The BritishV8 Pub

general notices, announcements, invitations, & social stuff (like meets & car shows)

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Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: Moderator
Date: December 21, 2007 12:59PM

The big, annual, all-MG show will be at Valley Forge PA (near Philadelphia) from June 25 (pm) to June 29. Details are here: [www.mg2008.com] - for that matter, it's not too soon to start thinking about MG2009, which will be in Colorado.

( Please post a reply here if you're planning to attend! )

In the last several years the image of "modified" and "engine-swapped" British sports cars has improved tremendously within the sphere of MG and Triumph enthusiasts.

What can we do at MG 2008 (and other British car meets) to continue and accelerate this trend?

Here are a few quick ideas:
(1) Wear our British V8 t-shirts and ball caps?
(2) Print-up and display British V8 windshield signs?
(3) Hand out flyers or cards that invite people to visit our website / read our Newsletter?
(4) Put a "British V8" flyer in the bag people receive at registration?
(5) Hand out "How It Was Done" forms for conversions that haven't been featured in the Newsletter yet?
(6) Put "V8" badges on our valve cover race cars?
(7) Recruit our experts to present tech sessions that introduce V6/V8 conversion concepts?
(8) Maybe we could do some things so our cars "present" even better than they already do?

Your ideas? Comments?


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: Moderator
Date: December 21, 2007 01:06PM

Following up on idea number 8 above... have a look at the nice sign Earl uses to list the specs of his V6 conversion:

EarlBrotherton-A.jpg

I bet if we pooled our resources, we could get a big discount on a "group buy" of signs like this.

That's just one idea. Don't hold your suggestions back - let's hear them!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2007 02:50PM by Moderator.


302V8
Pete Mantell
Sidney, IL
(96 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 09:47AM

Main British Car:
69 MGB 302 V8 Ford 302 '347' stroker 505HP 440ftlbs

Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: 302V8
Date: January 11, 2008 09:35AM

Hi Curtis,

Sue & I are planning to attend.

Cheers

Pete


BUMBLE BEE
Leonard Marshall
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS 78216
(1 posts)

Registered:
01/11/2008 10:57AM

Main British Car:
1979 MGB ROADSTER FORD 302

Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: BUMBLE BEE
Date: January 11, 2008 11:20AM

RE: MGBV8 2008 HOTEL RESERVATIONS

POSTED BY; BUMBLE BEE
DATE: JAN. 11, 2008 10:13 CST

HOWDY CURTIS,

HAVE NOT CHATTED IN A WHILE. WILL UPDATE YOU ON SOME MODS TO THE "B" SINCE IT WAS POSTED ON THE WEB. I HAVE REMOVED THE TRACTION BARS AND MODIFIED THE REAR LEAF SPRING CONFIGUATION. THIS COSTS SOME TRACTION; BUT REALLY IMPROVED THE RIDE.
HAVE ADDED A KNOCK OFF HARD TOP TO MAKE THE A/C MORE EFFICIENT AND KEEP THE ROAD NOISE DOWN AT CRUSING SPEEDS.
JUST MADE RESERVATIONS AT THE HOST HOTEL FOR THE 2008 MEET.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.

LEONARD AND KAY MARSHALL


mowog1
Rick Ingram
Central Illinois
(1523 posts)

Registered:
10/17/2007 09:36PM

Main British Car:
1974.5 MGB/GT 3.9l Rover

authors avatar
Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: mowog1
Date: January 13, 2008 12:58AM

Looking forward to meeting you, Leonard!

Spuriously yours....


v8mgb
Jim Miller

(155 posts)

Registered:
01/01/2008 11:38AM

Main British Car:
78 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: v8mgb
Date: January 19, 2008 10:46AM

I am also planning on being at MG 2008. When I show my car I always have a lot of questions and have a stack of handouts which covers the history of the MGB V8. It’s an article that was on the old britishv8.org website. It needs to updated it with all the changes that have happened. The article could also cover other engines.

Here is snip-it of the article.

History: In the late 1960's, an English automotive engineer named Ken Costello conceived the idea of installing a Buick 215 aluminum V-8 (later to be the Rover V-8) into an MGB. This first hybrid used the stock MGB 4-speed manual transmission, basically stock and suspension. The rear end gearing was changed to an MG's 3.07:1. The Buick/Rover V-8 was rated at 150 hp in stock trim which was sufficient to propel the early conversions to a 1/4 miles time of 15.8 seconds and a top speed of 128+ mph. The British Motor Corp (BMC), which then owned MG, quickly took notice of this rocket and its popularity among the sports car crowd. MG began building its own MGB/GT V-8 in 1973 but only managed to produce about 2600 cars before mismanagement killed the model at the end of 1976. Meanwhile Ken CosteNo, in addition to a few other new conversion companies, has continued to build and refine the MGB V-8 conversion, in both GT and roadster configurations. Currently there are a few thousand factory and conversions in England. Here in North America there are about 600 completed conversions, many, many under construction, about 13 factory MG/GT V-8's and at least three original Costello conversions.

