I have been looking at this project for some time. Just recently several of you assisted me in getting my 780 flood car out of storage and on the road. Now I am working on another 780 B280F engine and am beginning the rebuild/modification project to make this a 200+hp engine for my Delorean. I have learned a lot and would like to share what I have found and get comments, or possibly convince others to try this set of recipes.

I will begin this with a few requests, I am looking for a set of Volvo B280E cams. This is a European only variant of this engine and the cams are reported to make a large difference.

Anybody out there have any experiance with buying rebuild kits for this or the Monaco/Eagle/Renault PRV engines? I have found Clevite, but that is the only source I have found.

I am going to be running this engine with a MegaSquirt and Spark engine controller and a waste spark system scavanged from a GM or Ford system. No distributor, but will be using an optical sensor in the old distributor.

Start with a dead B280F engine from a 760 or 780. This is the infamous PRV engine. V6, all aluminum steel sleeved block with 4 bolt mains. Even fire with just less than 2.8 liter displacement. I have not seen his posts in a while but, John Layne got me started on this project and much of this info is from him.

This engine, plus Dodge Monaco PRV sleeves and heads (lots of them out there). Plus either a Clevite Master rebuild kit including cams and pistons 9.5:1 compression, or a rebuild kit plus a set of custom pistons providing 10.5:1 compression. There are many variants for this engine, mostly used in Renaults and Puegot cars. Some in stock form generate over 250hp.

I'm spewing here, but there are several flavors of modifications that are quite doable;

1) Just put the engine in a Delorean and build a set of headers. 25 to 40 hp over the Delorean b27 engine and the engine will not eat it's cams because of oil starvation.
2) Port the exhaust and install headers. 40+ hp.
3) Modify the Eagle/Monaco/Renault heads. (Z7X, 711 to 715 assemblies) Mild porting, the valves are HUGE compared to the B280F heads. Use the B280F cams or the Monaco cams. The Monaco variety will give better low end torque, but much lower high end.
4) Use the Monaco heads plus the Volvo B280E cams. This is a European version of the engine and was installed in the 760 and 780 made for Europe. Hard to get in the US, but they are out there. Adds about 20+ more hp. (147+40+20=207+hp) and we have not increased the displacement.
5) Rebuild the engine using the Monaco sleeves, .020" over pistons (Clevite kit), Monaco heads with Volvo cams. Displacement increases from 2849 (90.9 X 72.9) to 2946 (93 X 73) (Bore x Stroke). This will give you 9.5:1 compression.
6) Same as #5, except use custom pistons to provide 10.5:1 pistons ($155 each "Ouch")
That is it for the version that will work in a Delorean. Below is the crazy Hp stuff that would make your 760 or 780 a Wolf in sheeps clothing.


7) Build a turbo engine. Same as #5, but buy forged rods and 8.5:1 pistons ($155 each for pistons plus another $500 for rods = $1400). This can be a sign turbo 350hp or a twin turbo at 700+hp and 700+ foot pounds of torque. This would be the ultimate John Layne version and John has not found a transmission or rear end that will hold up with this durable and crazy powerful engine.

I would love to hear your input and I will post on this project as I progress.