Fuel prices is a factor too. In many parts of the world fuel is expensive, making large, gas guzzling engines impractical, expensive and less popular to use. In the USA on the other hand you get paid when you go to the gas station and dispose of some of that fuel they are desperate to get rid of. This makes large and inefficient engines an excellent choice there. (Yeah, it's a joke, but it's not THAT far from the truth.)
knew a friend of a friend who absolutely hated American cars. they are all junk he says. the only American car he ever owned was a Vega. so he buys a new Rover with the Buick motor to show how stupid he really was. he was an odd character... when he put a shirt on it looked like it was still on the hanger. he was also so pale he was almost translucent, you could see the blood pumping through his veins. ...sorry, bored at work and I like the clickity clack of the keys when i type
Around there just weren't or aren't many of those 98 and older Land Rovers around. If one got wrecked it didn't go to local wrecking yards but got shipped to Seattle or Portland to go though the auction. The late 90's ones you see now are usually quite neglected and worn out being driven by people who think they are a cool rig but who have no clue as to how to maintain a vehicle right. The potential donor list runs: Applications: 1967–1973 Rover P5B 1968–1976 Rover P6B 1968–1990 Morgan Plus 8 1970–1989 Land Rover Range Rover 1973–1976 MGB GT V8 1976–1987 Rover SD1 1978–1985 Land Rover Series III "Stage One" 1979–1981/2 Triumph TR8 1980–1990 TVR 350i 1983–1994 Land Rover 90/110/Defender 1985-2006 Freight Rover Sherpa/LDV Pilot/LDV Convoy 1989–1998 Land Rover Discovery only one 97 discovery on Craigslist or FB market place around here. Lots of 99 and later ones though.
Well gots to toss my 2 cents worth. Rebuilt two. Parts are pretty readilly available....all internals...performance cams, ignitions, headers, pistons, plus poke around and some exotic stuff like injection (electric /mechanical), blowers, etc. Lots of options for transmissions / adaptors. Neat motors on the upside. Down side no where as plentiful as sbc and sbf's. Light weight yes sir. Poke around internet you'll find good amount of stuff. Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I had one in my Ford Pop years ago -mated to a Fiat 131 5 speed gearbox with a Sherpa back axle,great wee car ,the only problem with it was that it ate Fiat clutch plates-ran 14 something second in a quarter mile too
I acquired a BW T-10 back in the early 70’s and put it behind a SBC to go in my ‘62 Vette while I redid a high horsepower engine for it. When I went to slide the driveshaft in it wouldn’t go. I couldn’t find another yoke to fit the trans so I slid a Muncie back in. Some years later I was doing some business with GMPD (General Motors Parts Division) and was able to get the T10 identified and it had been behind a 215 Buick in another life. So I went to order one through the local Buick garage..,not available. Went back to the Parts group and they had 3 or 4 hundred of the yokes in the obsolete warehouse so he sent me one. The trans got sold with the yoke in it sometime after. Strange stuff happens to orphan cars and engines.
At about 9 dollars a gallon, you can see why they are popular over here. But Guinness is about 30 dollars a gallon, taste's better but don't get you far. Toyota box will go behind one and volvo axles are popular as well as jag axles. Lots of Ford pops over here have the rover in them it's like first choice, then small block chevy. Sent from my KOB-L09 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Putting together my A coupe with a Buick motor and S10 five speed. You definitely have to do your research. No like a SBC of SBF for parts or tech support. But anybody can do a SBC/SBF. Sometime you gotta dare to be different.
I have the Olds version 215 in my T roadster with the stock Olds automatic transmission. To say the transmission leaves something to be desired would be an understatement. The transmission doesn't use a "slip" yoke, so a slip joint had to be built into the driveshaft. Pontiac also used a 215 in the Tempest but I never did know if they used the Buick or Olds version. Lynn
I’ve got a 215 Buick in my Morris Minor woody. It’s a nice engine but it is rather large in external dimensions for the cubic inches and they are definitely lacking in torque. Just a couple of characteristics I noticed since I got mine running. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I put an '80 TR8 215 and a Rover 5 speed in a '67 MG roadster once. It was a great little car that surprised a lot of big inch cars 0-60. Greatest fun was to beat a Corvette. The engine and transmission package was some lighter than the stock 1798 c.i. iron engine which helped a lot
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