Series III Stage 1 V8 thoughts?

[highmile]

Hey guys!

Just curious what folk’s thoughts were on the Series III Stage 1 V8?

There is a 1982 Stage III for sale locally that I took a look at on Friday. The truck is in pretty good condition and drove very nicely and fast for a Series. The owner has spent some time repairing any rust issue with the truck. Are parts hard to find for the Rover V8’s? It is RHD which was my first time and seemed very weird, but I guess I would get used to this. I was hoping to find another Series IIA with all the character that goes with it, but the thought of having a Series that could easily keep up and even pass traffic on the interstate intrigues me. I am not partial to the color, but it does look better in person than the photos.

Thanks!

[Carpe]

What is the asking price?

[highmile]

I was not really intending to buy, but he did say he would take $7200 from a $8000 asking price.

The truck is actually listed on eBay if anbody is truly interested. I am probably a couple months out from actually buying anything new, but did not want to pass up the opportunity to check out a Stage 1 locally.

[greenmeanie]

Stage 1s are fun and unusual in this country.

Don't worry about the Rover V8. If original it would have the low compression 3.5L with Zenith Stromberg ZS175 carbs. Parts are easy enough to come by or you can give her more grunt easily by dropping in a later engine. Even the 4.6L fits.

The gearbox is an LT95 4 speed and is just about the strongest LR ever made. Parts for these are more difficult to come by in the US but certainly not impossible and easily found in the UK. They were also used in the 101, early RR and early 110 V8s. You can play with gear ratios by swapping the high ratio transfer gear or there is (Now out of production) an overdrive that will fit. The LT95 powers both axles using a locking center diff. Learn about it's operation as you can blow it if you abuse it.

The front axle and prop shaft are different from the series. The chrome balls are welded to the axle tube so make sure they are in good nick as replacement involves a new axle tube. The prop uses a double cardon joint to help with driveline angles. It uses stock LR UJ's but is expensive to replace the whole unit.

The rear axle should be Salisbury. Brakes are late SIII drums all round.

Suspension is stock series leaves all round so the same upgrades we are all used to apply.

They are good trucks which address the issues that many people see with the older series trucks. They do have that plastic SIII interior but that is down to personal preference. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

[SafeAirOne]

Are parts hard to find for the Rover V8’s?

I'm no stage 1 owner, but If I'm not mistaken, it's just a regular rover 3.5 with an intake manifold for use with dual SU carbs. Not terribly uncommon, to the best of my knowledge. Find a cheap gas station.

It is RHD which was my first time and seemed very weird, but I guess I would get used to this.

Right-Hand-Drive, the way God intended it to be. Say goodbye to the McDonald's drive-thru window (no big loss).

it does look better in person than the photos.

It looks good in all the photos that I've seen of it, and 7200 is about the price I'd expect to pay for a series III 109 in similar condition. Of course photos and real life can be 2 different things.

[SafeAirOne]

If original it would have the low compression 3.5L with Zenith Stromberg ZS175 carbs.

Are these Zenith or SU carbs? (I have no idea). I guessed SU becuase of the pots on top..

EDIT: Never mind--I just researched it--Stromberg CDSE (whatever this means) carburettors..

[highmile]

Thanks for the input and thoughts!

I have not been too keen on the idea of an imported truck due to rust concerns. The owner seems to have started a bit of a side project of importing these trucks and repairing any issues in order to sell them. He has another 83 Series III he is working on now in his garage. It looked like he was doing a pretty good and thorough job from what I could see.

The interior looked great! However, I am definitely partial to the metal dash in the Series IIA's.

[SafeAirOne]

Thanks for the input and thoughts!

I have not been too keen on the idea of an imported truck due to rust concerns.

Believe me, domestic vehicles are not immune from rust. My first NADA Series IIA 88's chassis was proof of this. My current Series III, imported from the UK, has a MUCH more solid chassis. Obviously, rust doesn't care where your chunk of steel originated.

[highmile]

Not sure about the Carbs. the seller did say something about a lot of the V8 guys will change the dual carbs to a single carb in some fashion. Not sure how or why this would be done.

[greenmeanie]

They are Zenith Stromberg ZS175 CDSE which are very similar to the SU. THey are extremely simple to work on. If you want parts go to Joe Curto in New York.

You have the same issue with all multi carb set ups in that they need balanced which is a minor art but once learned they are pretty easy to deal with.

A lot of people swap to the Edelbrock 1404 Performer car and intake as it is a single 4 barrel carb which is closer to the knowledge base here in the US. It also flows more and is considered a performance upgrade. It fits easily but is $$$.

