Rangie engine conversion

Submitted: Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 22:13

ThreadID: 6390 Views:2352 Replies:4 FollowUps:6

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Martyn (WA)

Forumites,
Well as some of you will be aware I WAS looking at putting a 350 chev into my "project" Rangie, I recieved the paperwork back from our local licensing dept today and as of now the project is on hold, the list of "stuff" I have to do to get the old girl LEGALLY over the pits is long and varied, as mentioned by other members of the forum. I was given a list by the licensing dept, emission requirements, brake power checks after the conversion which I found a really handy suggestion (not), noise checks and finally a signed off check by a chartered engineer familiar with the ADR standards, that sounded cheap, the nightmare trying to find an adapter kit and the right gearbox to get the power to the under engineered running gear has turned me off the idea, to hard basket. Even if I do the conversion and they check the fourby over and find any other faults all these have to be put right before I get the certificate, Truckster you where right $16,000 is or should I say was looking possible, luckily my outlay so far is relatively small.
Thanks to all for the help, I'll have some fun as it is with the Rangie, If I get second gear when the box is cold I'm going to buy a Lotto ticket..................Keep the shiny side up

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Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 22:25

Reply By: Eric - Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 23:09

Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 23:09

Sorry but I seam to be on the tail end of this subject . If you have a range rover why did you want a engineering certificate ?? you dont need one as long as you use a engineered adaptor plate , From my days of conversions I seem to remeber that you needed a full report only when fiting into a vehicle that wasnt intended for a V8 . Youe emition problems are also easily fixed by running it on gas when it gets tested :-) Now with your G box selecting second when cold is usually because you have the wrong oil in it ,

AnswerID: 26899

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 23:19

Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 23:19

THese days you need engineers for fitting a flamming different seat..

Engines, bigger than X% over standard you need engineers, and all sorts of reports..

Varys from state to state.

FollowupID: 18425

Follow Up By: Eric - Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 23:23

Tuesday, Aug 05, 2003 at 23:23

I just went through the seat thing , trying to fit xr8 seats to the 80 . The handbrake hates the original , I probably dont blame her

FollowupID: 18427

Follow Up By: Martyn (WA) - Wednesday, Aug 06, 2003 at 08:47

Wednesday, Aug 06, 2003 at 08:47

Eric,
This is what I thought, but when you increase the horse's you also need a certificate, going from around 150 ish to near 270 ish, plus there is the weight factor going from an ally engine to a cast iron engine, I never realised until I started on this project how heavy a Rangie actually is I was quite surprised, especially with the ally body and engine. The regs changed here in WA in 2002 and from all my findings things are a lot tighter, the carby was another issue, I never knew that Holley's were not street legal, apart from not being to good on steep bits, my idea was just to stick a Holley on and off we go, sorry wrong, it's even written on the box the carby comes in "Not for street use", I then started the search for a Rochester four barrel, yea right that's easy, so is finding a dizzy that isn't the size of a dinner plate with vacuum control on it, the one I looked at had the coil on the top and was huge, at least I would been able to keep it dry inside the cab with the family, plus I would be able to adjust the ignition timing from inside the fourby on the road.
The Rover asthma unit is staying right where it is for now Keep the shiny side up

FollowupID: 18441

Follow Up By: Martyn (WA) - Wednesday, Aug 06, 2003 at 08:55

Wednesday, Aug 06, 2003 at 08:55

Eric,
Oh and by the way, the oil in the gearbox was correct as far as I know, there seemed to be a theory about putting thinner oil in as the gearbox got older, not to sure about this one............ I'm using Royal Purple Max - Gear now and it's made a truck load of difference, much better. I use this Royal Purple stuff in my Nissan as well, made gear changes a lot easier and the gearbox / transer case also runs cooler about 10 degrees. The only problem I've found is the smell, when the gearbox is running hard either on sand or extended hills I get a slight hypoidy type smell in the cab, soon goes when the load comes off. Keep the shiny side up

FollowupID: 18443