Viva 1800 HC engine and box for sale

[andylake2003]

Just to let you chaps know i'm selling the engine from my 1800 HC with 90,000 on it and running very nicely (although a little crank rattle on cold start up) and the gearbox.
The engine is on Ebay at the moment, as are the twin carbs i never got to fit. Gearbox will be going on soon.
Be great once i get it all out of the car as well, not getting much time to pull stuff apart at the mo. If you're interested then shout up and we might be able to come to a deal.
Oh and the seats will be going soon as i've bought some really nice ones.
Now can anybody explain how i get this v8 fitted into the HC?

[pbottomley]

Now can anybody explain how i get this v8 fitted into the HC?

Tell more, we want to know more about you, the car, the plans etc

[black8driver]

fitting a v8???....

ive got an engine horn you can borrow.. its like a shoe horn only.........

si

[andylake2003]

Well pbottomly, i have to admit i'm a complete novice with a computer, i don't use Twitter, got a Facebook thing but don't know how to use it so very rarely look at it and never used a forum before.
At the moment then it's just a case of putting something here about my 1979 Viva HC 4 door Gls in old fart metallic bronze, with the beige vinyl roof. Lovely! I'm keeping it looking old fartish but dropping in a mildly tuned 3.5 v8 Rover lump and SD1 box. Always wanted a 4 door Viva Street Sleeper. It's not meant to be a stand out hotrod, just a nice cruiser. Built the engine last year but still not started it, mainly as i don't get the time to fiddle about in the garage.
I'm a trucker at the moment but was trained as a mechanic in my teens, so i've spent most of my life fixing, breaking and driving cars and bikes (usually without crashing them, but we don't mention the Monaro nowadays)

[chrismc]

Hi Andy. Sounds like an interesting project. I have a Rover v8 powered Magnum coupe. If I can be of any help just shout.

Thanks Chris

[andylake2003]

Thanks for the offer Chris. Was hoping the bulkhead and tunnel might not need altering due to the bigger engine in the 1800's. Am i hoping for too much here? Due to be testing the fit sometime in the next week.

[Fred Dukes]

If you look at the Red Baron - my Firenza V8 - with the same engine and gearbox as you are using then yopu will see that the bulkhead has been cut to allow the back of the engine to point of heater matrix has gone - looking at Chrismc photos it looks similar.
However there is a Magnum Coupe with a Rover V8 and auto box which has not had the bulkhead cut - engine is well foreward and there is a very flat radiator fitted so it can be done.

[andylake2003]

I'll take a look at your in a couple of weeks Fred when i come down for the panels. I've removed my engine and box now and if i can get around to it today, i'll offer up the v8 and box to see what is what. Don't fancy losing the heater though, i'm getting old and feel the cold nowadays.
Wish i could find these pictures of other members v8 conversions, i'm just so pants on a computer.
Cheers

[chrismc]

Hi Andy, I am away until this evening. I can post a link to some of my pics then.

Thanks Chris

[chrismc]

In fact I have just realised the photos of my build are in the link below my posts.

As you can see I had to chop the bulkhead and set it back around 2". You may not have to do this if you use the Rover P6 water pump and pulleys which make the engine a couple of inches shorter. I used the original Range Rover set up.

Because of the Bulkhead modification I now only have half a heater. I had to chop a chunk of it off so now it only works on the demist setting.

I also had to remake the Transmision tunnel to fit the Rover LT77 box.

The steering column had to be moved over slightly and an extra UJ fitted.

The general opinion is that the rear axle would not to be up to the job so I replaced it with a Salisbury 4HA axle out of a Scimitar SE5. This is the correct width for a viva at 54" wide. I replaced the drums with discs but this is not necessary. As you can see I also 5 linked this axle so different mounts had to be made. Added bonus of this axle is a Jag Powerlok LSD will fit straight in with a small modification I can tell you about if you decide to go down this route.

Brakes may need upgrading to suite your driving style?

T'is a lot of work...

Thanks Chris