We've taken what's considered a somewhat weird and oddball little engine (uses air for the cooling medium and doesn't even have a radiator- no water? blasphemy to most of the automotive world; blasphemy I tell you!) that almost everyone here has modified to some extent, making anywhere from somewhere around 50% (1776, mild cam, header and dual 1 barrels) to 2, 3, and even 4 times more power than the thing came with from the factory, and then stuffed it into a car with different airflow characteristics than what the elves from Wolfsburg originally designed it for. Each one of us has become the engineer in charge of our own project, and since no one here has the budget or the resources of a full fledged factory effort, we rely on one another to share data on what works (and sometimes even more importantly, what doesn't).
When you think about it, we really have only 2 things to worry about- is there enough air intake into the engine compartment (for both the carburetors and cooling system) and is the engine able to shed enough heat to stay within it's operating parameters? Get this right and the engine lives the life we expect it to. If it's not right....
Unfortunately, the different Speedster manufacturers don't build them exactly the same, each engine's requirements are different, and even the engine installation all make each car and engine combination unique. What allows a 1776 or 1835 with a redline of 5,000 or 5500rpm to live isn't necessarily enough for something 140 or 150hp 2 literish,and what's enough for the 6,000rpm 2 liter may not provide proper life for a 2276, 2332 or 2386 that zings with power to 6500 or 7,000rpm.
Now, our buddy Jim has a great attitude; his car runs great under all conditions, gets him around in style (Jim, I would love to spend a day bombing up and down the coast road with you!), and if something were to go wrong an engine replacement doesn't mean mortgaging the house (his words from another thread). With the cost of a 180 or 200hp 2276, 2332 or 2386 being upwards of 8-$10,000 or more, there's more wisdom in Jim's words than maybe I realize...
And after this long and painful dissertation I get to my point (my apologies for boring you for this long, but if you're still with me stay just a little longer...)- I so agree with Stan's comment- "knowledge is power", and knowing what's going on with your little watchwinder gives you power. Now, I realize Stan didn't coin this phrase (sorry Stan, I've let the cat out of the bag 
) but his use of it here is just so right! Yeah, you know that when the engine sheetmetal is too hot to keep your hand there, or if water or spit sizzles when dropped on the case it truly is too hot, but the problem is that when it gets to this point it's too late and the damage is already done. An engine repeatedly run like this doesn't live nearly as long as you expect (and don't bother asking me how I know) and is way more expensive to rebuild. At this point heads, for example, are automatic thow aways, as the aluminum will no longer hold guides and seats in place (if they haven't started falling out already). Oil and cylinder head temperature gauges are tools; instead of constantly freaking out when things aproach the upper limits, take a little time and figure out what they're telling you, and how to get those ungodly temps down to the point where they are within normal parameters.
Whether it's as challenging as thinking outside the box to get more air into (and out of) the engine compartment or as simple as adding a cooler or making sure the engine isn't re-using spent (hot) cooling air, those gauges will definitively tell you when you've got it right. Al
) ended at $29,900 and didn't sell....