[109 Pretender]

Stage 1 parts availability

All the guys earlier gave you some vgood advice (especially about front axle). Engine parts are veasy to obtain - rings, valves, pistons, main/rod bearings can be sourced in USA by any engine builder. Excellent support avail. in GB (their hot-rod engine of choice). Special parts like Flow-tech oil pump plate to eliminate oil filter on pump, manifold/carb combos, etc can be had from people in GB like RPI-Engineering, J.E. Engineering and Real Steel. There are 2 good books on the Rover V-8 (same author). Get at least the one on hot-rodding to get an idea of what can be done, what really needs to be done, and of course what shouldn't be done with these engines. Mallory still makes a good distributor either points or electronic.
(I'll post ISBN for book later this evening).
The stage 1 V-8 is a neat precursor to the Defender and somewhat desirable (at least by all of us series owners who don't have one ...

Cheers!

[Firemanshort]

Stage One Owner

Everything everyone said... but say it cooler!

I was a Series III 88" owner that swapped to a Stage One. The ability to drive at highway speeds when going to rallies is truly worth it. Plus, it gets about the same gas mileage that my old 4cyl got. I drove 75mph and trailed a pack of DISCOs going to the MAR. When I checked my numbers, I got 14 mpg combined highway and off road trail 4x4 driving.

I just had a small fuel-tank-fiasco dealing with finding a tank that is unique to the V8 Series but other than that - most parts are standard S3 fare.

[109 Pretender]

ISBN for books

Here's the ISBN for the Rover V8 engine books I mentioned earlier. David Hardcastle is the author of both. Haynes (same as shop manuals) is publisher.

Tuning Rover V8 Engines - ISBN 0-85429-933-5
The Rover V8 Engine - ISBN 0-85429-961-0
Tuning book is best for engine builders, other is more of a historical perspective on engine usage

The stage 1 V8 is so rare in USA relatively speaking - I'd take that puppy dog and do a full tilt rebuild, it's worth it. Clean and polish her up afterwards till you could perform surgery... OK, OK, hang on guys, my OCD is kicking in again!

[rwollschlager]

LHD stage 1

My dad and I have owned our stage 1 for at least 6-7 years. We bought it off of a guy who worked at the local sub-base for 6k . The previous owner imported it in from hawaii?, but it is supposed to be one of the few LHD stage 1's state side. Yup LHD. It used to be fun, but now we dont worry about mile-per-gallon, we count how many miles-a-year it travels under its own power!!! In the past four years alone we've had to replace the engine , and in the last two years we couldnt manage the strombergs so out they went and in went the edlebrock intake manifold and carb. this past week the distributor crapped out and in went a mallory along with a mallory coil that we purchased from a fellow selling his stage 1 on ebay. Now it growls like a tiger and keeps up with highway speeds no problem.

Sure over the years its given us all sorts of trouble we've never gotten from another rover, but we're confident that these problems are just specific to the one sitting in our driveway. In either case i wouldnt trade it for another rover, well no one else would if they put that much $$ into it either.

New Mallory Distributor and coil along with edlebrock intake manifold and carb

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1397238&l=b700a&id=646291885

after parabolics

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=106670&l=be90c&id=646291885

and then thats myself on the tire, at Roverfest in killington VT i think 2001? Thanks rovertym for the pic!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=458780&l=7209c&id=646291885

[AAXD]

I've got a late Disco 3.9 in mine with the 9.35:1 heads that my dad had shaved when he changed the leaky head gaskets. Combined with a Weber 500cfm 4 barrel, edelbrock manifold and flowmaster 40 series it is pretty scary to drive if I am feeling frisky with the skinny pedal. On wet roads in second gear it will actually break all four wheels loose in a spin if I give it full pedal at moderate speed. My mileage is abysmal but then again I drive on all dirt roads and hills where I live so it's no big deal. I'd drive it more if gas didn't cost $2 more per gallon than the rest of the country. My next project is to find a good set of lockers and beefed up axles for her. I've got an 85 Range Rover I hauled out of the woods with a high ratio LT95 and Fairey OD plus a brand new centre diff. I'm not sure if I will re-gear it lower and fit the OD and t-case or just leave it as is, I know the OD is going in because my drive to work has a short (4 mile) stretch where I can open her up to 65. Here is how she sits on RM parabolics and 33" MT's
I'd say get one if you want a unique truck with a lot of hot rodding potential.