The V8 Owners Forum -

Lexus engine would be my choice.

I'm biased of course as I run an LS 400 as my daily (290bhp).

Pete

I am obviously biased towards the Rover V8 .. but I have to say that 300BHP normally aspirated would be a pretty wild 4.0. The best results I have ever managed were 275BHP to keep it driveable .. sure if you want to go for a really wild cam and make all the power at the top end of the rev range .. build it with a billet crank and steel rods, forged pistons etc. you could achieve over 300 .. but it would be an out and out track car and pretty well gutless below 3000 rpm.
As a guideline for a driveable Rover I would say 250 - 270 is more realistic, and that will require a reasonably hot cam and some nicely worked heads (Paul Goodenough is the man to ask if you want Rover castings modified). Wildcat and TA are okay but again for race applications .. they don't tend to work very well low down.
To be honest .. bang for buck .. I think you will struggle to beat the BMW or LS engines .. a Rover V8 4.0 to make 300 BHP is going to cost around £8000 in my experience!
Just my opinion though

shaunod, what spec did it take to get 270bhp out of a 4.0 and what rpm was it making it at??

Cheers
Ben

It was about 6 years ago, we don't get that much call for 4.0's, it was a 3.9 / 4.0 with CR at about 10:1 I think, stage III V8D Heads, Bespoke camshaft .. but along the lines of a Kent 404, fully ported injection system, nothing else too special.

We had one at 260 ish on the dyno (can't remember the exact figures) a few weeks ago .. but that was a Weber 500 carb ... stage IV Heads .. 404 camshaft, I think it is on Ebay at the moment!

It is certainly achievable, just don't think you are going to get much more without making it a race motor.

Hi,

I think it is on Ebay at the moment!

This one -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/rover-v8-3-9- ... 4161242eda

Cheers John

yep!

If you are thinking Lexus or BMW V8, they are very wide. I tried a Lexus in my Alpine/Tiger engine bay