R Model Heads, Cam and Intake

[pbf777]

Picked these up about a month ago. Don't look like they were ever bolted onto an engine.

     These Gurney heads seem often to be found in unused condition, as since there never was an O.E. installation they were solely an aftermarket product.  Gurney was selling "kits" which apparently often consisted of the heads w/ valve-train, covers, water manifold, inlet adapters for Weber mounting (as in the photo), but also a single holley flange intake manifold (which doesn't look to impressive!), fasteners, etc.,  and although it probably all bolted-on just fine, (though I suppose you were on your own for exhaust manifolds/headers) the result I guess just proved too intimidating and or just didn't seen to be a good match for many of the vehicles of the time.  So after many of these "kits" were sold, they seem often to have just gathered dust since.     

     A problem at this point in time is that many of the castings that had been set aside decades ago as shall we say, less than ideal, have been released/sold out into the marketplace adding to the number of N.O.S. pieces available, but..................   

     Scott

[shelbydoug]

ALL things considered, they are a really nice piece to have even just to display. If I hear of a set I'll let you know.
I'd love to see that set up running in the TVR.

I remember the headers on the Griffiths came forward, then down. The engine drops right in but the plumbing gets tricky.

[pbf777]

The engine drops right in but the plumbing gets tricky.

    ........................easily as far as V8 engine swaps into SARDINE CANS go!         

     Scott.

[6s855]

This is my 68 TVR Tuscan with original 289 hipo.  With cast iron intake, autolite carb, and air cleaner hood clearance is very tight.  Headers go forward on pass side, back on drivers side.  Cooks your legs in the summer!

[shelbydoug]

This is my 68 TVR Tuscan with original 289 hipo.  With cast iron intake, autolite carb, and air cleaner hood clearance is very tight.  Headers go forward on pass side, back on drivers side.  Cooks your legs in the summer!

The first time I got a ride in a 289 Cobra, it melted the glue on my sneakers!

[pbf777]

This is my 68 TVR Tuscan with original 289 hipo. 

      Very  nice, and thanks for sharing! 

      The V8 Tuscans are even harder to find, with very limited numbers produced, and not being worthy of such, I settled for the M-series, though I still prefer its' external appearance and interior space over others (but it's still a plastic-glass-fiber sardine can!), though in the case of the later, and offered by TVR, yours' is the long wheelbase, but not the wide body model?     

      See! It just drops right in there!  The Tuscans' engine compartment as in the photo appear very similar, if not to say the same as in the M-series cars so it is tight, with perhaps some drawbacks, e.g. a little hot shoe, but this just to remind one of the challenges of something from half a century ago     

      Huuuum........SIDE-PIPES!          Well,.........maybe just toooo American.     

      Scott.

   
     

[shelbydoug]

What are you going to do for headers? Can you fit two driver side 289hp iron manifolds? One backwards on the driver side?
What is the curb weight of the TVR with a Ford small block?

[pbf777]

What are you going to do for headers?

     If your asking me, I would fabricate my own headers, even though I really hate doing headers I have done such.  The last header setup we did was for a S.B.F. (347) in an "E"-Type, series I, O.T.S. Jaguar with a turbocharger installation!   

What is the curb weight of the TVR with a Ford small block?

     Generally slightly less than the 289 Cobra,..........and slightly faster!         "The, Cobra Killer"   

     Scott.

[shelbydoug]

What are you going to do for headers?

     If your asking me, I would fabricate my own headers, even though I really hate doing headers I have done such.  The last header setup we did was for a S.B.F. (347) in an "E"-Type, series I, O.T.S. Jaguar with a turbocharger installation!   

What is the curb weight of the TVR with a Ford small block?

     Generally slightly less than the 289 Cobra,..........and slightly faster!         "The, Cobra Killer"   

     Scott.

Cobra killer in what sense? You can't steer it and it crashes into the Cobra and kills it?

[csxsfm]

Oh yeah.  Just like Cobras they won FIA and SCCA National Championships - NOT. 

[pbf777]

     

  "The, Cobra Killer"    

     Now calm down, it'll be O.K.!   

     I wasn't the first to make this statement, but only a little jesting here, as I felt sure it would at least raise a few eyebrows among this crowd, but let's not go "postal" over it!       

