MG-Cars.info

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

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 - Transmission SD1

I have recently purchased a 4.0 Discovery engine for my MG and am now trying to find a suitable, inexpensive transmission. The owner who I bought the engine from also can sell the transmission. The Rovers SD1 transmission, what car was that used in here in the US? If I bought his transmission would it work in my conversion? The rear end is a 8.8 Ford differential if you need to know that.
Thanks
Samy
Samy

Samy

The Rover SD1 was not a vehicle that was exported to your shores, so you won't find any your side. It was a mid '70s to mid '80s exec Rover full-size car that was way ahead of it's time, but suffered from indifferent build quality due to labour disputes at the factory, unreliability due to poor electricals and quality control, rust, and underdevelopment due to lack of investment. Anyway, the SD1 did have a V8 in the range, so if it's a trans from the V8 SD1 then it'll fit no problem. I have one in my V8 roadster, and it's fine if a little "truck-like" to operate. i.e. heavy clutch, heavy shift, a bit clunky, but pretty strong. There are other later Rover trans which are better in these respects, but I'm not sure of the part numbers or fitments.

Phil.
Phil Hill

Phil,
You say the SD1 was not a vehicle that was imported to our shores but, there are some here. I bought one last year and have seen one more since.
Here is a picture of mine:
http://members.aol.com/goneguy/SD1.jpg
Dana
Dana

It seems even a cut and paste will not work for that URL. If anybody really wants to see what the car looks like, let me know and I will send it to you directly.
Dana
Dana

Samy,

The 3.5 V8 Rover SD1 was exported to the US with either a 5 speed manual or an auto box. Engine prefix 12A would have had a manual, 13A the auto. The 6 cylinder 2.3 or 2.6 versions used the same box with a different bellhousing but I don’t know if you got those. If you can get a V8 SD1 box it will fit your engine and it will be suitable for the conversion. However, the flywheel and clutch will be different on the Disco engine and may not fit in the bellhousing.

Geoff
Geoff King

Dana,

Cut and paste works OK. You have a late model series one.

Geoff
Geoff King

Yahoo!
Dana

Samy.
To answer your question. The Rover SD1 was imported into US. only in 1980 the numbers were not clear how many cars, but, somewere between 800 and 2000. I was a lucky owner of one of them. there were automatics and 5 speed, fuel injected for California market and carburated for the rest of the country. The 5 speed was used also in Triumph TR8 and late TR7, the diference between the v-8 5 speed and the 4l 5 speed is the lenght of the pivot stud for the clutch fork, with the v-8 5 speed beeing shorter by about 1/4". So if you have the chance to get this tranny, GET IT!! it will work. This is the set up i have in mine:
1976 MGB with crome bumper conversion,lowered with 1969 crome bumper front cross member, rear lowered by lowering blocks.
1980 Rover SD1 engine, 5 speed SD1 tranny and MGC rear axel 3.07 : 1 final drive ratio.
Romney.
Romney

If the fuel injection was for California, the 1980 I found did some traveling in it's day. It had fuel injection when I found it in Rhode Island.
Dana

Dana, my car was a California car also.EFI
Romney.
Romney

Ok, so I admit I assumed you guys stateside wouldn't have got the SD1, how does it go again, oh yeh, makes an "ass out of u and me" !!

And I can't get Dana'a hyperlink to work.......... Great start to the day.

Phil.

Phil Hill

Phil,

Don’t worry about it. I thought I had answered Samy’s question then Romney chips in with “To answer your question” so I guess our messages are invisible over in the US. Just between you and me; I could get Dana link to work yesterday but not today and I thought that all the SD1 exported to the US had the federal flapper type Efi fitted but I won’t be surprise if some had carbs.

Geoff
Geoff King

This thread was discussed between 14/05/2002 and 16/05/2002

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