• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.

    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Engine Differences '66 B and '72 B?

ronzet

Jedi Knight
Offline
LBC Fans,

Just a quick query...

I have a '66 B with a 5 main 1800. I need to rebuild the engine and plan to purchase another engine to rebuild and swap.

I have possible access to a '72 B engine. The only difference that I can discern is the pressed ('72) vs bolted ('66) wrist pin. I will be using the long block of the 72 and attach all of the components from the 66.

Are there any other differences that I should be aware of that need to be addressed.. i.e. motor mounts, intake/exhaust manifolds, generator mounts, etc.??
 
'66 - '72....internally, spigot bushing may be different length; crankshaft may be different...but they're not a problem
 
Oil filter configuration, cylinder head, smog mounts, lots of little things. The 72 engine will reduce the value of the car to most buyers. It wouldn't matter what engine you put in a later car, but people buy Mark I cars because they are Mark I cars, if that makes sense.
 
Steve,

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]The 72 engine will reduce the value of the car to most buyers. It wouldn't matter what engine you put in a later car, but people buy Mark I cars because they are Mark I cars, if that makes sense. [/QUOTE]

Yeah, I know... It DOES make sense. I bought the MKI because I wanted a MKI.

I have been resolute in the restoration of my MGA to leave the 1500 in it and restore it AS a 1957 MGA.. even with the advice from many, including in this forum, to replace the 1500 with an 1800, or five speed tranny, or anything that wasn't available in '57...

The A, restored, is of a higher dollar value than my MKI B but, being a purist, (call that Annal Retentive/Obsessive Compulsive)I still want to keep the B as close as possible to original.

That said, using the block from a '72 might not be too far from that intent... Although I probably should bite the bullet and pull the engine from the '66 and give the car a rest as I rebuild its power plant...

BY THE WAY...I saw the picture of your B in another post. Incredible LOOKING B...
 
I'd pull the early engine & make it a winter project....
 
Tony,

I live in San Diego... It's against the LAW to have winter here.... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

BUT... Sound advice from one who knows... I needed to restore it anyway... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif
 
A build doesn't take too long. Just pull the lump and have it done. You'll be glad you did. If you really can't have the car down for too long, you can find a used, running engine to drop in while the '66 engine is rebuilt.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]BY THE WAY...I saw the picture of your B in another post. Incredible LOOKING B... [/QUOTE]
Thank you. Other than the wheels, it looks exactly as it did the day it rolled off the showroom floor. Until you pop the bonnet that is. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif Click my sig for more photos if interested.
 
I'll pap in and say rebuild the 18GB unit, too. Which reminds me: I need to go thru the spare one and have it on stand-by so when Herself lunches the running one I don't lose use of MY toy... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
I've got 3 engines on stands - & only 1 is rebuilt & ready to go...the others are just like they came from the machine shop...I don't have time to get around to building them.
 
Gentlemen,

Thanks for the comments... I think that I will either pull the engine and rebuild it while I restore the B or sell the car... I spotted another A NEXT to a barn that I may try to buy. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif

As I mentioned in anther post.. My wife wants a Glacier or Iris Blue one for herself and my '57 is black. Sooooo maybe another A in the offing...

Steve, a very nice A you got there... Quite a stable my friend. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbsup.gif
 
I have a GB engine that I have had stored safely under a tarp in the weeds behind the barn for appx 18yrs.Trap blows off every so often,but I figure thats good cause it gives it a chance to ....breath. Its on my list of roundtoits.

I could put it on Ebay and say, "ran when pulled"....
 
Which reminds me...tell me your most horrific stories of mis-use and abuse of LBC parts,.....and lets see if I can match em.
 
Do you really want me to?
 
well... there's the old carpet that was NAILED into my B... /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rolleyes.gif
 
I'll write up and submit a true tale of 18GB aquisition and abandonment.
 
Bought an old Midget parts car once for the drivetrain - body was trash; interior was full of leaves - I mean FULL!...when I went to remove the engine/trans, I couldn't get to the trans because the PO had welded a huge sheet of metal under the entire car! As I cut the metal (easily 3/16" thick) away, I saw why - the rails & unibody were rusted completely away! The big piece of metal was all that was holding the car together
 
to late right now, but i have a good one about trying to push a TR6 backwards with a 10 ft4x4 and a truck.

as an aside..whats with the personal face photos some of you guys post?...we doin E-harmony.com now?....for vegetables?
 
I bought a TR-2 with no engine, so I put a 63 Olds Alum. V-8 in it. It would do very high wheelies and ripped the rear over-riders off the bumper. After I sold it - It was in a wheelie when the ignition switch was shut off and it dropped so hard on the front end that it did very bad damage. This was about 30 years ago.
My Head is held in shame.
 
OUCH
 
Back
Top