Kai,
Calling around blindly and asking for a Rover engine is like
walking into a hot rod shop and saying "I want to go fast" or
walking into an L.A. used music store and asking for a TB-303...
in other words, you will spend way much more than need be.
The last Rover engine I bought, an '88 3.5, used, a number miles, but
a runner, I spent $225 on, including the engine stand it was on.
I'm not saying you'll do that every time, but it is possible. I
spent $950 on my 3.9 with most of its EFI bits in place, 64k miles
on the clock. Keep checking your internet resources, and the local
paper.
If you can luck into getting a used up 3.9 with EFI, a good source
is the *new* 3.9's from RPI for like $1500 or some such. Sounds like
a lot? Well, consider that a *good* rebuilt 1.8 B series is going to
run $1600 or more. It's far too tempting to compare the price of a
Rover to a $600 rebuilt Chevy 350, but I think it's far more valid to
compare the Rover to the price of an original (B series) powerplant.
The reason I say if you can find a used up 3.9 EFI: well, you need
the EFI, front cover, rocker covers, etc that won't be with the new
engine from RPI. It sounds like a decent deal, I've often weighed
the cost of rebuilding my 3.9 to the price of a new block.
A note: the Stag didn't use the Rover engine. The Stag engine
is two TR-7 slant 4's grafted together, with a crankshaft that
has the stiffness of a wet noodle. A number of Stags, for some
strange reason, do have Rover engines in them...
It's still possible to pick up entire Rover SD1's for $2k-$3k, not
probable, but it does happen. I picked up an incomplete MGB GT V-8
project, full Rover SD1 driveline (engine, 'box, driveshaft, EFI)
for $2k. From an ad that was on the internet. Matter of fact, I found
the $225 3.5 on the 'net, on the Rover's North page. Check the Rover
sites, the MG sites, and so forth.
Don't get discouraged and don't give up!
-Keith Wheeler
Team Sanctuary http://www.teamsanctuary.com/
At 04:39 PM 11/16/98 -0500, Kai Radicke wrote:
>Well with the possibility of purchasing a local rust free shell that I feel
>sorry for, I figure it would be best put to use in an Rover V8 conversion.
>So I started calling around on prices, well let me tell you... it is tough
>to find anyone local that even knows what a Rover is. And when I finally
>give them a list of models they came in (TR8, Stag, LandRover, RangeRover,
>etc...) the prices hover at $2-3000. That is damn expensive for an
>engine... or at least I think.
>
>So does anyone have a Rover V8 (3.9L FI preferred) or know of anyone wanting
>to sell one? I'm willing to spend $2k, but not when the engine has 100k
>miles on it (the lowest quote I got).
>
>Thanks,
>
>--
>Kai Radicke -- kmr@pil.net
>IRC: irc.mcs.net, #inet-access
>
>
>
|