MG Sports Cars

Has anyone considered the installation of the Jag 6 cyl in a " B "? I just read an article where a 3.8 was very professionally and cleanly installed into a mid 60's Sprite.The car looks great and drives well with only a 3lb increase in front weight bias.It uses an XKE trans and a Toyota PU rearend, shortened of course. The magazine is Exotic and Sports Cars published by Hemmings. Just thinking of a long term retirement project.

Thanks for posting.

I believe the car you're talking about is featured here:
Aaron Couper's Jaguar-Powered 1961 Austin Healey Sprite (64 photos)

"looks great"... Certainly!

"drives well with only a 3lb increase in front weight bias"... Yeah, right!

It's a low polar moment car with tiny tires and a VERY heavy engine.

Someone might like the way it drives, but handling expectations vary widely. It won't corner like this Spridget!

If you're were going to put that much time and money into a Sprite, and you wanted to use a vintage British engine, why not consider a true thoroughbred racing engine... like perhaps a Coventry Climax FWE? Even for an MGB, the Jag engine is over-the-top. That's what I like in a show car... but not for carving canyons or getting groceries.

A Jag 12 has, of course, been installed in an MGB. Photos here.

An extra 3lbs over the front wheels!!! more like 300 but with the set back I suppose you might be able to halve that figure.

Not an ideal swap for a B although you could probably drop one into a C without too many issues but it would still be front heavy.

Kevin