Fitting a Rover V8

[cruiser]

Ok, the economy of the 2.4 diesel surf with an autobox sucks. If I'm going to be able to afford to run it on a daily basis I need to do something about it. In the drive I also have a Range Rover with an RPi V8 and LPG. Being on LPG it is very cheap to run giving the equivalent of 30+ mpg.

You can guess whats coming next

I'd like to drop the Range Rover V8 into the Smurf but I wan't to retain an autobox (one of the reasons I got the Smurf in the first place). From the research I have done it appears that there is no adaptor to mate the Rover V8 to the Smurf auto (if you know different please tell me). So rather than making my own adaptor I'm wondering if the entire Range Rover transmission system will fit under the Smurf. It's got the ZF4HP22 autobox and BW transfer box.

Has anyone ever done this conversion?

Please, no suggestions about Lexus/Chevrolet/anything else V8's!!! I already have the RV8, It was rebuilt to a 235 bhp spec about 30k miles ago at great expense and it already is running on LPG - hence the wish to use it

[That Ruddy Squirrel]

I think the best person to answer this is Stein, but he is having frayed nerves being a passenger on Ladies Day, however he should be on late afternoon.

[Vagrant No2]

I think Tony says the Rangerover gearbox and transfer case will foul the fuel tank and the diff needs to be offset to the drivers side so the prop aligns .
This is wot I understood from memory and may be wrong !

[surfenstein]

I think Tony says the Rangerover gearbox and transfer case will foul the fuel tank and the diff needs to be offset to the drivers side so the prop aligns .
This is wot I understood from memory and may be wrong !

No rick your quite right mate.Thats exactly why you cant use the range rover drive train.

[surfenstein]

there is no adaptor plate to mount the surf auto box to the rv8,the other reason you cant use the surf auto box is because it uses some engine sensors to control the shift mech.so what i did was to fit a c63 auto box or indeed any of the borg warner 60 series auto boxes will fit.then you will have to make an adaptor to fit the end of the gbox to mount the surf transfer box.for that your better off having a word with tonyN.i left mine in rear wheel drive only.not a good idea as im running around 350bhp going this route you will also have to fabricate a new rear prop shaft.

[TonyN]

You'll have to run either a pickup 4 or 5 speed gearbox to keep things simple, but the 5 speed isn't up to a big engine, the 4 speed is stonger, but you don't get a 5 gear for economy.

As Stein and rick said, I made an adapter to run a B/W 65 from a SD1 mated to a 4speed Toy transfer case, but it puts the t/case lever a long way back between the seats, so you'll have to redo the center consol to finish it nicely. I used the one from the SD1 and its shifter, and the t/case lever went in a opening behind it.

Whatever route you go, probably need new props front and rear.

A 2" body lift helps clearance issues with the right hand rocker cover and the handbrake cable gubbins.

You'll need a short water pump from a MGB V8 or other versions, or the original Buick one works, but check your front chain cover, I think they are different from a RR to a SD1. My motor came from a SD1, and the Buick water pump fitted fine.

[surfenstein]

You'll have to run either a pickup 4 or 5 speed gearbox to keep things simple, but the 5 speed isn't up to a big engine, the 4 speed is stonger, but you don't get a 5 gear for economy.

As Stein and rick said, I made an adapter to run a B/W 65 from a SD1 mated to a 4speed Toy transfer case, but it puts the t/case lever a long way back between the seats, so you'll have to redo the center consol to finish it nicely. I used the one from the SD1 and its shifter, and the t/case lever went in a opening behind it.

Whatever route you go, probably need new props front and rear.

A 2" body lift helps clearance issues with the right hand rocker cover and the handbrake cable gubbins.

You'll need a short water pump from a MGB V8 or other versions, or the original Buick one works, but check your front chain cover, I think they are different from a RR to a SD1. My motor came from a SD1, and the Buick water pump fitted fine.

there are two different crankcase covers if yours is out of a r/r then the water pump sits higher than that of the sd1 version.if you havnt got a short nose water pump,and your running electric cooling fans then just cut the nose off of the pump,just infront of the pulley.when fitting the engine make sure you get it far enough back in the transmission tunnel so that you can fit the r/r rad.and dont do what i did and fabricate an engine mount just in front of the starter.its a right pig of a job to change the starter with it in the way.

