V8 Newsletter
for December 2003 published in Safety Fast!, the award winning monthly magazine of the MG Car Club

This month we have a report of the successful V8 Cornish Tour, a feature on looking after your V8 during the winter months including a cautionary workshop note on vulnerability with RV8 alarm ECUs and a reminder of the benefits of battery management conditioners plus a few recent workshop notes.

RV8 Talk - recording is now available
A recording of the talk given by David Bishop and John Yea to a gathering of V8 enthusiasts in Buckingham in June 2003 at the start of the V8 25th Anniversary Week of events is now available. It will be of particular interest to enthusiasts in Britain and overseas who could not be there. The recording is in two parts - the fascinating RV8 Talk and then the interesting Q&A session that folllowed. Peter Buckles chaired the event and commented "projects of that type that just don't happen like that any more". The availability of MGB bodies from the BMH Body Plant and fuel injected V8 engines clearly were the essential inputs but it needed enthusiasm and imagination to make it happen. Many of our V8 enthusiasts contributed to the project including Roger Parker, the late Trevor Taylor, Ron Gammons and of course Peter Buckles and his team at the leading specialist parts supplier, Moss Europe.


Front cover of the plastic case with the CD
of the RV8 Talk recording - produced to the same standards as the workshop notes CDs.

John Yea said "I don't think a retro type car built in an old body will be seen again - manufacturers don't keep old tooling any more - it's just binned, gone for ever!" He related how tracing the tooling for the RV8 project was a key part of their work. During John's presentation of the story of how the RV8 came to be revealed a startling fact - if the development programme had been later, by another six months or so, the RV8 might not have met the increased "drive by" noise limits - it was really that close! John Yea mentioned there was an idea later to revive production, but by that time the tougher drive by noise limits had come in and the RV8 would have need considerable additional expenditure to meet those new limits.

The recording has been formatted to squeeze onto a single CD and play on modern desktop PCs and laptops which have Windows Media Player installed. You can order a copy of the CD using the V8 Online Sales service or by mail order. The CDs including P& P and VAT (where applicable) are £15.00 (UK members), £16.00 (Mainland Europe) and £16.00 (Far East & Australia/NZ). The online sale service uses the secure PayPal payment mechanism. All cheques for mail orders should be drawn on a bank in the UK and made payable to "V8 Register - MG Car Club" and sent to Victor Smith at V8 Register, MG Car Club, PO Box 251, Abingdon-0n-Thames, Oxfordshire OX14 1FF.





The DVD recording will be a better quality. There may be a short delay before the DVD is available because Gavin Bailey is waiting for his new DVD burner to arrive from the supplier!

Note from Victor Smith: members buying either the CD or DVD must be aware that the recording was made with only one camera and it is not up to normal professional filming and recording standards, but from my viewing a test copy of the CD played on my laptop, I feel is well worth seeing because the content is so interesting. The format used to squeeze the large files on to a normal CD has also reduced the quality a little but the CD is very convenient.

New uprated RV8 front springs available
Gavin Brown (Woodcote Green 1479) at the MG Car Centre at Launceston in Tasmania has obtained a supply of replacement up-rated RV8 front springs. (published as RV8NOTE194 in Oct 03)

Gavin Brown reports "these springs are an up-rated version of the Japanese specification front suspension springs (GRS105) which are no longer available through MG Rover. Over time all RV8s suffer from sagging springs which causes the bump stops to constantly ride on the lower spring pan


Uprated RV8 front spring (GRS105HD) available from The MG Car Centre in Tasmania finished with a black powder coating for durability. (Photos: Gavin Brown)



which leads to a bone jarring ride on anything less than a perfect road surface". Gavin has obtained a supply of up-rated replacement springs and says

that "by fitting these springs will raise the height of the car back to the Factory specification of 355mm +/- 10mm from the centre of the wheel arch on the wing to the centre of the road wheel". The MG Car Centre can supply these up-rated front springs (GES105HD) at £85.00 plus postage from Australia. See the V8 Website for the contacts for the MG Car Centre and indicative postage costs.

