Well, after years of searching I've finally come about to my dream machine - a Dolomite Sprint with a Rover V8 in it!
My first car was an 1850HL, then I had a standard Sprint, then a tuned '71 1500FWD with a Sprint powertrain making 160BHP, then a *ahem* 70bhp 1500SE, then on eBay I spotted what looked like a well-sorted, well thought out conversion and ...bought it!
Excuse the terrible photos - Didn't get much chance to take any decent ones and ran out of daylight/energy after driving 6 hours round trip to collect it - it's bloody noisy above 50 due to no carpets/sound proofing/some missing drain plugs/gaiters
The specs are :
- 3.5 litre fuel injected Rover V8 (from a Range Rover, I think?)
- Performance single exhaust system
- K&N high-flow filter
- 5 speed gearbox
- Sherpa linkage
- Spax adjustable shock absorbers all round
- 1" drop uprated springs front & rear
- Goodridge brake lines
- Modifed fuel tank with Range Rover swirl pot & fuel pump
- 205 profile tyres
It's FANTASTIC! It's geared to do 23mph per 1000RPM so is a bit short - but it goes like a train!
The car sounds awesome, drives beautifully, is very comfortable and rides well but unfortunately at the moment is VERY noisy in the cabin, to say the least - there's no carpet, weather sealing, sound proofing or anything so above 50mph it becomes a deafening whir of valvetrain, gearbox and propshaft. Still, it's bloody hillarious either way!
Just need to fully service it, fit some bits of missing trim, sort out the interior and then start customising it to suit - new gauges, maybe new wheels, some performance tweaks and should be set to hit the strip at Santa Pod.
Here's a poor video of putting my foot down gently in 3rd, shortshifting into 4th at about 3000. I'll try to get some better vids later next week.
Anyway my questions!
- what I was here to say was if any of you could recommend any decent books about the Rover V8, or where would be best to start tuning it up. I quite fancy the idea of keeping the EFi as it's been very well done but I appreciate it may limit my options?
- what oil pressures are acceptable? At about 3000RPM it holds 60lbs on the gauge and at idle it's like ~30, if I remember correctly
- I remember now - it PINKS! How do I adjust the timing to correct this, as I've never had an EFi engine before and don't have a manual to hand. It's quite heavy at some points and I don't want to leave it like that - mind you, I did fill it up with really cheap fuel, what's the recommended? I'd usually try and use Optimax with Millers VSP for a bit of a boost, regardless
- Last but not least - after I got home, turned it off for 20 minutes (after driving 120 miles), got back in, turned it over and it seems to be running on 7? The idle drops to like 400rpm, then it stumbles, ign light comes on, comes back up, stumbles again and will usually drop lower and stall, or not start at all. What an earth? It was fine just a minute ago, has it killed a plug? I've looked through the forums and it seems this might be an ECU problem?
If I press the pedal it revs up and seems ok...
Anyway,
More power, please
The rear axle is good for 300lb/ft so should be OK for some time 
Thanks everyone for your help! Will keep you up to date with progress and plans
