Finally, photos of my V8 and the install...Pic heavy!

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Lewis

Finally, photos of my V8 and the install...Pic heavy!

#1 Post by Lewis »

Righty-ho! Picture heavy this one, so for anyone wanting to not go and put the kettle on, I suggest you go find a book instead :lol:

Eventually I've got around to finding somewhere to take some decent shots of the new motor as well as some shots of the install as well and how it fits (just). Unfortunately I didn't get any of the injection pump in the tank but I think the people who wanted to see that have seen it in the flesh already :wink:

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(spot the missing bits!)

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ECU and relays live under the drivers seat

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Intertial cutout and some wiring wondering in the footwell.

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Gap between rad & engine

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Clearance to filter...

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And underneath...comes off a treat!

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Manifold fits ...tightly on this side

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AFM, coil, various other bits on LHS turret & inside wing

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Crossover pipe underneath, LHS bank exits through/behind subframe, RHS has to loop around under it to avoid steering gear

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Single box in the middle

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Crossing over the axle. I think it's might be a Sprint sports exhaust, or at least components of.

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Area under rad, and rad support, appears to have been fab'd by the owner - couldn't get a good look though.

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Ground clearance? WE DON'T NEED NO STEENKIN GROUND CLEARANCE!

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Sherpa short shift linkage (2cm between throws, lovely! Bit brutish though!) with Dolly top stick welded on!

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Eye up lads, trouble's just rocked up!

The engine is so far clearing about 25mpg on average, with high 30s on a run - not too bad at all. I expect it'll settle down a bit when I get it running spot on.

It's quite heavily silenced so is very subtle at idle and around town yet when it climbs above 3000 it suddenly starts bellowing and screaming, even more so as it breaches 5000 - in the cab you certainly know it's there though, even when rolling along. Definitely an engine that sounds better under load than free-revving.

Anyway, so far the going's been good - just been bedding it in as it hasn't done many miles as a V8 and waiting on parts - still have no cooling fans, despite them being ordered.

There is a short list of things to do but there's nothing major.

Best recorded 0-60 on the G-meter is 5.80 seconds dead at the moment - a slight improvement over the 5.83 seconds I got before. This is on the very dubious cheap tyres mind and in the slightly less than tractive conditions. We did a side-by-side comparison with my neighbour's 3.2 Audi A3 with Haldex and superb box and the Sprint was quicker through the gears but aerodynamics started getting in the way at higher velocites.

Audi had the edge in the corners though by miles, the Sprint just fishtails! More handling mods required!

Once it dries out, I get some decent rubber and get it cooled I'll start wringing its neck for those extra few fractions - will be interesting to see how it goes. Getting used to the gearchange took some time, occasionally 2>3rd is hard to get but there's about 7 adjustment points on the linkage, so after fettling that it was much simpler.

I'll post a small project log over this Easter which will be when the next stage begins.....eyes are on a progessive nitrous oxide kit amongst more handling/braking modifications!

Oh and noticed it's got 4 Alpine speakers and a motorised rear aerial too - so just need a headunit now...Not that I could hear the bloody thing :lol:

If anyone wants to know anything more about the conversion, or wants more shots, shout - there's a lot I didn't put up! :lol:
Last edited by Lewis on Fri Jan 05, 2007 10:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Reg
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#2 Post by Reg »

Looks good Lewis...i like the Blazing saddles Quote,one of my brothers favorites..he's always saying it :lol:
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David6214
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#3 Post by David6214 »

Me thinks yours is slightly further ahead than Adams, but you did have a head start!
Previous owner of 42 Dolomite shaped vehicles, 14 Sprints, 12 1850s, 8 1500s, 3 V8s, 3 Toledos and 2 SEs
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SprintV8
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#4 Post by SprintV8 »


And I appear to be somewhere in between?.
2011 Mini Clubman John Cooper Works. S Daily Driver.
1980 Dolomite Sprint with a touch of BLTS
Balanced Lightened and Tweaked 13B Rotary and SsuperCharged.
Back in my possession 22 September 2019.
Rebuilding the Sprint time taken so far, 111Hrs@15/12/2020
212Hrs @31/12/2021
352 @ 28/11/2022
455Hrs @ 20/10/2023
565Hrs @ 07/12/2024
This is time taken at the Sprint not necessary time worked.

Member TDC no 0471

Project 13B Sprint now back on..
No Pistons No Cams how’s it gonna Run Brap Brap?
2F45T4U

#5 Post by 2F45T4U »

George is holding me back :P I'm joking, please help me :cry: :lol:
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David6214
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#6 Post by David6214 »

Adam be fair, I helped you to slot the V8 in your car once already.....now its just a matter of bolting a couple of heads back on and placing the engine a bit further forward than we did...
Previous owner of 42 Dolomite shaped vehicles, 14 Sprints, 12 1850s, 8 1500s, 3 V8s, 3 Toledos and 2 SEs
2F45T4U

#7 Post by 2F45T4U »

Oh no this engines getting a good looking over, worn parts replaced, some hot bits added, then it'll be bolted in. I think this summer is a realistic (and easy) target
Lee Flintoft

#8 Post by Lee Flintoft »

Lewis, nice, can we have some time on the alloys, or are you thinking of "STAGnating them" :D :D , oh, and some original dolly stripes
2F45T4U

V8s

#9 Post by 2F45T4U »

Biggest problems I can see me encountering is the radiator and exhaust manifolds... Getting either made up is costly and I really don't want to have to change the appearance of the front end like Lewis and Adam F's Sprints have had done to them.
Nick C

#10 Post by Nick C »

There's a place down here that does custom rads fairly reasonably, Steve had one done for his V8. I believe that has a complete custom exhaust too.
Lewis

#11 Post by Lewis »

Stripes! I'd forgotten about those!

My friend is trying to sell me his set of 13 inch Revos, 6J at the front, 8 at the rear which JUST fit with some modifications....looks like a dragster at the back, can only just see the centre of the rear axle.

Tempted, but not sure.

There's a few cosmetic things I want to do, nothing major, I shall put up a photoshop when I sort one :)
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Look at....

#12 Post by Jon Tilson »

Stah rover V8 conversion exhaust manifolds. They come towards the front and may gove ypu more scope for not having pipes under the subframe.

Jonners
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.
Lewis

#13 Post by Lewis »

Yes, I was thinking I might look into that, TVR ones are too bulky to fit (IIRC).

There's some room for manuevering down there though, so I'll look into it come easter when I'll be sorting the next stage of bits. I might switch to a twin system with a balance pipe, or not....many options!

Hell, I should just have 'em exit in the front wheel arches! :lol: ..or under the sills...or maybe not :)

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8)
2F45T4U

#14 Post by 2F45T4U »

What did the racer Sprint people, Scott done it I think, replace there Sprint rads with. Volvo, Civic, Transit?
AdamF

#15 Post by AdamF »

Lewis - it's looking great!

Yours seems to have a LOT more clearance between the rad and the oil filter than mine... (well about an inch more, which makes all the difference!)

In terms of radiators - Adam, if you are planning on fitting a rad from a Rover V8, then you'll have to modify the front of the car - the rad is simply huge. You might be able to modify it less by mounting the rad at a slight angle (the toip of the rad sloping towards the front of the car, when viewed from the side).

Good luck!

Adam
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