Jerry Porsch's 371cid Ford V8 Powered 1966 Sunbeam Tiger
BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsas published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume XIV Issue 3, December 2006
Read the full write-up at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗
Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsA 1966 Sunbeam Tiger rebuilt with a 371ci Ford V8, nitrous, then twin turbos
Jerry Porsch has owned this originally 260ci Tiger for 36 years and run through around 15 different engines. The current build centers on a 371ci Ford V8 with nitrous oxide injection, drag-strip proven times in the 9-second range, and a later conversion to twin turbochargers. It's a look at a long-running, continually evolving drag-oriented Tiger project.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- 371cid Ford V8 from World Products ("Man O War") with Edelbrock Victor Jr. aluminum heads, Edelbrock Super Victor intake manifold, and roller lifters; plate mounted
- Nitrous
- 2 stage NOS kit rated at 175hp on the plate, with a 175 fogger
- Transmission
- Modified C4 automatic with 4500 stall converter, later converted to a Chevy Powerglide transmission after breaking several transmissions
- Rear axle
- 8 3/4" Dodge rear-end with 3.77:1 gear and a spool
- Suspension
- Custom-made adjustable traction bars
- Wheels
- 15" Weld Rodlites
- Tyres
- 26x1050 Mickey Thompson ET Street drag tyres on the rear, skinnies on the front
- Weight
- 2912 pounds without the hard top and NOS bottle; a little over 3000 pounds in race trim
- Performance
- Best ET of 9.93 seconds at 141mph with a 175 shot of nitrous; 11.09 seconds on motor alone; later ran 9.90s at 142mph
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 5
- World Products "Man O War" 371cid Ford V8 blockWorld Products
Forms the base of the engine build, plate mounted in the car
- Edelbrock Victor Jr. aluminum cylinder headsEdelbrock
Fitted to the 371cid V8 for improved flow
In the shops
Gasket, cylinder head, grade 2, Victor Reinz ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £21.00 GBP
Gasket, cylinder head, grade 3, Victor Reinz ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £21.00 GBP
Gasket, cylinder head, grade 4, 4 notch, Victor Reinz ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £21.00 GBP - Edelbrock Super Victor intake manifoldEdelbrock
Paired with the Victor Jr. heads on the 371cid engine
In the shops
V-6 Intake Manifold ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $14.72 USD
Intake Manifold, Mk VII ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
Intake Manifold, Mk VIII/Mk IX ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD - Roller lifters
Used in the 371cid V8 build
- Twin turbocharger setup
Added in early 2008, mounted near the rear axle, replacing the nitrous-based power adder
Fuel & Ignition 1
- NOS 2-stage nitrous kit with 175 foggerNOS
Rated at 175hp on the plate, used to boost power for drag passes
Gearbox & Drivetrain 3
- Modified C4 automatic transmission
Originally fitted with a 4500 stall converter, later abandoned after repeated failures
In the shops
BW-8 Automatic Transmission ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
DG250 Automatic Transmission ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
BW-35 Automatic Transmission ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD - Chevy Powerglide transmission
Replaced the C4 after it proved unreliable under the car's power
- 8 3/4" Dodge rear-end with 3.77:1 gears and spoolDodge
Rear axle setup for drag use
Suspension & Steering 1
- Custom adjustable traction bars
Fabricated to control axle movement during hard launches
In the shops
Adjustable Tie Bar Set (Mini) ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $61.57 USD
Adjustable Sway Bar End Links (NA) ↗
Flyin' Miata· $69.99 USD
Adjustable Sway Bar End Links (ND Rear) ↗Flyin' Miata· $69.99 USD
Wheels & Tyres 2
- Weld Rodlite wheels, 15 inchWeld
Replaced original rims for drag use
- Mickey Thompson 26x1050 ET Street tyresMickey Thompson
Fitted to the rear for traction at the strip
Interior 1
- Racing seats
New seats fitted in April 2007
Other 1
- 2 inch Hooker headersHooker
Planned as a winter project to improve exhaust flow
Photos
20 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
A long-term project
Jerry Porsch has owned this Tiger for 36 years. It started life as a 260cid car and has gone through about 15 different engines over the decades, reflecting a continuous program of experimentation rather than a single restoration.
Building the 371 V8
The current engine is a 371cid Ford V8 built from a World Products "Man O War" block, fitted with Edelbrock Victor Jr. aluminum heads, an Edelbrock Super Victor intake manifold, and roller lifters. The engine is plate mounted in the chassis.
Adding nitrous
A two-stage NOS nitrous kit was fitted, rated at 175hp on the plate with a 175 fogger system, giving the car a substantial power boost for drag racing while retaining a drivable engine on motor alone.
Drivetrain trouble and fixes
The car originally ran a modified C4 automatic transmission with a 4500 stall converter, paired to an 8 3/4" Dodge rear-end with 3.77:1 gears and a spool. After breaking several transmissions, Jerry converted the car to a Chevy Powerglide transmission for better durability.
Wheels, tyres and suspension
Jerry switched to 15 inch Weld Rodlite wheels, running 26x1050 Mickey Thompson ET Street drag radials on the rear and narrower tyres up front. Custom-made adjustable traction bars were added to help manage launch and axle hop.
On the strip
At a Fun Ford event in Phoenix, the Tiger ran a best of 9.93 seconds at 141mph on the 175hp nitrous shot, and 11.09 on motor alone. The car was runner-up in True Street and won its bracket race. By February 2007 it was running 9.90s at 142mph.
Interior and further plans
New racing seats were fitted in April 2007. Jerry also planned a winter project to fit a custom set of 2 inch Hooker headers and possibly a new tubular front member.
Going turbo
In early 2008 Jerry updated the Tiger again, this time fitting twin turbochargers, mounted wherever they would fit near the rear axle, moving the car on from its nitrous-fed setup.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗
Worth knowing
- A stock-based automatic transmission like the C4 can fail repeatedly under high power and nitrous use.
- Switching to a stronger transmission such as a Chevy Powerglide can solve repeated drivetrain failures.
- Custom traction bars help control a solid rear axle car under hard nitrous-assisted launches.
- Mounting turbochargers wherever space allows, such as near the rear axle, can be a practical solution in a tight engine bay.
- A long-term project car benefits from treating engine and power-adder choices as an ongoing experiment rather than a one-time build.