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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Auto and a 215 in a 78 MGB

Anyone done this what trans and was any mods needed to the body to make this swap happen?
The G

Dear G:
I am gathering the parts together to install my 215 and auto trans in my '79 B Roadster. I have a Volvo AW-71 (Asian-built BW) four-speed OD automatic out of a '88 780 Bertone. (It was behind a V6 engine w/o lockup torque converter and has starter recesses on both sides, which the Volvo 240 transmissions don't have). I have the info from a fellow in Denmark on how to build an adapter to bolt it to the 215. He says it works very slick in his SD-1 and has some great pics of the conversion. Also, I am still interested in finding out whether or not a Rover SD-1 auto bellhousing will bolt to the Volvo transmission, as the SD-1 uses a Borg Warner unit. I plan to use a Ford Mustang radiator with bottom trans cooler, a Volvo shifter, and RV8 headers. Also have the stock Buick 4bbl manifold and 500cfm Edelbrock carb. My conversion completion date is at least a year down the road. I would be interested in any other recent comments.
DAVE
Dave Winne

Dave, are you going to use the rad tranny cooler for an engine oil cooler?
Joe Ullman

Joe,
No, I plan to use it to cool the transmission.
DAVE
Dave Winne

i have a 70 gt with a 215 and a gm turbo 350, mine is an older 3 speed, not the newer 4 speed overdrive and it is a much smaller bellhousing, no mods of any type were required to install it in the cb car, however you could relieve the tunnel ever so slightly if you desired to get a little mor eclearance. if you want this route let me know and i will give you hte year and model that it came out of, i have a 3.4 rear end however i am going to change out to a 3.0 as it runs about 3400 rpm at 80 mph on the freeway now, jim
jim m

I'm using a BW65 behind a Rover motor. They came together out of an SD1.The only mods that were neccesary were the dipstick & filler tube had to be shortened & rerouted differently around the bellhousing. I used the straight part of the original tube & the part that screws into the pan & joined them with a flexible tube.The original kick down cable was retained with some extra linkage to the carb. I've used the shifter out of a Ford Escort.It's quite low tech. by todays standards - 3 speed, no lockup convertor,& because of the top ratio 1-1,I'm using a 3.08 diff. This setup does not give me "burnem off" accelleration ,but I'm happy with the results. BTW I use a Tx cooler out of a Triumph 2.5. It fits neatly between the engine oil cooler & the bottom of the Rad.The rear Xmember has to be altered no matter what Tx you use.I chopped off the MG brackets & used the original Rover part which is a bolt on bit. Barrie E
Barrie Egerton

I was playing around with the automatic behind either a 3.5 or my 4.2 into my '62 Skylark. I have JPEGS of a Range Rover Bell onto a ZF four speed automatic out of a Volvo (very small bodied trans) It is not quite a bolt on, but half of the bolt do match up. The depth of the bolt on bell differ between the RR and the Volvo units. I have sold this set up to Glenn Towery in Deleware. I also have a BW 65 rebuilt out of a Rover 3500 for sale with torque converter and flexplate. Again JPEGS availalbe... Good luck.
c.
Curtis

This thread was discussed between 24/11/2001 and 01/12/2001

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