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Location: Victoria
Registered: March 2005
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Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 11:11
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I have heard somewhere (can't remember where) someone talking about a conversion of this kind. I have a RT81 Corona myself and are looking at doing a conversion. It will be a paddock bomb so the conversion will definitly not have to be legal. I have managed to find myself a 3.5 litre Rover V8 complete with twin SU's and by the looks of it, it should fit. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. cheers
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Location: Montrose, VIC
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 12:52
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Well, personally I wouldn't bother with a pom V8, especially such an old one like that, but if you've got the bits there, just haul out the old engine, stick in the 'new' one, and see how it looks like it might fit.
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Location: Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Japan
Registered: January 2003
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 12:58
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sheam wrote on Mon, 26 September 2005 21:11 | I have heard somewhere (can't remember where) someone talking about a conversion of this kind. I have a RT81 Corona myself and are looking at doing a conversion. It will be a paddock bomb so the conversion will definitly not have to be legal. I have managed to find myself a 3.5 litre Rover V8 complete with twin SU's and by the looks of it, it should fit. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. cheers
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stick it in, weld the block to the crossmember, get some twine to operate the clutch and/or accelerator and away you go
seriously, if it's for a paddock bomb, grab a stick welder, a few bits of angle iron, and go nutes
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Location: Adelaide
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 13:01
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Sheam,
Although The Rex is hard pressed to find an actual qusestion, if you have the Rover 8 then by all means put it in something.
Its not a bad motor at all, its light, smooth, well proven and sounds brilliant. Sure its forged by a blacksmith with wrought iron and granite but it should prove a good hacker.
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Location: Brisbane
Registered: February 2003
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 14:21
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is the rover 3.5 an alloy block? or was that the later leyland 4.x litre V8s?
i guess an RT81 making strange V8 rumblings is going to look a lot funnier than an actual rover - plus you won't be handicaped by rover's (and anyone else british) ability to make automotive electrical systems that are inherently faulty and prone to undiagnosable errors.
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Location: Brisbane
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 14:35
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For anything but a paddock bomb, I'd say you're nuts to spend any time at all with a Rover V8. Truly horrible things they are. They were probably great back in their day, but now that they're all old and worn out they give no end of trouble. If you like mystery leaks and unexplained engine fires, the Rover V8 is the engine for you. But since it's a paddock bomb these failings are probably a minor concern.
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I supported Toymods
Location: I renounced punctuation
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 21:06
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It fits but there's no room for the exhaust on the driver's side - I think the exhaust port for one of the rearmost cylinders is virtually smack bang up against the steering box.
Chat to "Allan" - he did this very conversion in a weekend. He has pics.
That same RT81 is now getting a TTV6.
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I Supported Toymods
Location: melbourne.vic.au
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 22:22
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gianttomato wrote on Tue, 27 September 2005 07:06 | It fits but there's no room for the exhaust on the driver's side - I think the exhaust port for one of the rearmost cylinders is virtually smack bang up against the steering box.
Chat to "Allan" - he did this very conversion in a weekend. He has pics.
That same RT81 is now getting a TTV6.
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I wonder what Allan hasn't done in a weekend
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Location: Heathmont, Melbourne, Vic
Registered: May 2004
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Mon, 26 September 2005 22:33
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There not the most powerful of engines, but I do know of a few that pull some big revs when built right. And there light as buggery. There is absolutely no weight in the block. The Leyland 4.4 alloy V8 great if you can find one. Its slightly larger in the V (wider) and its nearly a litre bigger.
hmmm paddock basher - locked diff, line lockers, big burnouts!!!
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Location: Victoria
Registered: March 2005
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Tue, 27 September 2005 06:02
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alan sounds good. i will try to contact him. also i would use any aussie 8 over anything those cricket bat wielding englishmen have made , but if you've seen the engine bay in this thing you'll understand my reasoning.
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Location: Rocky Mountains, Canada
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Tue, 27 September 2005 08:16
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sheam wrote on Tue, 27 September 2005 15:32 | i will try to contact him. also i would use any aussie 8 over anything those cricket bat wielding englishmen have made , but if you've seen the engine bay in this thing you'll understand my reasoning.
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The Rover 3.5L V8 was actually an American engine (cant remeber which company).
For some reason they didnt want to use it so the design and tooling bits were sold to Rover.
But American V8s suck too
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I supported Toymods
Location: I renounced punctuation
Registered: May 2002
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I supported Toymods
Location: Epping, Sydney
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Tue, 27 September 2005 09:10
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I don't think exhausts fouling on anything will be a problem if it's a paddy basher - personally I'd be cutting a hole in the 1/4 panel and having the exhausts exit behind the front wheels
And as stu said, if it's just for fun in a paddock grab some measurements of mounts from alan and weld everything together. Extensive use of duct tape and cable ties is strongly encouraged.
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Registered: June 2003
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Tue, 27 September 2005 11:25
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I think Buick did start making the engine initially and then they decided to drop it as it was expensive to make. They went back to an iron block design. A visiting Rover engineer saw an opportunity and the rest (with a big thank you to Lucas the Prince of Darkness), is history
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Location: Victoria
Registered: March 2005
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Tue, 27 September 2005 11:53
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i was actually thinking of welding up some custom pipes exiting through the bonnet and making up a home made flame thrower unit (tut tut) from some old spark plugs i have lying around. i may also invest in a fire extinguisher.
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Location: cambo
Registered: May 2002
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Re: Rover V8 CORONA CONVERSION
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Tue, 27 September 2005 11:56
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ive seen one in an early corolla so i dont see why a corona would be a problem.
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