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MGB Is there a fast MGB out there?

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Not jacking the thread - just pointing out a different route to solve the same problems! & I've done it while keeping the heater & wipers...can even add AC down the road if I want - NOT!

Plus, you've added lots of weight what with that front engine plate & the heavier Ford engine - how does it handle now?
 
The motor plate maybe added 10lbs to the front of the car. Its more than offset by the dual batteries in the trunk. The car does understeer when pushed but not anymore than when it came from the factory in 74. Its has a stiffer aftermarket swaybar in the front and the shocks have been revavled. This car is meant to be a bare bones, kick butt and take names later street car. Wipers, heaters, emissions are of no concern when your educating people on the principle of power to weight.
 
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Wipers, heaters, emissions are of no concern when your educating people on the principle of power to weight.

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They are also the last things you worry about removing when improving that ratio! My racing GT weighs in at less than 2,000 pounds! My V8 MGB is close to that....remember: unsprung weight first then sprung weight....& I easily dropped 100lbs unsprung off my V8 car - more than that off my racecar!
 
He wasn't looking to drop weight although leaving those items out did at least compensate for the larger Iron blocked V8. More he was looking to gain a substantial jump in horsepower and torque over the stock engine. Therefore increasing the power to weight. But your right Tony if anything needs to go first its sprung weight.
 
How much heavier is his complete engine/transmission setup from stock? Mine is actually lighter & I've a 5-speed!
 
That is one area where we can only guess. I'd have to look up the individual weights and add them up. What does the stock MGB engine/trans set up weight?
 
HUMMMMM Tony.

Seems I have seen those portholes somewhere else /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Do we need Solarman over here?

Paul
 
Yep, Paul - Solarman copied quite a few things off my car (he & I talked about them & my headlights when he started his though he went a different route wityh his also)...they say that's the best form of flattery - when aomebody mimicks your efforts!
 
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As for the old Ford lump being what the factory tried to do, I don't think so. My built Rover V8 is pushing 300hp with 300 lbs of torque to its aluminum billet flywheel - and all the technology was there back when:

So, we're both tackling the same problems from different vantage points...neither way is correct, neither is incorrect.
By the way - nice car!

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If the car's handling still means anything, the Rover is about 140 pounds lighter than the Ford. I believe the Rover is close to the original engine's weight. The extra 140 lbs of the Ford is certainly going to upset the balance & change the handling for the worse.
D
 
It'll make a great tire burning cruiser though /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Nice thread!
 
I did not necessarily mean just the 302 V8 when I spoke of available technology. Such this as the MSD Ignition box, improved brakes, front suspensions such as Fast Cars, Inc., headers, tires and wheels, various rear suspension upgrades...have all taken place in the past ten years with V8 (and yes, V6) conversion and are all what I consider to be technology that was NOT available during the Leyland years.

The Rover V8 actually weighs less than the cast iron four-banger, the Ford 302 is somewhat heavier.

I would encourage any and all to attend next year's British V8 Conventionin Cleveland for the opportunity to see, and even drive, what I refer to!

As for handling, I've had the opportunity to drive both Rover V8 conversion as well as Ford 302 conversions in both MGB tourers and GTs. A properly set up Ford 302 will handle equally well to a well set up Rover V8.

BTW - I'm still partial to the BOP/R conversion....but there is a LOT more aftermarket stuff available from more than one source for the Ford products!

FWIW - YOMV
 
I've seen a B 18V engine weighed and compared to the Rover V8. Actually, it was engine (long blocks, both of 'em) and trans compared to engine and trans. The weight was virually identical for both packages. Less than 2 lbs. on the two compared if I remember correctly.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
From a post by Dan Masters on the MG Enthusiasts Engine Conversions BBS:

"A BOP/R engine, complete and ready to run, including everything necessary except the transmission, typically weighs 355 pounds. That weight can vary by quite a bit depending on the individual weights of the ancillaries. The flywheel, for example, can vary from as little as 8 pounds, to as much as 50 pounds. There can be as much as 5 pounds difference or more in the various starters available. And so on.

As used most often in an MGB V8 conversion, 355 pounds is a good number to use. A T5 transmission/bellhousing weighs 85 pounds.

A stock MGB engine, with a stock OD transmission, weighs 495 pounds for comparison."


So...that equates out to a 40 pound difference...in the above example....with the stock 4-banger being the heavy-weight.
 
Yep, 40 pounds is what I've always heard was the difference....My alumimum billet flywheel weighs 11 pounds so there's even more savings to add to that differential...& I've an aluminum bellhousing attaching my TR8 5-speed to the engine itself...I'm guessing my setup is about 60 pounds lighter than stock.

Here's my front suspension setup:

hawkes3.jpg


The only Ford powered MGB I ever drove understeered like crazy and actually wanted to keep going in a straight line when I wanted to be turning.....plus, it kept trying to shove its nose in the dirt....of course those things can be corrected with modified steering/suspension.
 
You need to drive one of these: Steve Carrick's 1974 302 conversion, Pete Mantell's 1969 302 conversion, or Dave Kirkman's 1980 302 conversion. All have Ted Lathrop's front crossmember. For comparison, as to drive Mike Moor's 1974 300 Buick conversion, as it also has a Fast Cars, Inc front crossmember....Then drive Graham Creswick's 302 conversion with stock front crossmember and Carl Floyd's Rover 3.5 conversion, also with stock front crossmember.

NONE of these cars handle like a pig!

In all likelyhood, all of these guys will be in attendance at British V8 2007 in Cleveland. Too bad you missed the Townsend meet, as they were all there as well!
 
I'm planning on it...hate I was out of town for the last one...plan to have mine at next year's...Steve (I think that's who it was - with the adjustable rear wing that's attached to the suspension?) was at the last one in Townsend & I got to ride in his....its very possible that the one I drove was just a por conversion as I know the front suspension was stock.
 
Stock crossmember here as well although a bit modified. I didnt know there was a aftermarket crossmember that people used for their V8 conversion. At the firewall where the heater box sat was modified so the engine can sit furthur rearward by about 5-6 inches helping distribute the weight better. Where can i get the information about the British V8 convention for 2007?
 
There are actually a couple of options for after-market crossmembers.

Tony...the "winged warrior" belongs to Jim Blackwell of Kentucky.

The website is https:\\www.britishv8.org for all things conversion-related.

Enjoy!
 
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