MGB with V8
 

Has anyone out there ever done this conversion. I know that you need to have a rubber bumper car to do this conversion, due to space. Anyone know where I can find a Rover V8 and how much it cost?

No experience with conversions, but this place has good info for all things MG.

www.mgexperience.net/

MG actually made a B (MGBGT V8) so it's not a big deal and the motors were used in everything as I recall. So while not difficult to do... I wouldn't. The B is a turd, a fun little turd but a turd none the less. No point in giving it big power it just isn't a good idea.

I buried thousands upon thousands and untold hours into a B back in the 80's-90's. Learned a ton about cars including one very important lesson...stay away from cheap British sports cars :)

In all seriousness though that chassis just plain sucks.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1343931433.jpg
its not just th buick v8 that fits in th MG

Also, I cannot imagine the reason you would need a rubber bumpered car. There are no real structural differences between the two.

Just see one on that "rate my ride "show. It sounded like they loss handling and end up with a drag car.

There is very importany structural difference between the chrome bumber and the rubber bumpers. The radiator surround is further forward in the rubber bumpers which allows room for the v8 to fit in the engine compartment.
Craig

The factory V8 MGB was a chrome bumper car.

Edit: I see there are some differences in the shroud but that's seems terribly minor.

It was also a small 3.something liter Rover engine. Much smaller than what we can put in there from the USofA.

/first car was a B.

the rover v8 is the same as the Buick, Olds, Pontiac 215 aluminum v8. no point in putting that motor in there, though, other than size. if you're going to v8 it, you might as well really do it. parts availability sucks for the 215, as well as the rover. go with small block. britishv8.org has info.

That car will not like that much weight in the front.

I asked the same question about weight and i was told that the small aluminum V8 weights almost the same as the iron 4 cyl.

LS1 ?? When I was going thru my MGA and MGB phase the LS1 was new now options are unlimited.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1343943182.jpg

or Ford 302


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1343943337.jpg

I'm not looking to make a "head snapper". A mild V8 to give the sound a a bit of push is fine.

Compared to the stock 4 that is in the MGB any V8 will be a head snapper. Have you considered a V6?

WAAAYYYY too much front end weight.

How about this?

32V Northstar V8...

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...nde2012011.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p...nde2012010.jpg

Yikes!

Paul.

There's a guy on Grassroots Motorsports and a few other forums who's got a really heavily-modded MGB GT with a V8 in it. I think it's a 5.0 Mustang motor. He originally had a Jag V12 in it but the motor was bad and he had to switch it out.

I'll see if I can dig it up later.

I have thought about a V6 but whats the difference in weight between a 6 or an 8. I know that my company vehicle has direct injected 6, it will fly. The only issue with a 6 is that you can't get that "sound" that an 8 produces.

"He originally had a Jag V12 in it but the motor was bad and he had to switch it out."
What a surprise.
A buddy had a '72 Jag V12. Crankshaft was toast in < 2 years. Status? Prestige? At what cost?

The aluminum block V8 was actually lighter than the boat anchor 4 that the B came with if I recall.

I was always talking about a turbo'd 4 in mine... but again the chassis is just terrible and the car is a terrible platform for performance.

The are fun little cars in low speed twisties, keep them in that environment is my opinion.

My brother has been building up a rubber-bumper 215 V8 MGB. The engine is all aluminum and is actually lighter than the cast iron 4 cylinder. I believe between the engine, and lighter T5 transmission and 8" Ford rear end, he was dropping about 50-100 pounds total weight.

Go with an engine other than the aluminum 215, and the weight goes up quite a bit. I think the HP and torque numbers were well above 200 units.

He's getting married soon, so I have no idea if the car will every be finished.

Guy around my way has a '70 MGBGT with a FD RX7 13B turbo in it. Man does thing haul a$$

I've toyed with the idea of the GT as I'm sure the rigidity solves many of the B's problems, but then again there are many many others it likely doesn't.

The Triumph GT6+ would probably be a better platform but then not by much.

Triumph you say?

On Craigslist in Phoenix: 1972 Triumph TR-6 V8 Convertible

<a href="http://s1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb469/acjlej11/1972%20Triumph%20TR6/?action=view&amp;current=P6131049.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb469/acjlej11/1972%20Triumph%20TR6/P6131049.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

http://photobucket.com/1972triumph

As the past owner of an MGB, I know something about this.

The 4 banger that comes with a B weighs in plus or minus the same as a Ford small block V8. Memory says 420LBS but who knows. It has been a while.

The Buick V8 should not be a weight problem.

I have a buddy who converted a British MGB-V8 to left hand drive. It might still be in Oregon.

Another buddy has a cherry MGB-V8 that is stock. His may be the nicest in the US.

They are nice rides from what I hear.

Larry

Unsubstantiated opinions can be misleading.---Take notice of Embraer's post

All the info you will ever need on --http://www.britishv8.org

i've seen SR20 series engines in MGB's. a friend is building a rover v8 MGB. a toyota 1UZFE v8 could be a good candidate if it fits ok.
http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?40,512049,page=1

https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=mgb+sr20det&hl=en&rlz=1C1CHOI_enNZ410NZ41 3&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=FH UcUM-uDc-fiQfivIG4CA&sqi=2&ved=0CE0QsAQ&biw=1600&bih=884