Pro Street Style MGB GT
Discussion
In March I wrote on another forum - "As some - older- people on here may know, I built a BGT in 1988/89 and raced it in the Street Machine and Custom Car Rover V8 Challenge for 5 years. I then sold it to Bob and Ollie Owen who raced it in 1994 and again in 1996. Since then it has disappeared..........
I found that I missed the car and so if I cannot buy it back - I will make a new version instead!
So I am now going to steadily acquire the bits needed and will post up progress as and when."
However once I started getting the bits together my old BGT re-appeared and was sold on E Bay. It has since raced again at Shakespeare County Raceway. I did not want to buy it back as it had changed quite a bit (and was a bit too expensive!)
So I had a bit of a rethink and the concept has evolved so I now have a Jaguar V12 engine and autobox together with an IRS from an XJS.
This is going into a spaceframe chassis with a Midget front cross member - as per my original chassis.
So here are some pictures of the project so far.
The original car in 1993.
I bought some fibreglass panels from Honeybourne Mouldings
Then I started to make the chassis with its roll cage - trial fitting the engine and gearbox
I also purchased a very chopped about BGT bodyshell - which I have chopped about even further!
I found that I missed the car and so if I cannot buy it back - I will make a new version instead!
So I am now going to steadily acquire the bits needed and will post up progress as and when."
However once I started getting the bits together my old BGT re-appeared and was sold on E Bay. It has since raced again at Shakespeare County Raceway. I did not want to buy it back as it had changed quite a bit (and was a bit too expensive!)
So I had a bit of a rethink and the concept has evolved so I now have a Jaguar V12 engine and autobox together with an IRS from an XJS.
This is going into a spaceframe chassis with a Midget front cross member - as per my original chassis.
So here are some pictures of the project so far.
The original car in 1993.
I bought some fibreglass panels from Honeybourne Mouldings
Then I started to make the chassis with its roll cage - trial fitting the engine and gearbox
I also purchased a very chopped about BGT bodyshell - which I have chopped about even further!
After Christmas I will be taking it apart to adjust various sections now that I can see how it is all fitting together..........The engine will need to go a bit further forward, the front of the shell a bit lower, the front hoop of the roll cage a bit higher, the rear end bodywork supported, the rear spring supports moved............Still LOTS to do!
Still "Merry Christmas" to all PH MGers
Still "Merry Christmas" to all PH MGers
Space now cleared as the front and rear ends have been sold and collected - not a big profit though £1 each.....Still at least parts of them are helping other BGT projects.
I have been working away at the inlet manifold parts and they will soon be ready to be welded. Hopefully I will have some more time to get cracking on car soon.
I have been working away at the inlet manifold parts and they will soon be ready to be welded. Hopefully I will have some more time to get cracking on car soon.
A little bit done today - the drive shafts are at too much of an angle despite only using one coil over shock absorber - it is now mounted vertically, not at the angle in the original XJ-S.
So I could have bought shorter springs - but not sure what spring rating etc to try, or re located the top spring mounting point - which would need suitable strengthening to the roll cage rear diagonal tubes. As a trial though I have shortened the existing springs from the unused spare shocks. I discovered that there is a huge pre load on the original set up - I think in the order of 400 Lbs! So shortening the springs by two coils - about 2 1/2" inch has just about eliminated the preload and now the weight on the rear should compress the springs and hopefully get the driveshafts to a more nearly horizontal configuration. I will install them tomorrow and see....
The spring has been cut through at a shallow angle with the angle grinder and then the last coil has been heated and bent to sit neatly all round on the spring pan.
So I could have bought shorter springs - but not sure what spring rating etc to try, or re located the top spring mounting point - which would need suitable strengthening to the roll cage rear diagonal tubes. As a trial though I have shortened the existing springs from the unused spare shocks. I discovered that there is a huge pre load on the original set up - I think in the order of 400 Lbs! So shortening the springs by two coils - about 2 1/2" inch has just about eliminated the preload and now the weight on the rear should compress the springs and hopefully get the driveshafts to a more nearly horizontal configuration. I will install them tomorrow and see....
The spring has been cut through at a shallow angle with the angle grinder and then the last coil has been heated and bent to sit neatly all round on the spring pan.
I finally got the other six carb trumpets made and mocked them up on the car - I still need to get the manifolds welded. I then looked at the pipes for the oil cooler and possible location for the radiator. After getting all grubby I had a refit of the rear wings and Sebring valence - getting better but not there yet....
I have been working on a low cost method of getting the oil cooler pipework done and by cutting the steel pipe sections and using plumbing compression fittings I have been able to use the formerly convoluted XJS pipework. I did think about cutting and welding the tubes but it would be easy to get pinholes in the welds. I'm sure these fittings will hold the pressure (80 psi) and be better than cutting the flexible sections and jubilee clipping it together. Yes this is a low cost build.....under four figures so far.
There is a degree of concern re the plumbing connectors and so I am going to replace them with hydraulic fittings. On another point I have found a supplier of V12 exhaust manifold parts so a box of bent bits will be sent to me soon for me to put together......That has blown my budget! but the std cast iron system is really naff and looks to be very inefficient for gas flow.
Gassing Station | MG | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff