Rover 75 V8

[Mike]

Originally Posted by anglaslt

It's a 4 speed auto box in the R75 V8 which copes adequately with the 260bhp on offer (It's a Ford 4R75W with an overdrive already installed in it, according to Nic Fasci, the MGR V8 development engineer). The performance between the 75 V8 auto and ZT 260 manual is practically identical.
Of course 32 valve V8 with 5 speed box might have been nicer but, as I understand, was not on offer to MGR.
Tom

Tom,

By four speed do you mean 1, 2, drive and reverse?

[anglaslt]

Originally Posted by Mike

Tom,

By four speed do you mean 1, 2, drive and reverse?

I'm a bit puzzled here Mike. Are there a couple of 75 V8 owners who believe they have a 3 speed box?

Page 81 of the handbook says "the automatic gearbox has four forward gears and a reverse".

The 4R75W is a successor to fords early 4 speed auto boxes with built in overdrive. I realise it shows on the selector only 1, 2 and drive but it just means you cannot hold third as you can first or second.

Tom

[Mike]

Originally Posted by anglaslt

I'm a bit puzzled here Mike. Are there a couple of 75 V8 owners who believe they have a 3 speed box?

Page 81 of the handbook says "the automatic gearbox has four forward gears and a reverse".

The 4R75W is a successor to fords early 4 speed auto boxes with built in overdrive. I realise it shows on the selector only 1, 2 and drive but it just means you cannot hold third as you can first or second.

Tom

Tom,

Clearly there are some who think its a 3 speed box I never reached page 81!

Thanks for explaining.

[Fille]

I think my KV6 has a five-speed box. But i haven't checked the manual

[Petrow]

Originally Posted by anglaslt

It's a 4 speed auto box in the R75 V8 which copes adequately with the 260bhp on offer (It's a Ford 4R75W with an overdrive already installed in it, according to Nic Fasci, the MGR V8 development engineer). The performance between the 75 V8 auto and ZT 260 manual is practically identical.
Of course 32 valve V8 with 5 speed box might have been nicer but, as I understand, was not on offer to MGR.
Tom

Hi Tom. I bow to your, and Nic's, superior knowledge, though I'm never sure whether a three speed + overdrive counts as a four speed or not. My old P5 had what was officially called a four speed box, but it had overdrive on both third and fourth which would have made it a six speed by your definition. It was a manual box, but the o/d automatically cut out if you put the pedal firmly to the metal. Memory's not what it used to was, but I seem to recall there may also have been a little stalk on the steering column to select or deselect the o/d.
My car came with a standard 75 handbook which doesn't cover the V8 details. I'd heard rumours that it was a four speed box, but the gear changes are so smooth it's hard to tell what gear you're actually in. I suppose the low 2000rpm at cruising speed around 70mph should have told me something. Would I be right in thinking that flooring it in 'D' just cuts the o/d to leave you in third, or does it switch down to second?

[anglaslt]

Originally Posted by Petrow

Hi Tom. I bow to your, and Nic's, superior knowledge, though I'm never sure whether a three speed + overdrive counts as a four speed or not. My old P5 had what was officially called a four speed box, but it had overdrive on both third and fourth which would have made it a six speed by your definition. It was a manual box, but the o/d automatically cut out if you put the pedal firmly to the metal. Memory's not what it used to was, but I seem to recall there may also have been a little stalk on the steering column to select or deselect the o/d.
My car came with a standard 75 handbook which doesn't cover the V8 details. I'd heard rumours that it was a four speed box, but the gear changes are so smooth it's hard to tell what gear you're actually in. I suppose the low 2000rpm at cruising speed around 70mph should have told me something. Would I be right in thinking that flooring it in 'D' just cuts the o/d to leave you in third, or does it switch down to second?

Hi Peter,
I'm no expert on the mechanical bits, I just believe what I'm told
It's an interesting point though, is it 4 speed including overdrive or plus overdrive. The question was raised on two-sixties but never answered.
On the Mustangs it seems that an overdrive button is normal which leads me to suspect it's 4 speed plus overdrive.
Anyway I've put a post on the Mustang forum in the US. They'll all be in bed just now but when they wake up I'm sure someone will know.
I agree with one thing Peter, it is smooth and difficult to detect the gear changes. With around 26mpg on my mixed journey home across Europe it's no thirstier than the manual either.
Regards,
Tom

[anglaslt]

Concesus from the Mustang forum seems to be that the 4r75w box is 4 speeds including overdive. Because overdrive in modern autos is an integral part of the gearbox and electronically controlled MGR presumably thought it reasonable to call it a four speed box.

Tom

[John Robins]

Dave , did you buy it ?

[Duotone]

Originally Posted by John Robins

Dave , did you buy it ?

No John I didn't.

I made them an offer but it obviously was not enough.

I had a couple of e mails from the garage asking me to up my offer bit I thought my offer fair.

Mike M kindly paid a visit to the car and took a few pictures.

There was some damage to the front bumper and some of the spec you expect in a Rover 75 SE V8 was missing, eg. no xenon headlamps or washers, sunroof, auto mirror, rain sensing wipers.

The parts to fix the bumper would have been near impossible to find,

So I am still on the lookout for a Rover 75 V8.

Here is one of Mike's pictures, you can see the chrome trim has popped off, the other damage was a broken lower grill and it needed a bumper respray..



Does not look much but the bolts that hold the chrome trim are glued with industry two part hot melt glue, not easy to get.

Dave T

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Duotone

Does not look much but the bolts that hold the chrome trim are glued with industry two part hot melt glue, not easy to get.

Dave T

Can't be seen in the pics very well but four of the fixings for the chrome trim were 'held on' with double sided sticky pads

Nice car, but with a lot missing!