Greg-
Carter Carb- look at the base of the carb, passenger side, viewed from
the front of the engine. There should be a number on the corner. (95xx
is a 500 cfm, 94xx is a 400 cfm. The last 2 digits indicat the
application, Ford, GM, etc. Numbers not starting with "9" are specific
OEM applications, & I have no reference for them, but might be able to
find out. These are good carbs, easy to rebuild, good performance,
minimum of fooling around required, unlike the Holly.
Try to use a Buick/Olds 215 front cover, as the V6 has the timing marks
in the wrong place. Not a show stopper, but if you have to find one,
find the one that requires the least amount of work. Replace the rope
seal with a modern neoprene seal. If you can't find one, call D & D.
Rover front assemblies are too long for a MGB conversion, but may be
fine for a TR whatever. Don't mix & match too much in this area. Rover
cover, Rover water pump, harmonic balancer, dizzy, etc. Buick/Olds parts
are cheaper, more available. Use the 1964-67 Buick 300 water pump with a
215 cover, GM dizzy, even a HEI from a 350 Buick V8, if you wish. I'm
not saying you can't mix & match, just that it gets complicated lining
up pulleys, etc.
Buick 300 heads will leave a "shoulder" in the combustion chamber, since
they were made for an engine with a bigger bore. They will work, but
with no advantage in performance. Save them for your next bored &
sleeved & stroked killer 286 engine developing 350 HP.
The original Buick/Olds high compression engines were slightly less than
10:1. Both came in high & low versions. Buick changed pistons, Olds
changed heads. If you use an Olds engine with Buick (or Rover ?) heads,
you get 10.75: 1.
Rover heads have additional threaded bosses on the ends that aid in
mounting things like alternators & A/C compressors, but I see no
performance differences in 3500 or 3900 cc engines. Of course I could be
wrong, but unless someone has dyno results I won't admit it.
A good, cheap cam for a 3500 is the Rover stock 3900 cam. Crane, Erson &
several other American manufacturers make cams for the 215/3500 engine,
& there must be 10 or 15 British makes. I have a Crane 900531 in my 215,
& am very happy with it. This is a mild street cam, advertised duration
260/268, duration 202/210. Range is 1500 to 4000, with valve float @
6500 rpm. Not a lot of difference in price from stock to aftermarket,
including the price of a new set of lifters (mandetory!)
If you want a really hot cam, check out the RPI Engineering web site
(England). Erson makes some very interesting cams. The one in my 4.2 is
.458 lift, 288` duration, idles smooth @ 900 rpm's, a little lumpy below
that. Try Woody Cooper @ the Wedge Shop, he has worked for several years
with Erson to develop these cams. Ted @ TS Imports has been
driving/building TR7/8's since he was involved officially in the factory
program, & I am sure he will have some good suggestions.
Let me know if you need contact addresses, these people, as well as
Glenn Towery, & D & D Fabrications, are excellent sources of parts &
info.
Jim Stuart
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