Coachbuilding A Hot Rod In Corona Lockdown 
Mocking Up The Grille 
Mocking Up The Front Wing 
Bonnet Skin - Starting Again 
Metal Shaping Using A Sand Bag 
English Wheel With A Rubber Band 
Making My First Handmade Bonnet 
Morris Minor Roof 
Homemade-Bonnet Frame MKII 
Bespoke Bonnet 
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!
Unfortunately, In this case it may need some fixing.
I’ve got a Rover V8 for measuring and set-up purposes. I’ll strip it down, see what it needs and if it’s not too far gone, rebuild it.
It looks like a late SD1 block and it was a manual. As to it’s capacity and true condition I’ve got some reading up to do. – I’ve started below…
The injection system seems to suggest that it was from a Vitesse. The heads however do not have any stamped markings, just casting numbers. So the injection maybe a later addition. It looks like it’s been standing for quite some time.
The later large capacity Range Rover V8’s have twin plenum injection systems and distributor-less ignition, this one is only a single and has a distributor. That suggests it is only a 3.5 or 3.9litre.
The big capacity Range Rover motors don’t have huge bhp figures as they mainly benefit from higher torque. With the car hopefully weighing in at around 700Kg’s, torque is not my priority.
I have a couple of old magazine articles with mildly tuned Westfield Seights and they were both around 3.5seconds 0-60.
If I can get this beast to turn, I’ll try rebuilding it with pretty much standard internals. – maybe?? Surely 190bhp is enough??
Identifying A Rover V8
The photo below shows the engine number stamped into the face where the block and head meet.
The top row of the stamping shows the compression ratio (9.75:1)
The second row has 3 numbers blurred out but starts 30A0xxx7 – This means that the engine is a 3528cc EFi engine from a SD1 Vitesse with a manual gearbox, Made between 1982 & 1987.
See the table below:
| Engine No. | Application | cc | Compression Ratio |
Approximate Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rover P5 Coupe | ||||
| 84000001A | 3500 | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1973 |
| 84100001A | 3500 | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1973 |
| 84300001A | 3500 | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1973 |
| Rover P6 | ||||
| 42500001A | 3500 Auto | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| 42700001A | 3500 Auto | 3528 | 8.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| 43000001A | 3500 Auto | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| 43200001A | 3500 Auto | 3528 | 8.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| 45100001A | 3500 Auto | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| 45300001A | 3500 Auto | 3528 | 8.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| 45500001A | 3500 Auto | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967-1976 |
| 46600001A | 3500S Auto USA | 3528 | 1967 – 1976 | |
| 48100001A | 3500S manual | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| 48500001A | 3500S manual | 3528 | 10.5:1 | 1967 – 1976 |
| Rover SD1 | ||||
| 10A00001A | Manual | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1976 – 1987 |
| 11A00001A | Auto | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1979 – 1980 |
| 12A00001A | Manual EFI USA | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1979 – 1980 |
| 13A00001A | Auto EFI USA | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1979 – 1980 |
| 14A00001A | Auto Sweden | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1976 – 1987 |
| 15A00001A | Auto Australia | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1976 – 1987 |
| 16A00001A | Auto Japan | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1976 – 1987 |
| 17A00001A | V8S Manual | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1979 – 1980 |
| 17A00001A | Vanden Plas Manual | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1981 – 1987 |
| 18A00001A | V8S Auto | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1979 – 1980 |
| 18A00001A | Vanden Plas Auto | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1981 – 1987 |
| 19A00001A | Manual Australia | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1976 – 1987 |
| 20A00001A | EFi Australia | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 21A00001A | EFi Australia | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 23A00001A | SE / Vanden Plas Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 24A00001A | Vanden Plas / SE, Manual + Air Con | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 25A00001A | Vanden Plas / SE, Manual + Air Con | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 26A00001A | Vanden Plas / SE, Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 27A00001A | SE, Manual + Air Con for Hot Climate | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 28A00001A | SE, Auto + Air Con for Hot Climate | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 30A00001A | Vitesse, Manual | 3528 | 9.75:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 31A00001A | EFi, Auto | 3528 | 9.75:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 32A00001A | Vitesse, Manual | 3528 | 9.75:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 33A00001A | Auto, Air Conditioning | 3528 | 9.75:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 34A00001A | Switzerland | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 36A00001A | Switzerland | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 38A00001A | Factory Recon | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| 39A00001A | Factory Recon | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1982 – 1987 |
| Triumph TR8 | ||||
| 10E000001A | Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1980 |
