Discussion
Hi all, my car is at noble Motorsport at the moment with the engine out. It's a 390se. The engine needs a rebuild, all the electrics and the induction side of the motor needs a rebuild. I am now thinking of a update to a ls engine. Has anyone done this in a wedge? Or does anyone have any ideas/advice/tips on if this is a good or bad idea. Many thanks Nige.
Without getting all "it must remain original" on you why do you want to?
You would need to uprate/change the gearbox,brakes, clutch probably replace the springs and dampers for the different weight for a car that would probably be worth less without its original engine.
Rebuild and uprate the current engine by all means, then spend the extra cash you would have spent on the ls conversion getting the chassis refurbished etc
You would need to uprate/change the gearbox,brakes, clutch probably replace the springs and dampers for the different weight for a car that would probably be worth less without its original engine.
Rebuild and uprate the current engine by all means, then spend the extra cash you would have spent on the ls conversion getting the chassis refurbished etc
Nigel Wallace said:
Hi all, my car is at noble Motorsport at the moment with the engine out. It's a 390se. The engine needs a rebuild, all the electrics and the induction side of the motor needs a rebuild. I am now thinking of a update to a ls engine. Has anyone done this in a wedge? Or does anyone have any ideas/advice/tips on if this is a good or bad idea. Many thanks Nige.
Good idea in my opinion! If you like easy power, that is.
You would get rid of the all the down sides of the Rover engine and its gearbox (if you fit also a new transmission.) I have been measuring the engine compartment in my 390SE, as the engine is currently out. Does not look too hard to do. Also, I've got an LS-1 crate motor lying around. Just have not decided which transmission to use...
One Danish has done it already:
http://youtu.be/X5cvVS6V_HQ
Go for it!
Makes a lot of sense actually.
The Ls motor is absolutely the engine of the moment.
They are plentiful, and offer cheap, reliable power along with a factory provided 6 speed gearbox.
If you go for one of the car based engines (Corvette, Camaro etc.) They're all-alloy, so probably don't weigh much more than the Rover coming out.
I love the old Rover V8, but it's such a (relatively) costly engine to tune to to high levels. Even basic rebuild parts aren't that cheap anymore.
The massive American tuning scene means there are huge amounts of hop-up parts for these engines.
It's something I've been debating for the future, and I think as time goes on we might see more Ls engined wedges appearing.
The Ls motor is absolutely the engine of the moment.
They are plentiful, and offer cheap, reliable power along with a factory provided 6 speed gearbox.
If you go for one of the car based engines (Corvette, Camaro etc.) They're all-alloy, so probably don't weigh much more than the Rover coming out.
I love the old Rover V8, but it's such a (relatively) costly engine to tune to to high levels. Even basic rebuild parts aren't that cheap anymore.
The massive American tuning scene means there are huge amounts of hop-up parts for these engines.
It's something I've been debating for the future, and I think as time goes on we might see more Ls engined wedges appearing.
300bhp is last years model.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-GM-LS3-LS376-515...
515bhp in the latest crate model and both block and heads are ali so same weight as RV8.
Use your existing alternator. Just need a starter, exhaust manifolds, shorten the prop and one of several gearboxes.
You can even get a T5 built to take the torque to save you installing the Massey Ferguson T56 agricultural box.
I've done this in my De Tomaso although behind a Ford V8 and not a Chevy.
Phil
420 SEAC
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-GM-LS3-LS376-515...
515bhp in the latest crate model and both block and heads are ali so same weight as RV8.
Use your existing alternator. Just need a starter, exhaust manifolds, shorten the prop and one of several gearboxes.
You can even get a T5 built to take the torque to save you installing the Massey Ferguson T56 agricultural box.
I've done this in my De Tomaso although behind a Ford V8 and not a Chevy.
Phil
420 SEAC
I think it's a bad idea. Either you want a 390SE or you want a wedge-shaped car with 'some' engine in it. If you want a 390SE, in the fashion the factory intended, then have it rebuilt to correct spec. - or at least retain the RV8 and have it 'improved', that at least would be 'in keeping'.
If you just want some car that goes very quickly, sell the 390SE to someone who will appreciate it as it was intended and buy something of which there are rather a lot left, 'cos 390SEs are thin enough in the ground as it is without carving any more of them up.
I jut don't get why people have to do this. It's not like you'd buy a 1920s Rolls or something equally rare and put an Impreza engine in.
If you just want some car that goes very quickly, sell the 390SE to someone who will appreciate it as it was intended and buy something of which there are rather a lot left, 'cos 390SEs are thin enough in the ground as it is without carving any more of them up.
I jut don't get why people have to do this. It's not like you'd buy a 1920s Rolls or something equally rare and put an Impreza engine in.
V8 Fettler said:
As long as the process is reversible then where's the problem? Not certain if I would want to put 500bhp through a standard Wedge chassis though.
Agreed on both counts, with reservations: how many people ever retain all the original parts when doing an engine swap?Granted it's the OP's car and he can do with it as he wishes but presumably he gives a damn enough to ask our opinions.
Wedg1e said:
... he gives a damn enough to ask our opinions.
It is opinions that makes this forum work.As with my Problem identified, now what? post, I am at that decision point. My car is heavily modified from factory standard and was when I bought it. To put it back to original is a nonsense from my perspective. Replacing the RV8 will get me a current engine. The car then becomes a piece of automotive engineering. Calling it a Wedge, of course we will. There are so many variations on a theme.
The stock wedge chassis flexes.
With chassis rot, which many/most have they're even weaker.
You can increase chassis strength and rigidity at reasonable cost.
IMO there's not going to be a particularly huge difference between a RV8 with an honest 300bhp and an all ali LS3 (weighs same as RV8) with an out of the box, unstressed 500bhp.
Stock brakes on the wedge IMO even in good working order are not up to the performance of the car so it's not a bad idea to upgrade anyways.
I'll hedge my bets that few of our cars are any longer stock and many are all the better for it, handling, performing and stopping better than anything they came out of Blackpool.
Just my 2p, your mileage may vary.
Phil
420 SEAC
With chassis rot, which many/most have they're even weaker.
You can increase chassis strength and rigidity at reasonable cost.
IMO there's not going to be a particularly huge difference between a RV8 with an honest 300bhp and an all ali LS3 (weighs same as RV8) with an out of the box, unstressed 500bhp.
Stock brakes on the wedge IMO even in good working order are not up to the performance of the car so it's not a bad idea to upgrade anyways.
I'll hedge my bets that few of our cars are any longer stock and many are all the better for it, handling, performing and stopping better than anything they came out of Blackpool.
Just my 2p, your mileage may vary.
Phil
420 SEAC
Nigel Wallace said:
Hi all, my car is at noble Motorsport at the moment with the engine out. It's a 390se. The engine needs a rebuild, all the electrics and the induction side of the motor needs a rebuild. I am now thinking of a update to a ls engine. Has anyone done this in a wedge? Or does anyone have any ideas/advice/tips on if this is a good or bad idea. Many thanks Nige.
It's been done to a wedge,some mad idiot even fitted one in an MI'd fit the TKO 600 box
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