Discussion
300bhp/ton said:
The Rv8 os probably wider across the heads, as the rocker covers are flat, not at an angle.
That's its Buick 'nailhead' design legacy, although its' not a true 'nailhead' arrangement, but it was Buick keeping their new small engine to look visably a Buick at the time.lukeharding said:
There is a V12 one on here somewhere I think, so a v6 could definitely be done. Maybe a supercharged Jag v6....
That might have been mine.....details in the MG section on here, but it was really only a BGT shell on top of a tube chassis....as was my other BGT with a Rover v8
I owned a series of MGs, ending up with a factory V8 which had pretty much all of the possible mods - including 200hp.
The MGB was a good car? Nope is was 1950s technology and whilst the modifications helped that was still the basis.
8Originally the factory car used a 137hp version of the Rover V8 - pretty much Range Rover internals, but with a long two branch manifold to put the two SUs close to the firewall and avoid a bonnet bulge as per the Costellos - which generally had 165hp. It also had 1" of suspension lift, putting it close to be slightly less high than the rubber bumper Bs. It also had thicker solid discs - which I could make glow red hot (they melted the grease out of the front hubs and set it on fire one day!)
The rear axle tramped as standard and with more power needed a set of links. The gearbox struggled with the original power and was deteriorating when I sold my car after little more than a year. The dampers were all uprated or telescopics, but still struggled. The ultimate road holding was unimpressive - poor geometry, but it was nicely predictable, but drifting at serious speed needs either a dumb youth (me!) or serious courage (me now!) . Trying to pass a Merc 350sl on a long sweeping bend at close to 3 figures is an interesting lesson in physics (and proper suspension design!) - (they waved - I concentrated on not drifting into the central barrier!). Worse still, without the BL special tuning front spoiler 3 figures would be crazy on a straight road.
As a toy a 200hp MGB would be occasional fun. It must have a light engine and it helps if your hearing is poor, as the wind noise will deafen. Put more than that in it and keep to drag strips!
I had great fun in mine - then I bought some properly engineered cars and went a lot faster!
The MGB was a good car? Nope is was 1950s technology and whilst the modifications helped that was still the basis.
8Originally the factory car used a 137hp version of the Rover V8 - pretty much Range Rover internals, but with a long two branch manifold to put the two SUs close to the firewall and avoid a bonnet bulge as per the Costellos - which generally had 165hp. It also had 1" of suspension lift, putting it close to be slightly less high than the rubber bumper Bs. It also had thicker solid discs - which I could make glow red hot (they melted the grease out of the front hubs and set it on fire one day!)
The rear axle tramped as standard and with more power needed a set of links. The gearbox struggled with the original power and was deteriorating when I sold my car after little more than a year. The dampers were all uprated or telescopics, but still struggled. The ultimate road holding was unimpressive - poor geometry, but it was nicely predictable, but drifting at serious speed needs either a dumb youth (me!) or serious courage (me now!) . Trying to pass a Merc 350sl on a long sweeping bend at close to 3 figures is an interesting lesson in physics (and proper suspension design!) - (they waved - I concentrated on not drifting into the central barrier!). Worse still, without the BL special tuning front spoiler 3 figures would be crazy on a straight road.
As a toy a 200hp MGB would be occasional fun. It must have a light engine and it helps if your hearing is poor, as the wind noise will deafen. Put more than that in it and keep to drag strips!
I had great fun in mine - then I bought some properly engineered cars and went a lot faster!
Edited by Pete54 on Friday 5th February 16:08
Unless you are up for some serious work, it is easiest to stick with the known formula of an rv8 as you can get all the necessary conversion components off the shelf. Plenty of options to have good power configurations with work on brakes and suspension easy to achieve, again, with off the shelf conversion parts.
I have a tuscan challenge built 4.5 big valve in mine. Makes for an interesting sunday drive.
I have a tuscan challenge built 4.5 big valve in mine. Makes for an interesting sunday drive.
If an RV8 will fit in a 2CV sticking one in a B GT is a given .
300+ bhp is easily attained without expensive electronics.
Stick some decent suspension and brakes under it and you can have some fun .
I remember really upsetting a Mexico owner when road testing one of the first MGB V8s , the badges were all covered up so the Mexico driver, in his Jackie Stewart driving gloves, hat and glasses thought he was up against a bog standard MGB GT .
baconsarney said:
Tannedbaldhead said:
If you can fit a Mazda MX5 engine and gearbox in an MGB a la MGB LE50 and the Jaguar XF 3,0 V6 in the MX5 then an MGB GT V6 can be mine......
