[ROVERNET - UK] Rebuild kits and KinardRove '06

[Lance La Certe]

Kent,

Thanks so much for the feedback on both the engine and Rimmers.  It looks
like Ruth at ABC is going to come to my rescue yet again.  Nonetheless, I
will forward this email to Ted Ax who is doing the rebuild on my engine.

Thanks again,  Lance


> [Original Message]
> From: Kent Kinard <kkinard at wcc.net>
> To: <rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com>
> Date: 7/22/2006 1:51:37 AM
> Subject: [ROVERNET - UK] Rebuild kits and KinardRove '06
>
> Hi Lance,
> Hi Lance (and other netters),
>
>  From reading Rimmers paper V8 catalogue, I conclude that 
> they only supply the stock type sleeves in their 3.5 to 
> 3.9 conversion kits.  Stock 3.9 pistons are fine, but the 
> stock 3.9 sleeves are too thick and do not leave enough 
> meat in the cylinder wall.  I have yet to identify the 
> source of the thin sleeves listed by Des Hammill in his 
> book.  The top hat sleeves (flanged) are available from LA 
> Sleeve in Los Angeles but are over $600US per set.  (Seems 
> like I posted this a while back).  So I really don't know 
> what to suggest in terms of a rebuild kit...use the rest 
> of the Rimmers kit but not the sleeves if you are going to 
> a 3.7 inch bore.  All the other stuff will be good, but 
> check the kit when it arrives for completeness and 
> quality.  Rimmers...you can't live with them and you can't 
> live without them.  I received three sets of TR8 block 
> mounts from them before I got a pair that wasn't too 
> warped to bolt to the block.  The first set of stainless 
> headers I got from them for an SD1 placed one pipe in the 
> same location as the steering shaft.  The forgot that LHD 
> cars have a steering shaft on the left.  The next Rimmers 
> catalogue listed separate header sets for LHD and RHD 
> applications and I got the first set of LHD headers they 
> sold...but they still didn't clear the starter solenoid so 
> I had to use a P6B starter...duh!
>
> If I had read this earlier, I could have asked our host 
> this morning, Phil Baker, about sleeves.  Phil is 86 and 
> lost his wife recently.  He suffers from severe arthritis 
> but his mind is clear and sharp.  He took us out to the 
> shop and showed us a prototype V12 based on Rover/Buick 
> components (I took a picture) which his son, Ray, will 
> soon begin producing.  Phil had a stack of sleeves for use 
> with the 3.7 inch bore sitting on a shelf and several 
> hundred 215 blocks to use for this project.  The cranks 
> are cut from huge billets and cams from special blanks.  I 
> felt humbled to get to talk with one of my boyhood heros 
> and a man who has made a great contribution to the 
> development of the Buick/Rover V8.  I worked on one of his 
> 5.0 liter Buick conversions many years ago and thought at 
> the time that it was a very beautiful piece of work.  No 
> man has worked with our aluminum V8's longer (Dan LaGrue 
> is the possible exception).  Phil is a great guy and I'm 
> glad I finally got to meet him.
>
> For those who will be there, Peter and I will see you at 
> Bellevue tomorrow, God willing.
>
> Roverovingly,
> Kent K.
>
>
> On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 02:51:39 -0400
>   Glen Wilson <glenwilson at cavtel.net> wrote:
> > On Monday 10 July 2006 23:50, Lance La Certe wrote:
> >> Hi All,
> >>
> >> Wanted to ask your help on engine rebuild kits..  Am in 
> >>the process of
> >> rebuilding my 3.5 V8 ('70 'Federal'  3500S).  I've found 
> >>what appears to
> >> be, an excellent set of kits from Rimmer Bros. in the 
> >>UK----a 3.5 kit and a
> >> 3.9 kit.  Can anyone provide any reputable sources for 
> >>rebuild kits in the
> >> US? Does anyone have experience with the Rimmer kits?
> > 
> > Lance, 
> > 
> > Try catching Kent as he runs out the door.
> > 
> > There a re a number of sources for rebuild kits for the 
> >Buick 215 engine, and 
> > most (not all) of the parts are interchangeable. 
> > 
> > TS Imported Automotive
> > New-Used-Rebuilt-NOS-Performance British car parts. Some 
> >used cars for sale. 
> > Very strong on SD1 and V8 performance. Some older Rover 
> >stuff
> > 404 Basinger Road
> > Pandora, OH 45877
> > Phone: 800-543-6648 or 419-384-3022
> >Fax:  419-384-3272
> > Web Site: 
> > Email: tedtsimx at q1.net
> > USA
> > 
> > Ted Schumacher is a decent, honest guy who deals mostly 
> >in high performance 
> > Rover V8s. I don't know if he sells things like kits, 
> >but I'm pretty sure he 
> > would offer good advice. Tell him Glen WIlson said to 
> >remind him about the 
> > 80% discount for RSTCA members...
> > 
> > There's also a guy in Utah who deals in Rover V8s, but I 
> >don't see his contact 
> > info. He used to advertise every month in Hemmings Motor 
> >News under Rover 
> > parts.
> > 
> > Companies like Atlantic British might be a source, but 
> >they tend to deal more 
> > with later Range Rover engines.
> > 
> > If you are going to order from overseas, you should 
> >always run it by Pierre.
> > 
> > Rover Parts Services
> > Pierre responds promptly to email inquiries.
> > 11 Polworth Road
> > London SW16 2ET.
> > Phone: (011) 44 20 8696 9645 or (011) 44 20 8883 5309
> >Fax: (011) 44 20 8696 9645
> > Email: pjemail at aol.com
> > UK
> > 
> > My experience with Rimmer was years ago. They were very 
> >expensive, wouldn't 
> > lift a finger to save you money on international 
> >shipping, and they tended to 
> > always ship 90% of my order and tell me the last couple 
> >of crucial parts 
> > were "no longer available" (though they were offered for 
> >sale on their 
> > website).
> > 
> > Glen
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > rovernet mailing list
> > rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
> > To unsubscribe, go to this web page, look near the 
> >bottom and follow instructions:
> > http://mailman.nipltd.com/mailman/listinfo/rovernet
> > Back-up list and photos at:
> > http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rover_net/
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> rovernet mailing list
> rovernet at lyris.ccdata.com
> To unsubscribe, go to this web page, look near the bottom and follow
instructions:
> http://mailman.nipltd.com/mailman/listinfo/rovernet
> Back-up list and photos at:
> http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Rover_net/