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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Cheap rover V8's

Where do you get them and what are you paying.
STD

would be helpful if you were a little more forthcoming about who you are and where you are... peeps don't give away trade secrets to just anybody...
David

New Old, US UK, 3.5 3.0 4.0 4.6 5.0 5.2 6.0
Paul

Why does it matter about who I am? I woudl think you guys would want to help out a poor person get into this great hobby.
STD

STD

The UK market will be diff to US,
New engines can be acquired or old rebuilt.

If you want this it will cost a packet

http://www.espritv8.net/id331.htm

Road car or race, Wildcat heads or standard, short or long

The options are endless.

Paul
Paul

I can find them all day long for dirt cheap...come on over!
G.P. Copes

That is great, so where do I look? I am not out to corner the marked and make money. Just after an engine or to for my little MG.
STD

STD, have you looked on eBay? They have them from time to time.
Dana Wilson

I have looked on e-bay (old lady does not like me on the web all the time) however most of the time they are a little pricey.
STD

You can try a search using http://www.car-part.com/ This site will allow you to search by individual state. The prices may be a little high, but you can find out who in your area has Rover V8's. Most of the places will negotiate.

Jim
Jim Lema

STD....trust me, cheap Rover engines aren't worth the $$'s - you need to find a solid, known entity from which to begin...&, a 'poor' person can't afford the $10K or so conversion! Now, if you want a solid engine to begin with, I've an '80 3.5 I'll let go for $1200 & a 5-speed for another $1200!
anthony barnhill

Wow I am not sure I am willing to pay $1200 for an engine then $1200 for a Tranny. I think I could pick up a new T-5 for around that much. Not sure what is needed to go along with it to make the rover engine work.
STD

Rebuilt I sould have state or a 3550 5-speed for 1200-1300.00 new.
STD

STD,
I bought an '85 3.5 from a RR with hotwire EFI for $800. The recycling yard owner and I started bikering too much before I got all of the sensors, harness, ecu, and fuel pump. So in short I paid too much, 'cause I ended up craking the block and after a loong search I ended up getting a brand spankin' new 4.0 (cross bolted) short block for $900. Considering how much I spent on a good block (the 3.5) at the machine shop, in retrospect; I believe I would have spent less buying a new short block and sourcing the other parts from ebay and the like.
BTW for a V8 conversion most all of the "missing" parts you'll need can come from 3.5 or 3.9.
Good luck!
Hal
Hal

STD, look around, i bought a 1980 Rover SD1, fuel injected 3.5 with rebuld 5 speed good running motor all for the ridiculuos price of 200.00 dollars, last week i bought a 1993 Range rover 3.9 hot wire with all the sensors, ecu, all for the ridiculuos price of 1000.00 dollars, look around there are bargains to be had, if you buy from people on this board who think the have a gold mine, they are going to try to squeeze you, 1200 dollars for a rover 5 speed? HAH!!!!
By the way i did my first conversion for around 3K, my second conversion for 5K.
Romney.
Romney

I am learning that this isn't a cheap hobby, even when my A was given to me on a dare to put a V8 into it. Remember to get the $260 bellhousing, $245 HTOB, coated headers about $450, clutch for $200, 5 speed transmission, lightened flywheel, motor mounts, shifter, tach conversion, better radiator, new driveshaft, new exhaust system, the list goes on and on. Check out www.aluminumv8.com and talk to Dan. He can really get you going on the project. Finding the engine was the easiest part.
Scott

Hey, Romney - that's the point: you have to check around...I have access to several Rover engines from $800 to $2500 - all guaranteed with proveable mileage...all ready to drop in & ride....oh, have you found many Rover 5-speeds lately? Have you had one rebuilt?
My other point is: when somebody asks where to get cheap engines & doesn't let anybody know location so they can give him a rational answer, he's gonna get a world-full of prices..oh, the engine for my car was $800, 57,000 mile 3.5 that we've built & uprated to 4.0 & there's a whole lot more than $1200 in it after the initial purchase price!....& the 5-speed: $1500 for total rebuild to make it new & bulletproof - money well spent!
anthony barnhill

So anthony tell me a little more about this motor. My goal was to find a block and have it built a little with ported heads increaded compression and maybe go the EFI route how mush stronger is your 5speed vs a standard one. Not looking to make moster power just want a bit of power. I have considered the 5.0 ford however not experenced enough with car and to afraid of screwing that up.
STD



STD
Scotts right, check what it's going to cost you for the peripherals. The motors the least of it.
Pricewise, I got to say I envy what you guys pay in the US. Much more here for 3.9's.I paid $2.3K for a near new 3.9 plus efi, which is at the very least $1000 under the going rate. By the way the 3.9 block was very much better than the 3.5 block and worth it. I looked at half a dozen 3.5's and all had cracks around the bearing bolts.
Check out carefully what the manifolds, exhaust, clutch mechanism bell housing gearbox, radiator, tail shaft, mounts etc. You've got to register it so you may need an engineers certificate as we do in Australia. This may mean a brake upgrade is compulsory.
Don't be put off, it's all do-able, but it would be a pity to have a cheap rotten motor when for an additional overall expenditure of ,say, 10 percent max'; you can have something that's a dream to drive.
Peter

Why does everyone have paranoia about CHEAP! You get what you pay for.
Cheap is usually junk because nobody knows or cares, it’s just a fast buck.
If you want a decent MG Rover V8 the job is worth doing properly and it ain’t cheap.
How is it that I put Rover V8 engines on ebay and nobody sees them except the Smarts! Who want to know if they are blue printed, dyno tested, documented and come with a life time warranty.
Tony Barnhill is right about Rover 5 speeds just do your homework
Check on the price of parts to rebuild one, it is not CHEAP!

Roly Morris
S. M. Morris

This thread was discussed between 12/10/2003 and 25/10/2003

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

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