[Healeys] Rover V8 in a Healey

[Patrick and Caroline Quinn]

G’day

The alloy 4.4 litre version was used in the ill-fated Leyland P76, virtually the last hurrah for British Leyland in Australia. They are hard to come by these days.

So versatile was the Buick derived 3.5 litre V8 that it could be taken out to 5 litres and used in Formula 5000 open wheelers. Australian racing car manufacturer Elfin, did just that and while it wasn’t as powerful as the Chev based F5000 engines, being cast in aluminium it was far lighter than the Chev’s cast iron construction.

Hoo Roo

Patrick Quinn
Blue Mountains, Australia

From: pieter scheenhouwer <pieterscheen at yahoo.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2024 3:48 PM
To: Patrick and Caroline Quinn <p.cquinn at outlook.com>
Cc: healeybruce at roadrunner.com; Mark Donaldson <ardmorebusiness at xtra.co.nz>; HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com>; Al Fuller <alfuller194 at gmail.com>; Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Rover V8 in a Healey

I have the Leyland 4.4litre version of this engine in my boat( a photo of which is in the latest Australian Healey Newsletter).
 Putting out about 230bhp it will push this 22ft wooden runabout along at a good 30knots+ all day.
 We won’t discuss fuel consumption:)
Piet
Sent from my iPhone


On 15 Feb 2024, at 11:59, Patrick and Caroline Quinn <p.cquinn at outlook.com<mailto:p.cquinn at outlook.com>> wrote:

Hello

Interesting engine with an interesting history.

It started as a single design, and then morphed into separate designs for Buick and Oldsmobile.

Rover in the UK bought the rights to the Buick engine as it was slight lighter and less complicated that it’s Oldsmobile cousin. The Oldsmobile engine had six head studs per cylinder, while the Buick had four.

The build rights of the Oldsmobile engine were acquired by Repco here in Australia and formed the basis of the Repco-Brabham V8 engine that was used by Jack Brabham to win the 1965 Formula 1 World Championship.

There are a couple of 100s here in Australia fitted with Rover V8s and if you must fit a V8 to an Austin-Healey it would be a good choice. There are a number of Repco V8s still in use within Historic Motorsport.

Hoo Roo

Patrick Quinn
Blue Mountains, Australia

From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net>> On Behalf Of healeybruce--- via Healeys
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2024 7:32 AM
To: 'Mark Donaldson' <ardmorebusiness at xtra.co.nz<mailto:ardmorebusiness at xtra.co.nz>>; 'HealeyRick' <healeyrik at gmail.com<mailto:healeyrik at gmail.com>>; 'Al Fuller' <alfuller194 at gmail.com<mailto:alfuller194 at gmail.com>>
Cc: 'Healeys' <healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Rover V8 in a Healey

Kenny Derringer built his 100 with a Buick 215—sweet engine in a 100.  One correction, though—it was never used in a Riveria.  It was standard in the 1961 Buck Special, and Olds and Pontiac also offered it in their senior compacts.

Bruce Steele
1960 BN7

From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net<mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net>> On Behalf Of Mark Donaldson
Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 12:55 PM
To: 'HealeyRick' <healeyrik at gmail.com<mailto:healeyrik at gmail.com>>; 'Al Fuller' <alfuller194 at gmail.com<mailto:alfuller194 at gmail.com>>
Cc: 'Healeys' <healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Rover V8 in a Healey

The Rover V8 – Buick Riviera engine is actually lighter than the stock 100 engine.  I think it was 180 bhp.
One of our Auckland members fitted one to his BN1 – which had a tired engine – back in 1976.  It did a great job.
Officially clocked at 145 mph on a clear long straight in South Auckland.
The car now has a larger (Chev) engine fed by a Holley Quadrajet.  Even livelier.

Mark
Ardmore, NZ

Here it is last Sunday
<image001.jpg>

From: HealeyRick <healeyrik at gmail.com<mailto:healeyrik at gmail.com>>
Sent: Wednesday, 14 February 2024 3:31 AM
To: Al Fuller <alfuller194 at gmail.com<mailto:alfuller194 at gmail.com>>
Cc: Chris Scholz <drscholz at visioncenterpc.com<mailto:drscholz at visioncenterpc.com>>; Healeys <healeys at autox.team.net<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net>>
Subject: [Healeys] Rover V8 in a Healey

The Rover V8 is basically the 215 ci Buick aluminum engine that Rover later bought the rights to.  It really doesn't put out enough power in stock form for the heavy big Healey but is much better suited to a Sprite.  For me, who loves these old Healey drag cars this was a very fun read from Facebook:

<image002.jpg>

"
David Van Weele<https://www.facebook.com/groups/537339426646017/user/100003870632662/?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZWofg1JW_qoTFNaekfgzlfLMwzVzLqu2wI3BPYAm5GVe-YFXAuSRqP_yjTd99qJfM8wJFdUrLwJ7pwYyCWQJBg3GObGDeA2FIBE1HNq6ZjBmYbjH9OT1TQsfFw8dHjA-f1iYRZBx2Ldxhk0UT2Xxvy-T5zi6mT6FBzhmhobeTqAxgFNippsVoX2UK7OWtj7cwSIuVScQgIN7pa0_h6myehDk9ZkMZG9Hxlh4cGIEVLUrg&__tn__=-UC*F>
rsdeSontpo 62t0My:11liamam1g3t 5P0 0cu9t 1u7F0brm1g2g1hgf0re<https://www.facebook.com/groups/537339426646017/posts/2005694813143797/?__cft__%5b0%5d=AZWofg1JW_qoTFNaekfgzlfLMwzVzLqu2wI3BPYAm5GVe-YFXAuSRqP_yjTd99qJfM8wJFdUrLwJ7pwYyCWQJBg3GObGDeA2FIBE1HNq6ZjBmYbjH9OT1TQsfFw8dHjA-f1iYRZBx2Ldxhk0UT2Xxvy-T5zi6mT6FBzhmhobeTqAxgFNippsVoX2UK7OWtj7cwSIuVScQgIN7pa0_h6myehDk9ZkMZG9Hxlh4cGIEVLUrg&__tn__=%2CO*F>  ·
This is a picture of my brother driving my car back in 1969 at Morosso in Palm Beach, Fl. I purchased the car new in 1960 a dealer in Bayport NY. I street drove the car until 1963 when I purchased a new 1963 Corvette Z06. I had an accident in 1962 that destroyed the bug eye lights so I purchased a Peasmarsh fiber glass bonnet. It looked like an XKE Jag with the headlights under plexiglass covers. With the Z06 to drive on the street my brother and I installed a Buick 215 CI aluminum engine. We built the engine with Hilborn fuel injection, Isky cam and kit, 13:1 Forge True pistons, Mickey Thompson Alum rods, Thomas magnesium rocker arms, Vertex Magneto, T-10 transmission, 57 Chevy rear end shortened to fit under the body and used M&H slicks on widened Corvette wheels. With the hood surround we ran B Modified Sport and If we removed the surround we ran C Altered. It ran very well, the cam and set up produced max HP at 10,500 RPM so the straight exhaust had the sound of any Indy car. This is what happens when a H Production car grows up."


Se
On Mon, Feb 12, 2024 at 9:25 PM <alfuller194 at gmail.com<mailto:alfuller194 at gmail.com>> wrote:
Has anyone here put the Rove V-8 in a Healey? I think I heard that was a nice balance between weight savings, increased power and level of difficulty.
-----------------------------------
All the best,
Al Fuller
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