Warning - an unusual RV8 fire risk
A cautionary note from Lowell Smith (Woodcote Green 0384) from Yorkshire based on an unexpected hot moment! (published as RV8NOTE190 in Oct 03)

Lowell Smith reports he recently attended a car show in Ripon and parked up in a line other MGs with the sun behind the row. It was a bright sunny day so the top was down. But in the early afternoon someone came running down the line of cars saying "a green RV8 is on fire!!". Sure enough the passenger seat was beginning to burn as a result of the passenger side vanity mirror being left folded down. The mirror had focused the rays from the sun directly on the centre panel of the seat resulting in a two inch burn through the leather! The seat was a matter of seconds from an inferno.

Lowell comments that "had the car been left unattended in a parking lot or at the kerb side, we could have had one less RV8 to worry about! I subsequently went over to my car and was able to duplicate the effect immediately - with the back of my hand on the centre panel of the seat, it only took a few seconds to inflict a burn!. It's worth checking the visor is up when the RV8 is parked - particularly as lady passengers often need the mirror to tidy up after a run in an open RV8!"


When you refer to RV8 Owner's Handbook you find it mentions this risk with a caution: "VANITY MIRROR - To avoid possible scorching of the seats by the sun reflected in the vanity mirror, always return the sun visor to its stowed position when not in use".

New mobile phone law
From 1st December 2003 a new law in the UK that will make it a specific offence to hold and use a mobile phone whilst driving. This is in addition to the current laws governing safe driving. Victor Smith provides a brief note. (published as V8NOTE296 & RV8NOTE193 in Oct 03)


Vodafone's leaflet makes it clear!

Probably many V8 enthusiasts will welcome this move as we all see so many cases of people driving cars holding phones to their ears both in urban areas and on major roads and motorways - just how they can believe they have proper control of their vehicle is not clear. But if you still want to keep in touch when you are out and about in your car, there is a choice of solutions available to suit your needs and budget - what are the options?
Keep your hands free for driving! That has to be the approach. Hands free kits have a fixed cradle for your mobile phone, a microphone to talk into, and speakers so you can hear the caller clearly. In addition hands free kits charge your phone battery whilst you are driving. Vodafone, like most of the mobile phone equipment and service providers, are offering two types of hands free kit - either "install-yourself" kits or "professionally installed" systems. In Vodafone's latest leaflet they suggest three kits. You can see more information on these hands free kits on the V8 Website or by visiting the Vodafone website at www.vodafone.co.uk/driving or call them on 07002 887868.

Reimporting an RV8 - what are the options?
There has never been a better time to get an RV8 and the flow of RV8s returning from Japan to the UK is clear evidence that many enthusiasts recognise that very well! Most of these enthusiasts are joining the V8 Register where they have access to the leading RV8 information source and support group for the model. For the next six months or so there is a particular factor which should lead to continued good opportunities for UK enthusiasts so we anticipate RV8 reimports will continue to flow from Japan. That factor is the temporary block on RV8 imports to Australia, a country where the RV8 and the air-con specification has proved to be a particular attraction! So if UK enthusiasts want to get an RV8 and are thinking of a reimport, how should they go about it and what are the key areas of concern?
Virtually all RV8s coming from Japan are sold at auction in Japan, so unless you are prepared to attend and bid personally, you have two choices: either buy through an established specialist RV8 reimporter in the UK who has well established contacts and knowledge of the Japanese market and auction procedures, or engage a local agent in Japan with knowledge of both the model and the auctions to purchase an RV8 for you at auction. In deciding which route you take, you have to be clear over what you want in terms of outcome but quality and cost are usually the principal concerns, plus of course the reliability and reputation for service quality of the commercial party you choose to buy from or deal through.

This note is a cut down version of RV8NOTE192 which was added to the series in October 2003. A full version is available which provides a detailed analysis of the options and concerns together with a footnote by Chris Watkins, who runs a leading RV8 reimporter HS Imports down in Somerset, on the practicalities of D-I-Y reimporting. The current volume of the RV8 Workshop Notes series will be rounded off at Note 200 so by the turn of the year we should be starting Volume 7! Copies of the both workshop notes series are available on CD through the V8 Online Sales webpage or by mail order. If you do not have access to the internet, just call Victor Smith on 0208 392 9434 for details of prices and how to order the notes a CD.

