Has anyone upgraded from 2.8 ford to 3.5 rover?
Has anyone upgraded from 2.8 ford to 3.5 rover?
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Discussion

BlackSpider

Original Poster:

1,038 posts

239 months

Thursday 27th September 2007
quotequote all
I've decided the old cologne in my FHC needs to go and be replaced by probably the 3.5 or 3.9 rover V8 and lt77 box.
Just wanted to know what mods to the chassis need doing for the transplant.

blaineuk

2,615 posts

277 months

Friday 28th September 2007
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would it not be easier to fit a cosworth v6, produces the same aa a standard 3.5.

eesbad

1,330 posts

232 months

Friday 28th September 2007
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Chedder has done it, I seem to recall... smile

Edited by eesbad on Friday 28th September 08:04

BlackSpider

Original Poster:

1,038 posts

239 months

Friday 28th September 2007
quotequote all
The gearboxes a quite rare for those and the go for silly money on flea.You can also do alot more with the rover lump from heads,cams etc,with the scope for go large bore later.

I do like a challenge too

TVRleigh(BBWR)

6,553 posts

243 months

Friday 28th September 2007
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As far as I know, will know more in a few weeks. (as will have both a 280 and 350 chassis.)
The 280 Car's Engine bay on chassis is not wide enough to fit a Rv8.
You can fit a cossi 2.9 24v these can be easily tuned for 220-240 BHP, and depending on money you can get them upto 400BHP. they can also be turbo charged.

My friend is doing the 2.9 conversion on his next month.

Plus I will be re-building the Dunlop Challenge car 55. this is a 280 that had a 2.0 cossi turbo.
But I'm going to use a 350 chassis and put a Rv8 in this car.

I think it could be possible to fit a Rv8 into a 280, but you would have to cut the chassis and re-weld it.

The main problem with fitting the cossi is you will have to get custom Exhorts manifolds.

Boosted LS1

21,200 posts

290 months

Friday 28th September 2007
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[quote=TVRleigh(BBWR)]You can fit a cossi 2.9 24v these can be easily tuned for 220-240 BHP, and depending on money you can get them upto 400BHP. they can also be turbo charged.


The main problem with fitting the cossi is you will have to get custom Exhorts manifolds.
[/quote]

Funnily enough I cast those smile

24v tuning can get expensive so if on a tight budget stick with a stock engine (known to be a good runner) and gata shortened loom to suite the standard ecu. This may cost appx £500-600 for both. If tuning, Dave Walker has several maps for these engines configured to run an emerald ecu but there's little point tuning a 24v, you may as well fit a turbo as it's better value for money. 300 hp plus can be had on a stock engine with a single turbo and appx 7 psi. You will need an aftermarket ecu ie the emerald. 400-500 bhp comes from a TT set up and an engine rebuild which is getting expensive.

Boosted.

TVRleigh(BBWR)

6,553 posts

243 months

Friday 28th September 2007
quotequote all
Boosted LS1 said:
[quote=TVRleigh(BBWR)]
The main problem with fitting the cossi is you will have to get custom Exhorts manifolds.
Funnily enough I cast those smile

.
Can you give me a quote. either here or via PM.

My friend is going the emerald route. so any info on what extra he will need will be a bonus.

Also I like the site http://www.boostperformance.co.uk

Thanks
Leigh

Edited by TVRleigh(BBWR) on Friday 28th September 13:41

dogboy

111 posts

232 months

Friday 28th September 2007
quotequote all
BlackSpider said:
The gearboxes a quite rare for those and the go for silly money on flea.You can also do alot more with the rover lump from heads,cams etc,with the scope for go large bore later.

I do like a challenge too
You can use the original gear box, as the cosworth engine is basically a cologne unit.
You need a few other parts like spigot bearings but the cossie is the easiest and wont require chassis modifications.
The gearbox could also benefit from being rebuilt with quaife internals to make it stranger.

TVRleigh(BBWR)

6,553 posts

243 months

Friday 28th September 2007
quotequote all
dogboy said:
BlackSpider said:
The gearboxes a quite rare for those and the go for silly money on flea.You can also do alot more with the rover lump from heads,cams etc,with the scope for go large bore later.