The Conversions: American enthusiasts have been dropping V-8's into MG's ever since the T-series cars began to arrive here in the forties. However, it was not until the 1990's that the V-8 conversion movement really caught fire here. As more and more V-8's began to appear on the road, at meets and shows and in literature, it inspired other enthusiasts to take the plunge. This burgeoning popularity in turn sparked interest in several parts suppliers who now offer everything needed to perform a conversion rather easily.
Converting an MG to V-8 power can range from very easy to somewhat complex, depending on the year and condition of the car, the engine/drivetrain combo selected, the mechanical aptitude of the converter and the level of performance desired. The easiest MG's to convert are the 1977 - 80's. The engine bays are already set up for the V-8, and depending on the engine/trans used, it can be a drop in, using the stock cooling brakes and suspension. The only major engine bay alteration required on the 1975 - 76 MG's is the relocation of the radiator forward about 6'. The chrome bumper car's bays do need more extensive work to the firewall, radiator position and inner fender panels, however this is not overly complex and can be accomplished in a weekend.
A V-8 conversion will perform quite happily with the stock brakes and suspension, provided these components are in good working order. Most owners eventually upgrade the suspensions and brakes, using commonly available parts, to exploit the new performance and power of their MG V-8. Part of the fun of a V-8 conversion is the fact that there need be no outward indication of what lurks beneath the bonnet. Many an unsuspecting Mustang or Porsche owner has been left scratching their head!

The Engines: By far, the most popular and practical engine for an MG V-8 conversion is the Buick/Olds/Rover aluminum V-8. The engines are actually slightly lighter than the stock cast-iron four cylinder engine at about 320 lbs.! The motor was originally offered in the 1961 - '63 Buick Specials, Olds F-85 and Cutlass models, as a 215 cubic inch V-8 with stock power ratings of 150 to 200 HP. Production of the engine ended with the last of the '63 models. In 1967, there occurred a chance discovery of a 215 in a Detroit GM facility by a representative of BMC. He recognized the value of this lightweight engine, a deal was quickly closed, and the manufacturing rights, tooling and prints for the aluminum V-8 were dispatched to England.
This same engine, abet with many modifications over the years, is still in production. The first English aluminum 215's were to power the Rover P5 sedan and were designated the Rover 3.5L V-g. During the last 33+ years the engine has undergone many modifications including displacement upratings to 3.9L, 4.2L and 4.6L. The aluminum V-8 currently is standard equipment in Land Rovers and Discoveries. In spite of the revisions over it's long production run, many of the parts from the venerable Buick/Olds 215 are still interchangeable!


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: Moderator
Date: January 19, 2008 04:16PM

Jim wrote:
Quote:
When I show my car I always have a lot of questions and have a stack of handouts which covers the history of the MGB V8. It’s an article that was on the old britishv8.org website. It needs to updated it with all the changes that have happened. The article could also cover other engines.

Way to go Jim! When I get a minute (maybe next week?) I'll take a crack at updating the text you've included here and I'll post the results. What I'm thinking of is a nicely formated one-page flyer that could reside here in "PDF" format - ready to be printed and taken along to any car show or meet!


v8mgb
Jim Miller

(155 posts)

Registered:
01/01/2008 11:38AM

Main British Car:
78 MGB Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: v8mgb
Date: January 20, 2008 11:08PM

Curtis: That would be great!


Martin
Martin Stevens

(8 posts)

Registered:
03/27/2008 10:25PM

Main British Car:
1973 TR6 To Be Determined

Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: Martin
Date: April 11, 2008 12:02AM

Hi Curtis (or anyone),

I just hadn't thought of this before, but can modified cars attend the regular MG/ TR/ British car shows?

How hard of a time do the die-hards and purists give the modified owners?


mowog1
Rick Ingram
Central Illinois
(1523 posts)

Registered:
10/17/2007 09:36PM

Main British Car:
1974.5 MGB/GT 3.9l Rover

authors avatar
Re: Who's Going to MG 2008 ?
Posted by: mowog1
Date: April 16, 2008 08:39PM

Martin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Curtis (or anyone),
>
> I just hadn't thought of this before, but can
> modified cars attend the regular MG/ TR/ British
> car shows?
>
> How hard of a time do the die-hards and purists
> give the modified owners?


Yes...most local/national shows are popular vote and many now have classes for "modified" British cars...depending upon registration numbers.

Who cares what the die-hards and purists have to say?

:-)


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