I Put a V8 in a 60's Triumph Racecar 

Hey everyone! Sorry I'm a bit late on this video, it took a bit longer than I thought, but that means there will probably be two this month. Hope you enjoy this project, I had a blast- I wanted to go for something that would've fit from the era- as always, 60's inspired, but not completely period correct of course. It does help that it's slightly lighter than a Shelby with the same block... Traction is now the biggest concern. Thanks for watching!

Dude you're getting consistently more comfortable in front of the camera. Thanks for letting us watch your shenanigans. 🤘

Any other RU-vidr would have a 30min video every week for 6 months on a project like this but you rattle out the whole project in 2 weeks and a 15min video! You are clearly a very talented engineer, you don't do yourself justice at all. I'm pretty sure almost all of your subscribers would have watched 5 times as much video on this one project in several installments! Keep showing what you do Wesley, it's brilliant.

There are things in this life we must protect. Wesley is one of these things. I want this dude in my squad when the zombie apocalypse occurs.

Anybody else would turn this into a 35 episode build...but not Wesley, no nonsense, straight to the point! Awesome as always, also we need that Jag back on here soon 😉

About 50 years ago, I remember being asked nicely to leave the Triumph dealer's showroom after opening the hood on a new TR-6 and measuring to see if a Windsor Ford would fit. I thought the 351 might be a little too tall and wide, but a 289 should go right in.

Come back PLEASE!!!! Your videos are awesome and your projects too

Waiting patiently 4 months for Wesley's next video.

Miss your vids man, hope you’re doin alright.

The 95 5.0 was a great car . Had 360k miles on her before she needed a new power train. My other 95 I still have has 160k on it and the brakes is the only thing I've had to replace.

Hope you're doing well man, can't wait for the next thing you come up with 👍

Coming off the back of a Superfast Matt video, this confuses me. A video. About a Project. And they end.

Currently onto the same project with a351w in an MGB…..last one was a souped up Inline 6 in an MGB. Love this!

These huge breaks in between uploads are killerrrrrrr. I need more sarcastic problem solving engineering content to watch

I really must admit I admire your commitment to building stuff. Nowadays I have trouble doing anything but watching You tube video's (getting old sucks, particularly after multiple surgeries from work accidents 'teaching')

the quality of work you do, the things you find interesting, your attention to detail, knowledge, capability, and content density are all top notch and the reasons i am subscribed to you. thank you for sharing your passions with the world!

Crazy that 1980 Toyota Pickup calipers bolt up - if you're not already aware, a common upgrade for those trucks is to go to a 1986+ IFS truck caliper which has slightly larger pistons and is wide enough to run vented rotors sourced from an FJ60. Though with how light that Triumph is the additional upgrade may have diminishing returns.

I feel like there was about 6 episodes in this project but you just smashed it out in 1!

I had a Triumph Spitfire. I blew the engine and decided to sell that car for parts. My uncle, who was a mechanic, bought it from me. He decided to enslist his friend, a former F1 mechanic, to help him modify the car. It started with dropping a Rover V8 (3.5 litre) engine into it. It took extensive modications to the frame, hood and suspension. I am not a mechanic so I can't say what work was needed. I was also only 17 at the time and had just started working on cars. I admire the work you did. Amazing transformation.

i love this one video and not strung out needlessly over 5 videos like other channels. awesome project!

Wesley, thanks for making these interesting and out of the ordinary videos! Many years ago I was fortunate to encounter a Rover V8 (1961 Buick 215 cid Fireball derivative) converted TR5 in Germany. With a much lighter and more powerful drivetrain, this IRS version of your car was totally transformed. Love your intelligent approach to your builds!

Loved the video! I could've actually watched this thing for a lot longer than just a bit more than 10 minutes. Keep rockin'!

Nice work So refreshing to NOT see a hood scoop on a V8 swap. love the "stock" look to the race car.

