Hi can anyone help with information on a V8 Capri conversion

[Diggerman1]

Hi
Planning on doing a rover v8 conversion in a mk3 Capri.
Is there anyone that could help.
Thanks

[Mc Tool]

Yawn ........ waddyawannaknow

[Not_Anumber]

How far have you got ?

Are you planning to use a bellhousing conversion so you can use a Ford gearbox such as the V6 version of the Type 9 or will you go for a Rover LT77 gearbox ?

[Mc Tool]

I have made the engine and g/box mounts , the sump and pick up , the exhausts , the clutch lever . I have an ally bell housing and a toyo 5 speed box. . I have had the engine and box in and fitted , so far everything bolts up without modifying crapi in any way , the exhausts kept me busy for a while ..... steering colum an all that . Mounts fit the standard crapi x member.

[-JC-]

I have made the engine and g/box mounts , the sump and pick up , the exhausts , the clutch lever . I have an ally bell housing and a toyo 5 speed box. . I have had the engine and box in and fitted , so far everything bolts up without modifying crapi in any way , the exhausts kept me busy for a while ..... steering colum an all that . Mounts fit the standard crapi x member.

Interesting... I like the idea of a v8 conversion, but I don't like the thought of cutting up my capri. What are you doing about the radiator? From what I've seen that normally involves cutting out a substantial chunk fo the front and fitting a much bigger one.

[Mc Tool]

Rad fits in behind grill and uses brackets attached to the bumper mounting bolts to hold the weight and a couple of stays at the top to hold it all straight .
The main objective is not to cut up Crapi so that when they are worth millions I can go back to original . I did think about making a planned removal ( plan ahead so I can re-fit ) probly by undoing spot welds and or cutting along a seam. The Rover engine and the box weigh about the same as the original engine/box
I cant remember how to post pix ( no photobucket )

[pbar]

I cant remember how to post pix ( no photobucket )

Here we are -

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=51474&p=352880&hil ... cs#p352880

[Mr B]

Hi Mate,

Don't bother putting a boring, under powered Rover in it - lot of grief for not much more power than a V6, speaking from experience try a 350 Chevy (5.7 litre) instead, much much more powerful, parts are cheap and plentiful with tuning options galore.

Wayne

[andyd]

Hi Mate,

try a 350 Chevy (5.7 litre) instead, much much more powerful, parts are cheap and plentiful with tuning options galore.

Wayne

Can't beat an American V8 burble

[Not_Anumber]

The Chevy engine is great but it's dimensions are quite large which is known to cause a need for more body mods than either the BOPR (Rover) or the Ford small block. That is the reason I had to reject it for a (non Capri) V8 conversion Ive started on.

Not wanting to put anyone off the idea because as we all know almost any engine can be made to fit if sufficient time, money and ingenuity are thrown at it it but I would suggest you seek very specific advice from someone who has actually done the conversion. I doubt, cost wise, it could realistically be achieved in the same ballpark as a V6 conversion certainly.

[Mr B]

Tickovers did my conversion on 2.8 injection shell and the only mods carried out were up rated front springs and the slam panel section for the radiator, I probably should have up rated the brakes too but I was alot crazier back then, Jesus was that car quick!

Wayne

[Mc Tool]

[/img]
here a few pix , mostly a test to see if I ould post pix

[-JC-]

Thanks for the info and the pics mctool. Interesting idea with the rad. Which rad are you using? I'd love to see pics of it in situ if it's done already!

Hi Mate,

Don't bother putting a boring, under powered Rover in it - lot of grief for not much more power than a V6, speaking from experience try a 350 Chevy (5.7 litre) instead, much much more powerful, parts are cheap and plentiful with tuning options galore.

Wayne

Yeah, but isn't it cheaper and easier to tune (and obtain) than an Essex v6? Whilst also being smaller, lighter, easier to install (and obtain) and cheaper than a chevy v8?

[Mc Tool]

The rad was custom made for some guys Cobra ( 302w ) project and for whatever reason he bailed on it and put it on the local auction site and I bagged it for 45 bucks , but its huge ( 400 x 700 x 60 mm ) and being copper and brass it weighs a ton so I am looking at other options . I had another Rover in an Escort and I cooled that with a Delicia ( some jap 2.5l turbo diesel MPV ) rad with no issues so it aint a big ask . Any small rad will do it you can live with electric fans going full time and personally I cant be arsed with that so Im wanting something big enough ( in cooling capacity , not necessarily size ) that will only need a fan in stationary traffic .

