| Author | Message | ||
     Brad Ashe (Vodkaman) Member Username: Vodkaman Post Number: 68 Registered: 10-2003 |
I had seen a place before from Cali. that had a kit for an engine conversion to a 350 GM engine. I lost the link can anyone post the link for me? I was talking to a guy today said the kit runs about 350.00 but he did not know the name of tha company. | ||
| Jack Leitch (Liveattheedge) Member Username: Liveattheedge Post Number: 71 Registered: 12-2003 |
we have a 73 vette with a small blcok chevy in. That would be the coolest thing in a disco. Plenty of torque there. Let me know if you find anymore info. i'm looking at an engine upgrade for the XD. Cheers Jack | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 1239 Registered: 09-2002 |
Brad, if you think you can convert from a Rover V8 to an 350SBC (if Small-block Chevy is what you mean) for $350, there are some surprises in your future. | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 552 Registered: 11-2002 |
sounds like a kit that has a couple motor mounts and maybe a plate style adapter. this a conversion does not make. but If someone was really going to do a engine and trans swap (better do the trannie too if you want big power and a reliable truck) I would say think about a caddy northstar V8. it has awsome power,weighs little more then a rover motor and has a cool sytem that can drive hundreds of miles without coolent. If you could find a crashed caddy and get everything and had the time and the huge$$$$$$$ it would take you would end up with a pretty cool rig. lots of ifs  MM | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 1241 Registered: 09-2002 |
Thom, think for a moment that every Northstar'ed Caddy made is a front-wheel drive car... So there isn't even a RWD/4WD bellhousing that fits it... Makes a swap of a complete 4.3V6/4L60(E)/NP2** (with wrong offsets etc.) look like a breeze. | ||
| eric johnson (Eric2) Member Username: Eric2 Post Number: 222 Registered: 05-2003 |
The only company in Calif. that does 350 sbc conversions on a regular basis, does them to Series rigs. Plus they swap out the transmission for GM SM4something or the prefered NV4500 5 spd. More $$$ than $350. That would be BCB Offroad. Timm and Matt might do a 350 sbc into a Disco, if they haven't already... but bring mucho $$$ and patience. No kit, just drop it off. But it would be top notch, nothing overlooked, no shortcuts. They're into getting the details right, where the devil is. | ||
| Norm Orschnorschki (Norm) Member Username: Norm Post Number: 101 Registered: 02-2003 |
Before you jump off the cliff with a Chevy V-8 conversion, you might want to consider dropping in a 4.6 or even a 5.2 Rover motor. Although the 4.6/5.2 route may seem expensive and underpowered compared to a Chevy 350 from the outset, in the long run you'll save a BUNCH of time and aggravation trying to swap and make fit virtually everything associated with the motor, transmission, fuel injection, etc. etc. etc. to get the Chevy to work in a Rover. The 4.6 literally bolts in and all that's needed is a chip for the ECU (readily available). It's a big boost over the 3.9/4.0 without too many headaches. But if money and time are no object, go for the Chevy!!! ---Norm | ||
| Brad Ashe (Vodkaman) Member Username: Vodkaman Post Number: 69 Registered: 10-2003 |
Peter I know I would be in for a lot more than 350.00 for the finish job I am not stupid. I was looking for an adapter to mate the 350 to the Rover trans. I know there is still the cost of the engine computer and radiator ect ect. Plus the cost of the install. But if anyone knows where I can get a turn key 350 Chevy conversion for 350.00 let me and Peter know LOL thanks. | ||
| Norm Orschnorschki (Norm) Member Username: Norm Post Number: 102 Registered: 02-2003 |
Vodkaman: Try Marks 4WD in Australia or their US distributor, Advance Adaptors (also located in Paso Robles, CA along with this BCB Offroad). Advance may have the bell housings and motor mounts you need, but the rest is up to you. Is there anyone on this board who has successfully transplanted a Chevy 350 into a Disco? I didn't think so... I once saw a trashed out '73 Series Rover with a Chevy straight 6 jammed into the engine bay. The thing ran -- but every time it hit a bump the front diff bashed into the engine sump -- it had a big crumple in the front of the oil pan from being hit by the differential!!! Just one of the joys of transplanting motors, I guess. ---Norm | ||
| Geoff 93 RRC (Geoff) Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 207 Registered: 11-2002 |
