Just popping in to say hi!

[Dan in NZ]

I've been without E34 for about 18 months now... I still miss this board, it's a rarity to find such a good group of passionate people dedicated to their cars. I've gone to the dark side now, in posession of a Land Rover Discovery II. When working on the Disco I always think of what a joy the E34 was to work on, extremely well engineered masterpeice. Unfortunately it seems bmw didn't have too much input into the disco II during the time it owned land rover...

[markus]

im sure u open the hood a lot more also.

[Zeuk in Oz]

I've been without E34 for about 18 months now... I still miss this board, it's a rarity to find such a good group of passionate people dedicated to their cars. I've gone to the dark side now, in posession of a Land Rover Discovery II. When working on the Disco I always think of what a joy the E34 was to work on, extremely well engineered masterpeice. Unfortunately it seems bmw didn't have too much input into the disco II during the time it owned land rover...
Greetings Dan.
Where are you working now - I presume you are still in NZ ? I guess your idea of moving to Oz didn't happen ?
Don't worry - another bimmer is only another short time away I'm sure.

[Paul in NZ]

I cant quite figure out Dan how you end up selling an e34 and ending up with land rover....Apart from the occasional bonus of that space where is the up side.I miss the support of another kiwi :(

[Dan in NZ]

Been to oz and back again! Spent six months in Melbourne, then a job that was too good to pass up came up in my old university town... So I've come full circle!

I've always had a thing for Land Rovers, so that's what I'm driving at the moment... Next car will most likely be another bimmer, probably an e46. I give it 6 months, then I will have had enough of removing/cleaning/replacing abs sensors and adjusting door lock linkages.

[attack eagle]

or you could always get an x5 in it's Range Rover disguise.

[Dan in NZ]

X5 a Range Rover in disguise? Oh please.

[attack eagle]

invert.

http://www.rangerovers.net/rriiiartic.JPG


The later (2003+ aka Mk III) Range Rover's secret is it's really a BMW where it counts. Very nice vehicles.
Built like a BMW, with a bmw engine, and designed by BMW.
But it still drives off road like a land rover.

[Dan in NZ]

Yeah, the Range Rover does borrow quite heavily from the BMW parts bin... Navigation, engine, transmission... Rumour was that it was costing Ford big $ to buy the engines off BMW, so they now run on Jaguar V8's. More power, less noise, vibration and harshness. I bet the supercharged version of the V8 goes like stink.

They've also just released a TDV8, performance is about equal to the petrol V8, and consumption is down to about what my 525 used to be. In New Zealand at least it's now the standard engine - Petrol engine on special order only.

My Disco has the famous Rover pushrod V8... Picked up from Buick in the 1970's and used up the end of the Disco II run in 2003.

[whiskychaser]

My Disco has the famous Rover pushrod V8... Picked up from Buick in the 1970's and used up the end of the Disco II run in 2003.

Sorry but I thought you said pushrod? Thought OHV went out in the 60s?:)

[attack eagle]

It was designed in the late 50s, and was originally 215 cu in engine.

Its the same engine used in the MGB GT v8, current TVR, Morgan, etc. Great little engine. weighs all of (IIRC) think 320 lbs complete? I know it weighs 60 pounds LESS than the 2 liter MGB 4 cylinder.

If I could have one engine to build a sports car around, that would be it. Particularly build it up as a more modern "Jetfire" turbocharged model... :D

[Tiger]

Mmm... why not take over what BMW missed out? Put a BMW V8 in there.

[Paul in NZ]

x5 4.8 is

yum

yum

[Dan in NZ]

The funniest thing about the Rover V8. Buick dropped it in the 60's due to oil sealing issues. Didn't worry Rover, they just kept using it for the next 40 years, leaks and all.

And yeah, it really is a pushrod V8...

Haven't heard of any engine transplants, other than dropping in the 4.6 from the 95+ Range Rover. An M30 would be sweet, and would bolt right up to the ZF 4HP22