We Stripped Down Our TVR's Engine... What Did We Find? | TVR Race Car Build

We're continuing our TVR race car build, but before this 4.0-litre Rover V8 goes anywhere near our freshly rebuilt chassis, we're taking it apart to find out exactly what we're dealing with. After stripping the body from the TVR, rebuilding the chassis and starting the race car conversion, it's time to check the heart of the car. In this episode, we strip down the TVR's Rover V8 engine, remove the inlet manifold, rocker gear and cylinder heads, and take our first proper look inside. With a surprising amount of miles on the clock, will this classic V8 be hiding a nasty surprise, or has it survived remarkably well? We also uncover some of the Rover V8's common weak points, including the infamous valley gasket area, explain how this old-school pushrod engine works and inspect everything from the cylinder heads and head gaskets to the valvetrain and engine internals. And while the engine is out, we're checking the gearbox, clutch and flywheel too. What started as a quick precautionary inspection quickly becomes another important stage in turning this TVR into a fully prepared race car. This is the next chapter in our TVR race car build, with the freshly restored chassis slowly coming back together with competition suspension, braided brake lines and rebuilt hubs. Once the remaining parts arrive, the plan is to reunite the engine, drivetrain and rolling chassis before the body eventually goes back on. Can a high mileage Rover V8 still be healthy enough for a race car build? Let's find out. If you enjoy TVR builds, Rover V8s, classic car restoration, race car preparation, workshop projects and proper hands-on motorsport, make sure you're subscribed for the rest of the build. #TVR #TVRGriffith #RoverV8 #V8Engine #EngineTeardown #RaceCarBuild #ClassicCarRestoration #TVRBuild #ProjectCar #Motorsport #ClassicCars #CarRestoration #WorkshopBuild #BritishCars #RaceCar

Added 9 Sept 2026