Click on car for V540 Vantage picture gallery

Once production had begun in early 1977 on the first V540 V8 Vantages a dedicated Vantage build area was created where cars were hand finished to the uprated specification. Partially complete vehicles were transferred from the production line and received extra attention and fettling to bring them up to Vantage specification. On the engine side carbs specially modified by hand with the choke removed and altered throttle plates were fitted to special manifolds, distributors rebuilt with revised timing and higher lift camshafts were set with more overlap. Aerodynamic aids were bolted on (only the first 16 cars) and the suspension tuned and reset. The cars were then tested on a rolling road with 300-bhp output at the rear wheels being the goal. Only then were they released to a few select customers.  V8/11640/RCAV was the first production car, built specially for George Minden, one of Aston’s saviours in 1975.

 

11736 engine right.jpg (28323 bytes)11736 engine left.jpg (25295 bytes)
 

To meet emission regulations a single belt driven pump with air injection became standard on all V8 engines.  It accounted for a horsepower drop of 10 bhp but helped meet more stringent "smog" regulations introduced throughout England and Europe.

While all the features fitted to the prototype did not make it to production, the final cars performed to all expectations. Interestingly a number of the first cars returned with damage to the front. As it transpired, the aerodynamics were so effective the drivers, used to the noise and lower power of the standard V8, did not realize how fast they were traveling. The Vantage was so much quieter and more powerful it arrived at corners quicker than usual and a few surprised drivers could not stop in time!

Initially four cars (11687,11688, 11703 & 11704) were fitted with smaller 5” driving lamps, Perspex headlamp covers and a larger diameter anti-roll bar. From chassis V8/11705/RCAV all cars were standardised with larger driving lamps, the same anti-roll bar as the normal V8 and no headlamp covers.

After the first 16 cars the aerodynamic additions were built smoothly into the bodywork. From chassis number V8/11815/LCAV the rear flip tail spoiler was smoothly integrated into the alloy body with the bonnet bulge opening welded closed during production. Optional electrically adjustable door mirrors were also offered. The overall effect was a much smoother and aesthetically pleasing car. In total 23 of these “flip tail” Vantages were built between December 1977 and September 1978.


First US Cosmetic Vantage V8/11841/LCAV


I
n January 1978 the first V8 Vantage for the US market was introduced. While externally these cars looked like normal Vantages, under the bonnet a US-spec. low compression engine was fitted. Chassis # V8/11841/LCAV was the first of 11 “Cosmetic Vantages” built.  Subsequently all but two cars (11874 & 11928) have had their engines rebuilt to full European Vantage spec.
 

Additionally eight cars were built for the Canadian market with Vantage type cosmetics, i.e. front airdam, plugged bonnet bulge and rear tail spoiler (no driving lights were fitted, grille remained open and standard V8 spec. tires were fitted as well as a stainless exhaust system).  The engines were to European Stage 1 specification (the suffix "S" in the engine number) and the chassis number finished with LCA.  Four cars were manual (11714, 11904, 11905, 11939) and four were automatic (11715, 11906, 11940, 11945).  These cars have been dubbed "Canadian Vantages" by their owners, while technically not correct it differentiates them from the standard spec. cars.


Canadian V8/11904/LCA

V540 V8 Vantage build data

Year

Model

Engine

Body

Built

RHD

LHD

Manual

Auto

1977

AM V8 VANTAGE

V540/…../V

Bolt on

16

14

2

15

1

1977 - 1978

V540/…../V

Flip tail

23

16

7

23

-

1978

V540/…../LF.

Cosmetic

11

-

11

10

1

Works preparation completed at The Kangaroo Stable  

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Copyright August, 2001