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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - RHD to LHD Conversion

Can anyone tell me how many factory MGB GT V8's were made LHD? Apparently a lot were made RHD, but can anyone give me the number?

Brgds.

Lars
Lars Harding

Lars,

In addition to the 2,591 RHD cars, all accounts indicate that seven Factory LHD USA-spec MGB-GTs were built in late 1972 as pre-production 1973 models, these were chassis numbers GD2DUD2-101G through GD2DUD2-107G (I think those are the numbers, I don't have the exact references in front of me). These cars were built with full emission controlled engines with prefix 4960 instead of 4860 for the UK-spec engines.

Three of these cars were shipped to the US for dealer evaluations and review by the motoring press, but when Leyland pulled the plug on US shipments in mid-1973 (partially due to the Arab oil crisis), the three cars were sent back to the factory where they were retrofitted with UK-spec engines along with the remaining 4 still in the UK.

All the cars were subsequently sold in continental Europe, and all still exist. One of the current owner/enthusiasts, Tom Studer in Switzerland, has published a pamphlet on the whereabouts and status of the 7 cars. Another owner, Bas Gerrits, has actually obtained one of the US-spec engines and has reinstalled it in his car!

There is another LHD "Factory" car that has created some confusion, I believe this is car GD2DUD2-100G. This was a prototype car (all production MG car numbers start at 101) that was used for research at the Factory, but was never sold. Lyle York of Massachusetts located the stripped bodyshell and had it built up in the UK and imported to the US. I do not believe that this car was built to full Federal specifications, but it is LHD.

Hope this helps,
Paul Kile
1974 MGB-GT V-8, Teal Blue, GD2D1-889G
Paul Kile

Minor corrections, quoted from Knowles' book I hasten to add, I don't have Paul's 'anorak' memory !
The 7 production LHD chassis numbers were GD2D2-DUD-101G, 102G, 104G, 105G, 108G, 109G, 110G.
Lyle York's car is listed as # - 98G, never registered in the UK and current US registration 'not known' . There was another production LHD car, # 100G which went to Switzerland and is with Eric Prasse.

Of course, no author is perfect, it would be interesting to here of confirmation or otherwise from Lyle of the details of his car.
HTH
David Smith

Eric Prasse sold the car to a german who lives in switzerland!

It,s a red car which is still in original order.


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Regards
Jürgen
Jürgen Felske

Thanks, David for the corrections. Interestingly, there was an article in MG Magazine awhile back on Lyle York's car. I believe it incorrectly identified it as one of the pre-production cars when it is in actuality an earlier prototype, as evidenced by its chassis number less than 101.

A minor thing that has always bugged me - why have none of the LHD ex-Federal cars migrated here to the good ol' USA? All of them are still floating around Europe. It would be nice to have at least one of the Federal cars back in the market for which it was originally intended.

Cheers,
Paul Kile
Paul Kile

Paul,>>>>All of them are still floating around Europe.
...and specifically Germany or just across the border in Switzerland, so they are close to the 'land of no speed limit roads' where they can be properly exercised form time to time. I like to think that's why they're all still over here ...!
David Smith

David, good point. The V-8s are made for the Autobahn.

I would still like to see one or two prowling around in Nevada or Montana, though.

Cheers,
PK
Paul Kile

This thread was discussed between 01/08/2000 and 03/08/2000

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