Photo page

Photos from the V8 Cornish Tour, V8 25th Anniversary Week and from a meeting in Nagoya, Japan


David Waterton (V8 Chairman) catches up on his emails at Goonhilly. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)


Angie Dickens at the dinner at the Falmouth Hotel during the V8 Cornish Tour. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)


Mike Taylor's new V8 Roadster Conversion (White Gold 4290) recently built for him by Halls near Bourne in Lincolnshire. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)


Kai Knickman (Damask 0945) from Germany on the V8 Tulip route in June. (Photo: Victor Smith)


V8s at Goonhilly during the V8 Cornish Tour in October. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)


Youji Fujita, Adrian Kingwell & Izumi Fujita with Youji's RV8 bought recently for £6,000 in Japan. (Photo: Alan Kingwell)
V8 Roadster Conversion
The appearance of Mike Taylor's new V8 Roadster Conversion (White Gold 4209) at the V8 Cornish Tour was a very welcome sight as it is a particularly well prepared car. The conversion was carried out by Halls Garage near Bourne in Lincolnshire.


Engine bay of this V8 Conversion looks just right! (Photo: Gavin Bailey)

For more details on V8 conversions or refurbishment work, contact Halls Garage
Event report

V8 Cornish Tour 2003
Over the years, the V8 Tours have been very popular, based on a hotel in an interesting region of the UK. For 2003 Gordon Hesketh-Jones organised a V8 Tour based in Cornwall. Mike Taylor (White Gold 4290), a longstanding member of the Club from Lincolnshire, recently joined the V8 Register and attended the V8 Cornish Tour with his new V8 Roadster Conversion. Here is his report.


The V8 Tour party had over 25 V8s with a few MGCs and an MGF - here they are lined up in the sunshine at Pendennis Castle, one of the places of interest on the tour programme. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)

For twelve months we watched on a weekly basis as our MGB was restored and had a V8 engine fitted by Steve Hall and his team at Halls Garage in Lincolnshire and at last the "Californian Dream" was now a reality and it was ours! So what can you do if you have a V8? - join the V8 Register of course and see what is available! The V8 Website was simple to use and very comprehensive and within a very short time we were interested in the Cornwall weekend which was to be based at Falmouth. We were last there some thirty years and more ago when we went shark fishing, but that is another story. We telephoned the organiser, Gordon-Hesketh Jones, who was very helpful and answered all our questions, so then it was back to the V8 Website to download the forms and send off the cheque. We did not know any one who would be going, so would "The Marque of Friendship" be extended to us? It certainly was.

We arrived on Friday at noon after a 250 mile drive from Lincolnshire at the Jamaica Inn and received a warm welcome from Gordon and Jennifer and other V8 Register members who we had not met before. This was going to be a weekend we would enjoy. At lunch we were each given a Kernow a'gas Dynnergh (a welcome to Cornwall) programme and road book for the whole weekend. The guide was very well laid out even down to different colours for the activities on each day, and it was in English!! We found there were to be some thirty cars for the weekend with some joining us later on Friday evening. Following Cornish Pasties for lunch we set off in groups of five or six cars for The Eden Project where we were directed to a special reserved parking area.

The Eden Project is built on the floor of a huge quarry and a Noddy Train took us down, and thank goodness, back up again after we had made our way around the forests, jungles and gardens. Our visit gave us enough time to have a good look round and to appreciate the vision and hard work that has gone into creating such a splendid spectacle, all within 3 years! I wish our gardening was as quick. Gordon had devised alternative routes to the Falmouth Hotel, direct on the main roads or the scenic route. We took the latter. If we had not had the excellent Tulip route guide we would have missed so much; tiny narrow twisting roads through beautiful villages, and some wonderful surprising views. Gated roads were opened specially for us by members of the local MG club, which took us along local tracks not normally available to the general public. The views of the sea and small bays were delightful.