......can't I?
Just going back to the OP, why a V6 powered B ? I’m genuinely curious ......can't I?
I was very taken by by the Rocketeer conversion of the MX5. The noise and revy character of the engine is just so different from almost everything else on offer.
grumpy52 said:
If an RV8 will fit in a 2CV sticking one in a B GT is a given .
300+ bhp is easily attained without expensive electronics.
Stick some decent suspension and brakes under it and you can have some fun .
I remember really upsetting a Mexico owner when road testing one of the first MGB V8s , the badges were all covered up so the Mexico driver, in his Jackie Stewart driving gloves, hat and glasses thought he was up against a bog standard MGB GT .
Tannedbaldhead said:
baconsarney said:
Tannedbaldhead said:
If you can fit a Mazda MX5 engine and gearbox in an MGB a la MGB LE50 and the Jaguar XF 3,0 V6 in the MX5 then an MGB GT V6 can be mine......
......can't I?
Just going back to the OP, why a V6 powered B ? I’m genuinely curious ......can't I?
I was very taken by by the Rocketeer conversion of the MX5. The noise and revy character of the engine is just so different from almost everything else on offer.
They are great engines.
Some of the bits used in the MX5 conversion and the LE50 might be cross-usable as well.
Go for it.
Tannedbaldhead said:
https://youtu.be/Ayo5EJS96S8
I was very taken by by the Rocketeer conversion of the MX5. The noise and revy character of the engine is just so different from almost everything else on offer.
It is quite interesting I agree. Although I'm assuming the engine was modded in that vid, as they didn't produce that power in the Jag.I was very taken by by the Rocketeer conversion of the MX5. The noise and revy character of the engine is just so different from almost everything else on offer.
A good RV8 should sound pretty awesome too though and while it won't reach the same rpm, should be very free revving with the right setup.
The Rocketeer also seems quite pricey. £8k for just the conversion kit minus an engine..... You could probably buy a nice TVR for less money than doing a Rocketeer in an MX-5.
300bhp/ton said:
It is quite interesting I agree. Although I'm assuming the engine was modded in that vid, as they didn't produce that power in the Jag.
240hp as standard in the Jag, and with an almost 7k redline, that's probably more than enough for a MGB GT chassis......The Rockateer V6 might have been running the Jenvey ITB kit for the Jag/Ford Duratec V6, which is lovely although at nearly 2k, not cheap, but Mountune use that kit a lot on their Duratec V6 builds.
Guess that might be it, the vid said 270hp @ 7000rpm. But I'm guessing part of the noise would be the induction setup and certainly how it revs.
Another £2k to get the ITB's would stand the conversion kit at about £15,000 in parts for the MX-5. So probably a few more K to make it fit an MGB and that's before you look at upgrading any parts of the B.
Certainly pretty cool and I have no idea how much B's go for these days. But I'd guess you would be looking at £25,000 - £35,000 to build a B with this engine in and able to handle the power.
Think I'd rather a factory MG RV8 with a cam and exhaust swap and bank the rest.
Another £2k to get the ITB's would stand the conversion kit at about £15,000 in parts for the MX-5. So probably a few more K to make it fit an MGB and that's before you look at upgrading any parts of the B.
Certainly pretty cool and I have no idea how much B's go for these days. But I'd guess you would be looking at £25,000 - £35,000 to build a B with this engine in and able to handle the power.
Think I'd rather a factory MG RV8 with a cam and exhaust swap and bank the rest.
Longnose said:
daqinggregg said:
There is an excellent review of the MGB GT LE on Youtube “Harry’s Garage”. It goes like a stabbed rat, and sounds sublime. Well worth watching!
That was his April 1st review as far as I remember...:-)
Flying Phil said:
lukeharding said:
There is a V12 one on here somewhere I think, so a v6 could definitely be done. Maybe a supercharged Jag v6....
That might have been mine.....details in the MG section on here, but it was really only a BGT shell on top of a tube chassis....as was my other BGT with a Rover v8
If people would only use google before post utter rubbish on these forums. If you google mgb Jaguar AJV6 you will find at least two on the road, I am building one and it does not need any bonnet mods, it fits underneath. You look on the locostbuilders forum where you will see the dyno results of 270 bhp using Mondeo inlet manifolds. Then if you look a little harder you will find that the problem with the handling at the front end is that the roll centre is at ground level or lowe depending on what year. At the back several options four or five link or IRS. The back axle is plenty strong enough for 300bhp especially if fitted with a quaiffe. The BMW will not fit unless you totally butcher the front cross members d lose the heater.