Not sure if suggestions are welcome but I would love to see an in-line 5 build from you. Volvo, Audi, vw, even the Atlas GM made for the Colorado would be awesome.

Great works and project as always. This one was among the most "normal" and simplest you've shown 👍

Good job. I’ve been building cars forever and I like your approach and work ethic, and no drama.

Love it!, only thing i can nag about is hearing protection while grinding and cutting, ( As someone who have hearing damage from working in a garage on my junk ).

I'm involved in a '63 TR4 build that is taking far too long. Amazing to see someone with the know-how and confidence just attack a project and finish it so quickly. Very cool project!

Just awesome. Exactly what I want to do for fun. I love this. I always wanted to do this to a TR6. I have seen some very high end v8 transformations of the TR6. I like the way you did this. I am currently stuffing an LT1 on an S10 chassis into a 59 Rambler. Project has stalled for the last 4 months. Seeing this is inspiring!

I love your videos, my favourite car build videos. The active suspension video and solenoid valve project are amazing too!

Nice conversion. Good engineering on your part. But as a vintage Spitfire racer, you are killing me. You have taken a perfectly good vintage racer with value in the market for any of the racing organizations such as has CVAR, SVRA, etc. and turned it into a hermaphrodite.

This might be the only channel I have post notifications on for. Love your work!

awesome video! It is a bit unusual to see you work on stuff that just starts? Really cool build. Hope we can see more of the gem in the future. Cheers.

It’s been a minute since I watched one of your videos. So cool. I really like this channel. Of course that was a sweet project, even though you thought it small. Oh and by the way looking good Wesley. Great work too👏

This is my new favorite video of yours. Love this project and love that we got to see you drive it. You fit that engine perfectly. The walnut work you did is what I dreamed of doing on a Triumph Spitfire I tried to own, but was sold to me illegally so it went away (long story). I fell in love with this concept decades ago when I saw a similar conversion with the license plate "TRFord" Just very cool.

Are you crazy, a Ford in a Triumph TR !!!!! I love it, that’s a great little hot rod and you can get parts easy. Nice conversion, that must be a ton of fun 😎👍

Another very interesting and very good executed project. Thanks for sharing

I love your project and what I think you have in mind to have fun with the car and drive it and not seriously race it or show it. I have similar project a tr6 but a built a frame out of 2 by3 mild steel and used all the suspension from a xjs jaguar and put in a 1965 300hp 327 corvette engine. This project was paused for awhile but ready to go soon. Goodluck with yours and enjoy.

Wow, you made that look so easy, great work!

I wanna be like you when I'm older. The amount of skills I've seen you apply in this channel this last few days is amazing. Im sure there is somebody out there who would sponsor you for a special project (and sometimes duty makes things less interesting or fun, I know, but I cant help myself imagining you with double the budget or the time)

American V8 in a small brittish sportscar. One of the greatest combos in car history as evidenced by the the endless Shelby Cobra replicas being built to this day. Very tastefull execution. Cant wait for more V12 content!

I love this. Looking forward to more videos on the V-8 Triumph!

This is awesome Also, definitely go into detail when converting the old tachometer/speedometer to GPS!

My Spitfire was ton of fun and so easy to work on with the forward tilting bonnet/hood

Great job! TR4 might be the car that I'm happiest about missing the chance to own. Loved the TR4, drove an earlier one with the solid axle and I think non-sychronized gearbox IIRC. Wanted one so bad. Was looking for one but ended up getting a 240Z. I think the ownership experience wouldn't have lived up to the fantasy. Did eventually V8 swap my Z though, so there is that. The Toy 4x4 calipers are a popular upgrade for Z's too, and in Z land the better upgrade is the vented Toy caliper with an early 300ZX rotor (84 would work), utilizing a spacer between the hub and rotor to get the caliper positioned correctly. Having had the 4x4 caliper on the solid rotor, I can tell you the heat would boil the fluid and the pedal would go straight to the floor within a 20 minute track session.

