P8 Rover Engine.

[dazza2623]

Hi all,I have the P8 Rover V8 that came to Australia for the P76 project.
It was damaged in testing I gather ,but is getting repaired & rebuilt.
Allan Firth came to our place on one of his visits to Oz & spent some time looking at it & taking pics.
It is special & I couldn't see it become a Coffee Table.
I will post some pics when I find them.
Just thought it would be of interest .
Cheers Darren.

 

[rockdemon]

Absolutely of interest! Welcome to the forum...

Would love to know more about it. The P8 is still a major source of interest here in the UK

Rich

 

[SydneyRoverP6B]

G'day Darren,

Welcome to the forum! Sounds very interesting, looking forward to seeing the photos in due course.

Ron.

 

[dazza2623]

The manifold & carb set up I will be using on the P8.It is for 4.4 not 3.5 or like,too wide.

 

[chrisyork]

Hi Darren

On this side of the planet there is very considerable confusion about what is meant by a "P8 engine". This seems to have arisen by a number of the P8 off tools prototypes running around with prototypes of the P76 4.4 V8 prior to the development of that engine being handed to BL Australia for productionising. The 4.4 had always been in Rover's model programme right from the purchase of the engine back in the middle sixties - just that they were hampered by having built the engine line so that it wasn't able to adapt to the 4.4's different bore spacings. P8 itself seems to have been intended to launch with the 3.9 version of the standard 3.5 that was subsequently used in Range Rover Classics. But there equally seems to have been a possibility that P8 was scheduled to acquire the 4.4 ltr V8 version of the twin cam 16 valve slant four that was derived from the Rover 2000 unit. So that's three unknown (then) engines in the space of a paragraph, and we wonder why there's confusion!

So we'd really like to know everything you can tell us about your engine and its history.

Chris

 

[dazza2623]

Hi Chris,
I am not sure about the twin cam engines.The larger bore engines(3.9) were a later development I thought.
The P8 engine is 4.4 litre.The bore spacings are identical to 3.5 litre only the stroke was altered to within the limits of the crank case.
There should not have been any problems with this process as only the block height was increased,you can use rover or P76 head gaskets on it.P76 crank fits perfectly.
It had a late type seal instead of rope type.
The front casting of the block behind water pump is different to P6 & P76 but will take both timing covers.
It takes a Rover starter as has small hole,P76 was quite larger.
It has drain taps on the side of block same as rover.P76 does not.
Conrods are same length as P76 just weighted differently.
It has 3 row of head studs & has had the oil gallery to the heads blocked off by brass plugs.So used P76 type heads without rocker shaft.
This engine obviously failed in testing with the base of 2 cyl being damaged & a crack in side of block.This damage is repairable.
If you put a 3.5 rover & a 4.4 leyland into a blender this would be the result.
If you read David Hardcastle's Rover book his description is bang on.
It was painted blue probably to put people off thinking it was a Ford engine they were going to use.(leyland)
Leyland also worked out sump pressurisation was a problem with 3 row of head studs so went with 2 rows.
Leyland played with a 4.2 litre version of 3.5 rover with flat plain crank also.
The only way this got to Aust. would have been on an internal development program.It came from England to Aust. not the other way around.
The P8 was canned by politics just like the wonderful Leyland Force 7 & P76 Wagon.To keep development costs down it was utilized here I suppose.
Anyway hope to find these pics soon.
Cheers Darren.

 

[Adam Birch]

Allan Firth is a familiar name to me, is this someone who owns somewhere in the region of 50 cars, of which includes 14 P6's, one of which being an estoura?

 

[dazza2623]

He might be the one.
Allan & his lovely wife came over & had morning tea with the wife & I as well as Pat & Graham Rogerson.
Allan was very interested in the P8 engine & spent some time viewing it as well as taking photos.
He in formed me he had a large amount of info on the vehicles & would send me some facts,still waiting though.
Allan left me in no doubt that the engine I have is of the P8 project.
If I remember correctly,I was told at some stage that the first batch of engines for the P76's came from England until a local manufacturer was found.

 

[chrisyork]

Alan Firth lives near Newton Abbott. He was ex Cardiff Pengham stores operation and moved to Solihul somewhat later. So he's not the lad Adam is thinking of. Alan owns the only two P76's in the UK.

I'm sure the bit about Solihull producing and testing the first batch of P76 engines and then shipping them to Australia is correct. What I am extremely doubtful about is whether there is a further, different, engine, also of 4.4 ltr's that could be described as a P8 engine. I think this is an old wives tail brought on by the Solihul batch of P76 engines having been tested in P8 mules. That it's an old wives tail that has been repeated in impeccable company, I have no doubt, but an old wives tail none the less.

My money is on your engine turning out to be a very early Solihul prototype for the P76.

Has it got any identifying marks? If we were lucky an engine number, if not, any casting marks?

Chris

 

[dazza2623]

Here is some pics of the Block & rods.

 

[dazza2623]

Have been getting engine ready for assembly.You will see casting numbers,engine number,also CAC4 on block.

 

[dazza2623]

More pics

 

[rockdemon]

wow a 2.7 marina? If that's anything to do with the british marina that's going to be a handful! the idea of a marina as a sleeper appeals to me

 

[dazza2623]

The 6 cyl Marinas were spirited performers.The Aussies only did it because the English said it could not be done.
The Aussie Marinas were strengthened somewhat.
I have a Leyland 4dr that is getting a twin plenum 4.8 rover that I built.A 6 cyl Leyland coupe,English wagon & van.
They have to be loved by someone I suppose. :|