The easy solution is S type engine, RX8 gearbox, Mazda 6 clutch slave, x type sump, Megasquirt then suspension mods. I have got my roll centre up to 3 inches above ground level for a tenners worth of steel. I have built the four link rear for about £300 including the Bilsteins. Bought a S type low mileage full service history for £500 sold surplus manual gearbox, cats etc for £1120. Forgot to say engine weighs 45kgs less than B series. 65mm throttle body from a crown Victoria fits straight onto the Mondeo inlet £25. Just google and learn before posting.
The easy solution is S type engine, RX8 gearbox, Mazda 6 clutch slave, x type sump, Megasquirt then suspension mods. I have got my roll centre up to 3 inches above ground level for a tenners worth of steel. I have built the four link rear for about £300 including the Bilsteins. Bought a S type low mileage full service history for £500 sold surplus manual gearbox, cats etc for £1120. Forgot to say engine weighs 45kgs less than B series. 65mm throttle body from a crown Victoria fits straight onto the Mondeo inlet £25. Just google and learn before posting.
mgb281 said:
If people would only use google before post utter rubbish on these forums. If you google mgb Jaguar AJV6 you will find at least two on the road, I am building one and it does not need any bonnet mods, it fits underneath. You look on the locostbuilders forum where you will see the dyno results of 270 bhp using Mondeo inlet manifolds. Then if you look a little harder you will find that the problem with the handling at the front end is that the roll centre is at ground level or lowe depending on what year. At the back several options four or five link or IRS. The back axle is plenty strong enough for 300bhp especially if fitted with a quaiffe. The BMW will not fit unless you totally butcher the front cross members d lose the heater.
The easy solution is S type engine, RX8 gearbox, Mazda 6 clutch slave, x type sump, Megasquirt then suspension mods. I have got my roll centre up to 3 inches above ground level for a tenners worth of steel. I have built the four link rear for about £300 including the Bilsteins. Bought a S type low mileage full service history for £500 sold surplus manual gearbox, cats etc for £1120. Forgot to say engine weighs 45kgs less than B series. 65mm throttle body from a crown Victoria fits straight onto the Mondeo inlet £25. Just google and learn before posting.
Wow you sound very angry. Very odd post....The easy solution is S type engine, RX8 gearbox, Mazda 6 clutch slave, x type sump, Megasquirt then suspension mods. I have got my roll centre up to 3 inches above ground level for a tenners worth of steel. I have built the four link rear for about £300 including the Bilsteins. Bought a S type low mileage full service history for £500 sold surplus manual gearbox, cats etc for £1120. Forgot to say engine weighs 45kgs less than B series. 65mm throttle body from a crown Victoria fits straight onto the Mondeo inlet £25. Just google and learn before posting.
mgb281 said:
If people would only use google before post utter rubbish on these forums. If you google mgb Jaguar AJV6 you will find at least two on the road, I am building one and it does not need any bonnet mods, it fits underneath. You look on the locostbuilders forum where you will see the dyno results of 270 bhp using Mondeo inlet manifolds. Then if you look a little harder you will find that the problem with the handling at the front end is that the roll centre is at ground level or lowe depending on what year. At the back several options four or five link or IRS. The back axle is plenty strong enough for 300bhp especially if fitted with a quaiffe. The BMW will not fit unless you totally butcher the front cross members d lose the heater.
The easy solution is S type engine, RX8 gearbox, Mazda 6 clutch slave, x type sump, Megasquirt then suspension mods. I have got my roll centre up to 3 inches above ground level for a tenners worth of steel. I have built the four link rear for about £300 including the Bilsteins. Bought a S type low mileage full service history for £500 sold surplus manual gearbox, cats etc for £1120. Forgot to say engine weighs 45kgs less than B series. 65mm throttle body from a crown Victoria fits straight onto the Mondeo inlet £25. Just google and learn before posting.
Sounds like a great build, got any pics / stories of issues overcome along the way to share? The easy solution is S type engine, RX8 gearbox, Mazda 6 clutch slave, x type sump, Megasquirt then suspension mods. I have got my roll centre up to 3 inches above ground level for a tenners worth of steel. I have built the four link rear for about £300 including the Bilsteins. Bought a S type low mileage full service history for £500 sold surplus manual gearbox, cats etc for £1120. Forgot to say engine weighs 45kgs less than B series. 65mm throttle body from a crown Victoria fits straight onto the Mondeo inlet £25. Just google and learn before posting.
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