www.marks4wd.com. Mounts and adapters. You can only go to a mild Chevy with 280 ft/lbs torque if you stick with the zf. The engine itself looks straightfoward as there a many many people that do SBC conversions for jeeps, etc, so lots of supporting parts. You can get a 4-bolt long block crate motor L05 (210 hp/300 ft/lbs torque) for $1900 new. Right now I am looking at options to beefing up the zf. Apparently the 4.6 version (hp24) just has some different clutches, so perhaps a rebuild could beef up the torque specs of the hp22. If anyone has more information please post. | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 553 Registered: 11-2002 |
peter I have a friend that is running a northstar in a jeep right now. it was a very easy plate to build to adapt it to a turbo 400. the fact that it only came in FWD cars dosent matter...the motor knows not of inline/transverse mounting. there was a very good article in petersens awhile back and it is just a matter of time before the northstars start to show up in all kinds of places. it is one of the best v8's made . then again I wouldent mind bolting my V12 bmw engine into my disco Thom | ||
| gary beckman (Zenwithin) New Member Username: Zenwithin Post Number: 10 Registered: 05-2003 |
I asked this question a while back, but got no constructive responses. If the Rover V8 is based on the old Buick, then why wouldn't a small block Buick engine be a bolt in mate for the Rover bell housing? | ||
| Geoff 93 RRC (Geoff) Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 209 Registered: 11-2002 |
Buick changed the bolt pattern in '64 or thereabouts when they went with an iron block. Rover stayed with the original aluminum Buick 215 bolt pattern. The iron block bolt pattern is used by the Buick 3.8L V-6 (which has definate roots in the original aluminum engine as it is based on the iron block v-8). Too bad, since there are lots of those around. | ||
| Chris Browne (Chris_browne) Senior Member Username: Chris_browne Post Number: 574 Registered: 02-2003 |
Its taken a while (learning curve) but the shop I use has been converting a RRC to chevy 350. Some stuff is easy others just test your patience.. | ||
| Peter Matusov (Pmatusov) Senior Member Username: Pmatusov Post Number: 1246 Registered: 09-2002 |
Thom, I've read the article about Northstar and Shortstar conversions, but what you can easily do in a jeep (that you couldn't care less about bodywork etc.), may not be as easy on a Disco. Brad, just give it a bit more thought, that's all. You would have to source a distributor-less 350, because otherwise you'll have to bang the hell out of the firewall to make it fit, or move the engine so far forward that you'll have to run electric fans and bitch about overheating forever. And that's just the beginning. The stock Rover drivetrain is just about adequate for the stock engine and just a bit over stock-sized tires. Having an engine with 50% more torque is nearly equivalent to having 50% larger tires (for the transmission, t-case, driveshafts, and axles). People break axles often with as small tires as 33", now, 50% over stock would look like 42" tire. You'll have a lot to replace. On top of that - Chevy 350 weighs about 540 lbs, which is - give or take some - 250 lbs over Rover V8. The implications of that are not quite clear - but that sure makes Northstar a better candidate. As far as I can remember, Jay Espelien runs a 350/700R4/LT230/D44/D60 combination in a Disco. I may be mistaken in components here, you need to search the archives. But he's a very good engineer in general. Geoff - you may be correct, but it seems to me that my '68 Jeep's Buick 350 has the same bolt pattern as 215. However, my knowledge of Buick hardware history is near zero. | ||
| Norm Orschnorschki (Norm) Member Username: Norm Post Number: 103 Registered: 02-2003 |
With enough time, money and an engineering degree, I suppose you can transplant anything. Looks like you have to replace EVERYTHING on the driveline, not to mention suspension, fuel injection (or carbs, if you go that route), cooling and so on and so forth to get a Chevy 350 to work in there. My point is there's a hard way (Chevy 350) and an easy way (4.6/5.2) to get more power in your Disco. Personally, if you're going to those ends I think a diesel would be a more interesting conversion than the Chevy. ---Norm | ||
| Shaun Power (Shaunp) Member Username: Shaunp Post Number: 235 Registered: 05-2003 |
A mate of mine has a 350 in a rangie that has between from one end of Australia to the other with no problems. An other coversion is to use a Leyland P76 alloy block from Australia. This is base on a rover engine. I think you can also modify the p76 crank and slot it in the rover block to give around 5.0L capacity.. | ||
| Geoff 93 RRC (Geoff) Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 212 Registered: 11-2002 |
I got an email from Dave at Ashcroft transmissions in the UK (www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk). They can build they can build up the hp22 to hp24 specs - hp24 goes to 450Nm torque (332 lb/ft). This makes the swap a lot more straightforward as using a gm transmission is problematic in terms of relocating the transfer box. |
