a milner off road special i saw at the rolling road has got me thinking. the guy was running 280bhp on a standard 4.3 lexus engine which he bought for
£1k (running an aftermarket ecu of course)
i quite fancy putting a big engine in a smaller rwd car. the project if it happened would have to be an everyday type car, rwd, pretty cheap, be able
to hide its power ie wolf in sheeps clothing and be old enough not to have to worry about emissions and all that bollox.
was trying to think of cars that would fit the bill. i don't want to ruin something classic and there's little point choosing a car in a
range where there was a higher spec model running similar power really.
and generally they older the car is the easier and cheaper it is to maintain and get parts for.
so far i was sort of thinking:
bmw compact - too new
old bmw 3 series - but m3's are quick though still expensive
late capri - is that damaging a classic?
the other factors must be sorting out a suitable gearbox - the lexus is only an auto afaik - otherwise with aftermarket engine management a 4.0 v8 bmw
engine becomes an option with a free gearbox.
suggestions relative to the above questions anyone?
cheers,
Ned.
How about a Sierra or a Saphire with a Rover V8 in it... that should go farily well
was thinking something a little better than a sierra and most of them are rusty heaps these days. and i can do better than a rover v8 most of them
could do with a rebuild i imagine?!
Ned.
Hi Ned,
I did this to a mk1 mazda mx5 - (follow the www button below) . The pushrod v8s (rover or USA) are pretty compact but anything with overhead cams is
going to be SO bulky. You can put a new 4.6l RV8 together for 2.5 grand ish (same cost as reconditioning, but a lot less messy) - have you seen the
post below with the bike carbs on a RV8?(thread r1 carbs mounting angle) It would go nicely in an old '3box' 3series beemer-
cheers
Bob
[Edited on 29/5/06 by Bob C]
Got an engine and box that would be suitable for your needs......
Saw a Rover V8 im a Trimph Dolomite up at Elvington when we had a track day there last July.
The lads who bought the car had come all the way up from Cainbridge.
It wasn't that fast compared to the 7's and it swapped ends pretty easily! probably because it had such a short wheelbase and quite narrow
track.
Probably quick enough in a straight line to suprise a few people though.
I must say I like the MX5 idea, transform a hairdressers car into a man with a hairy chest car!
small block chevy in a mondeo converted to rwd that would be a wolf in sheeps clotheing
Opel Manta coupe for the win!
Was looking at getting one and dropping a yank V8 in it before I decided on the seven route again. Rallied with some success plus they look cracking
imo.
Pez
Ford did a siera V8 it was called the XR8 for the south african market
i know there are supporters of the manta on here but thought the couopes were quite sought after and getting to classic status?
[Edited on 29/5/06 by ned]
the neatest sleeper ive seen recently is a local lad who has taken the guts from a v6 probe and stuffed it in the back of an m plate micra . its
running and once the driveshafts are sorted should drive too!
proper locost as both the cars cost under £500 
i wanted to do a alfa v6 lada riva. that count?
next project probably, is it doable?
[Edited on 29/5/06 by liam.mccaffrey]
How about that Lexus V8 in a old rwd Corolla?
http://grmotorsports.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=15273
oo supra gearbox, hadn't thought of that. all the soarers seem to be auto so not much luck there. an e30 beemer looks like a good choice.
Vauxhall chevette or ford cortina. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm
Ahh forget the Manta, the Monza was always a better machine and with a big V8 it would be mighty!
Cheers,
Craig.
Bedford Rascal!, there already RWD.
Or for a real sleeper a people carrier! 
aren't alot of those RWD.
I've seen a black Ford Granada GhiaX with the chrome, lowered with nice wheels locally a couple of times.
Whenever I've seen it I've thought "there's loads of room under that bonnet for something interesting"
*click* nice one on ebay *click*
Library pic
[Edited on 30/5/06 by UncleFista]
This is someone elses car but close to what I'm building. It came out 1250 lb with 50/50 distribution with a 302/T5/8.8
I don't know about the availability in the UK for the donor but any Ford Fox would make a suitable donor or what the tax implications of a 5 to 6
litre eng. A bit wordy but the specs on mine.
