QUESTION - Seriously, WHY did you convert your Land Rover to a V8?

ANSWER - 1. Safety.  At best speeds The Land Rover often moved much slower than relevant traffic.   People did really stupid and unsafe things to get around the Rover.  Sometimes I just looked in the rear view mirror watching 18 wheelers coming up my rear at twice my best speed and hoped I would be noticed before contact.  And there were the times I merged into busy freeway traffic from short on ramps.  Bottom line is I felt unsafe in traffic because the Rover could not move fast enough.   I consider being able to travel at the speed limit in hills to be a major safety upgrade.

2. The ability to climb slopes with ease that would have stalled the engine in low range first gear. Today the Land Rover will go anyplace the tyres can find traction on.  There are a lot less failed climbs.

3. The ability to creep over obstacles that I would have otherwise bounced over trying to keep the engine revs up high enough so the engine would not stall on the obstacles.  This puts a lot less damaging stress on the vehicle.

There is something to be said about an engine that produces way more torque at idle than the 2-1/4L does at peak. I have discovered that "mountains have turned to mole hills" and the car has become a lot more off road capable in mountainous places and creeping over obstacles.

4. The ability not to have to slow down on hills. Keeping your speed is easier on the nerves than staring at the rear view mirror and watching the 18 wheeler flinging itself at your tail pipe.

5. To be able to do the posted minimum speed limit on some uphill sections of the Freeway in Utah

6. Every mechanic in North America knows how to work on the engine and is experienced with it.

7. You can get parts in any local auto parts store

8. New water pump under $30. New fuel pump, under $30, new oil pressure sending unit for about a buck fifty. Need I say more about parts prices?

9. Fuel consumption in the same range as the 2-1/4 L petrol on regular. I think with some more tweaking I can pick up a few additional MPG.

10. The ability to handle taller gearing thus being able to do the posted speed limits on interstates, up hills and into head winds. This shaves off significant driving to and from time.

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