Think I am beginning to change my mind again

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:23 pm

Why am I messing around thinking how what I intend to do to a rover and increasin capacity when I am just looking at real steel's website and an old small block chevy engine is only 450 quid, and the tuning parts are soooooo much cheaper?

As we all know a stock one would blow suck up a fully modded rover, chew it up and spit it back out the exhaust.

My only concern would be such a heavy engine in an MGB.

Any thoughts?

Eliot · Post by **Eliot** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:32 pm

SBC would be a bit heavy IMO.
LS1's are becoming cheaper and new ones can be sourced in the UK.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... 56&nmt=LS7

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:56 pm

Thank for the link.

Ford 302 with ally heads wouldn't be too heavy though would it, I think that is considerably lighter than an MGC engine.

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:39 pm

The Ford 302 with alloy heads, manifold etc. comes in at approx 60 lbs over the weight of the Rover.

You would need to extensively modify the front crossmember for sump clearance, and obviously fit some slightly stiffer front springs, but the rest of the suspension and braking system would need upgrading to handle the power and torque of the Ford 302.

The only other problem that I see that whilst the 302 is a very popular and accepted swap in the States, the same conversion hear might make re-sale at a sensible figure in the uk a problem.

Link to some excellent conversions.

http://www.britishv8.org/Photos-MG-Conversions.htm

Kevin

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:53 pm

mmmm, what I save on the engine I will spend on body and suspension mods, may aswell spend money squeezing power out of a rover.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:13 pm

I don't quite see the logic there, if you manage to get a reasonable amount of power out of the rover you will have to upgrade the suspension and brakes any way

. With the ford you are just getting the power at far less cost. An SBC with ally heads is going to weigh less than the MGC engine, the ford 302 is lighter still, as said above only 60lb more than the rover. The 5.3 LS engines are lighter than the rover with the ally block and about 20lb heavier with the iron block and is alot cheeper than an LS7! the LS7 is a very fancy bit of kit and probably overkill for any MGB.
Mike

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:31 pm

kiwicar wrote:I don't quite see the logic there, if you manage to get a reasonable amount of power out of the rover you will have to upgrade the suspension and brakes any way .

True, but the rover fits whereas anything else needs extensive mods, like inner wings, new box, whole new front suspension to clear, new box etc....that's what I meant. And I'mnot going to get anything like the power out of a rover than I am a ford 302 so the extent of the mods will be less probably.

I am very tempted though but would mean having my car off the road for ages again, whereas I can build a new rover at my leisure and switch them over in a weekend.

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:39 pm

Say I was aiming for 400 horses. What can the mgb tube axle take realistically?

What gear box would I use?

If I keep my current axle, but stick some telescopic shockers on, (Its just lever arms at tho mo). Do the same at the front with coil overs, do the princess calliper and pug disc conversion (which i was gonna be doing anyway) and modify the steering cross member and heater shelf etc....The costs might not get too rediculous.

I already have a panhard rod and anti tramp bars on the back, and big wheels under flared arches.

JC. · Post by **JC.** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:47 pm

One day, my MGB GT will be running a blown LS6.

sidecar · Post by **sidecar** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:04 pm

ppyvabw wrote:Say I was aiming for 400 horses.

You will be doing VERY well to get 400 BHP out of a Rover lump unless its VERY special (and expensive), You could use laughing gas, I suppose!

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:49 pm

summit do a 5.0L crate engine with 340 bhp for $4799 75 bhp of gas and your over the 400 bhp or a 347 ci 450 bhp (no gas) for $8699, same power off a chevy comes in at $3999 (330 bhp is $2679) a 383 with 425 bhp is $5009 to get 330bhp out of a rover you are into big money and will be a "special" which will be delicate. Kevin-the -moles engine that is up for sale is a 410bhp ready to go. Boxes for the ford are easy with the mustang version of the T5, same box can be got for the chevy or all the TKO boxes.
Mike

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 8:29 pm

sidecar wrote:
ppyvabw wrote:Say I was aiming for 400 horses.
You will be doing VERY well to get 400 BHP out of a Rover lump unless its VERY special (and expensive), You could use laughing gas, I suppose!

I know, that's why I'm thinking ford 302.

I don't want to buy a turnkey engine, I'd build it up myself because it's more fun.

kev_the_mole · Post by **kev_the_mole** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:35 pm

Kevin-the -moles engine that is up for sale is a 410bhp ready to go

Sadly the Brodix alloy block monster was a bridge too far in the current climate so the 383 is now not for sale.

ppyvabw have a look here

http://www.britishv8.org/MG/LesAnderson.htm

http://www.engineswapdepot.com/?p=350=1

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversio ... -gt-2.html

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:10 pm

Thanks Kev, There's some nice motors in these links peeps are sending me.

Just looking at this link http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversio ... -gt-2.html and if that's the final engine position in the 3rd pic there's gonna be some serious meat coming out of the front cross member I reckon. Exhausts have to go through the wheel arch, no doubt about it. If I'm going to the trouble of modding the cross member anyway I'll do a coil over conversion on the front.

Does anyone know about the back axle? Will the b axle take it or will it be a totally different one? Getting it shortened aint a problem if I have to use a different axle, but which one would I use? Some 4*4 axle and a change of ratio or something?

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:40 am

sidecar wrote:
ppyvabw wrote:Say I was aiming for 400 horses.
You will be doing VERY well to get 400 BHP out of a Rover lump unless its VERY special (and expensive), You could use laughing gas, I suppose!

Fingers crossed for my twin turbo 3.5 build then