Rover V8 possibly a can of worms

[Daz]

I know this has been done before but I wanted your up to date opinions. My 1976 Stag was fitted with a 3.5 Rover V8 back in 1980. I am getting criticism that this is a very bad thing and my Stag is in fact, not a proper Stag. It runs an Offenhauser and a 4 barrel Holley, no bonnet mods. So unless you opened the bonnet you cannot tell, in fact you have to be a petrol head like us to know what you are looking at.
I love the Rover V8, I know the Rover V8 I have owned 11 cars all running this engine in various forms from 3.5 to 5.0. I bought my Stag BECAUSE it had a Rover V8.
So is this such a sin, is it such a bad thing?

[jleyton]

Not a sin at all

It's your car and you do what you like with it and with your RV8 experience that choice seems to make a lot of sense.

I personally like to keep mine as original as possible but I'd never knock someone who has an RV8.

Back in the 70s and 80s, before people knew how to sort the TV8 out properly then fitting a RV8 made a lot of sense.

Cheers

Julian

[DJT]

No sin at all. It is a Stag which, if it hadn't been converted may have been scrapped. If it makes you happy and it is reliable, so what? At least, when asked if it has the 'original Rover V8' you can smile and say 'yes!' and move on. Those of us with the 'unreliable, overheating, double-Dolomite' engine have to spend a lot of time explaining

Enjoy, and relax.

[Escape]

If you like your car, and it runs good, what could be the problem? Unless you want to take it to competitions where originality is a must, I wouldn't worry about what other people say.
I too know and love the Rover V8, and when I was looking for a Stag I did consider both cars with TV8 and RV8 (as long as the conversion was properly done). We found one with a TV8, and I'm very happy with that. It runs nicely and with the OHC is a more modern engine than the RV8, with more power for a smaller displacement. A shame it's not all aluminum, less weight is always better. I'm sure there are some things that could have been designed better, but that goes for the RV8 as well. Just think of the timing chain without a tensioner, that needs frequent replacements to maintain performance.
It would have been easier for me if it had been a RV8, because of the parts and knowledge I already have, and a good project for the MegaSquirt on the shelve. But the TV8 offers a new challenge, and I like that too.

Disclaimer, for me cars are primarily about performance, not specifically power and speed, just doing what I want them to do in a pleasant way. Not too say looks aren't important, but originality much less so. As long as it's an improvement and in character. For example, I have nothing against the Ford V6, but in a Capri or Sierra, not in a Stag that is supposed to have a V8, regardless of the power output. So I never considered a Stag with a Ford V6. On the other hand I have no problem fitting a transferbox from a Defender to my Range Rover to improve offroad driving.

Filip

[staggering]

I know this has been done before but I wanted your up to date opinions. My 1976 Stag was fitted with a 3.5 Rover V8 back in 1980. I am getting criticism that this is a very bad thing and my Stag is in fact, not a proper Stag. It runs an Offenhauser and a 4 barrel Holley, no bonnet mods. So unless you opened the bonnet you cannot tell, in fact you have to be a petrol head like us to know what you are looking at.
I love the Rover V8, I know the Rover V8 I have owned 11 cars all running this engine in various forms from 3.5 to 5.0. I bought my Stag BECAUSE it had a Rover V8.
So is this such a sin, is it such a bad thing?

Daz,
I've had my stag 17 yrs with full SD1 running gear (except diff) all done by PO but with bonnet buldge . Many times I have had people saying what a "great car" (esp along Southends Golden Mile ), but I have also had people say they don't like it to my face - nice. I can't afford to do any mods, just keeping the thing running is enough, but I love "playing" with the exhausts / minor tune ups etc and it is fast - enjoy, there is great support on this Forum as well.

Cheers
Ian

[Jeff]

Daz,

I was going to go down the RV8 route when my TV8 packed up, even still got the RV8 in my garage, bought Edelbrock rocker covers that did look nice plus a Holley I drove all the way to Felixstowe for.

But unfortunately the fellow that was going to do it all for me as I have a limited mechanical knowledge, competent but not confident, changed his mind so I had the TV8 re built by Clive Tate.

He did a fabulous job but I still would have preferred the RV8 for certain reasons to the point I would like a second Stag with the Rover V 8, but that would be silly.

Just enjoy it knowing it has certain advantages (and some disadvantages I hear purists cry out) over the TV8.

Final note, how many TV8 engines are fitted to kit cars (I know not so many were made in comparison) but if they were that good, there are/were still enough around to have been used.

Just my thoughts.

Jeff.

