MGBGT - Engine transplant options

[dern]

Appologies to the purists but I've always fancied an mgbgt but one with a bigger engine so what transplants have been successfully done to the car? I'd be looking at something to use on a daily basis but with more power. Am quite happy doing the required work.

I've read about rover v8 conversions and while I like the v8 in my westfield I couldn't afford the petrol on a daily bases although understand that a mega-squirt/throttle-body conversion would help that a bit. I've also read about the T16 engine, k-series and a few other 4-pots but would prefer a v8 I guess so has anyone put an american v8 in one of these cars... I'd be especially keen to hear of any LS1 conversions.

Thanks very much,

Mark

[petros]

Had a J E Develpments 4.6 in my roadster.Downside is you'll need a lot of other bits as well. I had Hopkinson front suspension with Bilstein Dampers, 4 pot calipers, adjustable rear shocks with anti tramp bars welded onto the chassis. Tight hugger manifolds exiting through the wings to keep the engine comp cool, quaiffe l s d, brown spring racing clutch and loads more incidentals to keep the car on the road. Very expensive in the end but loads of fun to drive with some 220 bhp and bags of torque.

[dern]

petros said:

Had a J E Develpments 4.6 in my roadster.Downside is you'll need a lot of other bits as well. I had Hopkinson front suspension with Bilstein Dampers, 4 pot calipers, adjustable rear shocks with anti tramp bars welded onto the chassis. Tight hugger manifolds exiting through the wings to keep the engine comp cool, quaiffe l s d, brown spring racing clutch and loads more incidentals to keep the car on the road. Very expensive in the end but loads of fun to drive with some 220 bhp and bags of torque.

Did you end up with a car that was nice to drive or a cross between a classic and a hotrod? I won't be using it on a daily basis as I commute by bike but need it to be civilised (to a degree) and to be able to cope with traffic.

This might sound a odd but my requirements of it are that I need it to be able to take a roof rack and have 4 seats with 4 seatbelts (that's the practical bit) so that it can cope with carting my kayaks about with stealing the wife's family car and also be used to ferry the family about on the rare occasions that our main car is out of action. I'll also use it to get to work and back if the bike is out of action and if it can do 20mpg on a run or better then that'll be a boon. Apart from all that I'd like it to be a monster when called on basically and I like the looks of the sebring body kits (sorry purists).

Money wise I suspect that my current seight will go to pay for the project and this will start when I finish my bec locost and only then if I feel that I can't really see the point of running and tinkering with a bec 7 as well as a v8 westy. I think the seight may be worth about 10k.

I've had this picture on my desktop for about a year...




...and that's pretty much the sort of thing I'd like.

Just need to choose and engine (and finish the locost).

Cheers,

Mark

[petros]

Fine to drive in the dry but an absolute pig in the wet. With hardly any throttle at all the rear wheels span and the car was all over the road.

[hugh_]

dern said:

I've had this picture on my desktop for about a year... ...and that's pretty much the sort of thing I'd like.

I saw this advertised about a year ago and was very much mouth agawp! I love the sebring body kits, a couple of years ago (just after I'd bought my first car) there was a black BGT with full sebring pack, lowered, oscelli 2.1, minilite's. It looked the absolute mutts nutts and I was so tempted to get it, but it pushed the purchase budget too far and I could really have afforded the running costs! Good luck with your project

[Adam_BGT]

wow! thats all i can say to that car! where did you get the sebring kit? just what i'm after at the minute to finish off my vermillion '74 BGT!

[thewave]

Adam_BGT said:

wow! thats all i can say to that car! where did you get the sebring kit? just what i'm after at the minute to finish off my vermillion '74 BGT!

www.mgmotorsport.com

Call Doug' he'll be able to furnish you with the sebring kit I think - about £300 - £400 I think, but it means cutting out the arches at the rear!

Edited to add, the car above is for sale on the MGMotorsport website for £15,995
3 litre straight six running triple webber 45's

Edited by thewave on Thursday 9th August 15:03

[Adam_BGT]

oof verrry verry tempting, but if i bought that, i think the missus would most probably kill me in my sleep, given as i've just spent close to 5 grand fitting a 1950 oselli unit with twin webers ... i was loving it, now i'm gutted! guessing thats the healy 3000 engine on that rather pretty blue one!

soon as payday comes, i'm gonna be straight on for a sebring kit and gettin busy with the rear arches then!

[thewave]

Adam_BGT said:

oof verrry verry tempting, but if i bought that, i think the missus would most probably kill me in my sleep, given as i've just spent close to 5 grand fitting a 1950 oselli unit with twin webers ... i was loving it, now i'm gutted! guessing thats the healy 3000 engine on that rather pretty blue one!

soon as payday comes, i'm gonna be straight on for a sebring kit and gettin busy with the rear arches then!

Good luck with the wife and that Sebring kit! I see lonely winter nights ahead of you

Yes it's essentially a reworked Healey engine, sounds absolutely gorgeous. However, would love to know what your 'B' with the Oselli engine is like? What sort of figures are you getting?

[Adam_BGT]

nah, they wont be lonely ... just me and my 'B'! haha!

not had it on a dyno yet, but i'm guessing at around 130bhp .... i'm certainly not getting smoked by repmobiles anymore! I'll find a nice long, quiet straight as soon as i've got it run in and sort some acceleration figures out, but its really all acedemic to me .... the exhaust note more than makes up for any failings it may have! Also, i discovered last night that if i drive past parked BMWs in third gear with exactly 3200 rpm on the clock it sets their alarms off! Hence it is without a doubt the best car i am ever likely to own!!

[thewave]

Adam_BGT said:

nah, they wont be lonely ... just me and my 'B'! haha!

not had it on a dyno yet, but i'm guessing at around 130bhp .... i'm certainly not getting smoked by repmobiles anymore! I'll find a nice long, quiet straight as soon as i've got it run in and sort some acceleration figures out, but its really all acedemic to me .... the exhaust note more than makes up for any failings it may have! Also, i discovered last night that if i drive past parked BMWs in third gear with exactly 3200 rpm on the clock it sets their alarms off! Hence it is without a doubt the best car i am ever likely to own!!

Glad you're enjoying it so much. I'm guessing 130bhp in such a small nimble car is quite entertaining. Have fun!

Calculators suggest 0-60 in just about 7.5 seconds, so certainly no slouch!
(based on kerb weight of 940kg and 130 horses at the flywheel)

[Adam_BGT]

7ish to 60 sounds about right, need to do a couple of hundred more miles, then oil change, good tightening up etc, then as soon as i can happily give it more than 4000 revs i'll let you know.

be even better once i get paid, still running a vacuum advance dizzy, but oselli inlet manifold for the webers has no take off for it, lacking about 5 degrees advance at 4000 revs so just need to fork out another 130 quid for a mechanical advance dizzy!

[Talkwrench]

Surely you can get a vacuum take off point? Is there a servo pipe to pit a 'T' into? Or maybe drill the manifold and tap in a take off. Vacuum is better than just mechanical!

[Adam_BGT]

no take offs whatsoever. drilling is something to ponder though, thanks pal! gonna have to at some point anyways, may struggle putting a brake servo on otherwise!

[Talkwrench]

If you're very careful, you can tap in situ. Just load the drill bit and tap with plenty of grease to catch the swarf. To be honest though, the DCOE manifold only takes 5 minutes to whip off.....