LS Tuscan?

[350matt]

Heres one to get the ball rolling, how much should I pay to get a Tuscan ( road not racer) with a blown six cylinder therefore ripe for an LS conversion?

You hear of plenty of cars with blown engines but they are always tales of woe on how it costs a few thousand to rebuild it again and watch it go pop again (although this seems to have calmed down a bit of late) but you never see any in the classifieds.

I know that chap did his own car using a Ford engine and top job too from what I saw, so it must be possible.

Just fancy a different sort of TVR really

Matt

[RichardD]

Suggest reading this :-

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=252912&f=155&h=0

Chevrolet SBC engine in Tuscan, LS engine is mentioned too (in the context of its larger and wouldn't fit).

[boosted ls1]

With the right choice of parts it'll fit, just.

Boosted.

[RichardD]

boosted ls1 said:

With the right choice of parts it'll fit, just.

Boosted.

If one will fit in a T chassis, then does that mean a LS7 would fit in a RV8 chassis (say with different dry sump system)

[boosted ls1]

RichardD said:

boosted ls1 said:

With the right choice of parts it'll fit, just.

Boosted.

If one will fit in a T chassis, then does that mean a LS7 would fit in a RV8 chassis (say with different dry sump system)

Rover v8 engine bay is probably similar to a tr7 v8 and a 427 (not ls7) plus turbo's easily fits into my TR7 chassis as does it's 6 speed t56, so it should all easily fit into the rover. You won't need a dry sump if you use a non ls7 based 427 engine. Then you could use either an F body pan or early vette

Boosted.

[RichardD]

boosted ls1 said:

...You won't need a dry sump if you use a non ls7 based 427 engine. Then you could use either an F body pan or early vette
Boosted.

Well I won't ask as to "non LS7 based 427 engines" as think I've these sussed now (chevroletls1.com being a good site )
Given the recent Brummiewedge Cerb with 480bhp from a 6.3, a 427 would be rather - and rather more utilised on track days.

Would such sumps be fine in this regard and not have any issue with oil starvation ? I think Jellison once said that TVR's won't generate the G that Corvettes can, so they should be ?

(Sorry Matt for tangent), I don't have a link, but "plasticman" on here had a T350 with a C5R (7.0 top end GM block) engine in it, but its been quiet for a while .. Could always send him a message?

[boosted ls1]

Hello Richard, There quite a few budget 427 conversions from the US which will be as good if not better then the factory ls7. For a start they will have forged pistons in them, you just need to check they were balanced properly if at all! They will accept all the lsx external parts so sumps aren't an issue. Aftermarket heads will match to aftermarket intakes etc so scope for development is far greater then with the ls7. Early vette sumps could have the wings modified to clear a chassis rail or the ls2 pan could be used. I'd mod the early vette pan as it's the best for a tiff application imo.

Jon's correct. I can't see a tvr matching the vettes cornering grip either using similar tyres so just use a decent wet sump and it should be fine.

Boosted.

[350matt]

First things first

how much would I need to pay for a Tuscan with a blown engine.....

Or any T car really

I had a figure of about 7K in mind

[RichardD]

Hello Matt

I really couldn't see any T-car dropping below 10k to be honest unless it was CAT D or C !

A grotty RV8 based car requiring chassis and engine work could be about £7k IMO.

From memory the lowest figure I've seen was about £14k for a T-car, I'd consider that to be car with potentially dubious engine (although it may still be fine). Taking the cars as a commodity, the age, style and power, a car in the teens needing engine rebuild / replacement is still a bargain IMO. The only way I could see a major drop would be an inability to get parts

One of best ways to view a "major mod" type project is as per Jellison, spread out any ££ over many years by creating a car to keep

[350matt]

Thing is there's 2 tuscans in the classifieds at 12K now and that's fully running and one of them is an 's'

Matt

[brummiewedge]

I reckon £8-9K with a suspect or blown motor is the money, i reckon it would fit, just the exhaust routing as my cerb, but thats stuff you expect. you gotta budget for a TKO box aswell, but buy from the States as the dollar/pound is soo good at the mo.

[boosted ls1]

The engine will fit but you need a modified bell housing and depending on which way you go maybe upper chassis rail modifications above the bell housing

It will fit though

Boosted.

[tinker-27]

most things will fit if you put enough effort in,we have a rx7,tvr,escort cosworth,m3, with ls1s fitted and running as brummie says the exhaust is the tight bit but its do able.i have built a 7litre from a 6 litre (well its 6.9 and a bit) but doing it this way with steel rods,forged pistons,cnc heads,they are more cost effective and produce good power mine is 558 bhp,572ft lb and i hope it to lossen up as it was ran with only about 300 mile from new.as far as oil surge goes you will have to be on slicks and some were like gerrards to have a problem,dont be put of a 5.7 as with a good set of heads and the right cam set up go very well indeed they will still put out 475 bhp

[jellison]

All possible done all the measurement on Whiteys (Cat D's should be well under 10 on a good day).

Toss up when you have it in on going back and down with the zorts as per Brumm - forward would be easier, but till it is in!

Don't dick about with t5 unless you can get a glebe version or the expensive internal (by the time you have added these to the price of t5 and the fitting you could get a tko).

It will be EXPENSIVE if all bits are new (I like new but IT DOES COST!)