farmershort
Well-Known Member
Hi All,
Whilst I'm waiting for the right donor vehicle to come up, I've been doing some reading on the various "standard" v8's which are thrown into fendys.
I will (hopefully) be starting with a 300tdi 110 as a donor vehicle (for ID, axles, body panels, etc), and then building up a v8 version on a new galv chassis.
I'm pretty happy with the rules around the dvla/iva/etc now, so I'm after a bit more advise about my engine, gearbox & transfer box options.
Sadly, I've got used to having a bit of power in my vehicles.... my general run around is a stage 3 ish saab 9000 (280bhp), and I've recently sold my jag XF SV8 (420hp SC v8). The standard fendy v8 with it's low power output isn't quite ticking the boxes for me.
People seem to mention a lot of different options around 3.5, 3.9-v-belt, 3.9-serp, 4.0 and 4.6. The latter ones seem to come in for a lot of bad press about cracked liners too.
If I were to say that I want to build a fendy for high days & holidays, as well as small holding work, with at least 250bhp (reliably!), and a lovely v8 burble, is there a "solution" which is well known & tested which would fit that requirement?
Obviously the bhp & torque need to be matched to the right box... LT85/R380 seem to get mentioned a lot. It *has* to be a manual gearbox for me. What about the tranny box options?
Is it better to modify a 3.5 up to a standard where it outputs that level of power, or start with a bigger block in the first place?
I loved the super-charged 4.2 v8 in the jag, but that runs on the demon fibre optic can-bus nonsense, and would be far too complicated for my tastes. There's also probably no manual gearbox option for that either.
If I can get somewhere in the range of 16-25mpg, then I see no reason to go derv.... I only ever got 27-29mpg out of my old 200tdi and 300tdi 110's.
Advice welcomed!
Thanks
Adam
Whilst I'm waiting for the right donor vehicle to come up, I've been doing some reading on the various "standard" v8's which are thrown into fendys.
I will (hopefully) be starting with a 300tdi 110 as a donor vehicle (for ID, axles, body panels, etc), and then building up a v8 version on a new galv chassis.
I'm pretty happy with the rules around the dvla/iva/etc now, so I'm after a bit more advise about my engine, gearbox & transfer box options.
Sadly, I've got used to having a bit of power in my vehicles.... my general run around is a stage 3 ish saab 9000 (280bhp), and I've recently sold my jag XF SV8 (420hp SC v8). The standard fendy v8 with it's low power output isn't quite ticking the boxes for me.
People seem to mention a lot of different options around 3.5, 3.9-v-belt, 3.9-serp, 4.0 and 4.6. The latter ones seem to come in for a lot of bad press about cracked liners too.
If I were to say that I want to build a fendy for high days & holidays, as well as small holding work, with at least 250bhp (reliably!), and a lovely v8 burble, is there a "solution" which is well known & tested which would fit that requirement?
Obviously the bhp & torque need to be matched to the right box... LT85/R380 seem to get mentioned a lot. It *has* to be a manual gearbox for me. What about the tranny box options?
Is it better to modify a 3.5 up to a standard where it outputs that level of power, or start with a bigger block in the first place?
I loved the super-charged 4.2 v8 in the jag, but that runs on the demon fibre optic can-bus nonsense, and would be far too complicated for my tastes. There's also probably no manual gearbox option for that either.
If I can get somewhere in the range of 16-25mpg, then I see no reason to go derv.... I only ever got 27-29mpg out of my old 200tdi and 300tdi 110's.
Advice welcomed!
Thanks
Adam
