Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

I did a bit of reading yesterday- I didn't realise that the V8 is ~40lb lighter than the inline four.

Makes sense though, when you think of alluminium versus iron.

Would your current gearbox handle the power of a V8 though?

I think a lot of people convert to an LT77 or R380 out of a Sherpa, which is what Rover put in the RV8. Not sure what BL put in the BGT V8.
I have read one a Marina website that old rear wheel drive Nissan Bluebird axles have the same stud pattern, but better brakes and a really strong diff.