As we arrived at Mevagissey the village ground to a halt, chocker block with traffic with one non MG car was determined to go against the flow of some fifteen or so MG's, but all was sorted in the end and we continued to our hotel in Falmouth. The Falmouth Hotel was right on the sea front, the sign outside said 3 star but this was a good standard 4 star hotel without doubt. We were booked in for three nights dinner bed and breakfast, and after booking in and a quick swim in the hotel's large swimming pool, it was off to the bar to meet up with our new V8 Register friends. The dining room was set with tables of eight and our chairman, David Waterton, in his welcoming address suggested that we all move round at each meal, which was great for us as this meant that we would meet more members. We also found it most helpful that we had all been provided with name badges.

Saturday saw us on our way after breakfast to Goonhilly, the World's largest Earth Satellite Station run by BT. Our route to Goonhilly took us through some lovely tiny villages and narrow tracks, before arriving at our reserved parking area. The speed at which Goonhilly sends emails, text messages, telephone calls and TV programmes is mind blowing. It takes 256 milliseconds to send a TV picture 86,000 kilometres - now that is quick! We were able to go into a small cinema to see a most interesting film of the importance of Goonhilly, without which there would be no mobile phones, no TV, no emails and the like all of which we rely on totally today. A conducted tour of the whole site by was included.

It was soon time to follow the Tulip route again as we headed to Lands End, last visited by us over thirty years ago. What a disappointment it is now ruined by commercialisation and what a pity the National Trust did not acquire this area as it was when we last visited, as they would have preserved its natural beauty. I suspect our grandchildren would love it, so we might have to suffer it again! After a short drive, we came to Levant to see a fabulous Beam Engine totally restored and in full working order. This was
copper mining country. Several hundred men were formerly employed here working up to 600ft underground in dreadful conditions, the mine shafts went straight down and then a mile out under the sea. Today the equipment is maintained by a dedicated team of real enthusiasts, and without their efforts the beam engine would have been lost to the elements. We were on the move again, this time to the North Cornish coast to St. Ives, which we last visited on honeymoon thirty seven years earlier when bed and breakfast was 12/6d per night and a week's wage was £6 - except that at that time I was unemployed for a couple of weeks! We then had a choice of cream teas or St Ives and the Tate Modern, and so to Tate Modern we went. When you get to a certain age entrance is free, and yes we qualified! We spent a couple of hours looking at the exhibits, sometimes trying to make out what they were. The gallery itself is very well laid out, with wonderful panoramic views, and, if we lived locally we would be regular visitors. Time was pressing on and we followed the Tulip route back to the hotel to join our friends for dinner and an auction?


The auction in full swing with Peter Beadle as auctioneer and Jim Gibson his trusty man clad in overalls displaying the exhibits. (Photo: Gavin Bailey)

Following an excellent dinner, Peter Beadle was introduced as the Auctioneer for the evening His efforts raised £200 most of which went to the hotel's very helpful staff. The auction was great fun and enjoyed by everyone, particularly Peter as bids were accepted for the slightest movement of the members present!

Sunday saw us on our way to the Seal Sanctuary at Gweek which is the largest seal sanctuary in the UK. The centre rescues and looks after injured seals and whenever possible returns them to the sea. Some however can not be returned as they would not survive and are kept at the sanctuary for life. Feeding time on our visit was 1100hrs but you did not need someone to tell you the time as the seagulls did that. Five minutes before feeding time they were there and took their chances of a free meal. The seals were fun to watch as they performed for their own amusement, charging out of the water onto the concrete surround to watch us watching them watching us.

It was back to the car and on to Pendennis Castle where Gordon had arranged for us to park right in front of the Castle. The thirty cars gleamed in the sunshine and made a photo essential. The Castle and grounds are maintained in pristine condition. A walk along the battlements was not only very relaxing but the views of the estuary and surrounding countryside made one question what life would have been like all those years ago. By one in the afternoon we were following the Tulip route to hopefully find The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Well of course we found them, how could you miss them with such good directions! Again we were shown to our exclusive car park and introduced to our guide who gave us a run down .It seems that there are two distinct areas to see - the formal and kitchen gardens and the woodland walk leading to the subtropical walk down to the cove and sea. The subtropical walk provided us with a vast range of palms, grasses and banana trees. Cornwall's climate is very different to that in Lincolnshire so it was an opportunity for us to see many plants that we would not normally see. After much walking we enjoyed a cup of tea in the café before heading back to the hotel for our last dinner as a group.

