Engine conversions

[ellard]

Hi there all

I have heard of lots of holden straight 6s - but anyone seen any V6 conversions.......

I know the early V6's were very efficent engines, but lots of electrics on the later ones.

Just putting it out there

Wayne

[JDNSW]

I seem to remember this was discussed somewhere in the forum a while back, and while nobody seems to have done it, the general feeling was that the torque distribution of these engines was quite unsuitable. Like you I would have thought that on the face of it they were a reasonable candidate. I don't think I have heard of it being done though.

John

[ellard]

Hi there John

You are correct - theres lots around, cheap & powerfull - the same three factors which started the revolution of Holden 6 into Land Rovers.

Nothing important just keen to find out if anyone has done this type of conversion.

All the best

Wayne

[will d8r]

There was one for sale in NZ. I looked at the pics, looked very neat & tidy.I have a S3 109 been thinking about doing something for some cheapish more power. I always thought a 3.8 was low reving reasonable torque motor which would be ok or am I wrong.I have a brother in law with one in a jet boat goes real good, it's the carby version.I also know of a S2 with a, was an LR experimental 2.4 petrol turbo from the 70's I think, which goes extremely well, An given no problems for the vehicle gearbox or overdrive etc.
.Cheers Will

[Lionelgee]

Hi there John

You are correct - theres lots around, cheap & powerfull - the same three factors which started the revolution of Holden 6 into Land Rovers.

Nothing important just keen to find out if anyone has done this type of conversion.

All the best

Wayne

G'day Wayne,

Back in October 2011, before I thought about doing a diesel swap, I found that Dellow do make a V6 Holden to Series III conversion. Their contact details are: dellowconversions.com.au enquiries@dellowconversions.com.au.

It would probably be best to buy a donor car that way you will have all the electronics and gauges. I think there might have to be an odometer and speedo gearing conversion required - probably only minor

Kind Regards
Lionel

[ellard]

Hi there

I read your PM - its not high on my agenda but just keen to find out if they were a sucessfull conversion & pictrures.

All the best

Wayne

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Hi Wayne

Not that it is relevant to you, but in NSW Historic Registration while it accepts period engine replacements in commercial vehicles, which includes Land Rover, a Holden V6 would not be considered in the same period.

A general rule of what period would be is that the general type of the replacement engine would be available within the same decade as the vehicle.

Diana

[Slunnie]

I always thought a 3.8 was low reving reasonable torque motor which would be ok or am I wrong.

These motors are used a lot in 4WD and rock crawling buggy conversions and their strongest attribute I think is its power/torque up to about 3000rpm. I doubt very much that there is any spot in the torque curve where a Series Land Rover motor is better, not even the Stage 1 V8.

[Jeff]

A mate of mine did one years ago( around 1988 or 90). He was a really good engineer but not really a social person, so I didn't get much info from him and he moved away not long after. I think he sourced a Buick carb manifold and carbs, but not sure if he used it. I can't remember if he used a Series 3 or a Cabstar gearbox, as his brother had a similar project at the same time with a 3.9 Isuzu, so it is all a blur.

Jeff

[JDNSW]

These motors are used a lot in 4WD and rock crawling buggy conversions and their strongest attribute I think is its power/torque up to about 3000rpm. I doubt very much that there is any spot in the torque curve where a Series Land Rover motor is better, not even the Stage 1 V8.

It is possible that the problem is maximum rpm, same as with most of the straight sixes. The Landrover engines combine useful torque from idling or not much above with an ability to operate continuously at 4,000rpm or above. And idling speed is about half that of modern engines (less of or not a problem with the straight sixes). If this is the problem, high ratio gears would not solve the problem, although overdrive might - what would be needed is probably a different gearbox with more gears - probably an auto would mask most of the problems as well, and this might be the way to go.

Modern engines seem mostly to have a smaller useful range of speed than did many engines designed fifty years ago, perhaps explaining the proliferation of numbers of gears.

But I would still be interested to see a V6 in a Series Landrover.

John