Pro Street Style MGB GT

Pro Street Style MGB GT

Author
Discussion

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Saturday 30th November 2013
quotequote all
In March I wrote on another forum - "As some - older- people on here may know, I built a BGT in 1988/89 and raced it in the Street Machine and Custom Car Rover V8 Challenge for 5 years. I then sold it to Bob and Ollie Owen who raced it in 1994 and again in 1996. Since then it has disappeared..........
I found that I missed the car and so if I cannot buy it back - I will make a new version instead!
So I am now going to steadily acquire the bits needed and will post up progress as and when."
However once I started getting the bits together my old BGT re-appeared and was sold on E Bay. It has since raced again at Shakespeare County Raceway. I did not want to buy it back as it had changed quite a bit (and was a bit too expensive!)
So I had a bit of a rethink and the concept has evolved so I now have a Jaguar V12 engine and autobox together with an IRS from an XJS.
This is going into a spaceframe chassis with a Midget front cross member - as per my original chassis.
So here are some pictures of the project so far.
The original car in 1993.


I bought some fibreglass panels from Honeybourne Mouldings


Then I started to make the chassis with its roll cage - trial fitting the engine and gearbox



I also purchased a very chopped about BGT bodyshell - which I have chopped about even further!

chormy

635 posts

195 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
Phil

was your old car not on ebay earlier this year .
The V12 B/midget is very interesting don't think you'll get a invite to race with the MG lot. I'm sure you have seen the V12 B o MGexperience site.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Monday 2nd December 2013
quotequote all
Hi Chormy
Yes it was my old car on E Bay. I am not planning to race the B V12 - just a bit of fun garage candy!


And yes it will run 6 IDF Webers with ram pipes.....(Still trying to buy the last two...)

And the C bonnet clears the cam covers better!

midgeman

501 posts

193 months

Monday 16th December 2013
quotequote all
Ram pipes and C bonnet = perfect!

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Saturday 21st December 2013
quotequote all
Got a little bit more done with the rear wings trimmed ( they are roadster wings so need modifying for the GT rear end) now they sit in their proper position, then the Sebring rear end its across the back. This is still only at a rough stage with lots of detailing to do to get it done neatly.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
quotequote all
After Christmas I will be taking it apart to adjust various sections now that I can see how it is all fitting together..........The engine will need to go a bit further forward, the front of the shell a bit lower, the front hoop of the roll cage a bit higher, the rear end bodywork supported, the rear spring supports moved............Still LOTS to do!
Still "Merry Christmas" to all PH MGers wavey

mgtony

4,013 posts

189 months

Tuesday 24th December 2013
quotequote all
Looks like the front springs will need moving too, although the may soften the fall when it comes down off its wheelie!!! Great project, often look at the thread just haven't posted on it. Keep the pictures coming. thumbup

Merry Xmas to everyone as well.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Saturday 28th December 2013
quotequote all
Thanks MGTony - I will post some more pics when I get a bit more done.

moonshadow

18 posts

124 months

Sunday 5th January 2014
quotequote all
Great project Phil, I will follow this intently a B in pro stock brilliant!clap
good luck with the build mate.

David.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Monday 3rd March 2014
quotequote all
Well the speed of work certainly slowed down!
Finally a bit more news as I now have the final two Weber 40 IDF carbs........I have been quite busy since Christmas with other project cars hence lack of progress on the "Mega B".

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Wednesday 12th March 2014
quotequote all
The final four manifold flanges have been cut off the injection manifolds and the 6 small ram pipes have been cut ready to extend them - so the induction is making progress.
I have also put the old front and rear inner floor sections for sale on the "bay" to clear some space!

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Saturday 29th March 2014
quotequote all
Space now cleared as the front and rear ends have been sold and collected - not a big profit though £1 each.....Still at least parts of them are helping other BGT projects.
I have been working away at the inlet manifold parts and they will soon be ready to be welded. Hopefully I will have some more time to get cracking on car soon.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
quotequote all
A little bit done today - the drive shafts are at too much of an angle despite only using one coil over shock absorber - it is now mounted vertically, not at the angle in the original XJ-S.
So I could have bought shorter springs - but not sure what spring rating etc to try, or re located the top spring mounting point - which would need suitable strengthening to the roll cage rear diagonal tubes. As a trial though I have shortened the existing springs from the unused spare shocks. I discovered that there is a huge pre load on the original set up - I think in the order of 400 Lbs! So shortening the springs by two coils - about 2 1/2" inch has just about eliminated the preload and now the weight on the rear should compress the springs and hopefully get the driveshafts to a more nearly horizontal configuration. I will install them tomorrow and see....



The spring has been cut through at a shallow angle with the angle grinder and then the last coil has been heated and bent to sit neatly all round on the spring pan.


Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Friday 25th April 2014
quotequote all
I finally got the other six carb trumpets made and mocked them up on the car - I still need to get the manifolds welded. I then looked at the pipes for the oil cooler and possible location for the radiator. After getting all grubby I had a refit of the rear wings and Sebring valence - getting better but not there yet....

benters

1,459 posts

133 months

Friday 25th April 2014
quotequote all
I would make sure all clothing is secure before you start that baby up, or you could find yourself in the buff or worse !!

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Friday 25th April 2014
quotequote all
Thanks Benters - I will gird my loins carefully......
I did a bit more mocking up around the front end using the XJS radiator and oil cooler.
Oh and I also shortened the top of the dipstick by cutting the top off the tube and bottom off the stick - which has then been suitably re calibrated.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Monday 28th April 2014
quotequote all
I have been working on a low cost method of getting the oil cooler pipework done and by cutting the steel pipe sections and using plumbing compression fittings I have been able to use the formerly convoluted XJS pipework. I did think about cutting and welding the tubes but it would be easy to get pinholes in the welds. I'm sure these fittings will hold the pressure (80 psi) and be better than cutting the flexible sections and jubilee clipping it together. Yes this is a low cost build.....under four figures so far.


Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Friday 2nd May 2014
quotequote all
There is a degree of concern re the plumbing connectors and so I am going to replace them with hydraulic fittings. On another point I have found a supplier of V12 exhaust manifold parts so a box of bent bits will be sent to me soon for me to put together......That has blown my budget! but the std cast iron system is really naff and looks to be very inefficient for gas flow.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
quotequote all
I finally got a tiny bit more done and cut out part of the bonnet to clear the carbs ( I hate having to do that to a brand new panel!). The radiator and oil cooler are still there in rough positions as well so they should fit which is a relief.

Flying Phil

Original Poster:

1,578 posts

144 months

Thursday 28th August 2014
quotequote all
Today I spent more time getting the body on and off improving the fit on the chassis, then I took the engine out and did a bit more welding and a quick spray of primer. I also replaced the rear coil-overs with the alternates with shorter springs. So the rear of the chassis will sit lower.