[flying farmer]

When I was looking for a project car I wasn't really bothered which engine it had in it provided it was a V8. I would have settled for a 6 pot at the right price, but in that case I would have reconverted it to a TV8, but I wouldn't have swapped out a Rover for the Triumph unless it was a badly done conversion.
I have spent years driving RV8 powered cars, I currently have a twin plenum Vitesse engine in my 2 door Toledo. I have worn out an RV8 once, that was my first V8 car, oddly enough another Toledo, but instead of a straight rebuild that was overbored to 3.9L.

I must say I prefer the sound of the TV8, even though mine doesn't sound like a Stag due to its exhaust system, the RV8 engine Toledo sounds a bit flat by comparison even using the same silencers.

I think the only people who get upset by the RV8 conversions are the highly polished originality brigade.

When I started going to the local Stag club meetings about 15 years ago they all looked down on one guy who had a Triumph straight six fitted. He wanted a Stag, but couldn't afford to buy or run an original engine one, and they were not at all sure how to take me with my TV8 engine TR5.....

Neil

[V Mad]

Daz, You may have heard of Jonathan Finnis, who was dedicated to converting the stag to RV8. His (ex) company Monarch has a comprehensive array of mods to support it. Take some time to learn more about the conversion so that when criticised you will be able to defend it as a valid conversion done for good reasons.

[73stagman]

I am seriously biased......
I also have a Rover V8 Stag. I am seriously pleased with the work I have done. I know its blowing my own but I dont give a ......
My car, like yours, and many others were converted back in the early eighties. Generally the engines came from cars that were older than the Stag (and so are classic items in their own right ) and most likely to have already been scrapped! The engines however, and I stress "at the time" were proven to be more reliable than the Stag engine but people genuinely loved the Stag as a car and figured they were worth saving and so converting to things more reliable made very good sense.
There are now cars out there, classed as classics in their own right that are younger than the Stag and still deemed to be "classic" even though they have body mods and wheel mods of all sorts.
The very fact that these modified cars were done so long ago makes them classics, but also we have managed to keep alive cars that would otherwise have been relegated to the scrap bin.
Would I convert a Stag engined car to RV8 now? I doubt it because the Stag engine has now been well and truly investigated, its weaknesses have been found and the remedies have been made developed and made available for those who desire the better reliability these strides forward have made. Also the costs and time required to do the job properly can be spent in defined areas of the Stag engine to make it the car it should always have been.
The converted cars, if they like any other old car are maintained properly and the conversions were done properly should be as "collectable" as the factory originals in my book but like I said at the start I am seriously biased having spent nearly ten grand on my restoration!
I say the run the RV8 and ignore the "its not a Stag comments"
Modify it if you want
Make bits for itIf you can and need to
Above all else DO IT PROPERLY
and KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD!!

[Stagdad]

If it looks as good as Stoutgooses I would be happy with it.
DSC02660 (2).jpg

Cheers Steve

[Guest]

Mines got a RV8 but, to be honest, I would prefer it to have a TV8 as I do like originality. There are most certainly some Stag owners who are a bit sniffy about RV8 engines Stag - some will say it to your face and some wont - and it's a point of view I understand.

At the end of the day though a RV8 engined Stag is still a Stag

[darrellprice]

All the points have already been stated so I am just adding my vote:
1) It is your car so thankfully you have the freedom to do as you wish (assorted government bodies notwithstanding!)
2) The conversion may have saved the Stag going to the scrapyard.
3) Back when it was very much a viable option, possibly it still is?
4) I am happy that there are Stags on the road, whatever the engine.
5) It is always an opportunity for discussion and education.
6) Some people just have a hard time saying something nice!

[davidf]

Good for a laugh - allows TV8 owners to take the p*ss, but it is all done in the best possible taste. Just like people take the mick about cars in primer, or other 'wrong' colours.
Seriously, every owner has the right to do what he wants, and many Stags were converted when the original engines died. There must be a lot more Stags running than there are good TV8 engines surviving.
All the variety is very interesting, and adds the opportunity for some friendly banter.

[stevestag]

As a new owner of a Stag I am really pleased it has got a RV8,when I first started looking I would never of considered a rover Stag but after owning mine for a couple of months now I now know that a proper converted Stag is just as good as a TV8 if not better.The only downside is the sound or so people say,I have not compared but mine sounds good to me.I have always liked to be different so having a RV8 does suit me really
Anyway if Triumph had their way we would not be talking about this subject and who knows the Stag may of been a success back in the seventies if it was fitted with the RV8

Cheers Steve
Mimosa Stagover V8

[jleyton]

Careful Steve

But, as for 'if Triumph had their way' - in fact Triumph did have their way and that's why we have the excellent, if historically troublesome, TV8.

I think it's more a case of 'if BL bosses had their way over Triumph'.......

Welcome to Stag ownership, even if it's not the original engine

Cheers

Julian