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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - What to do with 78 MGB Road


I have been thinking what to do with it. It does not run, needs brakes, rockers, trunk floor, wiring is shoot, and has been sitting for the better part of 12 years. I was orginally going to put a SB Ford V8 in it. But decided that would cost to much to do what I wanted (fuel injection with all of the goodies custom 9in rear end ect.). Then I thought hey my wife had a Miata how about one of those engines. That was a no go I was told by people on this board that it would not work due to the crank being to high in the block. So then I think about putting a 3.8L for V-6 from a Thunderbird Super Coupe. I was told it was to wide for the car. Now I was thinking a V-6 out of a SHO Taurus. But width may be an issue but putting a rear wheel drive trans behind it may be an issue. So now I am thinking of going with a 99 up ford 3.8L V-6 from the Mustang (190 hp).

Here is what I want to do with the car. Tell be can it be done for a resonable price (getting tired of spending a lot of money on doing things to cars).

Engine: I want a engine with power, fuel injection, A/C, ect. I also want to be able to put in without major modification to the engine bay or motor mounting points. Does the MG have a removable cross member where the engine mounts?

Trans: Want to put a T-5 trans in it. WOuld like for it to come out in the stock mounting area. Is that possible with this trans?

Brakes: Four wheel disk (Possible ABS).

Rear end: What will fit under the rear that will take atleast 230Hp and 300lb tq?

I was thinking of getteng a car and swapping parts off to this MG. I wanted to do as much as I could with out perminatly distroying the car. Just incase in the future I decided to go back to original? Inputs and sujestions would help.

Jim

Jim - Give Bill Guzman a shout. He has a kit for installing a GM V6 into the MG. You will still have to correct all your body issues as these engine will stress the chassis more than the 4cyl, but it should give you a nice balance beteween lots of power, good economy and should be failry affordable and engines should be avail in wrecking yards..
Larry Embrey

Any one put a 3.8L Ford V6 in one yet?
Jim

I note that all your engine preferences are FoMoCo, which gives you a bit more of a challenge. There have been a few conversions to the small-block (289/302/5.0) V8, but the only Ford V6 I've seen is Bill Guzman's BGT with a 2.8 V6 from a Capri/Mustang. If I've got it right, this engine is German, sometimes called the Cologne V6. Check out the website http://members.aol.com/danmas/ for some pics and stories on a number of conversions.

Even Bill has moved to the GM camp with his kits for the 60-degree Chev V6. A good kit can really ease the job. Plan very carefully before starting to spend money and cut the car up, and be warned that adapting EFI to an older car is a major task - you will be very fortunate to get it working properly without some expert help. That said, it has been done, and works great.

Larry's comment on bringing the body and chassis up to good condition is right on - an engine conversion will create an ugly safety situation if the car isn't up to the added stress and power.
Bob Wilson

Thanks for the input. After hearing the above I am thinking of taking the car half apart and fix the rust problems do the interior, fuel tank, fuel system, brakes, suspension motor and trans problem, custom sub frame conectors (welded in), and wiring with a kit from painless wiring systems (they make a ford EFI wiring kit for around $400.00 plus a complete wiring kit for another $400.00). I also was looking at getting a wrecked Mustang(V6) and fitting all the parts I could off of that to help lower some of the cost involved. Heck the car has been sitting for over 10 years a couple more is not going to kill it. I think it would be a fun custom car. Don't get me wrong I would love to fix it so it can go back to original but for some reason at this point it is to big of a risk for me. If I make it modern then I can find part in my area. Thanks again. How do in get in touch with Bill Guzman. Also anyone kknow what his kits come with and cost. I am not a GM fan but if it is a plug and play thing then I might be game.
Jim

I think he also made a Ford kit, so shoot him an email....

Bill Guzman
USA Ca.
Bggtv6@aol.com
Larry Embrey

I still haven't linked my site to Bills, but I sell his kit for rear wheel drive conversions for the same price. I can also give advise for the GM 60° V6 conversions as we do them in both carburetion and SFI (Sequential port fuel injection) as well as TBI in spring.

For Bills website, goto:
www.v6mgb.com
he is in the links, also Shawn has an EXCELLENT V6 only forum there. You may want to try it. He also has links to a 2.8L ford conversion guy...

My website with a number of pictures of a SFI converted MGB with a 3.4L out of a 1995 Camaro is:

http://www.drive.to/bmc.com

In whatever you decide, Good luck...

-BMC.
Brian Mc Cullough

This thread was discussed between 21/10/2001 and 02/11/2001

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