At dinner the V8 Register Chairman David Waterton, thanked Gordon Hesketh-Jones and his lovely wife Jennifer for organising the whole event, and a presentation was made of an engraved Octagon in crystal. Although this was to be our last dinner together for this weekend, it was not the last event because following breakfast on Monday we were off again this time to the small St Austell Brewery, which is still family run. There we were divided into three groups, each with their own guide, who gave us a complete tour explaining as we went the processes that produce such an excellent beer. If you visit with a large party, they will make up a special brew just for you! Our weekend finished in the visitors' bar with free beer kindly provided by the brewery where it was an ideal time to exchange addresses and telephone numbers.

We decided to stay one more night at the hotel and to reflect on a weekend that had been brilliantly organised and one that we will always remember, particularly for the friendship offered by so many V8 enthusiasts we had not known only a few days earlier. Now we look forward to the next V8 Register event.

Footnote from David Waterton: for 2004, the good news is that Derek Spencer-Jones is already working on the arrangements for a V8 Shropshire Tour based at the Longmynd Hotel in Church Stretton over the long weekend Friday 24th to Monday 27th September. Full details will be set out in the V8 Column early in the New Year and of course on the V8 Website where you will soon find details of the hotel, the tour programme and a booking form.
Feature articles

Looking after V8s during the Winter months
Many V8s are understandably used less in the Winter months when frequent gritting of roads creates an aggressive environment for a classic car - both small stones flying up and the inevitable salt conditions. This infrequent running, and maybe long periods of inactivity, can lead to batteries running down and even approaching a near fully discharged condition. How can the batteries be kept in good conditions and are there any concerns with batteries dropping to a low level of charge? Well with the RV8, like many cars with modern electronic systems, there are some concerns which if ignored can lead to expensive consequences! So this month we have a new cautionary note from Brian Moyse, the new editor of the RV8 Workshop Notes series, on the RV8 alarm ECU and a reminder of the benefits of battery management conditioners together with a special offer on these units from Brown & Gammons!

RV8 alarm ECU - suspected vulnerability
Brian Moyse (BRG 1714) from Surrey posted a caution on the V8 Bulletin Board concerning the risk of damage to the alarm ECU if the battery runs down if the car is not used, typically during the Winter months. (published as RV8NOTE189 in Oct 03)

October is the time of year when many RV8 owners may be having thoughts about laying their cars up for the Winter months. This posting is to remind members that it is important to either disconnect the battery on the car during a long period of lay-up or to ensure that the battery is kept fully charged because there are electronic systems on the RV8 which will slowly discharge the battery if it is left connected for long periods. The note is also a warning to RV8 owners of the potential damage which can occur to the original equipment alarm electronic control unit (ECU) if the battery is allowed to discharge and then attempts are made to start the car with insufficient voltage from the battery.

At least two RV8 members have suffered fatal alarm ECU failures which appear to have occurred immediately after attempts to start the car were made with low battery voltage/capacity. In one instance the problem was a discharged battery, in the other the battery connections were found to be loose. In both cases attempting to start the car resulted in the starter motor solenoid "pumping". This occurs when there are sufficient volts to pull in the solenoid, but insufficient volts to turn the starter motor. The current draw of the starter motor winding results in a further drop in the voltage which then causes the solenoid to drop out. The voltage then recovers, whereupon the solenoid pulls in again and the cycle repeats for as long as the starter motor-ignition switch is operated.

A possible explanation for the ECU failures is an inherent vulnerability to voltage transients (spikes) on the electrical supply system. Voltage transients could occur as a result of the solenoid "pumping" - that is rapid switching of an inductance (the solenoid coil plus the starter motor winding) in a direct current circuit, similar to the voltage transients that cause arcing at the contact breaker points in a distributor when switching the ignition coil circuit. The ECU failure is total in that no communication is possible with the remote "plips" or the MG Rover "Testbook" diagnostic system and the alarm system will not set or un-set.

Footnote: AMES MG at Bury St Edmunds has supplies of a new remote "plip" (YWX000320) at £38.70 plus VAT. The new unit looks completely different to the original remote (YWX10007) and is smaller. Just contact Keith Baylis, the friendly parts manager, on 01284 704440 who confirms they have successfully programmed these new units to members' RV8s. Full details of these units are on the V8 Website.

