RE: Breaking News: AJP8 Relaunched

RE: Breaking News: AJP8 Relaunched

Thursday 12th February 2009

AJP8 Relaunched

Iconic TVR engine relaunched as Melling V8 with more power and better durability


The new Melling V8
The new Melling V8
The iconic AJP8 engine has been relaunched as the Melling V8 with more power and better durability. Engine guru Al Melling, who originally created the AJP8, has extensively reworked the unit to bring it up to modern emissions standards.

The uprated V8 will now be used in the Melling Wildcat, a new two-seater British sportscar. The AJP8 was the first of TVR’s own engines and debuted in the Cerbera. It had one of the highest specific outputs of any normally aspirated V8 at the time.

But now Melling says he has squeezed even more power out of the unit, although an exact figure is yet to be published. The Melling V8 will be offered to the motorsport world, as the engine has established its pedigree in the TVR Tuscan challenge cars.


Many of the engines only required rebuilds after three years of racing. The company hopes to offer the new engine to existing TVR owners as a replacement and says it is far more durable than the original.

The major updates are more power across the range, and a better design of the pistons and rings. The Melling V8 sees a return to the solid billet crankshaft and there is a completely new intake system. The unit features a new design of cylinder liners and new camshaft profiles.

Performance Figures:

Dry Sump – Race Variant

4.5 ltr

Max torque: 407lb/ft @ 5,200 rpm

Max bhp: 448 @ 7,200 rpm

Engine weight: 118 Kgs (Including Alternator)

Wet Sump – Road Variant

4.5 ltr

Max torque: 390lb/ft @ 5,200 rpm

Max bhp: 418 @ 7,200 rpm

Engine weight: 123 Kgs (Including Alternator)

Author
Discussion

ridds

Original Poster:

8,191 posts

243 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Price?

Whiplash

301 posts

211 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
YES PLEASE.....

DamoLLb

1,775 posts

194 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
All we need now is TVR to be reborn and a modern take on the Cerb.... BINGO!

ridds

Original Poster:

8,191 posts

243 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
And is it dry sump or wet sump?

THought Al said the wet sump version should never have been made, in which case why is it back here?

dinkel

26,886 posts

257 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
What we need is a bit more info on this. Is there any?

lankyarcher

602 posts

188 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
ridds said:
And is it dry sump or wet sump?

THought Al said the wet sump version should never have been made, in which case why is it back here?
The picture at the top is certainly dry sumped......
But I think the bottom one is wet sump.....
puzzled!! So I think they must be offering both?

Oli S

214 posts

198 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Hi guys. Sorry for lack of info...Melling have promised to get me some more facts, hopefully by end of the day. Thought story warranted going up straight away though smile

scruffy

1,244 posts

265 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Bet PH only have those two pictures...

I'd like to hear it!

bewbsmakemesmile

10 posts

181 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Will it fit in a westfield?

trackcar

6,453 posts

225 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
as long as it's not 20k thats good news smile and also great news for the tuscan racers who have been complaining of lack of parts like blocks and heads smile

Thom

1,716 posts

246 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Fantastic. This is not going to be cheap though.
Wonder what the changes are?

Edited by Thom on Thursday 12th February 11:27

ridds

Original Poster:

8,191 posts

243 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
My guess is £10-12K Engine only.

jammy_basturd

29,776 posts

211 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
I wonder if he's willing to take a p/x on my old 8?! biggrin

G4HKS

2,673 posts

218 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
"But now Melling says he has squeezed even more power out of the unit, although an exact figure is yet to be published." Wasn't his Dyno working at the time then??

Road Hog

2,561 posts

212 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
maybe its a mainstream engine for this ,

http://www.almellingsportscars.com/

thats what "TVR" should have done.!

Pigfarmer3

191 posts

204 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Has anyone seen the other engine offerings forthe Wildcat? (see http://www.almellingsportscars.com/wildcat/customi...

Truely astonishing. Think I'll take it with the LS7 and flames down the side! Think the Viper V10 maybe a little too brutish for Britains B-roads!!

MogulBoy

2,925 posts

222 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
I love it but if the original could take three years of racing do we really need something 'far more durable'?

Edited by MogulBoy on Thursday 12th February 12:06

CypherP

4,387 posts

191 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Loving that sales pitch on the Melling website, about the Wildcat and putting any engine in it. That sounds more like a challenge than a request!

smile

itiejim

1,821 posts

204 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Great news - most important I think for us AJP8 owners is the availability of new parts for these engines. Hopefully there have not been too many significant changes so that parts can be swapped in as and when required and "old" AJP8's updated as the owner desires.

toohuge

3,430 posts

215 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Road Hog said:
maybe its a mainstream engine for this ,

http://www.almellingsportscars.com/

thats what "TVR" should have done.!
It is the main engine, the article states that it is! wink