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 - Engine value?

Hello,
Locally, there's a Buick aluminum 215 engine for sale. It's complete (minus carb) and disassembled. In need obviously of a complete rebuild.

It's priced at $300 and I just wondered what it's actually worth?

Regards, David
David Steverson

I sold a 3.9L with all its F.I. and newer heads for $250 a couple of years ago. Maybe Jeff considered it a deal...? I believe it needed lower end work.

Any which way, the engine is the cheap part. After having an engine thats ready to run, you will have $5K in misc. parts (My guess on average) that you will have to purchase to make a running MGB V8.

-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

I bought my currrent 3.5 Rover for 500cdn. It also neded a complete rebuild.

I recently looked at a 4.6 without heads and it too would have needed re-building 300.

Bruce

Bruce Mills

Ouch! I had no idea about the cost of the extra bits! Thank you for the comments, I guess i'm quite happy with my 4 cylinder.
David
David Steverson

David,
It all depends how much you want to do yourself on the conversion. 5K is maybe a bit high if you do most of the work yourself but better be on the safe site and buy good quality parts. What year is your MGB ?
Werner Van Clapdurp

David, I have a spare 3.5 Rover long block if you're still interested. New pistons, bearings, timing chain, lifters, Used 3.9 heads. Needs a cam, front cover, oil pan etc.
Kelly Combes

David,

If you rebuild your MGB motor with a quality rebuild, its going to cost you around $2,000. Thats not including anything that needs to be repaired with the driveshaft, gearbox, radiator, distributor or carbs.

Thats NOT including anyone else doing the work- thats all you doing the disassembly, reassembly, removal and replacement and all tuning.

If your doing it yourself, that means you have to take lots of time to research everything else out, contract with the machine shop to get everything going. If you don't know what your doing, any mistake will cost you horsepower and/or reliability.

Engine conversions are not inexpensive in comparison to rebuilding the stock system but you will never get from the stock system even with a supercharger what we can get with the V6/V8 conversions.

Still, all this said, I have much respect for a well built B series engine.

-BMC.



(... but my all stock 3.4L V6 in the '80B is still going to blow my Dads highly modified MGB 1.8L '77 away)
BMC Brian McCullough

My car is a 1977 with only 75k original miles. I only thought of this since I saw an engine for sale locally.

I may think about this for another car (yet to be purchased) and not mess with my current car.
David Steverson

I spent this morning at a couple of local salvage yards.

One had a 3.9 engine with over 100k miles on it. Asking price was $1400...and their "wholesale" rice was $1300.

I didn't ask if it had any gold plating hiding under the grease and grime.
Rick Ingram

I've a 3.9 with less than 40K miles on it in my shop. It came complete with the complete injection system (MAF and ECU, too) and all ancillaries. I paid $800.
David

It's that magic word "Rover" that adds to the price just as the same side marker lens for a Jag XJ6 costs twice as much as the same lens for a MGB. If there is a Pick and Pull or U-Wrenc-It type place around they are usually the cheapest but you have to do the labor yourself. Usually a complete engine will go for less than $500. Their website lists a Wednesday special this week, complete engines for $149.
Bill Young

Flamin' Nora! I was *given* a Rover engine, minus heads, I had a choice of two.
Paul Hunt

David,

>>My car is a 1977 with only 75k original miles. I only thought of this since I saw an engine for sale locally.

>>I may think about this for another car (yet to be purchased) and not mess with my current car.



Hate to burst your bubble but I see lots of rubber bumper MGBs with low miles. A good portion are below 80,000. They quit selling them so people quit driving them, not to mention that if its bone stock, the early American Ford Escorts were known to blow the late MGB out of the water making them almost an embarrassment to drive. The late model cars are actually easier to build and more fun after completed.

For what its worth,

-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

This thread was discussed between 11/10/2008 and 29/10/2008

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