I do like a challenge too
You can use the original gear box, as the cosworth engine is basically a cologne unit.
You need a few other parts like spigot bearings but the cossie is the easiest and wont require chassis modifications.
The gearbox could also benefit from being rebuilt with quaife internals to make it stranger.
Why would you want a stranger gearbox wink

on a serious note do you have a list of parts needed.

Thanks
Leigh

dogboy

111 posts

232 months

Friday 28th September 2007
quotequote all
There was a quite good article on the wedgepages but can't seem to get to it anymore.
There is also a fair bit on the various capris sites

But as far as i can remember you can use the gearbox flywheel and clutch from the 280i, you need a spigot bearing, if you dont want to mess about moving the engine forward you need block hugging exhaust manifolds and if you use the cossie ecu you need to wire up the handbake to the park switch.

I haven't actually done this conversion so if anyone else has any advice or tips on the matter it would be great.

eesbad

1,330 posts

232 months

Friday 28th September 2007
quotequote all
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?h=0&memberId=77768&t=442372 

Mail Chedder - I am sure he'll tell you all about his RV8 conversion smile

Boosted LS1

21,200 posts

290 months

Friday 28th September 2007
quotequote all
[quote=TVRleigh(BBWR)]
Boosted LS1 said:
[quote=TVRleigh(BBWR)]
The main problem with fitting the cossi is you will have to get custom Exhorts manifolds.
Funnily enough I cast those smile

.
Can you give me a quote. either here or via PM.

My friend is going the emerald route. so any info on what extra he will need will be a bonus.

Also I like the site http://www.boostperformance.co.uk

Thanks
Leigh

Edited by TVRleigh(BBWR) on Friday 28th September 13:41
Leigh, the blockhuggers (bottom right on the page) are £500 a pair. You link them to the stock system under the engine as they drop down to the rear of the timing chest.

Stock gearboxes (type 9?) are fine for a stock 24v engine, a cosworth clutch is a good mod. Wiring looms can be got from Tony Maddoldbugger (MOB) on the for fordpower.uk site.

blackspider

Original Poster:

1,038 posts

239 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
quotequote all
Still going the way of the rover.I have a 3.9 lump ready and willing.

Mailed Ch so hopefully he can shed some light on where the chassis needs to be cut and widened.
From memory from my TVR days the chassis is about 3 inches wider on the later taz to house the rover.

Just blagged a complete BMW Z4 wiring loom which I replaced last week to create my own for the Taz.The black loom is a nightmare when a wire breaks-Its so old the core of each wire has become brittle and simply unusable...This should all keep me off the streets for a little while...hopefully back by easter

350zwelgje

1,820 posts

291 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
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Thought that when the A-frame 350i was produced, chassis for 280 and 350 were the same. So if later 280 wedge, chassis could be a 350 one and fitting a RV8 shouldn't then be too difficult.

Rob

chedder

1,329 posts

237 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
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Hi Stu, did you get the email?
Chedder

TVRleigh

6,553 posts

243 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
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Hi Chedder,

Could you email also. as Im plaing this also on the race car. have a 350 chassie also. so have the option of going either route. but would be easier to use the 280 chassie if posible, if the later 280's had 350 chassie's and car 55 has one, then It may save me a lot of work on the race car.

chedder

1,329 posts

237 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
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TVRLeigh....you have PHM

chedder

1,329 posts

237 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
quotequote all
Blackspider....you have PHM

Graham

16,381 posts

314 months

Saturday 29th September 2007
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TVRleigh said:
Hi Chedder,

Could you email also. as Im plaing this also on the race car. have a 350 chassie also. so have the option of going either route. but would be easier to use the 280 chassie if posible, if the later 280's had 350 chassie's and car 55 has one, then It may save me a lot of work on the race car.
Im sure it would be easier to get the 280 chassis modified than to upgrade the 350 chassis.. No 55 had a lot of chassis work done to make it much stiffer

I drove my 280i racer and No 55 back to back once and the difference in chassis stiffness was very noticable..


I'd have thought 55's chassis is an early production one though with is being an S1 car..

G

TVRleigh_BBWR

6,553 posts

243 months

Monday 1st October 2007
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Well I'm going to keep my option open. and will compare both when I have them in two weeks.

Would be a lot easier if I can get it into the current chassie.

As G said the 55 chassie is a lot stiffer.

O and thank you for the PM Tony.

Very promising.

Edited by TVRleigh_BBWR on Monday 1st October 15:55