Hi-
Bruce McWilliams was head of Rover in the USA and is still around to tell the
story. There is also a complete run-down in Graham Robson's book The Rover
Story
William Martin-Hurst was managing director of Rover in 1963. He became aware
that General Motors was going to cease production of the aluminum V8. He
approached GM for a license to build the engine in England. Since the engine
was going out of production anyway, GM cooperated to the fullest.
Martin-Hurst's biggest problem was convincing Rover management to go ahead
with the project but it was all settled during 1964.
Martin-Hurst passed away several years ago. I don't have any idea if Rover
actually paid GM anything for the rights to the engine - Robson doesn't cover
it but Bruce would know.
Rover first used the engine in their large sedan formerly powered by a 3.0
straight six, then into the 2000 body, then into Range Rover and then the SD1
5-door. They managed to punch the engine out to 4.5 liters at the end.
Mike Cook
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