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 Post subject: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 4:10 pm 
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Has anyone here actually done this swap? I'm thinking about it, since I have a line on an engine. I'm interested to hear about trouble areas, especially using a stick shift. Tranny, radiator, rear end, etc. I'd like to use as many LUV parts as possible, as long as they're up to the job. This wouldn't be a drag truck, just a reliable daily driver with a surprise under the hood. It seems like the perfect V8, as light or lighter than the G180 in my '79 2WD, and double the horsepower with no mods.

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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2013 10:47 pm 
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Since the engine was used in Buicks & Oldsmobiles it may very well require a BOP bellhousing to mount a tranny. The LUV tranny won't fit for sure. Land Rover bought the tooling rights to the engine, used it in ever-increasing displacements until about the time Ford acquired Land Rover/Jaguar. It was up to at least 4 liters at the end.

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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:43 am 
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Location: Ridgecrest, CA
Fun things with these motors is that in some form they were built for quite a while. I thought of this swap myself with a stock 215 and bolt it to a TH350. If you set the engine just right you can get it to fit easily in the engine bay. It is an old school engine so wiring and fuel delivery should be simple enough. Driveshaft could be rather easy too. The only real issue I see with this swap is 215 parts can be difficult to obtain for a decent price.

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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 7:57 am 
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Yeah, it seems like a great motor with a fair amount of GM and Land Rover support. I'm hoping to hear from someone who has actually done the swap and knows any info.


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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:44 pm 
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Location: Minden, Nevada
If memory serves the 215 had a bell housing pattern all its own. Never came with the BOP or Chev ppattern. You might find a bellhousing for a T10, very rare. The autos were the 3 speed jetaway type and some even had 2 spd auto. Some one made an adapter back in the early seventies. We used them on the few trucks that we put the 215 into. The problem with that engine was, DON'T get it hot. The block and or heads will warp fairly easy. Depending on what it came out of, the oil pan should clear and you can use the stock manifolds with slight modifications. When building mounts be sure to set the crankshaft center line at the same height, centered in the frame.

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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:22 pm 
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Hi guys.

This will be my last project and thinking, Olds Rocket 215 V8 would be a nice way to go for me in my 1972 LUV. I have everything ready to go in this swap and will be my Daily driver.

I have the Aluminum V8, the trans adapter for any GM tranny, Buick motor mounts work on this swap. Aluminum drive shaft and 3:23 Blazer disc rear end, Rover headers, Offenhauser Low profile intake and Vale covers with a custom tuned Edelbrock 500 CFM, Mallory Dis & Coil.

Pictures soon.


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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:30 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 28, 2013 11:40 am
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beerguy wrote:
Has anyone here actually done this swap? I'm thinking about it, since I have a line on an engine. I'm interested to hear about trouble areas, especially using a stick shift. Tranny, radiator, rear end, etc. I'd like to use as many LUV parts as possible, as long as they're up to the job. This wouldn't be a drag truck, just a reliable daily driver with a surprise under the hood. It seems like the perfect V8, as light or lighter than the G180 in my '79 2WD, and double the horsepower with no mods.

Thanks


I have every thing to make the swap to work.


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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 10:06 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 4:28 pm
Posts: 36
I'm really looking forward to your pictures and what you learn. Please keep us posted.


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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Sun Aug 24, 2014 8:10 am 
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Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:13 am
Posts: 105
Location: Brisbane, Australia
I've got a Rover 3.5 (same as BOP215) that I'm installing into another project car, not a LUV, but I have an adaptor kit for TH700 to Rover/Buick/Leyland p76 alloy V8 that was purchased from Castlemaine Rod Shop here is Oz, they ship plenty of gear to the states. It's a very nice kit that I test fitted and everything is included, I'm not sure on the price of just the adaptor kit though as I bought it as part of a bulk parts lot?
I'll post some pictures if you like,,, or contact Castlemaine Rod Shop via their website.
They're under new management since Rod Hadfield sold up a few years back, but the new owners are very approachable and happy to chat.

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 Post subject: Re: Aluminum 215 V8 swap
PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:37 pm 
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Location: Republic of Texas, 77836
A very popular swap with the MG and Triumph crowd. I have seen several Vega's with this engine. Some Bellhousing show up on ebay. But aftermarket has them. Seems like a company D&D Faburaction does make stuff for the 215. You can go EFI with the Rover stuff. http://www.aluminumv8.com/

I always wanted to do a swap with one. The olds and buick heads have a different number of head bolts. One will work on the other one. I do not remember which will work. If you are looking at a "real" American 215 careful how much rust is in the block.

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