MG Sports Cars

IS THERE A WEB SITE OR COMPANY THAT MAKES A FRONT COIL OVER CONVERSION FOR MY 62 MGA?

AND IS THERE A SITE THAT MAY HELP ME CONVERT THE "A" TO A V/8

THANKS IN ADVANCE
LANCE

Welcome to the message board, Lance.

I don't know of a coilover front suspension that's specifically for MGA, but there are two American-made coilover front suspensions for MGB and both suppliers are sponsors of this message board... so I'd recommend making phone calls to both of them and asking for their advice. Perhaps they'll be able to work with you on something special. Here's contact info:
1. Classic Conversions Engineering
2. Fast Cars Inc.

A more common approach is to utilize stock MGB components on MGA. There's a very recent thread here on the message board about that...

You asked: "Is there a site to help you convert to V8 power?"

Dude... you're already here!

If you surf around our website you'll find about 600 articles and over 6000 photos, and while most aren't specific to MGA, many of the articles contain useful nuggets of information. The "Google" search box at the top of any page will help you find specific answers.

Again, we have wonderful vendor sponsors. If you get in a bind, don't hesitate to pick up the phone and call them! All of our vendor sponsors are listed in a directory which you'll find under the "Contact" pull-down menu button at the top of every page. (Note that John at "All British" drives an MGA V8 as his personal car. Also, I believe Todd at Custom Rod Works recently completed a turbocharged Nissan four-cylinder conversion of an MGA.) Tell our sponsors you found them here.

In fact, I would avoid dealing with any business who claims to be in the conversion or conversion-parts business and doesn't sponsor this website. (They're probably amateur, disreputable, or teetering on the edge of insolvency anyway.)

Feel free to ask lots of questions here on our message board... but PLEASE turn "OFF" your "Caps Lock" key and type in lower-case characters (mostly) because when you type in all-upper-case that's often read as a sign of anger or frustration.

Lance, I don't know how experienced you are in fabrication or chassis work, but unless you have a lot of experience or have a professional shop to do the work I'd advise against trying to install a coil over suspension on the MGA. The existing suspension is very similar to the MGB which followed, but the crossmember is welded directly into the frame on the MGA and not a replacable bolt on as on the MGB so installing MGB parts is relatively easy giving you access to all the bits developed for the MGB such as improved disc brakes etc. if you keep the MGA crossmember and steering. Peter Caldwell at World Wide Auto Parts [www.nosimport.com] can supply MGB shocks with reversed arms to mount on the MGA chassis and then you can use MGB kinpins and get the improved MGB brakes along with access to all the brake kits such as the ones sold by Classic Conversions. [www.classicconversionseng.com] As far as the actual installation of the engine and transmission if you plan on using the Buick/Rover V8 then you can't go much better than following along the same lines as John Mangles did on his conversion.[www.britishv8.org] If you plan on using another engine such as a Ford or Chevy, then there are other conversions to use for reference. Try to keep modifications to the frame minimal to retain all the torsional strength possible. No sense having a powerful engine in the car if it won't handle because of frame flex.
I'm building a MGA powered by a 4.0 inline 6 with a 5 speed, so I have experience with the MGA chassis. I chose to use wire wheels so am using MGB front uprights and hubs as well as a MGB rear axle. Photos of my project are on Snapfish [www2.snapfish.co.uk] You will have to log on as a user, but it's free and you don't get any unwanted Spam as far as I can tell. Search for my albums under Bill Young.

THANKS FOR THE INSITE I HAVE EXTENSIVE FAB EXP. AND MOST OF IT IS IN THE STREET ROD WORLD

WILL THE STOCK SPINDLES & TRUNIONS WORK WITH THE ADDED WEIGHT? I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL PIC'S

OF CONVERSIONS BUT NO INFO ON THE MANUFACTURE OF THE PARTS.

WILL POST PIC'S OF THE WORK AS IT GETS DONE. AND WILL MOST LIKELY DESIGN AND BUILD MY OWN

UPPER & LOWER ARMS

THANKS
LANCE

Seriously... PLEASE turn off your caps-lock key!!!

You asked: "WILL THE STOCK SPINDLES & TRUNIONS WORK WITH THE ADDED WEIGHT?"

Well, if you pick the right engine there won't be much if any added weight! The small block Ford, when fitted with alloy heads, will only add about forty pounds over your original engine. The Buick or Rover aluminum V8 would actually by lighter weight than your original engine. Of course, the small block Chevy is much heavier... that's why we haven't seen so many of them installed in real sports cars. That and a couple other little things, like that Chevy put their distributor at the wrong end of their V8 engines.

You may enjoy seeing this MGA, where Thomas Ross combined the heavy Chevy motor with a Fat-Man Fabrications front suspension under his 1961 MGA: Click Here to See Thomas Ross' 1961 MGA V8-conversion (25 photos!)

So far I haven't heard of any problems using the stock type trunions and spindles with V8 power. The old design isn't the most advanced, but is robust. I also had many years in Street Rods before moving into British cars so am familiar with some of the offerings as far as suspensions. If you just want to have something trick then go for it, but be aware the original MGA design combined with MGB spindles will work fine and handle great for a street car. If you get seriously into autocross or road racing then the additional adjustability of a modern ball joint type front would be worth the effort. The only downside from the original suspension is the somewhat limited selection of front spring rates, so fine tuning to a particular engine might be less than optimal, but from others it appears that springs are around that will work with small block Fords, Buick/Rover's, Buick V6, and the GM 60 degree V6 engine group, so a pretty wide selection there.
The MGA frame derives a lot of strength from what is commonly refered to as the "goal post" assembly which is the upper frame members that run up under the top of the firewall area and are tied to the main rails both front and rear by diagonal braces. These braces on the front side and the center of the upper crossmember are the usual victims of the torch when installing another engine. I had to notch the upper member back about 10" and reinforce to clear my six, fortunately the diagonal braces were basically unharmed. Take careful measurments when selecting an engine to minimize frame mods, makes for a better car in the end with less work.

You can use the stock MGA front suspension but the MGB suspension is better and fairly easy to come by. I keep a few sets around to install in MGAs and more for B replacement components if needed.

I have not tried the CCE front system in an MGA but it appears to me that the system should be pretty easy to retrofit. I am sure Bill would know more.

-BMC.

V6 Midget Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
The only
> downside from the original suspension is the
> somewhat limited selection of front spring rates,
> so fine tuning to a particular engine might be
> less than optimal, but from others it appears that
> springs are around that will work with small block
> Fords, Buick/Rover's, Buick V6, and the GM 60
> degree V6 engine group, so a pretty wide selection
> there.

Bill, there is no shortage of springs, but in any case, having springs wound to order is no big deal and is just a normal part of building race cars, for instance.

The stock MGA/MGB suspension is just fine for racing or slalom use, and there are only a couple of tube shock conversions available for these cars that don't introduce bad things to the geometry and strength of the system. 'Upgrading' must be done with care and in most cases is not necessary.

Here's a pic of a Hoyle suspension set up that was designed for an MGB but fitted to an MGA.
This car has the Hoyle IRS fitted too. This car is a 1958 MGA Coupe fitted with a Ford 302 and T5 box.
It's not fully built yet and is currently for sale on ebay.

A couple more pics of the MGA V8 Coupe with Hoyle suspension.

Is that your A Martyn? More pics :)...

Not my car.It's in my neighbourhood and for sale on ebay.