Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dataio.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!mhuxn!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!uw-june!entropy!dataio!dbp
From: dbp@dataio.UUCP (Dave Pellerin)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Rover lump (?)
Message-ID: <666@dataio.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 21-May-85 11:53:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: dataio.666
Posted: Tue May 21 11:53:58 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 23-May-85 01:24:18 EDT
Reply-To: dbp@dataio.UUCP (Dave Pellerin)
Distribution: net.auto
Organization: The Boneless Chicken Farm
Lines: 27

>By the way, I believe that the 3.5 liter Rover engine is a very close relative
>of an Oldsmobile unit. Anybody got the full story?
>
>Charlie @ the Death Star, IL.

I don't have the full story, but it goes something like this:

GM developed the 215 CID V-8 in 1960 (or therabouts) to install as
an option in the Pontiac Tempest, Oldsmobile F-85, and Buick Skylark.
The Buick and Olds versions are virtually identical (the Olds has five
head bolts per cyl, the Buick has four, other minor diffs).

A factory turbo-charger was available on one of these models (I think
it was the Tempest?) and even without turocharging, these engines could
be coaxed to well over 200 HP (with bolt-ons like headers, funny cam, etc.)

For some reason, GM stopped producing the engine in 1963 and sold the
rights to British Leyland.  The engine has since been used in the Land
Rovers, Rover TC3500 sedans and the Triumph TR8. 

The engine is very light (all aluminum with sleel cylinder sleeves) and
is a natural for engine swap projects.  I put one in a Chevy Vega and
I have seen them put in TR6's, a Sunbeam, an MGB and a Ferrari Marretti.
There is also a very fast homebuilt aircraft design that uses it.


		- Dave  (...uw-beaver!teltone!dataio!dbp)