Ok, one day (the next project) I will be using a Rover V8 but I'm not sure what car to put it in. I would dearly love a Cobra but i was wondering what you guy's would put one in.

Serious suggestions only please !!

in the rear of a mini pickup, serious answer....

seen it done a couple of times would love one myself.

I did this last year.

My choice would be to build something like this two seat rear engined car.

http://www.palmersport.com/cars_jaguar.htm

I will finish my Locost this year, have a 4.6 V8 under the bench so will start to look for a transaxle after the summer.

Hubba Hubba!

I also fancy something with the engine in the back.



[Edited on 11/2/06 by donut]

Quite fancy this GD T70:



[Edited on 11/2/06 by donut]

Yeah - but you wouldn't put a wheezy old RV8 in it though would you

True....

Does anyone remember Nic Manns Minor?During the 80s it seemed to be competing at every event I went to,hillclimbs, circuit,and drag racing.He allways drove it home as well.Article here http://www.beardmorebros.co.uk/website%20pages/Magazine%20Articles/nm_mag_page2.htm

quote:

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Originally posted by Jasper
Yeah - but you wouldn't put a wheezy old RV8 in it though would you

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We are not all race heads you know!

Some of us are getting old and would like to waft along on a sea of torque, maybe in one of these...



or one of these....

I love the v8 sound, and I can't wait to complete my first v8 project. Hope to use this to develop a half decent (cheap) 4.6 which is then going to go in a Locost.

The facts are that the ls1 is the way to go in terms of bang for bucks, with 500 bhp acheivable with few mods. How would that be in a locost

BMW 4.0 V8 is a good engine, 286BHP out of the box, and Dinan/AC Schnitzer/Hartge/Alpina have all got much more power from it than that.

Not silly money either.

Ed.
P.S. I believe they react quite well to a supercharger too.

I was at Jenvey dynamics a couple of weeks ago, they have an ls1 awaiting conversion. 500 might be exageration on my part but the estimated figures quoted were certainly very impressive on an otherwise standard engine. Over on the v8 forum the engine is very highly regarded and getting a little cheaper too.
To get similar power figures from a rover you would have to be very rich and it still wouldn't last, as much as I love them.

A Rover P5B coupe, I'm getting old as well

James,

Rover v8 might be old, but there is a lot of tuning potential. Look what TVR has achieved!

Much lighter than american V8s which in such a light car as a seven is important.

Ed is right - many BMWs are available cheaply with all alloy V8s.

At the end of the day big power engines with loads of torque aren't really suitable for the locost are they, (Wheelspin)!!!!!!

Any how i'd go with the mini pick up route but I can't fit in one.

i really CAN see the point of using the Rv8

you can get an old range rover that has an engine with plenty of life left in it and a manual box for peanuts

its a cheap engine to repair because of the sheer volume of vehicles its been in and the availibility of spares

it is fairly light but bhp is moderate at best but there is alot of tourque

its not really suited to a locost but in something like a cobra or maybe a daytona its a great choice

donut dont build a cobra from talking to you on msn i know how much you really want one but it wont live up to your expectations unless you throw bucketloads of cash at it and get a really top notch one and it probably still wont its like they say never meet your heroes

build a daytona instead just as good looking and a hartop

Ok, if it's gonna be a Rover V8, keep it in the BL "family" - I also fancied a Triumph 2000/2500 with one fitted.

Naturally car would handle and look good without being chavvy

ATB

Simon

PS Donut, thought you were gonna drop one in your Indy

PPS Acobra needs a big V8 and 400/500 bhp IMHO

[Edited on 11/2/06 by Simon]

[Edited on 11/2/06 by Simon]

few years back at ed turners they had a morris oxford that looked fairly standard apart from wolfrace alloys and the rover V8 as well as a fiat 127 with a V8 where the back seats should of been,

i love the old rover V8 it is fairly dated now but its still sounds nice.
they don't push out a lot of bhp but you wouldn't need it in a kit...afterall it would go like stink with very little weight to carry compared to the old carcass it was put in, what about an old flat six jag engine
are they any good cos they where much faster than the rover V8 but don't sound quite as nice but not sure what the reliability is like on the jag engines

Just got a little info on the lsi

345 bhp std with 350 Llbs of torque, dimensions very similar smaller in some aspects.

That sort of power from a rover would not be cheap, but I must stop dreaming. I still love the rover, but they're getting harder to source now though.

