<VV> V8 Conversion

[craig nicol]

I've had lengthy conversations with Paul and Jonathan McCreery about their
215V8 setup (which I purchased) and the subsequent LS/Porsche conversion
installed to the same car. They ran the 215 in autocross for 20 years and it
was reported to be quick and well balanced. Their terms for the LS's
performance are quite different. They say it provides power that's explosive
and frightening. They also hinted that the car is a bit tail-heavy. All
reports indicate that it's a blast to drive. 

I agree, the cost of acquiring an old 215 and rebuilding it to reverse
rotation is probably more than the cost of an LSx, but that's before the
mandatory transaxle and suspension upgrade. A better approach might be to
purchase an incomplete/not running 215 converted Corvair that would provide
all the hard-to-find bits. D&D Fabrications (the 215 gurus) has a line on a
running car with a rough body in Michigan for $3k. There's also a rough '66
convertible that was never finished in Sacramento and a very rough 68
Toro-conversion convertible near me in Spokane, WA. No doubt there are more
out there.

My original plan was to get a good-condition late-model Rover engine, which
can be had between 3.6 and 4.9L and mate it to a Porsche transaxle. You have
to be a little careful with the transaxle because the older ones are geared
very low with a resulting high-rpm cruise even with overdrive.  The
resulting 5-speed, "normal" rotation, package would be very sweet.
Craig Nicol