Rover V8 build log

[bash]

Well..... the big bits in.
[/URL]

The mountings for the engine and gearbox went in ok. I did have to modify the alternator mounting point. Anybody who takes this on I can tell you that there almost as many alternator mounts and brackets as there are water pump arrangements. I wanted to keep both the alternator and the power steering pump on the same side of the engine bay because it makes it easier to mount my remote filter assembly. Again, you will need one of these otherwise the standard oil canister will foul the steering rack, or, you could go for a shorty filter and just change it more regularly that way you could get away without a remote filter assembly. However, I'm fitting an oil cooler, which I would recommend, with an oil stat.
[/URL]

If you're wondering where the posh rocker covers are I'm going to leave them off for as long as possible so they dont get marked. the shiney ones are some that I polished some time ago.... and then changed my mind on the colour scheme for the engine. It may divide opinion as to which one looks best tho.
I'll post some images soon on the oil line fitments but Im just about to sort out where the cooling pipes will run first, the oil lines are much easier to position than the cooling pipes. Ive just put the rad in place and I'll follow that up when its finalised.

Bash

[bash]

Progress has been slow cos of failing parts ( on me ) but Im getting there. Ive realised tho that its the little things that take the time up. You may have noticed that the alternator needed a slight reposition because an idiot on the tape measure got the height of the power steering pump slightly too low, raising that caused the alternator issue. Ive included a photo of the exhaust manifold clearance which are mgb v8 block huggers and give loads of room at both sides.
[/URL]

[bash]

Plumbing next. Fortunately Ive aquired a load of bits of hose over the years and Ive been using them during mock up along with the old radiator. What I found inside the radiator housing was that handily lotus had made a slot for an inclined rad, why I dont know but it allowed me to push the top of the rad forward which then gave me enough room to use the lotus fan housings and fans. I also intend using the fan thermostat pipe. I used the copperslip method of marking the position of the holes for the top rad mountings, ie a dab on the top of the bolt to leave a mark on the rad cowl. I drilled them thro and used new stainless nuts on the top. There is room to get your hand in even tho the fixings are probably 3 or 4 inches further forward. I checked the front undertray at this point for the lower fixings, a very slight mod on the GRP being required when I fix it in place. A couple of dummy top and bottom hoses gave the layout roughly of the big pipes, final position to be fixed later.
[/URL]

Heres the controversial bit, I intend to use the refurbed standard radiator. When I had a tvr350i it had a radiator of a similar size, but wasnt even ducted in. The lack of ducting caused some overheating issues on very hot days stood in traffic. However, when I ducted it in and fitted an efficient electric fan to pull air thro it, surprisingly there were no issues. When I fitted a double row rad it was even better. A 390se that I had (275bhp, 0 to 60 in 4.7 sec and 0 to 100 in 11.5 ) also only had a double row rad. Now, cos the designer of both cars was common if you look under the bonnet of both a wedge tvr and an excel the architecture is very similar, the main difference being that the lotus rad is properly ducted. So, I might be proved wrong ( a common concept ) but Im going to see what happens with a standard double row lotus rad. I have some other cooling mods but I'll go into that at a later date, if Im wrong there is always the alloy rad route that some of you have done.

[bash]

More plumbing. Ive fitted a remote oil filter, and oil thermostat and a new 13 row oil cooler.
[/URL]

Ive fixed the stat onto the offside of the radiator cowl held in place with an alloy strap. It doesnt show in the images ( maybe later ) but the oil rad is going to be fixed directly to the undertray that I have beefed up with some sheet ally that is mechanically fixed plus some GRP to the undertray. That shoub be well strong enough, its made it very stiff.
[/URL]

Im currently fixing all the water pipes. More on that when Ive finalised the positions and taken some pics.

Bash

[dunc]

You will get a lot more clearance at the front if you use an SD1 efi spec water pump. It deletes the protrusion for mounting the fan (which you don't need).

It is hard to tell which pump you have fitted, but if it is a P6 style "top hat" one, the SD1 unit is a good bit shorter in the snout.

[Hawaiis0]

Are you using standard 2 core or 3 core rad?

[bash]

Cheers for that Dunc. I'll see how I go on with this one but that seems like a good move. As for the rad, its a twin core. Ive put my tin hat on for any comments.

bash

[bash]

Well, Im getting there. Im sure Pete Boole will confirm but when its not the standard install its all the little things that take the time. All the wirings now in place although not in its tidywrap, this took a while as Im trying to keep it neat. The plumbings taken a while. central heating pipe did the job with various fittings and bends. Petrol pipes in and connected up.
[/URL]

Ive used the Lotus header tank although Ive fitted an air bleed near to the heater pipes and blocked up the one in the tank. I may revisit this tho at some stage. looking at this image I need to clean up abit as a lot of dust has accumulated since Ive started.
[/URL]

Ive left the oil pressure gauge under the bonnet area for now, when I go for the start up I want to be able to check it straight away and check for leaks without having to keep dodging back into the cockpit.
[/URL]

The rocker breather pipes are made from thick wall copper pipe made for tractor brake lines. All the bends are done using my thumbs ( which are now sore ) but its made a good job. For some peculiar reason the air filter looks slightly gold coloured in the images, its not, its chrome.

The lotus choke and accelerator cables have been reused, the choke is shortened slightly, the end of the lotus accel cable was cut off because a different attachment method was required.
Bit stuck waiting for bits now, mainly for the exhaust that Im going to make up. More later, but I need to tidy up a bit in the garage so Im not really wasting time.

Bash

[alanmoss]

It is looking very good.

[Lotus-e-Clan]

I see lots of progress.

Can't be far off finishing so looking forward to first impressions after the road test.

[bash]

Cheers. Its not far off a start up, its tempting without the exhaust but the neighbours might not like it.

Bash

[Lotus-e-Clan]

Cheers. Its not far off a start up, its tempting without the exhaust but the neighbours might not like it.

Bash

I have same probs with my neighbours. I have to wait until they've gone on holiday before doing high rev tuning.

[Simpatico]

Not jealous. Nope. no way.

[Pete Boole]

Looking great Bash. Are you familiar with the electric drill technique to build oil pressure before the first start of the engine?

Pete

[bash]

Yes thanks, Ive used (butchered) one of the dizzys that I got from you for its shaft. Ive already had strange looks at the chemists asking for a large tub of vasaline and Im going to fill up the oil cooler, pipes and remote filter with oil before trying to get some oil around the engine.
Bash
( Just to show that Im not as strange as I look....... err, anyway just in case people dont know, the vasalines used to pack the oil pump to create immediate suction. It then dissolves into the oil system. The distributor shaft drives the oil pump so fitting it to a drill gets oil moving without having to turn the engine over)