Damn, dude slimmed down! Looking good. Also the casual fit looking good.

I wish I could get you to upload more regularly. I love your content. I like your presence in front of the camera and I just generally enjoy watching your videos. Can’t wait to see you build a body for your race car.

cool project dude. I've been wanting to tool around with an old MG, Triumph, or something like that.

This was really nice. I hope you do more videos on this car.

Considering some of (all of?!) your former projects - THIS will be a total cakewalk!!! :D

Great project! Can't wait to see where it goes. Also big credit for the GMT-Master while wrenching!

Always stoked to see a new vid man, very cool car. Loved the “this is vacation” bit hahHa

Good job mate. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing 😁

Use lead wheel weights on un sprung parts like the rear axel over weight the rims .Lots of tricks to help it stick.

Nice choice of car, something out of the ordinary. You make it all look so easy though I'm sure it's not.

Beautiful car, and props on finishing what would have taken most people 5 years and 40 videos/blog posts in a couple months.

Fantastic. I’ve owned several British leyland cars and this has been a dream of mine. But only using a GT-6

IDK how you did that Wesley, but when the 302 fired right up at 10:18... That motor was Happy as it ever was in the donor mustang. Amazing stuff .

Love the videos man, keep em coming !

Nice car, sounds good too, you make it look so easy, well done

Love your channel 👍...this project is something that I have always wanted to do...kinda. I think that a blown Buick V6 would be the perfect motor, but a SBF is pretty cool to.

Great video Wesley, and brilliant project....keep the videos coming !!!!!! Love it

Great project, as a die hard Triumph hate (too much time spent fixing GT6s and Spitfires) the UP-engine sounds way better than the sewing machine that thing came with. Love your work keep the smiles coming please.

You know what would have been an absolute baller move? Sticking the turbocharged all aluminum buick 215 in it

My brother -in-law dropped a 301 Chevy V8 into a '61 TR3A back in the mid-1960s. It was a monster at the drags and was also used as a daily driver. Issues? Yep, U-joint steering column to clear the headers, '59 Pontiac radiator that extended below the front bumper almost to ground level, drive shaft was little more than two U-joints end to end. It was fun to ride around in - those 3 deuces gave it a ton of go. Spun the wires out of the wire wheels on the rear wheels and replaced 'em with steelies.

I tend to over complicate everything also. I need to build something simple that I can enjoy quickly rather than build forever. Thanks for the video and inspiration.

I really appreciated the editing and general quality of the presentation. Some guys picture almost every turn of a nut, as if they had never seen a cooking show where they put the dish in the oven, and then pull; it out cooked, sparing the very obvious details .

I'm a fan of American V8s in British sports cars (avatar is my '64 MGB (custom chassis/suspension, SBC/4-speed), there's a TR4 locally here with a SBC in it too, like your project alot, thanks for sharing

Amazing transformation! Newer like Triumph, but after you "fix", it became a great little vehicle 👏😁

Awesome project Wesley!

This fella has no idea how good he is at everything he does.

Great job!!! I put a Chevy 262 V6 into a 71 Datsun pickup. Had hot cam and Z28 Posi rear end. It was fun, but if I had to do it again I would probably go with a more modern Japanese four cylinder. Would have made a better daily driver.

They may have been as reliable as British public transport, but I really like the siimplicity and aesthetic of these old British cars. Love that engine note too.

Looking sharp Wes! Keep it up

Very cool and the walnut dash is a nice touch. Some dymo labels for the switches and it would be straight out of the 60s/70s. Speaking of intakes and ideas, Bob Tullius raced a IIRC 289 powered TR6 in the early 70s that had a quad Weber setup on it...just saying 🙂

awesome build, thanks for sharing!..

That little Triumph has such a charming aesthetic. I can see why you'd want to swap in a more reliable and entertaining motor. Just remember that you have to perform a comprehensive electrical exorcism by ripping out every last scrap of wiring, switches, relays, and fuse block in order to ban the British electrical gremlins from the vehicle. Start from scratch and it'll all play nicely later. Luckily it's a very simple car, so there's not much to purge with holy vengeance.

