Would you buy a RR with a P76 engine?

[Noki 3.9]

Hi, Im looking at a RR with a P76 engine fitted to it. It is a good conversion, very neat, but Im worried about if it needs a compliance plate or not, the owner says NOT, and are parts available still. It runs cool and has heaps of balls. Any thoughts please and are there any RR out there for sale in Brisbane ? I have given up on ebay. I nearly got one , was a 84 Hiline, $2000 unreg, but when I took it in for a roady it had a dodgy engine number and oil leaks galore, and also the breather pipes that go from the rocker covers back to the carbies was disconnected, possibly because of the blowby, so I declined from the sale. So Im looking, for an early RR.. Thanks,, Brad
ps: My series 3 is still for sale any takers?

[loanrangie]

I had always thought that i wouldnt buy/ put in a p76 4.4 into a rangie, my reasoning was that they were getting old and old tech. But i have recently bought a 4.4 and a zf to fit to my 85 rangie, when i thought about it is really no different than fitting a chev to holden or toyota or what ever - most chevy v8's are getting on now anyway. So if you get one with a good motor or buy a good motor there is no reason not to. Previously a lot of conversions were overlooked by the authorities due to ignorance or pure luck since they are almost physically identical.

[Ralf_the_RR]

Hi Brad,
My opinions only:

The engine needs to be engineer certified, or at a minimum, the engine number needs to be recorded on the rego..

Parts are OK. A lot are the same as Rover 3.5 & Holden.
I've heard that cranks are hard to get hold of, but how many people replace their cranks?
The main difference is the block is higher (longer stroke) and thus slightly wider.
The oiling system to the heads is slightly different
You can interchange a lot of parts (mine has rover heads).

We have an 80 3.5 (wifes) and a 79 4.4 (mine) and the performance difference is noticeable, but not astronmically different. It certainly is no rocket ship.
Mine also runs gas for 99% of the time, so that sucks a bit of performance.

I'm biased, but I think a P76 Rangie is a good thing.

[Noki 3.9]

How much fuel would you say that a 4.4 uses?
have been to several roady places asking questions about this car and they all say stay away, and that it must have a compliance place or they wont touch it, also I went to a compliance centre and he said that all the emission stuff had to be connected... REALLY, this is a goldcoast car and roady places there are know to be slack , so it says something when 3 of them wont touch it so Im starting to wonder about this car although I do like it a lot

[loanrangie]

The emissions stuff is only really a charcoal canister and some had an air pump or air ports in near the exhaust ports on the heads to artificially dilute the exhaust emissions, find a trusted rover workshop and get some info.
Find out how long ago the conversion was done and see if has been registered with the 4.4 in it. If the rego label/ papers has and engine number starting with 4400 then there is nothing to worry about, just buy it.
What year is it and auto/ manual etc ?

[Noki 3.9]

Its a 77 2 door, its been fully rebuilt. 2 inch lift, 2 inch body lift, big muddy Bf Goodrich 80% tread, custom interior with Honda Prelude front seats. He as had the car 10 months and the motor was in it, It was reg for 6 months and has been sitting for 4 months. When he registeered it in QLD he had no worrys when it went through the system, He wants $2500 unreg. It needs power steer looked at as its way too sensitive and the brakes are spongy

[Noki 3.9]

and its a manual, all the drive train is tight, with almost no backlash

[abaddonxi]

i'd reckon that more than 50mm lift you'd want a engineers certificate, and the same for the Non-standard seats, and the engine.

All of that may be easy.

Or it could cost as much as going back to spec plus more for the engineer, and in NSW last time I was quoted, engineer certificate started at about $400.

Good luck

Simon

[walker]

You will definately need a compliance plate (it really should have one already) for a 4.4. You can often get away with putting a 3.9 or even 4.6 into an old rangie cause they all look the same, but a P76 looks different so they will pick it for sure. There should be no problems getting it though as long as everything has been done right.
Could you buy it on the condition you get a compliance?

As for emission stuff, as far as I know a car only has to come up to the original standard of the build date, even if you cahnge the engine. So the '77 Rangies did not have emission controls (they were the last to not have it) so you should not need it.