[cbv8]

Ok, the economy of the 2.4 diesel surf with an autobox sucks. If I'm going to be able to afford to run it on a daily basis I need to do something about it. In the drive I also have a Range Rover with an RPi V8 and LPG. Being on LPG it is very cheap to run giving the equivalent of 30+ mpg.

You can guess whats coming next

I'd like to drop the Range Rover V8 into the Smurf but I wan't to retain an autobox (one of the reasons I got the Smurf in the first place). From the research I have done it appears that there is no adaptor to mate the Rover V8 to the Smurf auto (if you know different please tell me). So rather than making my own adaptor I'm wondering if the entire Range Rover transmission system will fit under the Smurf. It's got the ZF4HP22 autobox and BW transfer box.

Has anyone ever done this conversion?

Please, no suggestions about Lexus/Chevrolet/anything else V8's!!! I already have the RV8, It was rebuilt to a 235 bhp spec about 30k miles ago at great expense and it already is running on LPG - hence the wish to use it

Hi Cruiser
Long time no hear i have come over from the LROI having sold my Rangie am about to purchase a Hilux 2.0 auto and was about to ask exactly the same question as you. I just happen to have a 3.9 and ZF sitting in my garage doing nowt and would also love to implant this combo into a Surf I have seen a couple of Toyota pick ups with V8s fitted they sounded bl**dy awsome with BIG twin exhausts poking out the back made the hairs tingle on me back So is there any more info on this subject as i intend to do the V8 lpg asap so anymore info very very much appreciated

[surfenstein]

Hi Cruiser
Long time no hear i have come over from the LROI having sold my Rangie am about to purchase a Hilux 2.0 auto and was about to ask exactly the same question as you. I just happen to have a 3.9 and ZF sitting in my garage doing nowt and would also love to implant this combo into a Surf I have seen a couple of Toyota pick ups with V8s fitted they sounded bl**dy awsome with BIG twin exhausts poking out the back made the hairs tingle on me back So is there any more info on this subject as i intend to do the V8 lpg asap so anymore info very very much appreciated

meet stein.

and this is steins 350 bhp 5.0ltr tvr/rover v8 power plant.


in my honest opinion your best bet is to go manual as tony said.its by far the easiest way of fitting a rover v8.if you want an auto box then you will have to use a bw 60 series g/box and make an adaptor plate to take the toy transfer case.there are aftermarket kits where you can get bellhousings to mate toy g/boxes and engine mounts.it took me around six weeks to fit the engine in stein and get the running gear sorted out.but it took me a further month or too to sort out the little bugs you get with any big conversion.i do have pics if any are needed covering most of the conversion.best thing to do is get stuck in and ask questions as you go.theres alway plenty of people on here that can help with almost any question.

[cruiser]

Hi mate, firstly thanks to all of those who have replied with advice - all very interesting. In summary it looks as though if I want to retain an auto the easiest thing is to find a BW65 box and mate it to the Toyota transfer case then.

I'm really quite keen on getting it all to work with the Toyota auto transmission. Interfacing the gearbox ECU with sensors on the engine doesn't worry me as I regularly do this sort of thing on our engine test beds. More of a problem is mating the V8 to the Toyota box. I'm guessing it would be best to retain the Toyota torque convertor and either adapt or create a flex plate to connect it to the V8. What I really need is a knackered Toyota auto box to use as a mock up for the real thing. Anyone know how much power the Toyota auto will take? Anyone fitted a Lexus V8 to an auto? that must be 200+ bhp.

Got yet another 4x4 today as well - a Jeep Grand Cherokee Orvis. This is getting a bit silly now with two Range Rovers, the Smurf and a Jeep!!! I must be the most un eco-friendly person in our village!!!

[surfenstein]

Hi mate, firstly thanks to all of those who have replied with advice - all very interesting. In summary it looks as though if I want to retain an auto I need to find a BW65 box and mate it to the Toyota transfer case.