Battery management conditioners
In this note, Bryan Ditchman (Caribbean Blue 0265), describes a device which maintains the battery condition, particularly when an MG RV8 is stored for extended periods. (first published as RV8NOTE56 in Jan 00)

If like mine your RV8 insurance cover is only valid for overnight risks if the vehicle is in a lock-up garage with the alarm on the RV8 activated, then I recommend the purchase of a CSI Air Flow Automatic Battery Management Conditioner. This will set you back about £45 but will avoid the battery draining down to low levels or worse. I have used one on each of my cars when I have travelled overseas for up to three months at a time with no adverse effects and the certainty that at least the RV8 battery is fully charged upon my return.

As a preface to some facts on the unit, it must be emphasised that the battery must be in good condition, terminals clean and Vaselined and a good earth contact. The battery management unit has an electronic controller which switches off automatically when the battery is fully charged, and switches on again automatically when the battery voltage drops due to spontaneous discharge. This effectively prevents the battery from becoming overcharged and the unit can remain connected to the battery for an extended period (months) without "boiling away" the electrolyte.

I have replaced the charging clips with a fused cigar lighter plug obtained from the motor spares chain, Les Smith, which is made by Custom Accessories Europe. This is one of the better quality units on the market and is easy to connect (solder) the wires. Make sure you get the polarity correct
when soldering up the wires - RED to the centre plunger on the cigar lighter plug. Note that upon installation, connect to the mains supply after connection to the battery, and disconnect from the mains supply before disconnecting from the battery. All units come with comprehensive and easy to follow instructions in five languages. The battery management units can be obtained from Brown & Gammons if you are unable to locate a local supplier.

Special Seasonal Offers
for V8 Register members!

Special offer on Battery Management Conditioners
Two battery management conditioners are on special offer to V8 enthusiasts in December from Brown & Gammons at their Baldock counter or by mail order. With both units, you do not need to remove the battery from the car. Both units can be left plugged into your MGBV8 or RV8 and maintain a controlled trickle charge which will keep the battery in good condition and fully charged. They have cunning circuitry which cuts out when the battery is fully charged and avoids boiling the electrolyte - ideal for periods when your V8 is in the garage in cold weather.


The CSI ABC4000 battery management conditioner which has the added feature of charging from a fully flat battery. (Photo: Brown & Gammons)

CSI Airflow Automatic Battery Management Conditioner ABC4000
This unit will charge a fully flat battery and will automatically revive, charge, check and maintain the battery with a controlled trickle charge. The unit comes complete with wires to hook up to the battery. Special offer price is £39.95 including VAT.

CSI Airflow Automatic Battery Management Conditioner ABC1000
This unit will not charge a fully flat battery and will automatically revive, charge, check and maintain the battery with a controlled trickle charge. Comes complete with wires to hook up to the battery. Special offer price is £34.95 including VAT.

With both units post and packaging is extra for mail orders. The usual price for these units is £45.00 and £39.95 respectively so on special offer they would make an ideal seasonal present! Just remember to mention you are a V8 Register member and saw the offer here to claim the special offer! Their number is 01462 490049.

New RV8 hoods available
For RV8 enthusiasts, Brown & Gammons has also got a supply of hoods from the original equipment manufacturer complete with the zipped rear windows.

AMES MG - 10% off V8 spares
For the Christmas period they are offering 10% off all spares to V8 Register members. AMES MG at Bury St Edmunds is where you will find an enthusiastic parts manager, Keith Baylis, who brought out the very useful RV8 Technical Information CD packed with the RV8 Repair Manual and gearbox repair documents. Well it's been reduced to £49.95 including VAT and P&P to UK members. Keith can also supply copies to overseas members - just see the AMES offers webpage on the V8 Website for full details of prices for delivery outside the UK.

RV8 news from Japan


David Boniface (Oxford Blue 1589) in Tokyo won a special prize from the recent MG Day in Karuizawa organised by MG Car Club Japan Centre. The prize was awarded for having the most pristine and original RV8 on display. (Photo: Colin Shea)

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