MG Sports Cars

Hey everyone, I'm new here and I am just determined to acquire and modernize a classic and I am convinced it should be an MG B-GT. For clarification when I say modernize I mean bring it up to modern standards (almost, at least) in terms of power, fuel consumption and comfort. I am quite young (only 17) therefore I would be going on a tight budget and therefore I thank God my grandfather has the skill and tools needed and whatever he cannot do himself or does not have access to , he has friends that could aid him. I would want to do the following: (pardon me if I don't sound knowledgeable) perform and engine swap with a modern engine (would most likely be a Nissan engine), install A/C (I live in Jamaica, it's hot), upgrade the suspension and brakes, install a decent stereo system and create a nice looking and comfortable interior. I don't plan to do anything extreme no turbocharging or anything of the sort is necessary, I just want to be able to keep up with any normal car on the road today and turn heads and feel the satisfaction of working on a classic and being able to turn it into and everyday driver without any problems or constant breaking down. Could all you experts advise me with cost, procedures and any planning I would have to make for such a project to be completed?

Welcome Alex! I was about your age when I got my MGB-GT.

One very good strategy for building a car on a tight budget is to divide the project up into manageable sub-projects and then complete one system before starting the next. It's quite rewarding and it's very helpful to be able to take "test drives" from time to time. Besides that, far too many people bite off more than they can chew and then get discouraged before their project is complete. (In that case, it's hard enough to sell an uncompleted project and it's especially hard if the car isn't drivable.)

How familiar are you with an MGB GT? If you haven't driven one, I recommend that you arrange to borrow one and put some miles on it before you start planning the "modernization". If you can start your project with a running car, so much the better. Driving a stock MGB will help you determine your priorities. You might, for example, decide that upgrading the engine is a lot bigger priority than upgrading the suspension, brakes, or the interior. Or maybe not... The original MG engine can be quite reliable (if well maintained). It's dead simple to work on, and its fuel economy isn't bad either. A kit is available for putting air conditioning on it. Upgrading the MGB suspension to get a "modern" level of comfort requires a substantial amount of money - just upgrading shock absorbers won't get you there! However, unless you fit really low-profile tires, the MGB suspension (and rear axle) will probably end up a relatively low priority. If properly maintained, the MGB brakes should be able to lock up all four tires - so the only logical reason to upgrade them is if you intend to drive the car hard enough to make the brakes "fade" due to heat. Are you just going to enjoy the car around town, or are you going to tear up a lot of long twisty roads? (If you're planning to get the car onto a race track, you'll certainly want upgraded brakes.)

If you can, leave cosmetic stuff until last! Disassemble your project for painting, and then clean-up the details as you're putting it back together. (Paint and chrome are also relatively expensive luxuries.)

Make sure to study all the BritishV8 "How It Was Done" Articles!

Thanks for the advice and if I am lucky enough to acquire one I will definitely catalogue its restoration here. Continued advise would be much appreciated.

Welcome Alex. Excellent input from Curtis -- especially the break it up into bite sized sub projects -- I tried to do it all at once & while I haven't lost interested or become frustrated (ok sometimes, but not as a rule), i've been working on my car for close to 3yrs now. It should be ready this spring, but at 17 i'm not sure i'd have been able to stay on it that long.

Welcome Alex. I'm a Jamaican living in California who has done a conversion to my MGB. It is a Convertible and not a GT, yet I enjoy driving it and the advice and suggestions provided here have been very helpful.