I'm really quite keen on getting it all to work with the Toyota auto transmission. Interfacing the gearbox ECU with sensors on the engine doesn't worry me as I regularly do this sort of thing on our engine test beds. More of a problem is mating the V8 to the Toyota box. I'm guessing it would be best to retain the Toyota torque convertor and either adapt or create a flex plate to connect it to the V8. What I really need is a knackered Toyota auto box to use as a mock up for the real thing. Anyone know how much power the Toyota auto will take? Anyone fitted a Lexus V8 to an auto? that must be 200+ bhp.

Got yet another 4x4 today as well - a Jeep Grand Cherokee Orvis. This is getting a bit silly now with two Range Rovers, the Smurf and a Jeep!!! I must be the most un eco-friendly person in our village!!!

vince.(bushwacker)is in the process of fitting a lex v8 in his surf.have a chat with him,theres also plenty of info on yotatech about this conversion.

[cbv8]

meet stein.

and this is steins 350 bhp 5.0ltr tvr/rover v8 power plant.


in my honest opinion your best bet is to go manual as tony said.its by far the easiest way of fitting a rover v8.if you want an auto box then you will have to use a bw 60 series g/box and make an adaptor plate to take the toy transfer case.there are aftermarket kits where you can get bellhousings to mate toy g/boxes and engine mounts.it took me around six weeks to fit the engine in stein and get the running gear sorted out.but it took me a further month or too to sort out the little bugs you get with any big conversion.i do have pics if any are needed covering most of the conversion.best thing to do is get stuck in and ask questions as you go.theres alway plenty of people on here that can help with almost any question.

WOW that looks fantastic a credit to you mate i must say unfortunatly i have no choice i have to drive autos unless i sprout a right arm over night I have converted my 1972 P6B Estate auto to 3.9 efi and ZF autobox and am in the proccess of doing the same to my Stag so the smurf cant be that hard surely theres got to be one on the forum so SPEAK UP i have seen two hilux pickups but never got to speak to the owners

[surfenstein]

WOW that looks fantastic a credit to you mate i must say unfortunatly i have no choice i have to drive autos unless i sprout a right arm over night I have converted my 1972 P6B Estate auto to 3.9 efi and ZF autobox and am in the proccess of doing the same to my Stag so the smurf cant be that hard surely theres got to be one on the forum so SPEAK UP i have seen two hilux pickups but never got to speak to the owners

mine is auto,but uses the sd1 box.and only rear wheel drive.just make an adaptor plate to mate the toy transfer case to the auto box.ask tonyN he has pics of the adaptor plate he made.i think he just machined the output shaft from the g/box to match that of the toy transfer box and welded a plate on the end to mate the two together.

[cbv8]

mine is auto,but uses the sd1 box.and only rear wheel drive.just make an adaptor plate to mate the toy transfer case to the auto box.ask tonyN he has pics of the adaptor plate he made.i think he just machined the output shaft from the g/box to match that of the toy transfer box and welded a plate on the end to mate the two together.

A b/w 65/66/GM180?? i bet that wont last long then if your pushing out 350 horses they were barely adequate on the SD1 vitt engine 190bhp i blew a few of them I really want to use the ZF box as Cruiser i have the set up just waiting to drop in god i wish it was a easy as i make it sound I have a mate who eats breaths and far*s V8s but he is away for a week so can't hassle him yet so come where are these ZF.d V8ted Smurfs SPEAK UP

[cruiser]

Surfenstein, fantastic looking truck. Just wondering about the lift on it. Is that a suspension or body lift (or both)? I'm asking as I'm wondering if the ZF tranny would fit if the body were lifted by a couple of inches. Is it clearance between the transmission tunnel and the box that was the issue? Looking at the ZF and transfer box it appears that the front prop comes out in the right place but the rear prop comes out slightly offset to right (the Toyata prop appears to be on the vehicle centre line). I wonder if the ZF box can be made to pyhsically fit and if the Toyota transfer box could then be adapted to fit the ZF?

CBV8: What time scales are you hoping to get yours done in? I'm hoping to accumulate the parts that I need over the winter and start the job next spring. Your actually quite close to me (I'm just north of Uttoxeter), Perhaps we can both be of help to each other if we go ahead