's ambitious project to put a V6 into a Spider. It
was a fairly detailed article as I recall. If I run across
it again, I'll post the link.

I'd like to see an Alfa V6 in a Jeep. Anyone want to help in
the project? It would be one of the few (only?) four-seater
Alfa-powered convertibles in the US.

Food for thought...

- - Eric H. (bored tonight, can you tell?)

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