I've posted this before but.....

http://www.chevroletls1.com/chevrolet_ls1_6_info.html

ATB

Simon

How would you get the Ls1 running if you don't use the cars ECU? Would fitting a carb and megajolt (or similar) do the trick?

if i had to use a rv8 for something i'd have a strange urge to pop one into a dolomite sprint!

i do believe they fit nicely into mx5's, say no more Andy

I'm no expert on engine management but the system would need to drive 8 coils, but the systems are out there. Injection would be no different to any other engine as long as there's enough drivers. I'm sure the ms stuff would work.

For the Mini pickup, look for picks of Ray Christophers one. Saw it a couple of times about 7/8 years ago (maybe longer) at the Pestalozzi Hill Climb and Brighton Speed Trials.

Just using 1st and 4th it was as quick down the 1/4 as my old ZZR1100.

He used to make Cobra reps, so used one of those chassis and fixed a mini (f/glass?) shell to it!

ATB

Simon

[Edited on 11/2/06 by Simon]

quote:

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i do believe they fit nicely into mx5's, say no more Andy

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Simon, Rays pickup was built on a modified GTD40 chassis.It had a Ford 302, mid engined with a Renault UN1 transaxle. Ray used to own GTD Supercars. Scrutineers stopped him from racing it about five years ago because he was always on the grass! It was in our workshop for a while in 2002,I think he may still have it,I will ask him next time I see him. If he still has it I will take some pictures.

quote:

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Originally posted by ned
if i had to use a rv8 for something i'd have a strange urge to pop one into a dolomite sprint!

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il accept that lots of modern v8,s bm chevrolet lexus do make much better power (out of the box)the problem being that the box also contains several miles of wiring ,various computers and more often than not an automatic gearbox

but the wheezy old 50,s technology is still the easiest route to v8 power

Well said Froggy!!

My next project will most probably be a kit car rather than a tin job. If you put V8's in 'normal' cars it opens a big can of worms (as well as your wallet!) with insurance.

How about a RV8 Stylus or Stylus RT?







The RT




[Edited on 12/2/06 by donut]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jon Ison
in the rear of a mini pickup, serious answer....
seen it done a couple of times would love one myself.

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at that price ill have all the bits for above 400 bhp on my volvo engine , and it wouldnt take much extra to actually put it together , and get the hardware .

The Ls1 is a good engine to start with , there about 550 bhp in race trim , but last about 3000 kms . big power needs a supercharger .

the advantage is you can get stroker kits that take them up to 7 litres .

i think a an SD1 rover is a good place for the rover v8

I'm told they make good wine racks too, if you like your wine i guess you need a V12.

And good coffee tables!!

It's got the Wine in there too !!!!!!




[Edited on 12/2/06 by donut]

the poor old girl is getting a bit of a kicking here i think a 250 hp v8 will be a much more pleasant drive than 250hp turbo 4cyl

..my 4 cylinder will eventually have 250bhp, and it won't be turbo'd either

Ned.

Yes but it won't sound like a V8!!

i give up. bike engines are great turbos are great 4cylinder rev boxes are great im off down the garage with a sledgehammer to start again

I know how you feel!!

quote:

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Originally posted by ned
..my 4 cylinder will eventually have 250bhp, and it won't be turbo'd either

Ned.

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you forgot to mention the flat as a witches tit off boost part

I'm with Wilkingj on this one.

I know I was singing the praises of the LS1 but in the "very real" world I live in I'm never going to be pushing for those sort of figures, a rover pushing out an unstressed 200+ will be ideal for my needs and my budget.

Besides I NEVER wind the window down if I see/hear a hot 4 banger/turbo/gti etc coming, but if it's V8!!! The missuss thinks I'm mad.

quote:

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Originally posted by froggy
you forgot to mention the flat as a witches tit off boost part

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quote:

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Originally posted by donut
We are not all race heads you know!
Some of us are getting old and would like to waft along on a sea of torque, maybe in one of these...


....

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It's called a Royale Saber from Royale who don't exist any more. They sold everything to the Vintage Motor Company

http://www.vintagemotorcompany.co.uk/

They look really nice in 2 tone:
The one on the right...

any stock turbo engined car will be reasonable to drive off boost

quote:

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Originally posted by Glan Noye
Simon, Rays pickup was built on a modified GTD40 chassis.It had a Ford 302, mid engined with a Renault UN1 transaxle. Ray used to own GTD Supercars.

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