Stellaghost Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 7 hours ago, L19MUD said: My 3 wheel Reliant was allowed in so this has to be allowed 😁 Absolutely !!!!!!!! Regards Stephen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted November 4, 2021 Author Share Posted November 4, 2021 3 hours ago, missingsid said: And there should be no lack of speed, it's a twin turbocharged flatplane V8 from a well known British brand. 😎 Lots of trouble usually serious? Not a clue what you're on about, honestly! (it wasn't hard to guess was it? ) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 6 hours ago, Escape said: Not a clue what you're on about, honestly! (it wasn't hard to guess was it? ) No but i had to say it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted January 13, 2022 Author Share Posted January 13, 2022 Progress was slow over the past few months. I did get most of the wiring sorted, though not tested yet. And started putting the dash back together, so definitely on the right track! This week I spent cleaning and porting the intake parts from the donor P38. Today Ben and Quentin came over to help me bolt on some parts. And have some drinks and fries. 🍻 Unfortunately, things didn't quite go as planned. At some point I decided that instead of standard rocker assemblies I want fancy YellaTerra Rolling Rockers. They look very nice and are adjustable so easy to get tappet preload right. But they don't fit under the standard rocker covers! So I need spacers for the covers, but that means the Bosch intake manifold will no longer fit... Cue the search for spacers for both the rocker covers and intake plenum. We know they exist but only found the intake spacer in the US (for the Buick 215). Either bite the bullet and get it shipped or see if it can be manufactured locally. After all it's just a slab of aluminum with 8 big holes (and six smaller bolt holes). Some more progress to be expected tomorrow, hopefully no more surprises! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 That's the price of being a tart I guess 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreePointFive Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 We need photos, it might be a lack of searching on my part but I don't often see people doing much exotic things with Rover V8s, would be interesting to see what this ends up looking like. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 9 hours ago, ThreePointFive said: We need photos, it might be a lack of searching on my part but I don't often see people doing much exotic things with Rover V8s, would be interesting to see what this ends up looking like. There are some pictures of the engine build on page 2 (that was started back in 2019...). I know the guys took some more on Thursday, but I haven't seen those myself yet. Yesterday we fitted the front cover, sump and flywheel. We would have fitted the clutch as well, only I forgot to order a spigot bush... Today I plan to continue wiring and reassembly of the interior, before the Range gets pushed back onto the 2 poster to remove the body again. That will make it easy to redo the brake pipes and fit the engine + gearbox. Big thanks to @elbekko for designing the intake spacer as well as finding options to have it produced. Price isn't bad at all and it's easy enough to fit with the engine already in the car. So I can't use that as an excuse not to push on... Filip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 Things are getting ready to happen! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 Nice - some good progress. Really. Love that workshop.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted January 26, 2022 Author Share Posted January 26, 2022 26 minutes ago, Arjan said: Nice - some good progress. Really. Love that workshop.. Always welcome for a brew and a chat if you're in the area! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted January 27, 2022 Share Posted January 27, 2022 Thank you ! Next trip to Holland is with a 6 mtr. trailer...... We'll keep in touch ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted January 29, 2022 Author Share Posted January 29, 2022 Actual progress today! 😎 After a couple of days struggling with the gearbox, transfer case and oil cooler on a Classic (the joys of mixing non-standard parts...), we somehow were motivated enough to start reassembly of Phoenix. I had fitted the clutch to the engine earlier this week and she was back on the 2-poster to take the body off again. We offered up the gearbox assembly and that only took a few careful wiggles to fit. Which left us with a sizeable chunk pretty much in the middle of the Workshop. So fire up the forklift, and might as well place it where it needs to go instead of just moving it out of the way. Surprisingly easy, with a few friends helping out as per usual. 🙂 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted June 30, 2022 Author Share Posted June 30, 2022 It's been 5 months since my last update already, this project really is going slowly... 😞 Over the past couple of months, after fitting the engine to the chassis, I tried to spend an hour here and there getting things fitted to the engine. Major milestone was the drive belt. Should have been easy enough, but you all know me by now. So I decided on using the alternator and mounting from a Thor, because I had that laying around and at 150A it's a certain improvement over the GEMS 120A. Not that I'll probably ever need that. The other bracket, for the power steering pump, is from a GEMS though, because that has more room for the hydraulic pump. The pump I bought comes with an electromagnetic clutch and fits to the mounting plate I salvaged from Piper. All seems to line up just nicely with just about enough room for the hydraulic hoses (if I ever get my Milemarker rebuilt). Sometimes my plans actually come together and I can even use the standard length drive belt. I thought I took some more pictures of the engine coming together, but can't find any at the moment. Incidentally, the power steering pump came off again. The one in my daily Range started leaking, so I swapped this one over and ordered a new one for Phoenix. That has since been fitted, along with the rocker covers and banana plenum. And the cooler assembly. That proved to be another setback: after some deliberation I decided on a new radiator, and it had to be a Thor type because of the angle of the main hose from the plenum. I had put aside some oil coolers to use, both for the engine and gearbox. Unfortunately on both the threads stripped when we tried to take of the old hoses. So new ones on order and then it turns out one of the pipes from the gearbox to the cooler is no longer available. Not that many manual V8s were made, so not that surprising. I'll cobble together something but made a mistake when ordering parts, I