[UncleHo]

G'day Bellaposs style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif
If it has been Regoed in Qld before and with the existing seats , body lift, susp lift, and the 4.4 P76 donk there should not be any problems, you should have the previous Rego Number, either on the plates or on the label, or the old Rego papers that should be in the Vendors name, he should also be able to tell you where he got the last RWC for it and it would be worth going back there, Just make sure it is LEGAL (not Stolen or a composite vehicle) and the numbers on the old rego papers match with whats on the car, if they do, and it feels "clean"
go for it style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif just remember that it will handle like a dog in the wet 8O, the raised suspension (changed camber) will make the power steering twitchy style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif
If it doesn't feel right -walkaway :!:

[51jay]

If it was registered you should have no problem reregistering it.
The car and the engine predate most of the restrictions applying to later models

Disregard most of the facts posted in any forum and do the obvious thing ie call up the rego office and ask them what you need to register a 77 Rangie with a Leyland P76 motor. I am about 99% certain you will need a Qld safety certificate and a receipt to show you have got 3rd party Ins. and thats it
My 1980 Rangie has had a P76 in it since 1985, its getting a bit tired now but still tows ths Skyline racecar with no problems. When not towing it seems to average about 15 to 18mpg
Incidently neither of my Rangies have an Aus compliance plate though they were both sold new in Aus. It has not caused any problems with transfer of reg.

[Noki 3.9]

i have seen 3 roadyworthy places, one is able to do compliace plates and they all said i need a c/p. but i will take your advise and call qld trans ...thanks... brad

[walker]

It's funny, some big things you think they would pick, they don't and the small things they do.

When i bought my '77 Rangie earlier this year, I did not notice that the engine no. on the rego did not match the engine no. until I got it home. The seller had told me he put another engine in it about 2 years ago.

I was very worried they would not give me a RWC with the conflicting numbers but they did not even mention it.

[Noki 3.9]

I have seen 3 road worthy inspectors one of which is able to do compliance plates, all three said it will need a c/p , but I will take your advise and call QLD trans... Thanks... Brad

[Noki 3.9]

The Rangie that I bought yesterday is on Ebay, its a 1984 Hiline for $2200 It had restamped engine numbers and the guy doing the roady wouldnt touch it, so I took it to QLD trans and they refered me to the Police, I went back to the seller and got my money back after we had a little discussion. It went straight back on ebay today. So buyers beware. It has a dodgy smokey engine

[DaveG]

I had no problems registering my 1980 Rangie with a 4.4 in Vic a few years ago.

The inspector picked up that the engine wasn't original but was satisfied with my explanation that it was only a slightly larger version of the original and was made by the same manufacturer style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

Cheers

[dungarover]

I just fitted a 4.4 P76 to Thomas, great engine does run a little warm off-road (needs a radaiator clean) but nothig too serious.

I still have to change my engine nyuumbers prior to me having the rego re-newed. I can'tr see the issue, Leyland was Rover in the old days, same manufacturer, no adaptor plates so it really shouldn't need a compliance plate.

Will soon find out.

Trav

[abaddonxi]

Sorry, wasn't so much saying that it would definitely be trouble.

More asking why buy something that could be a whole bunch of trouble when there don't seem to be a shortage of decent RRs around the place going for a pretty good price.

If someone was trying to sell me a car that had all kinds of mods done and no engineers cert. I'd first ask if the reason the fella was selling the car was that they couldn't get certs.

Some things you can't get registered without it.

If you do a mod that needs certs and don't get it done on the spot it makes me think that either they did it and didn't bother - trouble in the future. They did it and couldn't get a cert - trouble. They did it and couldn't be bothered - what kind of trouble have they set you up for if they can't be bothered to get someone to check it over and see that it is a safe mod?

If you buy it and do it yourself or whatever at least you know what kind of stupid things you're doing.

I'm stupid enough on my own, I don't want to risk my life on someone else's stupidity.

style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

Cheers
Simon

[duff]

I ran a P76 engine block in my SD1 rover for years.

If you just use the Block, and refit all the rover heads, timing cover, inlet manifold etc,,,,and the stamped number somehow change's(TIC).you will fool all but the most interested of rover owners.
(just make shore your old 3.5 that donated the number can never turn up later ) :oops:
My girl past roadworthy after roadworthy and umpteen Tech inspections for the street drags....no one ever guessed. The manifold adapter plates and spare head bolt holes should give it away,,, but again only the most interested would even notice.
The heads on the standard P76 had puny valves anyway so post 82 rover heads are just the treat they need. the rangie timing cover lets you keep all the standard ancillary's, and it bolts staight on anyway. The oil flow to the heads is reversed on the P76,,the oil is pumped up the push rods and splash feeds the pedastals. you can simply run external oil gelleries under the valley cover and drill the block. the gallerys are cast into the rear of the block but are blank.
But I can assure you the rover heads dont suffer at all just having the oil pumped up the 76 push rods and backwards into the rocker shafts

The mod is a very cheap way to get a substantial power increase over the early 3.5 lt
198HP before you put the more advanced rover heads and stuff on.
Cooling can raise its head as a problem,, But fitting an XD/XF ford cross flow radiator was often used to fix it when I was a bit younger