| 11E000001A | Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1980 |
| 12E000001A | EFi Federal, Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1980 |
| 13E000001A | EFi Federal, Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1980 |
| 14E000001A | Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1980 |
| 15E000001A | Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1980 |
| MG | ||||
| 48600001A | GT V8 | 3528 | 8.26:1 | 1973-1976 |
| Morgan | ||||
| 30A0000 | Plus 8 EFi | 3528 | 9.75:1 | 1983-1991 |
| 37A0000 | Plus 8 EFi | 3528 | 9.75:1 | 1983-1991 |
| 486001333A | Plus 8 Carburetor | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1968-1983 |
| 47A00001 | 3.9lt Plus 8 EFi | 9.35:1 | 1968-1983 | |
| S46D0000A | 4.6lt Plus 8 EFi | 9.35:1 | 1968-1983 | |
| TVR | ||||
| 37A0000 | 350i | 3528 | 9.75:1 | |
| 37A40P0000 | 3.9lt Chimaera EFi | 9.8:1 | ||
| 47A40P0000 | 3.9lt Chimaera EFi | 9.8:1 | ||
| 47A43P0000 | 4.3lt Griffith EFi | &nsp; | ||
| 37A50P0000 | 5.0lt Griffith/Chimera 500 EFi | 10:1 | ||
| 47A50P0000 | 5.0lt Chimera 500 EFi | 10:1 | ||
| Range Rover | ||||
| 35500001C 35500001D 35500001E |
Carb | 3528 | 8.25:1 | 1970-1983 |
| 35500001F | Carb | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1970-1983 |
| 34100001 | Carb | 3528 | 8.25:1 | 1970-1983 |
| 35900001A | Carb CDK | 3528 | 8.25:1 | 1970-1983 |
| 39800001A | Carb 8 Australia | 3528 | 13:1 | 1970-1983 |
| 11D00001A | Carb Pulsair | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1970-1983 |
| 13D00001A 13D00001B |
Carb Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1981-1985 |
| 15D00001A 15D00001B |
Carb Pulsair Auto | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1981-1985 |
| 16D00001A 16D00001B |
Carb Pulsair Auto | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1983-1985 |
| 17D00001A 17D00001B |
Carb Pulsair Manual | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1983-1985 |
| 18D00001A 18D00001B |
Carb Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1983-1985 |
| 19D00001A 19D00001B |
Carb Pulsair Manual | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1983-1985 |
| 20D00001B | Carb Pulsair Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1983-1985 |
| 21D00001B | Carb Pulsair Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1983-1985 |
| 21D00001B | Carb Pulsair Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1983-1985 |
| 22D00001 | EFi Disc Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1986- |
| 23D00001 | EFi Disc Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1986- |
| 24D00001 | EFi Disc Manual | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1986- |
| 25D00001A | EFi Auto | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1986- |
| 26D00001A | Carb Manual | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1986- |
| 27D00001A | EFi Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1986- |
| 28D00001 | Carb Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1986- |
| 29D00001A | Carb Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1986- |
| 30D00001 | Carb Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1986- |
| 31D00001 | EFi | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1986- |
| 35D00001 | 3.9lt Discovery EFi Manual | 9.35:1 | 1988- | |
| 36D00001 | 3.9lt Discovery EFi Auto | 9.35:1 | 1988- | |
| 37D00001 | 3.9lt Discovery EFi Manual | 8.13:1 | 1988- | |
| 38D00001 | 3.9lt Discovery EFi Auto | 8.13:1 | 1988- | |
| 42D00001A | Series 2, 4.0lt EFi, High Compression | 9.34:1 | 1994-2002 | |
| 44D00001A | Series 2, 4.0lt EFi, Low Compression | 8.13:1 | 1994-2002 | |
| 57D00001A | Series 2, 4.0lt EFi, Low Compression | 8.13:1 | 1998-2002 | |
| 58D00001A | Series 2, 4.0lt EFi, High Compression | 9.34:1 | 1998-2002 | |
| 92D00001A | Series 2, 4.0lt EFi Canada | 8.13:1 | 1998-2002 | |
| 95D00001A | Series 2, 4.0lt, EFi NAS | 9.34:1 | 1998- | |
| 40D00001 | 4.2lt EFi | 8.94:1 | 1992-1994 | |
| 46D00001A | 4.6lt Series 2 EFi | 9.34:1 | 1994-2002 | |
| 46D00001A | 4.6lt Series 2 EFi | 8.12.1 | 1994-2002 | |
| 59D00001A | 4.6lt Series 2 EFi | 8.12.1 | 1998-2002 | |
| 60D00001A | 4.6lt Series 2 EFi | 9.34.1 | 1998-2002 | |
| 93D00001A | 4.6lt Series 2 EFi, Canada | 8.12.1 | 1998-2002 | |
| 96D00001A | 4.6lt Series 2 EFi, NAS | 9.34.1 | 1998-2002 | |
| Land Rover Series III | ||||
| 10G00001 | Stage 1 | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 |
| 11G00001 | Stage 1 | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 |
| 12G00001 | Stage 1 | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1982 |
| Land Rover 90/110 | ||||
| 14G00001 | 90/110 | 3528 | 8.31:1 | 1983- |
| 15G00001 | 90/110 | 3528 | 8.31:1 | 1983- |
| 19G00001 | 90/110 Saudi | 3528 | 8.31:1 | 1983- |
| 20G00001 | 90/110 | 3528 | 8.31:1 | 1983- |
| 21G00001 | 90/110 | 3528 | 8.31:1 | 1983- |
| 22G00001 | 90/110 Australia | 3528 | 8.31:1 | 1983- |
| 24G00001 | 90/110 | 3528 | 8.31:1 | 1983- |
| Land Rover Discovery | ||||
| 27G00001 | Carb Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1990 |
| 22D00001 | EFi Manual | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1990 |
| 23D00001 | EFi Auto | 3528 | 8.13:1 | 1990 |
| 24D00001 | EFi | 3528 | 9.35:1 | 1990 |
| 30G00001 | 3.9lt EFi Japan | 9.13:1 | ||
| 31G00001 | 3.9lt EFi 50LE | 9.13:1 | ||
| Sherpa | ||||
| 47G50P0000 | 3.5 | 3528 | ||
The cylinder heads only have the casting numbers visible:
These heads have the markings
- ERC 0216
- Y 5 E 652
- 28F84N
This unfortunately does not tell me whether they are standard SD1 or the Vitesse SD1 heads that featured, flowed valves; with a 30° back cut and wasted stems on the inlet valves.
The only way to tell this engine’s true condition, is to take it down it it’s last nut and bolt.
A long term project I think.
