MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Borg Warner T5

I have a Rover SD1 V8 for conversion but need a transmission, I can get a hold of the Borg Warner tranny but what will I need to get this to be compatible with the SD1 V8, and where can I get the things to make it compatible?
thanx
Charlie Robbins

Charlie,
From what I rememebr of the Rover/buick conversion you just need a buick 4spd or the 3/4spd bellhousing. Since they are hard to find, you are probably better off just buying a newly made conversion bellhousing from someone like D&D.

Make sure you get a GM T-5 not a Ford one.
Larry Embrey

Charlie, The GM BW trans will bolt directly to a Buick / Olds 4 speed or dual pattern bell housing.
The Ford BW trans required an adaptor plate.
These are available from D&D Fabrications (8005 Tiffany, Almont, MI 48003, Tel: 810 798 2491)
All GM T5's have the same 4 gears but two different 5 th gears ratios. The casting number on the gearcase identify the ratios for 5 th gear.
0.73:1 is GM 1019-2297. 0.63:1 is GM 1019-2298.
You may also need a rear gearbox mounting to accommodate the 18 degree twist in the gearbox design so the shift lever will exit the transmission tunnel at 18 degrees away from the vertical towards the right hand side of the car looking from the rear.
Again D&D can help here.
A book worth getting is "MGB,MGC and MGB V8" by Roger Williams. ISBN 1-901295-76-1 which is more up to date than the previous book and essentially replaces it.
Good luck Pete.
*******************************************************
Peter Thomas

Larry, what's wrong with the Ford T-5? I have one out of a T-bird turbo coupe and the adapter plate from D&D. Fits like a champ. Should I ever tear up this one, I can always get a Tremec T-5 for a mustang 5.0 that will bolt right up. Of course, with substantial damage to my pocket book :)
Michael Hartwig

Michael,
I didn't realise an adapter plate had been made. Just made more sense to me to buy a tranny that already had bellhousings designed to work. Nothing at all wrong with a ford T5. Your gearing may be a little off since it is from a T-bird, but to be honest, our cars are such muts, it does not matter. You are dead on about the aftermarket availability. You can get Tremec's for GM and Ford now. I doubt you will kill your Ford though. With a 215 and the weight of our vehicles you should not tax it enough to bust it.

I am glad to hear that adapter plates are available, must be why ford units have gotten so scarce of late..
Larry Embrey

I'm pretty sure the GM T5's had different gear ratios on all gears depending on whether the box was for a V8 or V6. I saw this on a GM site long ago - then bought a 1995 Chevrolet Camaro 3.4L V6 with T-5 and measured the ratios. First gear was a 3.75 ratio, lower even than std MGB! With a big engine and the MGB 3.91 rear axle you'd hardly ever use it, except to shred the tires. The 5th/OD ratio was 0.73. From memory, GM's V8 T-5 box had 2.95 first gear and 0.65 5th. (although I have seen other OD ratios mentioned). Those ratios are much better suited to the bigger engine with the 3.91 axle, and since all boxes have a 1.00 4th gear, the V8 box is a relatively "close ratio" unit.

I expect any T-5 would be unbreakable in a light car such as the MGB - the rear tires would break traction long before reaching the box's torque capacity.

When you go to buy a gearbox, take a large 360-degree protractor and some "shoe-goo" or other gummy cement and some wire pointers with you and check the seller's story. Don't rely only on casting or part numbers.
Bob Wilson

FYI - Just like the GM units, the fords have different gearing based on V6 & V8 versions. The input shaft pilot bearigns are diffeent sizes also. Then there is the whole normal vs World class issue.

Like bob says, in out light cars (especially behind a 215) any T5 will be pretty much unbreakable. Not impossible, but very tough. The guys in stangs a F-bodies(camaro&firebird) that break them are putting 350+hp & 350+ft/lbs of torque out and pushing a car weighting over 3500lbs. That equalls allot of stress, plus most of are racing, so they powershift which tears them up..
Larry Embrey

This thread was discussed between 10/08/2001 and 12/08/2001

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical BBS now