V6 LPG engine and overdrive gearbox transplant.

Hi, I've just fitted a 1973 Capri 3 litre V6 engine and Scimitar gearbox with laycock overdrive to my 1995 'CLassic' LT van if any one is interested in that? I was fed up with the dirty, slow, wheezing joke of an engine VW ruined an otherwise fantastic van with! I did it because I love these vans. Performance is fantastic. Power and torque are 138hp and 180ft/lb torque respectively. Economy is fantastic as we fitted LPG at the same time! This now gives economy of equivalent of 35mpg with the performance of a modern van. Best of both worlds... I can't say the fitting was easy but it was straightforward, and it does drop in very well and looks as if it's always been there. It's now much easier to service as well and parts are cheap. Unlike VW parts! The only way you can tell it's not standard is by the twin pipes out the back. I've done it as far as possible with all easily available parts, so no specially crafted stuff except for the gear linkage. Even the exhaust install is all off the shelf factory stuff, and a mix of Capri and Jaguar parts that all just fit together. Speedo cable, clutch cable, radiator, etc are all original VW items and didn't even need to be removed. A big Kenlowe electric fan takes care of cooling, and the cooling hoses are all standard and mate up directly and in the correct place to the VW hoses so all gauges work as VW intended. Only extra switch is the overdrive one. Total cost including all parts, but not labour was under £400 and that included buying a rotten Capri and a Scimitar gearbox and having the VW prop modified at one end.

Nice one. Fancy doing a Rover V8 myself with an auto box.
You can send the pics to me if you like and I'll post em for you.

softwarereg01@googlemail.com

Llangefni in Anglesey, just had a look ont owners map

Its a whole bloody day's drive and a tank of gas for me otherwise I'd be there now.

Hi guys. Thanks for the offers to post the pics due to me being a computer moron! Andy, I'll send you the pics now but if you're too busy, t'onion has offered very kindly to put them up too...

Incidentally, I measured the Rover V8 up as well, as I'm also into Rangie's (and a Jaguar 4.2 straight 6 I had lying around, but that's another story!) The Jag would have gone in well, but the width of the Rover, and the fact it has all it's anciallaries pointing everywhere made it an awkward fit. It will go... hell, anything will go if you have the will! But, it's not the best choice in my view. Also, if you fit an auto box, you won't have an overdrive gear, which even with 16" rims will rev it's nuts off at 60mph and return spectacularly bad fuel consumption. Rover V8's can never be persuaded to run economically. Ford 'essex' V6's can. Also, as you may know. Ford's 'essex' is a real popular choice for Land-Rover conversions too, if anything more so than the Rover V8. The reason is the V6 develops it's all important (and pretty damn impressive) torque all low down. Which is just what we need in a commercial vehicle. Revvy engines that develop their torque higher up the rev range are no good to us, and although the V8 isn't exactly revvy, it is still beaten low down by the V6. So, if weight is not an issue, which, let's face it, it isn't to us or Landy owners, then I think the V6 is a better option. Plus, you can also find a 2.5 version of the old Essex if you want no trouble from your insurer, as it's almost the same capacity as the petrol version of VW'S own engine. Whereas if you go up 1100cc they'll get real twitchy without braking mods and engineers reports, etc. And all that trouble for no appreciable gain on power or torque, despite what Rovers claimed power outputs for the V8 were... Of course the Jag straight 6 would have been the best choice overall at 210hp and ridiculaous torque, but would have again caused trouble with the insurers, etc! Please accept my apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs, or if you're a die-hard Rover V8 lover. I love it too, but not in my van, or where a 'proper' V8 is needed. It's good in my Rangie, but worse than my 302 American Ford in my other car! I digress, so time to shut the hell up!!

Hi Zub, I'll let you know when it's coming over next. Hopefully in a few weeks if I manage to get all the jobs done I want to before then on it. It's still wearing it's original paint, and needs a respray now to stop the rust turning to rot, which is already happening in some places. It really isn't as well made as my 1979 one. Strange that... So, I'm preparing it for MOT now, and sorting out some minor mods, such as putting heat cloth round all fuel pipes, and re-routing wiring. It's amazing how much heat a V6 trapped in a box in the cab can generate! Just changed water pump, etc, etc... I'll keep you posted. Before it hits the road again properly I want to have the modified hubs and alloys on too...

1st batch of pics!!

Thanks for doing that Andy. Hope someone finds them useful.