MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Supercharged 22R in a B

I've dreamed of doing a V8 conversion to our 70 B roadster since we bought it. I've been listening in on these posts for some time now with great interest, and know the drawbacks of doing a conversion on this year of car. With that in mind, I've been thinking of alternate ways of obtaining horsepower without all the mods involved in stuffing a V8 in there. The 4 cylinder Toyota 22R comes to mind. I've seen ads for superchargers for this engine claiming 200 horespower output. These engines are readily available, and with matching 5 speed gearboxes to boot. Does anyone have experience or comments on this or other non V8 power plants?

Thanks.

Scott
Scott Wooley

Ford 2.3 Turbo 4 cyl
SOHC, and mates with a T-5

250hp can be obtained easily, as can 450hp
The wonderfull and cheap world of Turbo's.
(EFI is also an added bonus)
James D.


Keep in mind that the Japanese stuff is obsolete after ten years. If your donor is ,say, 5 years old, it will be expensive to buy and hard to maintain after another five. Most MG owners do not appreciate how lucky we are to have the parts availability that we do; even with the inevitable junk that surfaces from time to time. Since MG never developed the car, parts are both interchangeabl and worth re-manufacturing.

The americans inability to inovate in the engine department has also provided us hot-rodders with a stable platform for doing our thing.



Pete
Pete

Scott,
Remember that any 4-cylinder engine with forced induction is going to be more hightly stressed than a V-8 making the same horsepower with normal aspiration. A 2.3L Turbo from a junker Fairmont or other beast may be cheap to obtain, but how long will it last before the turbo needs replacement (at significant expense).

Plus with a V-8 you get smoothness, torque, and power band flexibility that just aren't obtainable with a 4-cylinder engine.

Cheers,
Paul Kile
Paul Kile

If you don't already have dimensions on the 22R engine, I have an 86 Yota truck in the driveway now. I'll try to make some comparisons on the size difference against the standard B engine. Jap engines obsolete after 10 years?? The 86 truck I have is extremely easy to find parts for. Prices are low since the engine was popular. The 22R is known to go 200k miles before needing a rebuild, which is more than most can say for a Rover engine. I think the stock power numbers are around 124Hp and a bit more in torque. I'm not sure how you would squeeze a supercharger under the hood. I agree with James, the small Fords can have devastating power with a turbo, but you'll never match the low end grunt of a V8.
Michael Hartwig

Michael, some dimensions would be great ! I'm still waivering on my engine of choice for a swap. I built a pretty lethal 2.3 ford in a pinto some years ago that would give some v-8's a good run for their money just from the quick wind up and high rpm shift point. A 22R would make an interesting choice, quick wind up, light weight and all.. let us know.
thanks,
Sean
Sean Squires

If interested, I'm selling a complete 2.3t/t-5 setup from a 87' turbocoupe. Asking $400.00 + shipping.
If interested, email me direct. Thanks
Rob
Rob Rich

This thread was discussed between 13/09/2000 and 22/09/2000

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical BBS now