I'm not sure, I have not had to touch my distributor at all. It runs good as is. Only issues I have had so far is corrosion on electrical connections, lights and fuses (both fuel pump & injector). Keith
The thing I'm getting at is that it's sure to be over 2500 lbs. I'd guestimate somewhere in the 2500-3000lb range, probably towards the upper end. So that means it could comfortably handle any power output in the 250-300hp range. Fair? That's about a 10:1 weight/HP ratio which is at the bottom end of the muscle car range and is where a great many family sedans have always lived. Which is to say, comfortably driveable. Yes it is much more than the less than 100hp the Thames undoubtedly came with, but by today's standards it is pretty average. Now, a 215 can get you into that range but it's beginning to struggle to do it. It'll have a much happier life below 250. And that means that if you put a blower on it, unexpected things may begin to happen. That's often the case with one of those. Even Rover had those problems, and ended up axing the blower. So all I'm suggesting is what has by now become rather tiresome to me. It's what I wish I'd known when I first put a 215 in my MGB nearly 4 decades ago and I could have avoided a rather large number of engine changes. The 300 is just that much better. You start out with at least 210hp (stock 2bbl) and go up from there. If you don't want to go up then don't. But, if you do add a blower it will handle it with aplomb. Now I can only think of two reasons to be concerned with the 80lb weight difference. 1) you want it to handle twisty roads and 2) it's a drag car and you want weight transfer to the rear axle. You have as much as said that it isn't a drag car (BTW, note that Perry has now gone to a "heavy" SBC in his full-on drag MGB. http://forum.britishv8.org/read.php?2,50932 So that leaves handling. Though it's a little surprising that that would be the goal with a Thames, stranger things have happened. But it's a panel van. It already has a rear weight bias. It should be easy to get 50/50 weight distribution, even with the 300. BTW, be advised that unless you are really anal about weight reduction, the process of modding and converting any vehicle will predictably add weight, not remove it. This probably doesn't help you any and is a wasted effort on my part. I may just start telling people to, "Put an LS in it." Seems like everyone else does. Jim
Nix on the LS, original engine was a flat head 4, 37 hp. Had to hit the weigh station coming back into Pa from Jersey with the Thames, it weighs 1687 lbs.
Jim, I’m sorry that all this is becoming tiresome for you, but I gotta point out that I started this thread looking for performance tips on the 215 aluminum v-8, not the 300. I’ve used 215’s in stock form in several vehicles and this time around I’d like to hop one up, I just like the damn things. If I wanted a cast iron engine, I have a fresh 350 Chevy on my engine stand that’s probably gonna put out something in the 400 hp. range. All you’re doing is telling me to toss my engine and use your favorite. Why are you messing with a 300 when you could have a 455 ?
Hope I didn't make you mad Bruce, I have a tendency to push the limits and then settle somewhere in the middle. In your case the middle would maybe not be the 300. I really didn't expect the weight to be anywhere near that low, and it does make a very large difference especially below 2000lbs. Where you are, ounces really do begin to add up. So the compromise shifts in that direction unavoidably. It also brings up the other possible engine choices since weight becomes a concern and there are a number of good ones, which I suspect you have already looked at. Maybe you just prefer a V8 (as do I). Taken in that light the 215 is not a bad choice. It may not be the best, but it certainly can work as long as you keep in mind it's limitations. And the two main ones are a lack of thread strength in the block, and the fact that it does not handle high power levels particularly well. I would not build one today with any expectation of ever exceeding 250hp. 200 would be much safer. If you want more than that the Rover block is stronger. But it is also heavier. Something like 20-30 lbs. We did manage to finally get the actual weights but it was an odd number and I've forgotten the figure. With that you should be OK up into the 300hp range but then you need to address the liner issues, and cost becomes a concern. So if you went with the Rover block and then added the blower, now you are at near parity with the iron block 300 and I'm sorry but at that point the 300 is just much more reliable and can make as much or more power N/A. But that's OK, with 200hp in that weight of a car it will do very well. I think the 215 is also about 20-30lbs lighter than the V6 (Buick). So at 1650lbs that's an 8.25:1 weight to HP ratio which is quite respectable, especially in that small of a car. Jim
It’s all good, not a problem. I have an affinity for small light cars and aluminum engines. Back in the 90’s I built a 77 Fiat X-19 with a 215 4-bbl up front, S-10 5-spd, and 280-Z rear, I could clear the front wheels powering into 2nd gear, it would eat IROC-Z’s alive.
