Keep posting!
Great thread..
pdq67
Rover aluminum V-8??
Moderator: Team
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
Rover had very few problems with sleeves moving in the original 3.5, 88.9mm bore block ..... in fact I've never personally seen one
Only when they went to the 3.9, 94mm bore block, did they start dropping regularly ...... seen a few of those
The well known cure is machining for top hat sleeves
Only when they went to the 3.9, 94mm bore block, did they start dropping regularly ...... seen a few of those
The well known cure is machining for top hat sleeves
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
A well built B. O. R. V8, makes a sound, all its own. All these things mentioned and much more has been done. According to John/Jim? Moorehouse, ( met him many years ago), had worlds fastest 215 Olds dragster. NHRA and Hot Rod Mag. didn't talk about it much. John claims IT was first single engine dragster to hit 170 mph, with no blower ! Also claims first to hit 200 mph, with blower. Don't shoot the messenger ! Back then, there was NO minimum weight, and his was 550 lbs, w/o. driver. He had a distinct traction and weight advantage, against the hemi's. Aluminum and mag. sheet metal everywhere and first to use bicycle wheels on front,(stronger spokes). On my back burner is a 180 crank, RV8 with Lotus 907 heads. You get to use 907 cams, this way. I "think" I can water jet 4340 plate into basic zig/zag shape. Rough machine, weld on counter weights, heat treat and finish grind.
Onward, Art.
Onward, Art.
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yes, the 1/2 pint sized dragster was called, "Under Dog", and HR did do, and not too far back, a full article about it.
ttps://www.hotrod.com/articles/rescued-shops-r ... -underdog/
I want to say that the whole dragster was light enough that two strong guys could load it in a truck and drive off with it.
Like 700 pounds light, ready to run!!
I think it got up-side-down one time because of another dragsters chute tying it up and they just rolled it back over and nothing happened so they continued? Something like 195 mph top end at the top of it's career!!
Please read the link..................
Dam, I would love to own it!!!
pdq67
Yes, the 1/2 pint sized dragster was called, "Under Dog", and HR did do, and not too far back, a full article about it.
ttps://www.hotrod.com/articles/rescued-shops-r ... -underdog/
I want to say that the whole dragster was light enough that two strong guys could load it in a truck and drive off with it.
Like 700 pounds light, ready to run!!
I think it got up-side-down one time because of another dragsters chute tying it up and they just rolled it back over and nothing happened so they continued? Something like 195 mph top end at the top of it's career!!
Please read the link..................
Dam, I would love to own it!!!
pdq67
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It wasn't, "Don Garlits Museum of Speed", was it??
pdq67
It wasn't, "Don Garlits Museum of Speed", was it??
pdq67
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
Likely I would have remembered "Garlits". I'll dig back in BV8 files for the good stuff.
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
In the early 70's British Leyland made a decision to get involved in the Australian car market with a full size sedan along the Australian theme of that time of six and eight cylinder cars. Their offering was a car called the P76, a quite angular looking sedan that sported an option of a 2.6L inline six and a 4.4L V8, it was this V8 that was a derivative of the 3.5L Rover of that time which was the derivative of the Buick alloy V8 mentioned earlier.
To get on the motor sport stage with this car they contracted with and provided castings etc to 'Repco Australia' [famous for the Repco Brabham F1 engine of the 60's] to develop it into a race engine that could compete in the 'Formula 5000' series of that era. As it was 4.4L it got punched out to just under 5Litre. A lot of development was carried out in the workshop of John McCormack's section of Ansett Team Elfin, the first offering went into an 'Elfin ML6' chassis. There were a number of issues with the first attempts, I remember the block getting alloy plates installed in the main locations with four vertical bolts and i think another four smaller horizontal bolts through the sump panels that were cast into the block to overcome a crank stability issue.
As pointed out earlier the ports were pitifully small, i remember heads being mounted in the mill and being bored straight down through the water jackets and anything that was in the way and round alloy tube sleeves being installed to give something to work around to address the problem. I seem to remember a figure of around 440/450HP being achieved with development earlier in the piece, at that time the figure for an iron F5000 was around 500HP and i thing something like 530HP with a single plane crank.
Cheers.
To get on the motor sport stage with this car they contracted with and provided castings etc to 'Repco Australia' [famous for the Repco Brabham F1 engine of the 60's] to develop it into a race engine that could compete in the 'Formula 5000' series of that era. As it was 4.4L it got punched out to just under 5Litre. A lot of development was carried out in the workshop of John McCormack's section of Ansett Team Elfin, the first offering went into an 'Elfin ML6' chassis. There were a number of issues with the first attempts, I remember the block getting alloy plates installed in the main locations with four vertical bolts and i think another four smaller horizontal bolts through the sump panels that were cast into the block to overcome a crank stability issue.
As pointed out earlier the ports were pitifully small, i remember heads being mounted in the mill and being bored straight down through the water jackets and anything that was in the way and round alloy tube sleeves being installed to give something to work around to address the problem. I seem to remember a figure of around 440/450HP being achieved with development earlier in the piece, at that time the figure for an iron F5000 was around 500HP and i thing something like 530HP with a single plane crank.
Cheers.
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
Yes, the P76, and maybe to add a little ......
The engine was 'square' 3.5" x 3.5", host of other changes too ...... main bearings were larger, less bolts holding the head on (mirrored later by Rover UK) amongst many etc
Biggest single difference was deck height, to accommodate the increased stroke and longer rods
Std 3.5 is around 9", never measured a P76 4.4 but it's noticeably bigger and requires a unique inlet mani
The 3.5 is a physically 'big' engine for it's capacity, the 4.4 is huge ....... lol
The engine was 'square' 3.5" x 3.5", host of other changes too ...... main bearings were larger, less bolts holding the head on (mirrored later by Rover UK) amongst many etc
Biggest single difference was deck height, to accommodate the increased stroke and longer rods
Std 3.5 is around 9", never measured a P76 4.4 but it's noticeably bigger and requires a unique inlet mani
The 3.5 is a physically 'big' engine for it's capacity, the 4.4 is huge ....... lol
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kokkolanpoika
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Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
My 5.2l Rover v8 with ITB setup and home ported heads made 418hp@5800rpm and 570Nm..
Is is street leagal engine. Daily drive in summer.
My new setup is wildcat heads with smallest possible valves 47.5mm and 39mm.
Not dynotuned yet. But it will rev happily 6700rpm at least. Hope to get 419hp at least..
Is is street leagal engine. Daily drive in summer.
My new setup is wildcat heads with smallest possible valves 47.5mm and 39mm.
Not dynotuned yet. But it will rev happily 6700rpm at least. Hope to get 419hp at least..
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
kokkolanpoika, well done, for a 'daily driver' that's a really strong RV8, @ 1.32bhp/CI ..... care to share some specs ?
Details of your 'home ported' heads would also be appreciated, most similar builds I've been aware of struggle to get much over a genuine 240 bhp NA ..... without extensive porting, oversize valves etc
I'd think it's safe to say the Wildcat heads should add more than 1 bhp to your set up ........ what are they now, around $6k pair complete ?
Details of your 'home ported' heads would also be appreciated, most similar builds I've been aware of struggle to get much over a genuine 240 bhp NA ..... without extensive porting, oversize valves etc
I'd think it's safe to say the Wildcat heads should add more than 1 bhp to your set up ........ what are they now, around $6k pair complete ?
Re: Rover aluminum V-8??
All these questions and more, are answered at " Briitish V8 Foru". Diehards there, just won't let the RV8 die !