     And to the first response: Yeah, all ya-gota-do is beat the Cobra to the first turn, from then on he'll be too afraid to get close enough (if he could) to pass, the TVR guy instead of admitting the lack of control will claim to have been covering the Cobra guys' ever possible move!  If I remember right, Mark Donahue was involved in some of the development including perhaps acting early on as the test driver for Jack Griffiths' efforts with the 200/400, and although familiar with the effect of putting the V8 in a go-cart sized vehicle as in the Cobra, he apparently wasn't impressed with the results of the same V8 mounted on a roller-skate!     

     And to the second response:  Not taking anything away from the success of the Cobras, but c'mon, TVR was never in a position to take on the world, they were generally to busy just trying to keep their head above water with the bill collectors knocking at the door!      But perhaps it could have been a good run for each maker (including Ford) if the added competition of a more like type could have been there.   

     And c'mon, admit the V8 TVR's are little(er) monsters and there's some similarities in intention and even genealogy in the history of the V8 cars of each manufacture that naturally draw comparisons.  You know, like, "brothers from another mother"!     

     Scott.

     

     

     

[TA Coupe]

From looking at the pictures above looks like possibly two left hand shorty headers from a 5.0 Mustang might possibly work on both sides.

     Roy

[shelbydoug]

     

  "The, Cobra Killer"    

     Now calm down, it'll be O.K.!   

     I wasn't the first to make this statement, but only a little jesting here, as I felt sure it would at least raise a few eyebrows among this crowd, but let's not go "postal" over it!       

     And to the first response: Yeah, all ya-gota-do is beat the Cobra to the first turn, from then on he'll be too afraid to get close enough (if he could) to pass, the TVR guy instead of admitting the lack of control will claim to have been covering the Cobra guys' ever possible move!  If I remember right, Mark Donahue was involved in some of the development including perhaps acting early on as the test driver for Jack Griffiths' efforts with the 200/400, and although familiar with the effect of putting the V8 in a go-cart sized vehicle as in the Cobra, he apparently wasn't impressed with the results of the same V8 mounted on a roller-skate!     

     And to the second response:  Not taking anything away from the success of the Cobras, but c'mon, TVR was never in a position to take on the world, they were generally to busy just trying to keep their head above water with the bill collectors knocking at the door!      But perhaps it could have been a good run for each maker (including Ford) if the added competition of a more like type could have been there.   

     And c'mon, admit the V8 TVR's are little(er) monsters and there's some similarities in intention and even genealogy in the history of the V8 cars of each manufacture that naturally draw comparisons.  You know, like, "brothers from another mother"!     

     Scott.

     

     

   

Hey! I love 'em. I've gotten myself into tighter places then that and not know which way was up.

[6s855]

Scott, I bought my TVR in Dec of 68.  It is a LWB Tuscan, #6 of 13 left-hand drive imported that year, not a later wide-body MAL.  Griffiths were around 1800 lbs, so mine is longer, had thicker fiberglass, and a heftier rear suspension.  I guess 2000 or 2100 lbs.  I lived in GM territory, so there was no shortage of camaros and corvettes to street race.  I could do high 12's in 1969, more than enough for any GM junk.  There were no exotic cars in my blue-collar area, but I did run a 289 cobra once.  I was beating him to 90 but backed off and let him pass before we hit a speed-trap I knew was coming and he didn't.  Oops, sorry about that.  Sadly I saw what was left of his cobra after he managed to get t-boned cutting through highway traffic some time later.  A waste of a fine machine.

[pbf777]

     With consideration of the TVR's minuscule size it's actually amazing the amount of space available under the bonnet, as represented in the previous photos with the V8 in place. And particularly with the M-series cars which are slightly longer in the nose, one can remove the spare tire (full-size, relocating in the cabin behind the seats on the shelf as in earlier chassis, also similarly to the early GT350's) which is stowed laying nearly horizontally ahead of the radiator and have more than sufficient space for say a turbocharger installation with both headers sweeping forward or even a remote mounted supercharger, including the inter/after coolers. 

     Just a little hop-up in case those Cobras are getting a little to close!     

     Oh, and at least in the case of the M-series, the pedal distance, separation placement and pedal box area is even quite generous (even for my big feet), again considering the overall vehicle dimensions.  But it still does require a certain level flexibility for ones' ingress and egress!     

     Scott.