----- Original Message -----From: hide809rig169Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2006 7:20 PMSubject: [MarcosManiacs] BOP 215/Rover V8 engine swapMy car,No.8001 with 2.8L V6 out of Mustang 2 (maybe Capri, trans.
looks like t-5 but it is a 4 speed), I am having a hard time having
speed part vendors respond to e-mails. There are no cataloques that I
know of, One and a half books out, but old information. So I have a
source with 2 or 3 215 Alumn. V8s cheap, free. I know Marcos, later
put Rover V8s in. There must be a person on the list that knows about
this swap. I know I will need to fabricate "headers"for the V8. I
have a set for my 2.8L. What about hood clearance with a 4bbl?
Ground clearance for oil pan for the V8 swap? I was at a swap meet in
Tucson, and see that T-5 transmissions are inexpensive and plentiful
to put on a 215 and 2.8L. There is a company called, D&D Fabrications
on the net, they seem to have parts and information. What do you
think? I know I can obtain "stock" rebuild parts for the 2.8L, but
would like some compression, big valve heads and rocker arms. By the
way a T-5 swap for my car, appears to be rather staight forward
(thanks to the Capri List). I just got off the "Capri List", and I
see others are having problems in getting parts. This is why I'm
thinking of BOP 215 swap. Any ideas? Suggestions?
Thanks, Steve V. In Sierra Vista, AZ.
Message
Re: [MarcosManiacs] BOP 215/Rover V8 engine swap
2006-11-02 by Donny Lang
Steve,
You have already figured out that the BOP 215s and
the Rover 3.5, 3.9, 4.0. etc. are all the same base engine. I can't give too
much info on your Ford 2.8, but I have been around the 215s for about 20 years
or more. I think that the USA Ford 2.8 (Bronco/ Mustang) had better heads
(bigger valves/better exhaust ports) than those used on the British
contemporaries.
I am still collecting parts to convert my '70
Marcos 2.0 V4 to a 3.9 Rover. The mid 1980s Mantula used this driveline. I am
going to use a LT77 5 speed (TR7/8, Rover SD1) because they are reletively
plentiful and were used behind the Rover engine as a factory combination.
I have a TR8 and am essentially duplicating that same driveline in my Marcos.
The only issue I haven't resolved is a shorter shift housing to move the shifter
forward. The rear axle ratio and width are the hard parts to match for the
Marcos The TR8 has a 3:08 ratio but the Triumph axle is about 5" too wide for
the Marcos, so I am narrowing it to fit.
The headers are available from Marcos Spares, but
are expensive. I got a used set on eBay UK, and there was a set a couple months
back here on eBay. Check out # 120034826073 to see what they look like. I
understand the exhaust headers dictate the position and height of the
engine. There should be room for a 4 bbl under the hood bulge with a low air
cleaner and low profile intake. I plan on using either a stock Buick intake or
an Offenhauser intake. Pan clearance shouldn't be an
issue.
D&D is a great source of parts here in the US,
but also try RPI in the UK. They have all the good stuff for the Rover/215. Let
me know what you find for putting a T5 onto a Rover/215. These beasts have a
very unique bellhousing bolt pattern that limit what trans will bolt up. The old
BOP version bellhousing has the T10/ Muncie bolt pattern, and GM had a 5 speed
that also fit (1970's Chev Monza,Camero), but I don't know much about them.
If you have more questions, let me know.
-Donny # 5514