Apparently they make a kit to mount the 2.8L V6 in these. I'm thinking moon discs, whitewalls and a '50s flavor for a traditional sports car feeling from an uninspiring '70s car. Now if Hack can just divine some speed secrets for those little mills...
Hey at least it has the chrome bumpers. The one's with the big rubber bumpers suck. What carbs are on it now? If it's side draft SU's do you want to sell them? Dean
I don't own it, I was just cruising the car swapper sites and daydreaming. You're right on the bumpers. This is a '74, the last year for them, I think.
The best swap in them, and MG did some themselves, or had them done, is the Buick/Rover aluminum 215" V8. just knock a couple corners off the tops of the footwells and it slips in. and it's not too heavy for good handling. I've seen a 5L Ford in one but it sat up too high to put the hood on it. My MGB GT is for sale in the classifieds if anyone wants to put a V8 in one of these.
While we're on the topic, would someone mind customizing the taillight treatment on this? The amber turn indicators have got to go and the lights are generally uninspiring. Initially I was thinking "tripower" lights ala '50s Chryslers ('59 Caddy lenses, perhaps?) but the round mid-fifties Buick lenses seem a more tasteful choice. I'm going for an early Corvette kind of feel.
Here is my friends '67 GT Motor right now is pretty stock. The suspension has been tweeked with some (needs to do a little bit more). He autocrosses it a bit. Corners really good. A 302 with aluminum heads doesnt weigh a whole lot more than the 4 banger that is in there. The 1800 is already stroked as much as possible. The cam will get in the way if you try to go any farther (remember its a tractor motor ). You can bump them up to 2.0L by overboring them. I think you have to get the block sonic-checked to see if it worthy. Check out this site too: http://www.mgcars.org.uk/ . They even have a section of the board dedicated to V8 conversions. I think the stock MG 4 banger is faster thean a 2.8 .
Yeah, but your 2.8 is a front-driver, Rock!! (Different motor mounting bosses and starter on the opposite side). Although the right bellhousing (that accepts a starter on either side) and custom fabbed motor mounts would solve that FWD block issue with minimal fuss!! I've seen a few of those cars with 2.8 Chevy motors in them, they fit with TONS of room to spare, and are MILES ahead of the stock Brit Bangers in power and reliability! (You'll want a 1985-up block, because it has larger journals and is a bit stronger than the early 2.8 engines. Heads interchange, but the heads from a fuel injected 2.8 have bigger valves and flow better, so you'll want those.) Edelbrock makes intake manifolds for the 2.8 that look kinda like a 60s deal with a removeable top. Tops are available for the stock progressive 2v, or for a Holley 4v. In addition, B&M offered supercharger kits for the 2.8 motors. Factory and aftermarket sources can provide you with a healthy hydraulic cam, or you can install 7/16" rocker studs and run small block Chevy rockers with guideplates and a solid lifter cam if you wish! The 2.8 is a lightweight and very compact engine (they are dinky, thanks to thier 60 degree cylinder banking!), which makes them an easy fit into just about anything! After owning a Celebrity for two years with a 2.8, and overheating it on a regular basis (fan never worked!), running it out of oil all the time, and beating the shit out of it...I was convinced that those engines can't be killed! Do they have enough "ooomph" to move around a 49 Chevy? Stay tuned to find out!!!
There must be something in the water in Michigan... Hopefully, since my water comes in 12 oz containers, mixed with barley and hops, this won't rub off on me too... Jay who isn't about to be tainted by the 2.8 flu!
Ha Ha...the WATER??? It's in the AIR, Buddy...you CAN'T escape it...it's all around you...and we'll get you sooner or later...resistance is futile!!! The whole 2.8 deal makes "Punch Drunk" the perfect name for the old Chevy, too!
i don't have a photo of mine, but i have an austin healy sprite... well actually, it was my mums first car, so i guess i'd really have to say it's still hers, but i look after it so... it's mine
[ QUOTE ] Yeah, but your 2.8 is a front-driver, Rock!! [/ QUOTE ] Mine's from a 4WD - the old S15 I had in high school is just lying around waiting to get hauled to the dump. I thought that in such a light car with a Saginaw behind it and a homemade twin-Rochester intake it might be an okay motor...
This is mine, there's more shots of it in the classifieds at http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB3&Number=289327&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
[ QUOTE ] ...would someone mind customizing the taillight treatment on this? The amber turn indicators have got to go and the lights are generally uninspiring. Initially I was thinking "tripower" lights ala '50s Chryslers ('59 Caddy lenses, perhaps?) but the round mid-fifties Buick lenses seem a more tasteful choice. I'm going for an early Corvette kind of feel. [/ QUOTE ] The older stock tail lights were smoothly contoured to the body and didn't have the square part or the amber lens. just retrofit. In fact the stock older lights have a '57 Chrysler feel to them only canted forward instead of back. but f you really want something non-MG try some 60's Sunbeam Alpine, early swept back or the type in the Tiger$...Bodywork involved either way. and lets face it, there is NO market for customized MGs, other than race oriented fender flares, so plan on owning it till it rusts away if you do any body changes. I know, that is seldom an issue on this board, but MGs are a different game. Modified sports cars WERE traditionally "hotrodded" though so I don't consider this off topic.
try photoshopping in some kaiser-fraiser taillights; or the mid 50's (54 i think) caddy lights. both are similar and would require just grafting in the sheet metal around the lights.
Actually, if you look at the sides of that new Nomad concept you can see the contours and the side crease of the MGB. Make a clone! All it would take is to round off everything on both ends, put some similar newer head and tail lights in and make the removable roof out of f-glass. Only do it on a roadster though, cutting the roof off a salt belt GT might make you find out how much of the frame structure has really rusted away...
Here's my thoughts on a Buick light treatment. Excuse the quality, I haven't had a computer with photoshop for a couple years now so I do all this in paint (like you couldn't tell from my whitewalls and moon discs!).
The alloy head millss require a different intake than the iron head versions. The pistons are different too due to the hi-swirl comunstion chambers. Fat Hack has got me thinkin' about 60 degree V6s again, (thanks Hack, I was off the wagon for nearly 2 years!! Back to 12 steps ) the 1 barrel Webers from VW would look good in a trio on the top of a modified intake. Plug the idle circuits on the outer 2, set up progressive linkage and it would look and maybe even run pretty good.
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