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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Possible Conversion?

Browsing through ebay to pass down-time at work, and came across this. Perhaps someone would be interested in taking on this conversion.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2410017276

Any comments about this engine? Anyone looked at doing this? Also, i cant wait to hear all the people that wouldnt even dream of using anything but the 215.
Alan Raddatz

Neat motor, but the 1.9L never seemed to have very much in the balls dept. The 3L version is a little different story. Probably a cool conversion, but not sure what the benefits might exactly be.

Justin

p.s. Alan, don't you have a sbc in your B?
Justin

Yep, i have a smallblock in my 73 roadster, but i keep my eyes open for smaller, more economical engines as i want to build a daily driver chrome bumpered gt after graduation from university (in what seems to be a million years).

Alan.
Alan Raddatz

I tell ya what man, I like the 302 conversion. It's definitely smaller, and economical, and runs like hell. Just yank the driveline from an 87-93 mustang, and you're good to go. Stock driveline is about 225hp, and you can easily mod it up the 300hp with only bolt on junk.

Although a rover 4.0 w/ centrifugal supercharger could be fun too. :)

Justin
Justin

"Neat motor, but the 1.9L never seemed to have very much in the balls dept. The 3L version is a little different story. Probably a cool conversion, but not sure what the benefits might exactly be."

Justin

The 1.9 (140hp) in an MGB might not be so bad. In the Z3 it has to haul around a lot more weight.
Now that comment on the 3ltr has merit...
I have two (2) M Roadsters that are 3.2 Ltr, one is a 99 (240hp) and the other is an 01 (315hp). Put that S-54 (315hp) engine in a BGT and you'll have flier. Of course it might not handle any better than an MGC!
Randy Forbes

Hi Alan,
Maybe I can take my 204ci V6 (3.4L) motors and bore them out to 215ci (3.5L)? Do you think the V8 boys would give me any more respect? Less parts= less friction.








...and less heat.
(I cant wait to hear the comments back) _LOL!_

Lets see. If you put the BMW motor in from a year that BMW owned the MG-Rover, do you suppose that it would be legal in SCCA Solo II rules for motor swaps by the same manufacturer? In other words, be legal for a Prepared class and not have to run in Modified? The VW/ Porsche guys as well as others can do it within reason. I think this may be just a teeny strech.
Food for thought.
-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

Brian,

So what your saying is I can put a new BMW Mini engine in an old Mini and enter it in SCCA..COOL!
Chris Mowris

Maybe.. I don't know. I understand some changeover, but question what the limits are.
-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

The idea of putting a BMW M44 4 cylinder in an MGB is one I've been developing (on paper) for a couple of years.

The engine is fairly tall being a 16v Twin-Cam, and I am unsure whether or not it would clear an MGB or MGC bonnet. The engine is also mounted at a 30-degree slant to the right, which would require some surgery to the firewall. I'm pretty sure it can be mounted upright, avoiding surgery but again, I am unsure of clearance issues. If the engine were mounted upright, the sump would be at an angle, leading to oil pick up problems. This can be rectified by going dry-sump, which would allow one to mount the engine as low as needed, possibly avoiding the use of an MGC bonnet. Also the DME has to be wired in and new fuel lines added and various other details.

While researching this conversion I found this company's website (I am in no way affiliated with this company): http://www.gttechnic.com/gt2_gt3.html

Down the page they detail a dry-sumped, Weber carbureted, racing version of the M42 (the M44s predecessor, but sharing the same basic architecture and dimensions) rated at around 260bhp.

BMW Motorsport did take this engine touring car racing in the 90's. At 2.0L it made somewhere in the neighborhood of 300bhp...

Sure it’s a bit crazy, but so is the other idea I hope to someday build… a Corvette Z06 LS6-powered MGB-GT racer…

Safety Fast!
Mario
Mario Funk

Mario,

If you were to adapt that motor to run straight up, then the oil in the gearbox would be running at an angle as well.. The shifter, if it comes out far back enough wouldnt be too hard to put a little tilt in it, but the gearbox oil? The Borg-Warner T5 was installed in Camaros at a 17 degree tilt without any issues, but going 30 degrees changeup could lead into probelms with the BMW gearbox. I admit, I have not looked into that driveline, so this is an uneducated guess.

-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

Brian,
Yes if the engine were mounted vertically, then the transmission would be canted at a 30 degree angle to the left and I don't think the shifter setup could be changed to allow for such a severe inclination.

An adapter plate or custom machined engine backplate would have to be used to allow the transmission to be mounted in its original position.

But I am usure of what problems that might create, especially with starter and clutch slave cylinder location.

Mario
Mario Funk

Mario,
You read my mind. It just sounds like alot of extra work. Wait a little while and something far better is bound to show up. If the motor could be placed in a B as is, then maybe it would be a neat conversion for someone.
BMC Brian McCullough

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2003 and 10/04/2003

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