Rover engine?

[Graham]

MMM now there is a thought would a rover V8 fit in a cerby <Ducks and runs> the reaason i ask is i heard a rumor of an early cerby with a lunched engine thqat might be going cheap, and i have a couple of spare v8s to hand... It would need custome engine mounts and exhaust obviously, but dont they use the same gearbox... will it fit as the AJP is small... I know it wouldnt have the same power but you would get the chassis, the Brakes and the looks? Cheers Graham

[DAVE_H]

Wasn't the Cerbie just based on a longer Chim chassis? (if you get my drift) I'm sure you could do it, TVR have put an AJP in a griff before, most low volume car builders tend to make most things interchangable. Proberly not such a daft idea Graham.

[MikeE]

I've been waiting for this 'chestnut' for some time..... I'd thought a while ago that this sounded like an option for an early Cerby (worth circa £20k with working AJP) with a lunched engine (circa £13-£15k?). With new AJPs at £10K (?) who's going to buy a new one for a £20K car? The thought of the engine lunching itself is the one thing that puts me off these early Cerbies, which are now approaching ridiculously good value for your money. As you suggest I'm sure that a lot of Cerby owners will be disgusted by the idea! Mike.

[DAVE_H]

If you think about it, this is a situation a lot like many Triumph Stags found themselves in around the late 70's/early 80's. A fair few had the Truimph V8 replaced with Rover v8/Triumph straight sixes, and now the Truimph engine is better understood these days, and for originality most have/are been converted back, thus keeping a lot more alive today than may well have been scrapped. The same could happen to the early Cerbies with Rover V8 conversions(my turn to duck and run now) where quite possibly in years to come they may be converted back to 4.5 AJP, if the cost comes down/seconhand supply more available - it could happen!

[Graham]

So all i need to do now is run a tape measure over a cerbys engine bay and my Chim to see if it will fit... Might be down on power though if i put and early 110 landrover low comp v8 in I think they had about 110bhp..... Though i wave seen a twin plenum SDi motor last week

[Dave_H]

Well that's one way of keeping the insurance down(110bhp). That would allow it to move around under it's own steam, but to have at least some fun you might to go for the other lump