MGB GT V6

Author
Discussion

Tannedbaldhead

Original Poster:

2,952 posts

132 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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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?

DanielSan

18,792 posts

167 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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You can already do an easy V8 swap into an MG, so why not go with an LS lump instead?

Greg the Fish

1,410 posts

66 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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Well they made a V8 that was probably way bigger than modern engines, granted it was utter utter ste .....

kambites

67,561 posts

221 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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Greg the Fish said:
Well they made a V8 that was probably way bigger than modern engines, granted it was utter utter ste .....
Have you ever actually seen a Rover V8? They're pretty small compared to most modern OHC engines.

Having said that, the Duratec V6 isn't huge either. It could probably be made to fit.

Edited by kambites on Monday 1st February 21:50

baconsarney

11,992 posts

161 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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Greg the Fish said:
Well they made a V8 that was probably way bigger than modern engines, granted it was utter utter ste .....
I had a factory MGB GT V8. If you’re saying that car was ‘utter ste’ then you should hand your PH card in and feck off now smile

If you’re referring to the RV8 then you should know PH started life as a TVR enthusiasts forum.

smile

Greg the Fish

1,410 posts

66 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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baconsarney said:
I had a factory MGB GT V8. If you’re saying that car was ‘utter ste’ then you should hand your PH card in and feck off now smile

If you’re referring to the RV8 then you should know PH started life as a TVR enthusiasts forum.

smile
The one I drove was horrible, when I eventually squeezed into it. The same mate had a normal (?) GT that wasn't good but didn't understeer like a lunatic. Maybe my only experience of one was a proper crap one? Enough to put me off them for life.

The RV8, never really understood that. (Same mate also had one, probably still does,) from new.

baconsarney

11,992 posts

161 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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Greg the Fish said:
The one I drove was horrible, when I eventually squeezed into it. The same mate had a normal (?) GT that wasn't good but didn't understeer like a lunatic. Maybe my only experience of one was a proper crap one? Enough to put me off them for life.

The RV8, never really understood that. (Same mate also had one, probably still does,) from new.
Ok, but driving one example doesn’t make them all ‘utter ste’ but of course you’re totally entitled to your own opinion. Same with the RV8, sounds like your basing your opinion on your mate. Also depends on what car the RV8 was in... unless we’re talking about different things here... I have a RV8 (Rover V8) in my Chimaera.. I can assure you it’s not ste... I’m guessing your mate had an MG RV8? I’ve never driven one so can’t comment..

You also have to look at these cars in a period context.. the MGB V8 arrived just before the ‘74 oil crises, which killed it off before it could be developed into what it might have been.. although given BL’s incompetency it probably would have never been all that it could have been hehe

Still, in 1974 it was a 125 mph cruiser. Mine was great and I wish I hadn’t sold the damn thing frown

Thebaggers

351 posts

133 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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You will have no issues with width or length, height is the issue unless you have a push rod engine with a cam in the valley. If you dont mind a few bulges in the bonnet it isnt a problem. Anything can be made to fit.

baconsarney

11,992 posts

161 months

Monday 1st February 2021
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Thebaggers said:
You will have no issues with width or length, height is the issue unless you have a push rod engine with a cam in the valley. If you dont mind a few bulges in the bonnet it isnt a problem. Anything can be made to fit.
Yep, the RV8 fitted in to the factory GT had what was called a ‘trouser’ inlet manifold, it took the carbs to the rear of the engine bay so they would fit without mods to the bonnet...

Shezbo

600 posts

130 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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Surely a straight six would be a better alternative to a V engine?

A nice 3 litre six cylinder BMW with engine circa 230bhp would be much easier proposition to accommodate than a V engine.

//j17

4,480 posts

223 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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kambites said:
Have you ever actually seen a Rover V8? They're pretty small compared to most modern OHC engines.
The Rover V8 is a very similar size to the Lexus one, so if a Rover would fit...

Zener

18,961 posts

221 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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In footprint terms the RV8 is not small , RV8? yes its getting long in the tooth but its not ste unless you drove a ste one , the BMW M54 3.0 is a stonker of a motor and 230hp if your going the six route and plentiful spares inc ZF gearboxes also good , failing that and keeping in a reasonable budget the Lexus UZFE V8 gem biggrin if your going nuts GM LS or earlier small block Ford, Chevy, etc

irocfan

40,439 posts

190 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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Shezbo said:
Surely a straight six would be a better alternative to a V engine?

A nice 3 litre six cylinder BMW with engine circa 230bhp would be much easier proposition to accommodate than a V engine.
They did once - MG-C. The MGB GT V8 looked, performed (and sounded) better. Modern LS lump would be the way to go - huge range of power to suit whatever taste, low, narrowish, light

OverSteery

3,610 posts

231 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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irocfan said:
Shezbo said:
Surely a straight six would be a better alternative to a V engine?

A nice 3 litre six cylinder BMW with engine circa 230bhp would be much easier proposition to accommodate than a V engine.
They did once - MG-C. The MGB GT V8 looked, performed (and sounded) better. Modern LS lump would be the way to go - huge range of power to suit whatever taste, low, narrowish, light
like this? http://www.britishv8.org/MG/KeithTanner-MGBGT.htm

Don't under-estimate the challenge of decent engine change!

BrettMRC

4,089 posts

160 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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What you should be doing is dropping in a 13B rotary, ported and turbo'd to taste.

hehe

irocfan

40,439 posts

190 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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OverSteery said:
like this? http://www.britishv8.org/MG/KeithTanner-MGBGT.htm

Don't under-estimate the challenge of decent engine change!
TBF I never said it'd be easy hehe

That MG looks amazing!!

Oilchange

8,462 posts

260 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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Great project V8 and some super fabrication but that rear axle track is all wrong. Hey ho, not my car

Timberwolf

5,343 posts

218 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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irocfan said:
They did once - MG-C. The MGB GT V8 looked, performed (and sounded) better. Modern LS lump would be the way to go - huge range of power to suit whatever taste, low, narrowish, light
The MGC was a series of bad ideas, putting a big cast-iron BMC six in a relatively small car meaning a load of weight over the front wheels and then having to compromise the front suspension to fit it all in. The V8 was a far better idea - a compact engine that could be sat decently back in the engine bay, and by all accounts lighter than the B-series. All great, and then the small matter of an oil crisis came along...

(It's a shame BL never returned the V8 to the 'B later on in the decade, but if I recall correctly by that point they were struggling to build enough Rover V8s for all the different things available to put them in, and the few that were available for sports car purposes went Stateside in the TR8 to help shore up export sales.)

aeropilot

34,589 posts

227 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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DanielSan said:
You can already do an easy V8 swap into an MG, so why not go with an LS lump instead?
Bingo..... smile


Zener

18,961 posts

221 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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Oilchange said:
Great project V8 and some super fabrication but that rear axle track is all wrong. Hey ho, not my car
Agreed thumbup looks weird too, There is a guy on a P6 forum that I think as dropped the car over a Lexus LS400 chassis eek if what I was old is accurate , like mentioned anything can be done