The Twin OHC T-Series in its 200hp form was fitted in the Rover 820 Vitesse Sport and I think the 220 turbo coupe (Tomcat). This was a transverse installation although there was a not so powerful longitudinal installation in a Land Rover. The T-Series was a development of the M-Series which was similar to a twin cam version of an O-series (Single OHC) which in turn was a development of the B-Series at least the blocks were similar externally, I think, but don’t quote me!

Anyway it’s possible to turn the T-Series into a longitudinal motor as the flywheel and bell housing bolt patterns are the same as the O-Series. Rover made some SD1s with O-Series engines (Rover 2000 - not a P6, an SD1) and they were fitted with 5 speed LT77 gearboxes which can take the power as they normally fit onto the Rover V8. So all you need is a Rover 2000 engine back-plate, bell housing and gearbox (plus new engine mounts, manifolds and alternator, water pump and power steering pump etc.) and you can in theory fit it to any rear-engined car. (Oh, and also a starter motor - the T-series original fits beside the gearbox not alongside the engine, so it runs “backwards”.)

I intended to fit this into an SD1 and then plans changed and I sold the SD1. Then I thought about fitting it into a TR7 coupe but in the end I bought a drophead TR7 with a V8 and decided to stick with that so the engine languishes in the garage gathering dust, unfortunately! From time to time I turn it over on the starter to circulate the oil.

More details of the T-series converted to front to back installation follow next…

Rover T-Series Turbo

T-Series turbo installed in Rover 820 coupe

I tested the engine on a trolley to check that it would start and run on the original engine management system. It took me a bit of time to fathom out what all the wires were supposed to do. Wiring diagrams don’t always seem to correspond with what you have in front of you! Also there are what seem to be undocumented immobiliser details which, it turned out, were not very complicated!

The Porsche 914 is in the background which, sadly, several years later, is still waiting for some attention.

Cylinder head installed in the living room. My wife must have been away visiting at the time!