MG Sports Cars

Hi everyone! New to this forum but longtime MG owner (8 of the currently). I am planning to do a Buick 215 in a 79 B, both of which I have already. Just looking for a little guidance. I was planning on using a T5 tranny, I have a ford one but I heard the camaro one is better?. I have done lots of LS1 swaps into cars but its my first swap with the 215. I usually just fab everything up myself but if there are easier ways im all for it. I am also planning on building a custom intake with fuel injection for the 215. If I could get some info id appreciate it, im sure there is allot of experience on here.

1. Best tranny to use? best adapter? I could fab an adapter myself, but if there are good ones i would rather just buy it as its easier. D&D, TS imported? Also which clutch to go with, would like to use hydraulic instead of linkage also.

2 Engine mounts? I was just gonna fab up my normal swap mount but I see them for sale, are they the mounts the factory used?

3. Headers? Seen them through the wheel well, and through the engine bay, pro's and cons? I can fab up either one, or purchase?

4. Radiator options? will probably go with electric fans.

Thanks

WELCOME Robert, your've come to the right place. There are as many opinions as there are cars. Read the "how it was done" SECTION with the BOPR enginges and pick your posion. SAFETY FASTER!

Also, get Roger Parker's book "How To Give Your MGB V8 Power", it covers everything you need to know and then some.

use a ford 302 and avoid the BOP step and avoid dissapointment , make a V8 mgb that will actually go fast !

I was actually thinking Robert should talk with Carl... Carl has a perfectly good 215 based B and we know it's plenty fast; he whips up on folks in the Autocross events every year. But he's a bowtie guy who'd love an LS B... Robert says he's done several LS swaps and has a shell ready to put one in... sounds like there's a trade there somewhere.

Welcome to the message board, Robert! I hope you'll post lots of questions going forward. Generally, I think you'll probably get best results by posting very specific questions one-per-thread.

(1) With regard to your first question above, the main bit of advice I'd give is to use an external slave cylinder rather than a "hydraulic throw-out bearing". I've used both. The HTOB was expensive, gave a lot of problems, and was inconvenient to remove/replace. If you're lucky, you might manage to find an original Buick 4-speed bellhousing. In that case, the Chevy-type T5 will bolt right up! (The Ford input shaft is longer, so you'd need a spacer.) The original Buick flywheels and pressure plates aren't particularly desirable though. The original flywheels were quite heavy. I prefer a modern diaphagm type pressure plate to an (original style) three finger pressure plate because pedal force is lower. That might be a big deal if you have to shorten a clutch fork to package it inside your transmission tunnel.

(2) From what I can tell, our friends over in the UK tend to use factory MGB GT V8 mounts and then supplement them with some sort of radius rod to keep the engine from ripping the mounts apart. You can see various approaches to this in the Photo Gallery. (Example.) I bet your "normal swap mounts" will probably work fine, and not need a band-aid to help them survive.

(3) Headers have been discussed before at very great length... you can use the search function to find all sorts of opinions. I fabricated my own block-hugging tri-y headers years ago. I have plans to replace them with home-made through-the-wing headers. The single biggest advantage is that the holes in the inner wings help to vent heat out of the engine bay (because the wheel wells are a low pressure zone when you're moving.) Incidentally, Gary Walker will soon be offering extremely nice laser-cut header flanges for BOPR engines. They'll simplify header fabrication tremendously.

(4) Radiators? Fans? See the How It Was Done articles...

How to Give Your MGB V8 Power is by Roger Williams. It's okay... but I don't think it's a tenth as useful as our article archive. (We have a LOT more photos!) In some cases, his advice reflects a British viewpoint. Our articles tend to reflect parts that are more available and/or economical here.

re: Brian's advice... Ford does make some great engines and I've driven some fantastic Ford-powered MGBs, but at this time I can't think of one I'd trade my Buick 215 powered MGB GT for.

Plus you can go up to 350 cu in in a 300 SBB and aftermarket heads are available. There is more power potential with the Buick block than the 5L Ford too. No need to be taken in by ford hype.

Jim

Assuming one can find a Buick 300, are there aluminum heads available for it? If so, how do they compare price wise to AFR's or similar aluminum heads for 5.0L Fords?

Ha! Fast?! Rob, you obviously haven't driven my car. It's only fast around curves & cones. ;) That's the only place I can hope to keep up. Curtis' GT has a much stronger 215.

Be glad to help Robert any way I can, though. A lot of this stuff is a matter of personal preference once you study the options.

Jim B. is right about the Buick 300. And Rob is right on availability and head price. Both Buick and Ford are fine motors! I like the 215 too but it is a little small. The stroker option or later Rover 4.6 fixes that!