Front suspension
Mustang II crossmember
Cobra 13" Brakes
lower arms lengthened to 15" upper arms lengthened an appropriate amount for both the lower arms and to lower the pivot point 1" 93
Cobra power rack Ajustable Sway Bar MII Konis MK VII air bags
Wheels 95 Cobra R 17x9 with 255-40-17
Rear suspension
Wheels 95 Cobra R 17x10.5 with 315-35-17
3 Link UCA 15" LCA 20" Mumford link Adjustable Sway Bar
06 Mustang 8.8 3.55 Torsen T2 MKVII brakes MII Konis MK rear air bags
Suspension MK VII air using 4 rear bag units
Controls
92 Fox mustang dash cluster switches MK VII tilt steering colum 12.5" Bertini wood wheel wiring harness pedal assy 96 Cobra Hydroboost Fox
Mustang clutch cable and firewall adjuster
Fox Mustang 4 core radiator with Blackjack electric fan
Engine
Initial
91 F150 351 1000 mi on factory rebuild
stock/steel heads Edlebrock performer manifold Holly 750 dp with choke milled Lunati bracket master II cam and kit HEI distributor Crane
"Cobra" roller rockers Front sump pan modified to 7 to 8" depth with kick outs SVO Billit 351 flywheel King Cobra clucth
350 to 400 hp
replaced by
96 351 roller block out of F250 Forged pistons Stock truck rods 3.85 stroke crank (forged?) Crower E-43603 278/286 108 cl .528/525 with 1.6
rockers (probably use 1.7) aluminum heads 2.02/1.60 Trick Flow EFI?? Mcleod 7.5 twin disk clutch and aluminum flywheel Roush 4 pickup
"Cup" drysump
500 hp
Lakewood scattershield Cobra T5 Kirnban shifter
Exhaust either JBA shorties or Headman MII long tubes 2.5 out pasenger side rear Supertrap mufflers 17 GAL RCI FUEL CELL 30"W X
7"D X 17"T Custom?? oilbag in front of rear axle on rh side
Chassis
4" to 6" wider on 92" wb generaly following Ausi mods
Upper and lower rails, some vertical, and atleast part of trans tunnel 1x1.5 14 gauge
other vertical 1x1 16 gauge
cross pieces raised to top of trans and main rails on passenger side to run exhaust, fuel, oil
floor, lower firewall, trans tunnel sides, rear bulkhead 16 gauge steel full welded perimeter and .25 on 1" plug weld on other tubes
Aluminum/steel/ss ?? sides and boot
Linexed tub
Carbon fiber body pieces
914 driver seat padded floor and bulkhead to create seat for passenger (kinda like early 914s) cage modeled after Westfield racing cage but
probably including the windshield frame
A +4 with 302 built by someone else came in at 1250lb with 50/50
engine rpm at rear wheel power peak =5200
maximum rear wheel power =440
effective tire radius =13
car weight =1400 dry
axle ratio =3.73
maximum engine rpm (shift rpm) =6200
first transmission gear ratio =3.35
second transmission gear ratio =1.93
third transmission gear ratio =1.33
fourth transmission gear ratio =1
fifth transmission gear ratio =.68
506 flywheel horsepower
60 foot time = 1.089 calculated
eighth mile speed = 127.75 calculated
elapsed time = 5.253 calculated
quarter mile speed = 150.39 calculated
elapsed time = 8.469 calculated
0 to 60 time = 1.19 calculated
3.34 lb/hp
[Edited on 30/5/06 by locostv8]
I've still got this 911 replica out the back, that needs a new home. I've put 302-351 Fords in them in the front in times past.
Make me a sensible offer and it's yours to do as you want!
Cheers,
Syd.
think i'll have to pass on that thanks syd, doesn't really sound like it would float my boat.
cheers,
Ned.
This would be the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing
It would certainly raise a few eybrows with a V8 under the bonnet of the Trabant
[Edited on 30-5-06 by RazMan]
Manta Ned!!!!!!
F*** the classic status (the manta owners club don't seem to like me anyway!! ) they are great cars, and with a nice light V8 in them are
cracking cars.
They are pretty light as rwd coupes go (around 980kg with the std engine, which is actually heavier than a rover v8)
My mate Clive has just about finished his manta v8, beautiful car!
I have a friend who is putting an RV8 into a Morris Minor. The rover engine is the same weight as the iron lump that he took out and so he didn't need to alter the suspension. He's also kept the bodywork original so it doesn't look out of the ordinary. I guess that a purist would notice the wider tyres but Saxo-boy wouldn't see that.
Buy a talbot sunbeam.
Fantastic cars, short, light(ish) and are cheap.
I fancy doing to a Rover 45, what MG did to the ZT.
RWD, big V8. Be a lot of work (but less than a scratch built car!!)
ATB
Simon
I know a bloke that put a V8 in a reliant kitten....
and Ned if your looking for an engine i have a small block chevy, very sorted, pushed a camaro to sub 12's along with a T5 box...
needs a new home
quote:
Originally posted by Viper
I know a bloke that put a V8 in a reliant kitten....
http://www.chevroletwestfield.co.uk/gallery/frankensteinsmonster
How about this? A turbo Oldsmobile Jetfire 215 (Rover) in an Isetta?
[img][/img]
I see no wheelie bars or atleast casters on the back.
Or perhaps a project like the one that's keeping me from starting my locost build...
An Olds 215 in a '58 Alfa Spider 2000
[img][/img]