Awesome job. You inspire my confidence in the younger generation.

Engine Masters did an air filter shootout years ago. Those triangle filters cause a significant drop in power.

That e body mopar clock that you have in your intro is badass

Nice! I’ve been thinking of doing something similar to my Z3. The 4 cylinder 1.9L just doesn’t suit my car lol.

I just “finished” building a v8 Vega! Would love to race once it’s dialed in. It’s got a 327 small block from the early 60s, 4 speed manual, new rear end, and loads of goodies!

Hey I’ve been subscribed for a bit just didn’t see this one. I’m putting a 302 In my spitfire this winter. Very helpful video🤙

I absolutely love your work. Every video is amazing!

nicely done you could keep up.with the datsun roadster with the sbc tucked in not as nicely but functional

This was such an easy video to watch. I am dreaming about this car screaming around Goodwood Circuit.

Brilliant! I used to own a 1956 Small Mouth TR3. Would a swap like this work in that car? If it could, I can actually see and feel grabbing the wire spoke large diameter skinny wood steering wheel and enjoying the elbows out driving experience.

Wesley your projects are beyond underrated, you’re an intelligent individual with a lot of skill, please upload your projects more often and detailed.

I love the raw style, please post more often

Suggest a follow-up video to cover some the details such as; room for pedals/feet after firewall cut, connecting the clutch, getting the gauges to work, weight bias post V8 conversion, getting the diff the live with torque, etc...

I saw a TR4 done up with a small block I believe 1979 in Charleston. It was done by an aeronautical engineer. The thing was incredible....

Really cool job. Way to go!

Really nice build Man !

Well that was really cool. That said I can't wait to see more of that V12 you built.

I've always dreamed of being an automotive RU-vidr. But then I realised that today instead of working on my car, I sat on the sofa playing Faming Simulator.

I’m at about the 6 minute mark, and it seems to me you are making a Triumph Tiger! I don’t know much about either car, but I knew the engine as a 289 K code in a 1965 Mustang. Your 302 should give your Triumph stellar performance.

Re: "...Traction is now the biggest concern." In my early days of junk yard scrounging for parts to keep my '63 MGB running, there was always a half-dozen or so wrecked TR4's, Datsun 1600's, and other similar small sports cars. All had one thing in common - a huge "U" shaped dent in the front bumper and a small block V8 shoehorned into the engine compartment. It was pretty common in the '60's and 70's - the muscle car era - for sports car nuts to try to up the horse power from the little stock 4 bangers. In their original form, most had outstanding handling characteristics, just a lack of punch. Unfortunately, upping the power to weight ratio often meant altering the front/rear weight bias resulting in - you guessed it - traction problems. Mostly in the form of massive and unexpected understeer and/or power-on tail loose oversteer and sometimes both at once.. The drivers had exceeded the handling abilities of the cars' suspensions and plowed straight off a corner somewhere into a tree or utility pole. The moral....more power doesn't necessarily equate to a faster car. There is a great video on here of a race modified MGB (with original engine) whupping Porsches, Ferrari's, and a whole lot more in a GP street race in Philadelphia (I think). Good luck with your mods...

In the mid '70s I owned a '68 Triumph TR250 (same body as your TR4 but with the TR6 6-cylinder). Someone made a kit to install a 289 Ford engine and trans but I never got around to it, the car was greatly improved by the swap but still had problems to iron out. Terrible Lucas wiring, bad brakes, weak rear end. The funny thing is that the Ford V8 and tranny weighed less than the stock 2500cc six-cylinder.

Nice project! Nice execution! And thank you for NOT stuffing an automatic behind that 302!! YAY!!!

If you arent the coolest channel ive stumbled in cross in years I truely don't know what is. This is coolest shit I've seen ever