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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - 302 In a 77 MGB

Looking for instructions on how to make motor mounts, placment and other things like that to do a conversion for a 302 Ford. Thank you ahead for any information you can provide me.
Jim

www.britishv8.org

Numerous Ford installs...some using off the shelf mounts (Mercury Comet if I remember correctly).
rick ingram

Jim,

Rick has you pointed in the right direction.

I would add that you should contact Pete Mantell, a 302 specialist in Illini country, I believe (he's a sponsor of the British V8 site, so you can find his website and contact information easily).

I would also recommend picking up a copy of Roger Williams' book, "How to Give Your MGB V8 Power," the latest edition where he covers the 302 installation.

A first-class option would be to fit the Fast Cars front suspension unit which can incorporate the 302 mounts in the cross member and is deep enough to handle the front sump. No mods needed -- a straight bolt up deal. A real slick option and completely takes care of any concern about replacing worn our suspension components. You take care of two problems in one whack. When you add up the costs of renewing and replacing the front suspension parts, you're just a few dollars shy of Ted Lathrops' front IRS. Gee, listen to me gush -- you'd think I own one. But no, I'm just kicking myself for not going that route. I had already "invested" in many parts -- and time -- in renewing a chrome bumper cross member and fitting John Hoyles coil over conversion (but based on dated technology). Somebody knock some sense into me please. :-)

Best of luck with your project!

J.B.
J.B.

See:

www.mantellmotorsport.com

Pete lives about 2 miles south of me.

rick
rick ingram

I'll echo J.B.'s comments on Ted's front end... almost. I'm using it on my 302 swap... i'd have to go out to the shop to double check, but i'm pretty sure it requires doing a little notching of the firewall behind the heads... essentially extending the line of the heater shelf a few inches to the left & right... i know i did that on mine. I say I'm pretty sure because i'd started that before i decided to use Ted's front end so that's not what caused me to do it. My goal was to make enough room for the Vintage Air polished front runner pulleys, brackets, A/C compressor, etc. But the motor mounts on Ted's IFS set the motor back a couple of inches further than where most folks using early Comet mounts hang it so i think it's required if you bolt the motor directly to the mounts as intended...

The only alternative i can envision would be to make a bracket that bolts to his mount that then bolts to the block an inch or two forward... depending on how you did that, you could probably accomplish it without raising the motor any, but i'd have to go look at it to be sure.

Ted's IFS is not cheap though & there are great alternatives for great suspensions. So, the other options are to
a) mimick what several others have done using early Comet motor mounts. Graham Creswick is the guy who I initially interacted with on those, but several people have done that set-up
b) make your own mounts... if you go that way, check out AutoFab's mounts... www.autofab.com/DSC00003.jpg You'd likely have to make a piece to weld to the MG frame rails to bolt those mounts to, but they'd be a good starting point & since they use a ureathane bushing, they'll give more dampening than solid mounts but won't sag like the big rubber block does on the comet mounts.

I have tons of info & pics on 302 swaps & am knee keep in my own project, so shoot me an email at robert.ficalora@hp.com if i can help.

Rob
x Ficalora

Forgot to ditto the comments about going to visit Pete Mantell. He's a great resource on the topic (way better than me) & he's right in your own back yard.
x Ficalora

Jim, I sell the headers for this conversion.

Steve
Coyote Eng. LLC
Steve Carrick

Thanks for the information.
Jim

This thread was discussed between 03/04/2007 and 11/04/2007

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