Build catalogue
Russ Grantham's 1969 TR6 with Ford SVO 2.3L Turbo Engine
britishv8.orgas recorded by Dan Masters
Photo: britishv8.orgA 1969 TR6 swapped to a Ford SVO 2.3L turbo four
Russ Grantham replaced a trashed TR6 engine with a complete drivetrain pulled from a wrecked 1985 SVO Mustang, rebuilding and modifying the turbo four before fitting it into the Triumph. The write-up covers sourcing the donor engine, the internal and turbo upgrades made, and the fabrication needed to fit it into the TR6 engine bay, along with how the car drives on boost.
Specs
As the owner states it.
- Engine
- Ford SVO 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder, rebuilt, balanced and blueprinted
- Camshaft
- Engle TCS-55, run with 4 degree retard
- Turbocharger
- T-03/04 turbo feeding a 3 inch exhaust
- Boost control
- Cockpit selectable, 10 to 21 PSI in five steps
- Intake manifold
- 1988 Thunderbird Coupe (TC) manifold and injectors, giving balanced intake and slightly larger injectors
- Clutch
- Replaced, with aluminum flywheel added
- Engine management
- Chips module programmed for this engine configuration
- Estimated output
- Around 300 HP at 18 PSI boost (calculated, not dyno tested)
- Suspension
- Stock TR6 suspension, described as basic enough to allow tweaking
Parts used
What the owner names in the 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 3
- Ford SVO 2.3L turbocharged engineFord SVO
Donor engine from a wrecked 1985 SVO Mustang, rebuilt, balanced and blueprinted for the swap
- Engle TCS-55 camshaftEngle
Installed in the rebuilt SVO engine, run with 4 degree retard
- Adjustable cam sprocket
Added to allow cam timing adjustment
In the shops
Cam Sprocket, Adjustable, Double-Row ↗
Good Parts· $179.00 USD
Cam Sprocket, Double-Row ↗Good Parts· $52.00 USD
Cam Sprocket, Double Row ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $46.99 USD
Fuel & Ignition 4
- Turbocharger, T-03/04
Larger compressor turbo feeding a 3 inch exhaust, allows full boost even at altitude
- Intake manifold and injectors, 1988 TC
Replaced early SVO manifold for a more balanced intake and slightly larger injectors
In the shops
Intake & Exhaust Manifold Gasket, TR6 72-76 / GT6 ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $23.99 USD
Intake and Exhaust Manifold Gasket (TR250/TR6 68-71) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $4.99 USD
Intake & Exhaust Manifold Gasket (TR6 1972-1976, GT6) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $4.55 USD - K&N air filter
Added to the induction system
- Adjustable fuel pressure regulator
Added to manage fuel pressure under boost
In the shops
Fuel Pressure Regulator with Filter ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $153.25 USD
Fuel Pressure Regulator ↗
Racetorations· £55.00 GBPAdjustable Oil Pressure Warning Switch (20-120 PSI) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $76.00 USD
Cooling 1
- Forced air intercooler (TC)
Added to cool the turbocharged intake charge
Gearbox & Drivetrain 2
- Clutch
Replaced during the swap even though the original was still usable
- Aluminum flywheel
Fitted along with the new clutch
In the shops
Aluminum Flywheel (TR6 70-76) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $499.99 USD
Fidanza Lightweight Aluminum Flywheel ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $487.00 USD
Aluminum Flywheel (1275) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $419.99 USD
Electrical 2
- Chips module
Engine management module programmed specifically for this build's configuration
- Knock indicator
Aftermarket sensor added to monitor for detonation under boost
Photos
All 7 pictures in the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from britishv8.org. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
Finding a donor engine
The project began with a 1969 TR6 whose original engine was trashed. Grantham tracked down a wrecked 1985 SVO Mustang with an intact engine and transmission showing 70,000 actual miles. He bought the whole car, took what he needed for the swap, and sold the remaining parts back to the salvage yard to help fund the project.
Rebuilding the engine
The SVO engine was pulled and torn down. Despite its mileage it was in good shape. The head was rebuilt and O-ringed, though not ported or polished, and the whole motor was rebuilt, balanced and blueprinted before reassembly.
Turbo and induction upgrades
An Engle TCS-55 cam and a T-03/04 turbo feeding a 3 inch exhaust were fitted. The intake manifold and injectors were swapped for units from an 1988 TC, giving a more balanced intake and slightly larger injectors. A K&N air filter, adjustable fuel pressure regulator and adjustable cam sprocket were added along with a forced air intercooler and a knock indicator.
Driveline and clutch
The clutch was replaced even though the original was still serviceable, and an aluminum flywheel was fitted. Boost is cockpit adjustable from 10 to 21 PSI in five steps, and the larger turbo compressor allows full boost even at Albuquerque's 5000 foot altitude.
Fitting it into the TR6
The main challenges were fabricating engine and transmission mounts, modifying the hood, and building the driveline. The shifter was positioned to exit where the original TR6 shifter had been, and the engine and transmission were set back in the bay, improving weight distribution. The SVO engine is also about 65 pounds lighter than the original TR6 unit.
On the road and track
The car has been raced locally. Keeping the turbo engine on boost took some adjustment on a short track, but low end torque with the cam retarded 4 degrees matched the old high compression six, and the car performs strongly once spooled up. Grantham had not yet run the car on a dyno but calculated about 300 HP at 18 PSI.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is the owner's: read it at britishv8.org ↗
Worth knowing
- Buying the whole donor car, not just the engine, secures spare parts and can offset cost by reselling the rest.
- Sourcing a low-mileage wreck can yield an engine still in strong condition despite its age.
- Setting the engine and transmission further back in the bay can improve weight distribution in a small swap.
- Keeping the turbo spooled matters most on a short track, and takes adjustment in driving style.
- A larger turbo compressor helps maintain full boost even at high altitude.