[Rovernet] 3 Litre V8 for sale in US

[Kent Kinard]

Hi Netters,
Here we go again.  The carb on this engine is an Edelbrock, probably 
500cfm.  Gross is correct about the Jetfire being the Olds turbocharged 
model.  My swimming coach bought a new 1963 Jetfire four-speed and took 
me for a ride.  That's how I became hooked on the aluminum V8 at age 
16.  I bought both Jetfire and Skylark cars in 1974 and I still have 
some Jetfire parts.  Which brings me to the point.  If the Olds 
performance was inferior, Gross, why did TRACO choose to build the Olds 
version for their Can-Am engines?  Aftermarket stuff usually fits both 
engines...intakes, headers, ignition, camshafts, so there is no 
indication of inferiority from aftermarket development.  Mickey Thompson 
chose the Buick version for his Indy effort, but he quickly realized the 
limitation of the Buick head bolt arrangement.  I must admit, the intake 
ports on the Thompson engines were huge.  Bigger than anything I have 
seen on a Buick/Rover engine since.  I once owned one of his four Weber 
cross-ram setups.

But now you've got me curious.  I'm going to go pull a set of Olds heads 
off the shelf and compare the ports to the Buick/Rover ports.  If anyone 
would like to play with the Jetfire turbo setup, I have one and it will 
fit on the Rover.  All it's missing are the water/alcohol tank and the 
exhaust manifolds.  It is really quite obsolete and the turbo scrolls 
backward compared to modern turbos.  The only really useful piece for 
anything other than restoration is the intake manifold.  It has an 
extremely low profile and could be adapted to a Holley 2V carb, if 
anyone needs a really low bonnet for some custom installation.  A 
mid-eighties Buick GN turbo could be used with a 2" SU in a draw-through 
installation, but it would be much simpler if you had the Jetfire 
right-hand exhaust manifold.

Olds used bigger valves (but not by much).  The biggest difference in 
the heads, other than head bolts, is in the shape of the combustion 
chambers.  Buick used a semi-hemi fully machined chamber, whereas Olds 
used a conventional wedge chamber much like the heart shaped chambers 
currently in vogue for high performance Rovers.  Ian Richardson's 
Wildcat heads have provision for eighteen head bolts because he did cast 
some Olds style blocks with the extra bosses on the deck surface.  I am 
not sure if the new T/A heads have such a provision, but their V6 heads 
and blocks do.  I just can't see the Olds ports being very restricted by 
the extra head bolts, but I am going to take a look on Thursday.

More later...

Roveroverboostedly,
Kent K.


Scruggs Family wrote:
> I'm certain that Dr. McCarthy intended to say "Jetfire" vice "Skylark."  I
> recall this variant of the Oldsmobile F-85 was the first production
> turbocharged car.  Although both the Buick and Olds engines were aluminum
> V-8s the Olds used one more head bolt which went through the already
> tortured intake tract guaranteeing restricted breathing and no subsequent
> development from the aftermarket manufacturers.  Summer of '66 a friend and
> I drove one of these normally aspirated F-85s from Anchorage AK to Meridian
> MS.
>
> Gross Scruggs
> Annapolis MD
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rovernet [mailto:rovernet-bounces at rovernet.org] On Behalf Of
> GeffMcCarthy
> Sent: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 12:47 AM
> To: 'Rovernet'
> Subject: Re: [Rovernet] 3 Litre V8 for sale in US
>
> Interesting conversion using the almost identical Buick 215 cu in engine.
> It seems to have a 2 barrel carb.
> This engine, with a water-injected turbocharger, powered the 62 Olds
> Skylark, an advanced, smaller American car.
>
> AvMedSafe
> Geoffrey W. McCarthy MD MBA DipAvMed
> 677 NW Melinda Ave Portland OR USA 97210
> 503-241-8468(h) 503-799-3809 (mobile)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rovernet [mailto:rovernet-bounces at rovernet.org] On Behalf Of
> GeffMcCarthy
> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 10:13 AM
> To: 'Rovernet'
> Subject: [Rovernet] 3 Litre V8 for sale in US
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/251374354802
> Looks like some restoration, and needs more.  The v8 was never imported
> here, owing to the smog regulations which began in 1968.
>
> AvMedSafe
> Geoffrey W. McCarthy MD MBA DipAvMed
> 677 NW Melinda Ave Portland OR USA 97210
> 503-241-8468(h) 503-799-3809 (mobile)
>
>