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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Help with Rack moving and car lowering

Hey listers,
I have an issue that has just come up with my conversion. I have been busting my backside to make as few mods as possible to my car while installing the 302, but I am going to have to lower the rack. to get the enging low enough to clear the hood.

So that is the ddilema, dropping the rack AND lowering the car from RB to CB hieght.

Now I have seen and heard about fplipping the rack arms to attach from below the steering arm when lowering the car to maintain rack arm angles. this requires swapping the steering arms from one side to the other. BUT I will then be lowering the rack further which will again cause odd angles and possibly bump steer etc. Could I simply install some "blocks" to space the steering arms down again? It seems a straightworward thing to do, anything I am missing?
Larry Embrey

Larry, I saw your posting and when the local Brit car mechanic stopped by my house 2 minutes ago to drop off a new fan belt, I asked him and he said maybe, just maybe, you could get away with it doing as you say but in all likelihood you will end up changing the steering geometry in some unforeseen way and get bump steer and give rise to stresses for which the system wasn't designed. See if you can find that fellow John Bourke over in the UK, I believe he has a really comprehensive understanding of the steering in these cars and he used to post here regularly. Or glen Towery in delaware would likely know. Steering is just one of those things that you want to be really, really, _really_ sure of! As you know though, I sure favor keeping the car plain-Jane. /D
David

John Bourke...... Hey That's me......-I might not post as much (I was beginning to repeat myself) but I'm still listening.......

JB
John Bourke

Larry how did you come out on this, just out of curiosity?
Harry

I was visiting a fellow in Central Calif yesterday that converted his GT to V8 20 years ago. He placed his engine very low in the chasis by droping the rack mounts and installing his tie rod ends upside down to get the correct steering geometry and avoid bump steer.
(not bumb steer) He told me that he had to bend the the rod ends a few degrees to get it perfect. 20 years ago...
I sold him a rebuilt '64 Buick 300 engine that is going into the same car. He has a 3" air filter on top of a Carter AFB with 3/4" to spare.
Just a thought.
Triumphs Rock!!
CaliforniaCurt

Harry - No modification yet. Between shows and work I have not had time. Plus I have 2 gentlemen coming in on Friday to see what I have done so far, so I didn't want to yank the engine, as there would be nothing for them to see...

Curt - Did he say anything about how the modification worked? IE, did he have bump steer or not?

I am pretty certain I will drop the rack in the next few weeks. I have tried looking at various air cleaners and mounting changes, but the motor simply has to drop lower. I will be doing the arm flip routine as well, but 1st I ned to get measurements to make sure I get it back together as close to stock as possible...
Larry Embrey

Larry, seems there is not much around in the way of advice when your trying something newish...I would be interested in what you end up doing to lower rack as I may face a similar problem with my MGA and the Australian 4.4 litre aluminium P76 V8 thats about to go in.
regards
mark
mark mathiesen

Mark - I am going to try and do it the "straigh-forward" way. Measure up everything as stock (distances angles etc) Then cut the tops of the rack mount off and take little 1/4 slivers out and place the rack up, remove, cut, repeat. I want to make sure that when the rack is down in position that the angle of the mounting surface matches how the rack wants to be.. I know already it will be slow and tedious. Then I will do the arm swap and mount the knuckles from underneath which should put the angles and steering geometry back close to normal.

I am thinking when I later lower the car I will use the drop spindles, they are $$, but it would not mess with the shock and lower A-arm geometry..
Larry Embrey

This thread was discussed between 25/07/2001 and 02/08/2001

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