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To overdrive or not??

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jackq

jackq

Jedi Knight
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To take a load off my CGT, I recently bought a 76 B roadster, steel wheels and no overdrive. I have a few overdrive trannies at the shop and all the stuff to do the swap. Biggest problem is my wife loves the B but drives 45 miles round trip every day to her job and said if the B had longer legs....she'll grab it away. Other problem is it has the original carb. and is....well its a dog. Guess I'm used to the power of the C....but have decided to at least re-carb it..probaly a downdraft. She has a bug vert and a Rodeo to drive...but has totally fallen in love with the B. Iasked her if she'd sell the Bug if I'd get her her own B and she said she'd sell it...keep my B andlet me hunt another one for me. Oh well, I'm getting my 52 Minor today...can scream around in it.
 
Jack, with your shop I think I would consider an overdrive or such and warm the engine up so it can keep up with the ricers. A wife with an attitude like yours is a rare case and needs to be nurished and chearished.

A pair of SUs will help it sing along with the proper head, valves and mild cam.
 
Jack..... I should have such a problem... Don't you even THINK about complaining about your wife... what cherished jewels this lady must be.. to tolerate your obsession and voluntarily participate in it!!! O M G..
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Jack...the '76 MGB (although not the best year for MGBs) will still run 75-80mph all day long.

SU's will definitely help...but I even question the need for a different cam. My '78 runs fine with the dual HS4's and no O/D.

In my opinion, the expense to benefit ratio for this particular car does not warrant the expense of an O/D unit.

FWIW....YOMV
 
I have five MGB's and only one does not have overdrive. So guess which one got the most miles put on it. Until it got vandalized the 73 without O/D was getting about 28000 miles a year in hard Atlanta driving. To keep up with the normal flow of traffic the engine had to turn a steady 3800/4200 RPM's. In fairness , the engine never complained about being run that hard. I had a rebuilt overdrive waiting to be installed if I had any reason , but never got the chance.

But installing a pair of SU's and an overdrive will change the personality of the MGB for the better.

Alan T
 
My wife is a rarity for sure. Just hit the 38th yearof marriage, but have known each other since we were infants...literally. We went to school together since K-1 and graduated together. Married a year later and she stuck with me thru 20 years of travel all over the world with the Air Force. Today I'm pulling an O/D tranny off the shelf and will try to work in the transplant as soon as I have shop space. Luckily I have some great pals with B's(both have overdrive) and are chomping at the bit to help out with the swap. I also have about seven or eight sets of various dual carbs lying about that can be used.
 
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