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Revised MG to Rover PowerMGB-GT V-8 ConversionPart TwoBy John Ulrich Since the first article in the Newsletter, I have spent hours and hours disassembling the car itself and about an equal number of hours on the phone accumulating the correct parts to make the whole project come together. This is not intended to gain the "sympathy vote", but to give an accurate picture as possible of what a conversion truly involves. The first of the bad news came when I took the front fenders off the GT: Rusted rockers and a hit on the right side "A" pillar greeted me. The good Dr. Shaw and I went over that car with ice picks and flashlights before I bought It, and all I can say is someone knew EXACTLY what to fix to make it pass inspection. I'll have to figure two new rockers, a rear valance, passenger side "A" pillar, and now of course, new paint on top of new paint. The good news is that Terry at Absolute will fix it to perfection, and I can go with a shade darker BRG. On the mechanical side of the ledger, I now have received the following additional parts:
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The astute reader will wonder why in the world I need an Isky cam. Well ä The Rover 4.0 was all electronic, and the cam just quit when it came out of the block. There is no provision to run a distributor at all. So, if you have to buy a new cam, why not add a horse or two? By the way, there was no way I was going to run electronic everything. It would have taken the "brain", and front wiring harness from a Range Rover 4.0, and if it ever quit, well, see Yellow Lotus (1997year in review, ed.) for reference. Free advice: Buy a 3.5 or 3.9 and hot rod the crap out of it. The parts and engineering are all worked out for you. The check is in the mail for the rear trans mount, the brackets for the alternator, and A/C compressor. Those last two parts will be for good old Delco, get it from "Big A" if it breaks components. I'm going to run a stock Rover distributor with an optic conversion. At least if that breaks, you stick your old points in, and drive it home. More free advice: If you buy a GM Borg-Warner T-5, it will bolt right up. The Ford version takes an adapter plate. The next steps? To review, I now have the 4.0 Rover V-8, light flywheel, hydraulic clutch, bell housing, T-5 trans, Ford 8.8 rear, and various and assorted cams, brackets, carbs, starter motors, headers, and etc. |
It will probably go down to Road and track next where Bud and I can put it all together, and cut and pound until it fits in the hole. Then It's off to Terry's shop for bodywork and paint, and back to R&T to refit the drive train. While this is going on, I'll get the legwork done or the air conditioning, system. So what do I think? Well now it really isn't going to be cheap! I've never been sorry I started, and It will get finished, but sometimes I do glance at any number of nice British cars that fall in the same price range as a converted GT. However, the GTV8 conversion is the car I really want, and when it is done, I know it will be pure heaven. That is, until I punch the pedal on the right, and all hell breaks loose. FOR SALE1975 Spitfire, 49K, new clutch, new top not installed, Pimento, clean, $2100 OBO. 402-488-8948 (H) or 402-434-2288 (W) Early Box Sprite, 1 body, two of almost everything else, $1000. 402-464-6174 My garage is toooo full and I have a purple '74 GT that could find a new home. Basked case in need of new rockers, bumpers, $300 to club members. 402-435-4905.  |
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