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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Strongest Rover Gearbox

Hi all,

I'm in the process of gathering parts for my Rover V8 conversion and now comtemplating the gearbox options.

With the view that I hope to make a high output engine for some track time and assuming I had to use a Rover gearbox, which would be the best to use in this situation?

I have seen the various models ie LT77, R380 etc. But I want to know which is the toughest? Or can they be rebuilt to be tougher??

Thanks everyone.

Stuart.
Stuart Overell

both can handle a reasonable amount of power - the Gentrag box is preferred (and more expensive over here) - some of the Toyota Supra boxes are better - there is an Australian bellhousing to marry them up to the Rover block.

Roger
RMW

Stuart,
Agree with Roger, I used a Toyota supra gearbox because
1- Jeff Dellow (Dellow Automotive in Reevsby Sydney)
makes a bell housing that adapts the toyota to Rover. He ships all over the world. Costs four or five hundred dollars. might go up to 900 if you buy all his bits and pieces, which is not entirely necessary.(FYI.Don't get the 0.75 inch supra clutch slave, you need at least a one inch one. Dellow used to do a 1&1/16th" slave, I'm using a 1" rangerove one)
2-You can get a supra box from a wrecker for around 350 or get a guaranteed reco' supra box from Dellow for 650 which allows you to chose from a variety of ratios and gear box lengths, which is what I did . The W58 is best, it has a 0.78 overdriven 5th gear. Also get the "D" , 21 inch box. The actual gear box's are all the same length, the variation being gearlever housing extention. We want the longest.
3-A reco Rover box will cost around 2200+. Supra plus bellhousing plus all the Dellow bits plus shipping around 1750 max'.
4-The supra box is much stronger than the rover box, reputed to be good to 500BHP. (I haven't tested this!)
5- Supra box is more compact than the rover box, so you do not have to cut and weld an extention to the top of the tranny' tunnel.
6- the rover gear extention is an inch too long and while the supra box is about an inch too short, the motor/gearbox can be set back far enough so that the gear lever ends up within 1cm of dead centre, ie fits in the gear level hole.

Summary- Supra stronger, cheaper, more compact, easier to fit, lighter, more availiable.Dellow also does bell housings for T5's, but I know nothing about those.
Peter

ps buy Rogers Book, How to inprove your MGB, MGC or MGV8. Heaps about V8 conversions in it and very good.
Peter

Stuart,
According to this website:
http://www.vord.net/
the 380 is the tougher of the two you mentioned.

Cheers , Pete.
Peter Thomas

Thanks for the info everyone.

Stuart.
Stuart Overell

This thread was discussed between 16/06/2005 and 19/06/2005

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