Thread: Would you buy a RR with a P76 engine?

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.

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.

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

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 ?

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

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

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

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.