First Rover V8 to Series conversion ?

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grewth

Active Member
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158
Like it says.
Can anyone give me the approximate date when the first V8 to series gearbox conversion kits went on sale please ?
I'm aware that the U.S. Rover importers had a V8 converted 88 running almost as soon as Rover started building the engine, Golden Rod they called it I think.
But AFAIK this was a bespoke one off conversion.
I'd just like to know when the first UK manufactured kits appeared.
 
I had my first land rover in the early 70's [2a diesel] By late 70's folk were fitting V8's, Recon engines came mostly from crashed/ wreaked Range Rovers.
 
Wildefalcon said:
Soon after the V8 was available, I expect. 70's early? Why?
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I just wanted to find out if a series vehicle could have been running a V8 40 years ago.
Although I bought my first Land Rover around 1984, my memory of when I first noticed a V8 powered example is a bit fuzzy.
I don't want to say too much, but let's just say, it's connected to the rules on originality and Historic Vehicle entitlement.
 
tottot said:
I had my first land rover in the early 70's [2a diesel] By late 70's folk were fitting V8's, Recon engines came mostly from crashed/ wreaked Range Rovers.
Click to expand...
As early as that.
Cool.
I suppose that I could always contact firms that actually sold conversion kits and ask for exact dates.
I can only think of two, and I think that they're both still in business
 
tottot said:
I do know that some made their own adaptor plate, usually an ugly chunk of steel.
Click to expand...
I did see a video clip of someone making adapter plates for the Perkins Prima in their back yard.
Rough as **** and hardly good engineering.
Used lots of short lengths of all thread fixed between two thick steel plates.
Then they wrapped a piece of steel strip around the outside and MIG welded everything in sight.
 
grewth said:
I did see a video clip of someone making adapter plates for the Perkins Prima in their back yard.
Rough as **** and hardly good engineering.
Used lots of short lengths of all thread fixed between two thick steel plates.
Then they wrapped a piece of steel strip around the outside and MIG welded everything in sight.
Click to expand...
If it works.....
 
Bit late to the game here but I saw this thread while looking for info on V8 exhaust manifolds.

Anyway, by a strange coincidence half an hour earlier I had been reading the April 1980 issue of Hot Car magazine. In it is an article describing a “new kit to give the Land Rover the power it deserves”. It’s the W E Philips Engineering conversion kit. The complete kit: adapter ring, mountings, filter assembly, nuts and bolts was available for the princely sum of £78.75 plus VAT (15%).

IMG_1184.jpeg
 
Sounds pathetically cheap doesn't it ?
Actually about two weeks wages for me then.
The time line would seem to fit, about ten years after the launch of the original Range Rover, people had started looking at the V8 as a practical engine for a dual purpose vehicle, and used Rover V8 engines were starting to become available for reasonable money.
 
The other place you might find examples of one-off conversions is old All Wheel Drive Club magazines and newsletters if you can any.
 
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