New life to an old '69T

[daniel911T]

If this looks familiar... that's because it's a continuation to this thread: http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...or-into-my-69T

This is my much loved, but rather tired, '69T


This is her with my dog, Laika.


This is her in the middle of the trip I made from Washington, D.C. to Everett, WA. (In Jan!)


She has not had an easy life in my hands:


Her poor engine has gotten rather worn out in the last few years. It was a used engine sold in pity for $1000, and it survived much longer than it had any right to. That old '70 2.2T engine with Zeniths took me all the way across the country in winter, was my daily driver for the two years I was stationed in Everett, WA (aboard USS NIMITZ), and was my daily driver for two years in Monterey, CA. I got my $1K out of that old motor! (and probably 40K miles!)

Sadly, her leaking is up, and compression is down. In spite of having a refreshed suspension and brakes, and being quite the comic relief at the PCA autocross, she's become too sick to drive. First I had an overrev because of a stuck accelerator that made noises so scary I couldn't find the courage to open the engine up and look for over a year. It turned out I had just lost an intake valve adjustment nut, and a valve adjustment brought her back to running, but then her MSD went haywire and literally blew up two (resistorless) rotors in quick succession. I'm pretty sure the haywire MSD also ruined my coil, but it took me a long time to notice. At that point I wired around the MSD and drove her rarely for the next two years... During that time her cam seals started leaking - a lot - and I could no longer ignore other, more subtle, scary engine noises - like obvious piston slap. A warm compression test yielded about 90 PSI per cylinder. I didn't bother with leakdown. Clearly this poor old engine had heroically come to the end of her long road. I wish I could afford to give her a viking funeral or something.
She looks okay in the engine bay even now:


While stuck on USS IWO JIMA, operating off the coast of Norway, in one of the rare moments of good internet, I came across a 2.4E engine, in good health, for sale at a price I could afford. My ex-wife would have vetoed any such notion instantly, but my new girlfriend actually encouraged me to buy it! (I think she's a keeper! - the engine will be my xmas present, but she's getting a well deserved ring!)
I get an engine, she gets this:

Did I mention that she pretty much insisted that I buy the engine? The ring is the least I can do...

Fast forward to today:


That beautiful thing in the foreground is a relatively healthy 2.4E longblock.

I have to start the process of moving important stuff around. My poor old sick engine got all the reliability upgrades, like SSI heat exchangers, Carrera tensioners, the oil line restrictors (to the cam towers), a 75amp alternator, and 3.0 aluminum reinforced upper and lower valve covers. I need to get the old motor out of the car and start transplanting all the goodies. That's going to be the work of next week's evenings. I also have a full gasket set, fresh tubing, a new MSD, and a 123ignition distributor. I'm hoping to have the 2.4 ready to install by the 15th.

I love how small this is compared to my old, failed, 6AL:


I'm thrilled to explore what the fully programmable 123ignition distributor can do:


Things I'm super thankful for:
1: The 2.4E came with an old style flywheel! Should mate right up to my 901 transaxle.
2. The engine was delivered with MFI plugs! I was wondering what I was going to do...
3. I have the best girlfriend ever who supports this kind of foolishness!

Things that are a bummer:
1: The Zeniths I have used to be on a 2.4, judging by the 4, 32mm vents I can find. I guess I'm going to have to find a machinist.
2: I now have 4 distributors: a 2.2E, a 2.4E, a small diameter 123, and a large diameter 123. I hope I can turn some of these back into money.
3. I have the desire to spend money on an MFI rig. I may as well jump down the slippery slope while naked after bathing in KY. (luckily, I don't actually have the funds to support such an endeavour.)
4. I'm going to have to do something with my old 2.2. It really needs retirement, but damn if it doesn't still run pretty well. Hurts my heart to think of it ending up in a pile of never to be used parts.

Sunday I'm hoping to pull the engine and transmission. If you happen to be local to Jacksonville, FL, I'd love the help and company! I'll provide the beer!

If the engine is still installed, the heroic last ride of the 2.2 is going to be the drive to the PCA Florida Crown Region Christmas party next Tuesday. If you see me there, please say hi!

[ChrisHoover]

Please keep us posted! This should be an interesting project.

[daniel911T]

Thanks Chris! The work has already begun. I'll get pictures and updates as the old is removed, the good bits are transplanted, and the new(er) is installed.

As I've read more and more about these cars over the last 15 years, I've come to believe the the E is the best of the breed. I wish I could afford an MFI system to complete the conversion, but as it is, I'm looking forward to more compression and more displacement. However, my poor old engine is so badly used up that anything even halfway healthy is going to feel like a massive upgrade.

The "new" motor is going to get carrera tensioners, SSI heat exchangers, new gaskets, a 75 amp alternator, and a 123ignition distributor. I can't wait to see how this goes...

I'm pretty sure my current engine was near death from old age when I installed it 10 years ago. This one is pretty healthy, and was more powerful in the first place. I hope I can keep the rear tires under control!

[steve911T]

Good to see you back on Pelican! If you remember, you came over to my house on the eastern shore of Md a few years ago before you moved to the west coast. Too bad I am only 12 hours away and I could help you with the engine removal. Stev

[bgyglfr]

I’m Glad to see that old engine held up for so long. I might be down that way in January. I’d be glad to lend a helping hand if I can swing it. My only payment request would be in the form of some good IPAs. Looking forward to seeing her tear up some more autocrosses.

[ChrisHoover]

How's this going? I'm considering a 123ignition, is your's working yet?