forgot the threads are different on both sides of the cooler... Brake pipes were also fitted. I made those myself to allow for the custom routing near the rear axle. The standard (early) routing gets strained when the rear axle drops to much, I found that out the hard way on this very car many years ago. Back then it was 'solved', now we have a nice custom install. The spacers needed for the EAS sensors double as a mounting for the brake pipes. Again, I should have pictures, I'll search my other laptop another time. Yesterday we finally took a big step. I was getting fed up with Phoenix taking up permanent residence on the 2-poster, as I have some suspension work to do (on a 1973 Elan +2S, lovely car that is being recommissioned after 20 years of storage, she's called Eline). Over the past weeks I had been fitting and tidying the engine wiring loom as that's a lot easier without bodywork in the way. I'm using a GEMS loom mated to the MS plug, which has been tested on another P38. But of course using a Thor top end means a lot of sensors need different plugs, like TPS, coolant temp and even oil pressure. So cut off the plugs from a spare loom, carefully study the wiring diagrams and out with the soldering iron. Seems to have come together nicely, fingers crossed everything will work as it should. Just need to work out the idle air control. A new SS exhaust has also been fitted. Though that will probably need to be modified (thanks for reminding me @elbekko!) to allow clearance for the Baja Claws. With not that much left to do on the engine and chassis, I ran out of excuses to mate up the body again and start work on that side. Fitting the steering shaft was a bit fiddly, everything else lined up near perfectly. I reconnected most of the sensor wires and brake pipes, before work got in the way again. The 2-poster now has the Elan sitting on it and Phoenix has been moved to another corner, where it's easier to open the doors and work from the inside. Remember the switch panel and associated abundance of wiring? While that should theoretically work, it proved almost impossible to mount in a somewhat tidy way so I'm going to redo it all. I'll fit a few multi pin connectors for the signal wires and only reconnect the power wires directly to the switches. Should make the install a lot cleaner, but will be a lot of work to get right. At least progress has been made! It might not be impossible to drive her to Seven Sisters in September. 😉 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 50 minutes ago, Escape said: At least progress has been made! It might not be impossible to drive her to Seven Sisters in September. Yaaay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanco Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 Just looking at the belt routing Filip..... doesn't seem to have much of a hold on the power steering pump? upper right, next to what I deduce is the A/C, is that OK like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted June 30, 2022 Share Posted June 30, 2022 34 minutes ago, Blanco said: Just looking at the belt routing Filip..... doesn't seem to have much of a hold on the power steering pump? upper right, next to what I deduce is the A/C, is that OK like that. That's the hydraulic pump for the winch. Seemed to work ok in the past, IIRC the belt routing on that side was the same then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted July 2, 2022 Author Share Posted July 2, 2022 On 6/30/2022 at 1:31 PM, Blanco said: Just looking at the belt routing Filip..... doesn't seem to have much of a hold on the power steering pump? upper right, next to what I deduce is the A/C, is that OK like that. As @elbekko said, that side has the same belt routing as used on the previous Range Rover and that never gave any trouble. It's pretty much identical to the standard setup as well. The AC compressor has been replaced with a hydraulic pump but the pulley size is the same. On 6/30/2022 at 11:11 AM, FridgeFreezer said: Yaaay! You're going to interpret my wishful thinking and unwarranted optimism for a firm commitment right? I'll certainly try to make it, and there is a backup plan: putting Tommy the Lightweight on a trailer. 😉 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted July 2, 2022 Share Posted July 2, 2022 8 hours ago, Escape said: You're going to interpret my wishful thinking and unwarranted optimism for a firm commitment right? I'll certainly try to make it, and there is a backup plan: putting Tommy the Lightweight on a trailer. 😉 You know we're always happy to have you guys whatever you're driving - even if the Lotus isn't great off-road 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 2, 2022 Share Posted July 2, 2022 4 minutes ago, FridgeFreezer said: You know we're always happy to have you guys whatever you're driving - even if the Lotus isn't great off-road some nice big gravel slides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted July 3, 2022 Author Share Posted July 3, 2022 14 hours ago, FridgeFreezer said: You know we're always happy to have you guys whatever you're driving - even if the Lotus isn't great off-road The Esprit should handle the gravel tracks just fine. I've probably done more off road with her than the average driver of a modern crossover or SUV. I remember a muddy parking lot where the Q3 in front of me turned back (I assume for fear of getting stuck) while I pushed on and found a great spot. Light is right, so you're not sinking into the stuff. 😎 And there's a short on board video from a RB a couple of years ago, we took a wrong turn and had to continue for some distance before I could turn around. But unfortunately the Esprit will take longer to get running again then the Range Rover... Filip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 If you've watched Top Gear in Argentina you'll know the Espirit V8 is great off road... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 On 7/3/2022 at 7:37 AM, Bowie69 said: If you've watched Top Gear in Argentina you'll know the Espirit V8 is great off road... But not fast enough to escape a crowd of angry Argentinians... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 4, 2022 Share Posted July 4, 2022 Indeed. A genuinely disturbing reaction. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonimouse Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 On 7/3/2022 at 7:37 AM, Bowie69 said: If you've watched Top Gear in Argentina you'll know the Espirit V8 is great off road... Not as good as a TVR Chimerea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 5, 2022 Share Posted July 5, 2022 Just now, Nonimouse said: Not as good as a TVR Griffith Even with the mid-engine goodness of the Espirit? Have we drifted off topic enough yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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