Once my Cob is on the road and everything has been seen to work (worried..................naah!!), proving that I can build and engine(!!), I intend to buy a 4.6 or 5.0 litre short engine from someone like V8 Developments in Lincolnshire, and build it up over time with as many goodies as I can strap on!!! Been reading lots about this and even though it won't make the silly BHP figures of some of the Americans V8's, it will give me over 300BHP, fit straight into my GD chassis without having to change engine mounts etc, still be very light (unlike the old American lumps), keep me interested for the foreseeable future, and still see me driving a 100%, hand made (by yours truly!) British sports car!!

Simple really, just got to finish the current one first!! Watch this space!!

21st April 2007 - At a bit of a loose end at the moment while waiting for things to be returned from Ward's, so I thought I would express my thoughts on why I'm building a GD with a Rover 3.5 engine and not a hugely powerful American lump. I thought I would start this page early (not even finished the first build yet!).

Here are a few points that keep cropping up:-

"American engines are far cheaper than building a Rover engine, as parts for the Rover are expensive".

 I agree with that sentiment, but most people that have American engines buy them as a turnkey option. When you add the gearbox and other bits it aint cheap! I bought my Rover for £200 ish pounds and a bit more for the gearbox. OK, to build it up as I have done is not cheap, but you can do it as and when you can afford the parts (took me a year to get mine to the "nearly ready" condition) and more importantly get to know your engine inside out.

"American engines come with all the power you will ever need as standard, to get anywhere near the same power with a Rover is very expensive".

Again, I agree with the facts that American engines are always going to give more BHP, but that is not really all I am looking for. I want a Cobra with a V8 engine that I have built myself. I have never done this before so the Rover V8 option was perfect because it was cheap to buy, parts are easy to get hold of and the documentation (Haynes) and build information are readily available.

Of course when everything is finished and my car is on the road..................what next? Will I (as everyone seems to tell me) want a bigger engine with more power? The answer is very probably "Yes"!!! So..........even though it is a long way off...................its nice to make plans........................so here are some of my thoughts!!!