The V8 Owners Forum -

Does anyone know if a rover V8 engine car has gone over 200 mph?

any info would be nice

James

Would be nice to know

The GT40 would max out of revs at about 170 (seen about 130)

I also remember Tiff and 5th gear crowd doing a twin turbo lotus V8 and tried to get 200 but failed (But then Lotus is Lots of Trouble - usually Serious)


Ian

The wildcat head was originally developed by Ian at wildcat with the backing of rover to build a rover powered MGF to run silly speeds at bonneville. I'm not sure what top speed was eventually achieved but when the project was finished Ian kept all the bits. Given that with good aerodynamics and suitable gearing "only" 600hp or thereabouts is needed to do 200mph i'd be amazed if this hasn't been achieved by a turbo rover v8 at some time in the past.

Its a tall order for any engine never mind a Rover. You need lots of HP and or a very aerodynamic shape. Get the shape wrong too and your in the field. At a guess I would say a minimum 500bhp and a very slippery shape. It takes about 200bhp on a bike with slippery bodywork and well tucked in.

Why do you ask James? Fancy aving a stab at it yourself?

Janspeed TR7/8 Twin-Turbo Le Mans hit 201 mph on the Mulsanne Straight.
As I know the car is currently owned by Bert Smeets, a Belgian collector of all things TR7.

Le Mans 1967 GT40 did 217 down the straight

Said to have 400bhp

also back then aerodynamics were not that seriously considered but the GT40 made it. Ended up fitting canard wings on the front to stop lift above 170mph

Also a little known fact in bad weather they counted once they exited Tetra rouge and on their decided number turned right to take the sweep even though they could not see it!

Those guys had big ones!

So can a Rover do 400hp and get a slippery shape car? If yes then it is possible!

Ian

yeah but the original GT40s didnt have Rover engines in them, right?

I'm sure if you could get a rover to hold together, in the right car, it should do 200.

How about an Ultima with a twin turbo RV8, that'd prob work

What about the Repco Brabhams, some of the F1s were rover derivatives

As you asked yes im interested, something I 've always fancied.

I'll have a read on the the tr8(janspeed) the mg ztt project I don't think it had a rover engine in the end.

Now just to stir you up it would have to be in a morris minor(lowlight)


that's my goal

James

Great goal

Where would you try to do it? Probably need over 3 miles of straight.

Perhaps Prestattin sands? Then oy have to worry about wheelspin. I remember a world attempt where the car speed was about 150mph less then the tyre speed (Now that's wheelspin!)

In the Morris I would be real scared - manager about 90 in my 1950 Moggy with a highly tuned 1000 engine - it was all over the road!

Ian

I think the ZZT was the 4.6 or bigger ford modular engine,
Mmmm 200mph in a Moggy, salt flat special, I think the big problem will be length of useable runway, I think Crail has the longest available runway at around 4 miles, and the other favorate runway is Bruntingthorpe, but thats only 2 miles long, BUT the way the access to the runway is situated, If you are brave you can ue the big bends and hit the runway around 75/80 mph.
The moggy may give you problems due to its short wheelbase, and generally to keep high speed salters stable they lengthen the wheelbase and add shite loads of weight, which does not affect on top speed but just on the time it takes to get there
Ian

Ian Anderson wrote:In the Morris I would be real scared - manager about 90 in my 1950 Moggy with a highly tuned 1000 engine - it was all over the road!Ian

Well at the mo mine does 130mph very easily.shocks people quite regularly!

On the wheel base, yes the point has already been raised, but as you said it can be solved.

I just wonder which way to go, 5litre, turbo's or supercharger, or normal aspiration, or other.

There's is a guy who has a drag minor with a keith black engine and stretch wheel base, who broke 200 on a quarter mile. I don't want that, just being able to do it over 2 to 5 mile( runway )rover engined


James

Ian wrote
" and add shite loads of weight, which does not affect on top speed but just on the time it takes to get there"
err and stop the thing at the end of the runway
Mike

Crail runway is very short, so no chance of doing it there.
My Minor can do 130+ too, and has no stability problems at that speed (unless road is pretty rough - but what wouldn't). A Minor is actually pretty stable as it has quite a wide track, but will eventually show up the shortcomings of the short wheelbase.
My ongoing Cleveland project Minor (owned since 1972) used to run a full race MGB engine, and regularly outperformed the 'hot tickets' back in the 70's - with only modified Minor suspension.
James - build it and they will come.

Pete