[Mr B]

Thanks for the info and the pics mctool. Interesting idea with the rad. Which rad are you using? I'd love to see pics of it in situ if it's done already!

Hi Mate,

Don't bother putting a boring, under powered Rover in it - lot of grief for not much more power than a V6, speaking from experience try a 350 Chevy (5.7 litre) instead, much much more powerful, parts are cheap and plentiful with tuning options galore.

Wayne

Yeah, but isn't it cheaper and easier to tune (and obtain) than an Essex v6? Whilst also being smaller, lighter, easier to install (and obtain) and cheaper than a chevy v8?

You are correct about the Rover being lighter not only in weight but unfortunately on Horse power/Torque as well, if your going to put the effort in to install a V8 put a proper V8 in there. The Chevy is just as easy to install as a Rover and can produce monstrous HP/Torque and most importantly it can do it reliably but as with any used engine you take your chances on what your going to get for your buck, just my opinion having done the conversion although it was a quite a while ago now

Wayne

[Andrew 2.8i]

Can't beat an American V8 burble

Andrew.

[Not_Anumber]

Its great to hear a Chevy transplant is viable. Do you have anything posted about the build Wayne ?

[Mr B]

Its great to hear a Chevy transplant is viable. Do you have anything posted about the build Wayne ?

I don't I'm afraid, the Tickover boys carried out the conversion and I don't even have the car anymore as I was one of the victims of Kev Kiwi Taylor - I lost the car and a lot of money too.

But the conversion is very straight forward once you have the engine and gearbox mounts it slots straight on to the 2.8/3.0 crossmember which meant I had the power steering too - I even retained the battery carrier in the engine bay although it made 1 of the front spark plugs slightly awkward to remove, but other than that it's a lovely conversion and tuning parts are so numerous and cheap that 400 - 500HP is quite easily obtainable without forced induction, She sounded sexy even on tickover but put your foot down and get ready cos hell is coming to breakfast! I would not hesitate to have the conversion done again but the other half would never forgive me!!

Wayne

[Mc Tool]

Wayne buddy , it simple really . a SBC weighs about 650 lb's a Rover V8 clocks in at about 250 lb's , and springin them up doesn't hide the weight . I have heard of the Ford Perana ( but I have never heard anyone wankin on about how well they handle ) . My Rover engine ( still at 3.5l ) is pretty much a direct copy of the one in the escort and that dyno'd at 224 bhp. ( about 3 times the 2l pinto engine ). I don't need chasiss gussets/strengthening, strut tower beefing up for a Rover , don't need to up grade the brakes ( tho I have ), don't need a new diff ( to say nothing of fitting / certing it ). And , Wayne , I don't know where you get the notion that the Rover is unreliable ...... I mean they are everywhere , lots of kit cars , some factory fittings ( MG TVR to name a couple ). Rimmer Bro's ( yeah, I would have changed my name ) have heaps of go fast parts and they aint no more expensive than chev parts . SBC are old hat now and they never did have a real home in a light weight car like the Capri. I can buy a 3.9 rover with ecu et all for 900 bucks, guaranteed runner ......... I have not even laid eyes on a Essex motor for at least 25 years
All I want is a street engine , low budget ,light weight , economical and reliable and as such my engine is basically stock . Fast road cam Edelbrock performer manifold , 390 holley steel rockers , hi vol/press oil pump , cast pistons ( 10.5:1 ) , bead blasted rods , align bored mains , ARP rod bolts , head studs and main studs , Vitesse heads , and a electronic dizzy ( nothing flash )

[Mr B]

MC buddy, we are all entitled to our opinion, let's have it right the reason the Chevy hasn't really changed that much is simple - it hasn't needed to it was superb design to start with, as for the handling if wanted to go round corners that quick I would buy a Ferrari, we are talking straight line acceleration that's where cars, rightly or wrongly, earn there kudos, after all a cars 0 to 60 time isn't measured on a tight bend is it? Also, as for reliability just watch what happens if you try to get 400-500 HP out of a Rover, so with that said I'll stick with the Chevy all day long

Cheers