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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - T-5 trans with 1952 Buick straight 8(320cu)

Request any information regarding the installation of Buick Roadmaster straight 8(1952) and Borg Warner T-5 transmission. The engine has been converted for use with Buick 3 speed manual trans. I still have 1946 clutch and bellhousing. I would appreciate any thoughts on this conversion. Thanks:
William J. Dotter
william J. dotter

Ick! Yecch! Yuck! Those engines are 1.437 kilometers long, or thereabouts. How were you planning to stuff it in there? Have cylinder #8 inside the car? Run without a radiator and just blow on the engine every few miles?
Harry

Can we assume that you are doing this conversion on a 1946 Buick rather than on an MGTC? If this assumption is in error, you'll get little but laughs from this site. Do you intend to replace the torque tube rear with a Hotchkiss drive? Nobody needs a five speed transmission on a low revving torquer.
George B.

As I recall that engine was used transversly for front wheel drive Citroen 2cv s. They were a little soft on revs as the long crank would twist up when you speed shifted. The overhead valve train though kept you under 3800 rpm Stock horsepower ratings were very close to the 1800 cc mgb engine. The torque curve is a little different between the two engines. The engine would really help the weight distribution on the MGB as it would put several hundred extra pounds on the front wheels and help traction a lot. Cornering would be out of this world. The engine really came into its own in the 50's when a dynaflow automatic was available. That would be the recommended transmission to keep the engine trans combo in tune with the MGB tradition. You also wouldn't have to worry about converting the clutch linkage to hydraulic. Let us know when its up and running . The board will want to see pictures
Barry
Barry Parkinson

Buick, Smuick. I think you'd be much better off torque-wise with a Packard-built Merlin. Mounted high in the chassis, you would have no worries with such bothersome and fragile details as clutch, transmission, prop shaft (in the automotive sense), or meek diff. Swinging an eight foot fan blade (strictly for cooling , Mr. Officer), watch your mirrors as pedestrians, pets and even small cars scatter in your wake. You'd placate nettlesome Angophiles by citing the Rolls-Royce heritage of your powerplant. With proper design and placement of 'side mirrors', you'll easily soar past pesky traffic snarls.
L Griswold

T5 has the wrong gear ratios for the engine RPM Unless you use low low (4:56) gear rear end. Better choice is a 4 speed La Salle with over drive.(If you can find one) Another possibility is to find another 3 speed and set of gears and built a secondary box for an overdrive.

The Logical choice is to change the rear ratios for cruising. If this is for and MG You are wasting your time.

r/ Bill
Bill Guzman

so I remember back in 1959 when I was in hi school in Oregon, we had a world war 2 surplus crane on a truck platform It was a big heavy combo. the truck engine was this huge Hercules 6 cylinder engine - probably about a 800 cubic inches. Somebody forgot to put antifreeze in the engine and the block froze and cracked. We replaced the engine with a 6 cylinder dodge flat head truck engine - probably about 235 cubic inches and 80 horsepower. It was small enough that we put it in tranny and all and connected it to the original tranny. In first first (tranny 1 & 2) the engine would rev to its 3600 rpm max and the crane would ramble along at about a walk. It wasn't driven long distances ( 1/4 mile max) but it was always an adventure to choose which gear combinations - 3rd in the big tranny? and 1st in the dodge? It didn't disengage to well when you tried to shift the second tranny so you usually stayed in that gear or stopped and then shifted gears. I think an mgc front end might hold such a rig.
Barry Parkinson

Installation of the straight 8 should give ideal weight distribution, being front & rear engined. ;-)
Derek Nicholson

This thread was discussed between 14/06/2000 and 17/06/2000

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