MG Sports Cars

Has anybody tried this? Would like to see some info about what was involved.
Thanks!

Interesting. You've probably already seen this but here's a post anyway. Good story. It sounds like a lot of work but a fun challenge:

[www.mgcars.org.uk]

I've been thinking of moving my engine placement back a bit. Right now in the Vega the engine sits right over the top of the crossmember and steering. It's really far forward. I'm sure in order to put rear seats in. I think I might save moving the firewall back for after I've driven it for a few years though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/17/2007 11:45PM by NixVegaGT.

Thanks, Nic. Just enough info to convince me that I don't need to do this. A hotter 4, such as the K-series, might be a better option at this time.

---Thanks!

Jack,

There was one finished 215 in GB a few years ago, or at least half done before they gave up on it. Dont have any specifics on it.

There are also a number of RX7 conversions....

K series...

Older conversions included Datsun motors from teh mid 1970's such as the 210, seen one of these when I went to La Carrera Panamericana in 2003.

There are also at least 2-3 guys over on one of the other boards that have 2.8/3.4L V6 powered Spridgets.

If your up to only using the outer skin of your car and build a custom frame- basicallly a race car, you can get a Hemi below the sheetmetal of a Bugeye. Thats been done, but talk about time and the other parts to a conversion.

It can all be done, but the larger the motor, the more time and money it will cost. Howmuch time, money, skill and energy to you want to expel?

-BMC.

Jack, you'll have a hard time finding a K series over here, nothing that I know of that used them was imported to the states. Other options are there, but from the measurements I've taken most of the small OHC fours are too tall to clear the hood unless you set them back a bit and remove the heater and battery. The Mazda rotary will fit under the hood, but will require some work on the passenger side footwell for clearance. Nice installation of one by Brian Krause covered in the newsletter. The Suzuki engine fits pretty well using the 5 speed from a 2WD Sidekick. The downside is the location of the distributor on the rear of the cam housing. The GM 60 degree V6 will fit pretty well also, even clearing the stock hood if you move it back a bit and very close if you squeeze it between the steering rack and the footwells if you use a carb and low aircleaner you might get it under. There's a nice black Bugeye with one installed as well as a couple of Midgets. I've only seen two Midgets with 215s, both were pretty heavily modified. Just a tad too large to fit without a lot of chassis modifications. If you want to keep the footwells reasonably wide, not have to modify the steering, and not have to add a lot of reinforcement to the unibody frame sections then the three options of rotary, Suzuki, or V6 are about all that fill those requirments.

I was thinking even the SHO engines. The v8 looks like it's 21" wide and about 22" or so long. Custom bellhousing plate would be needed. The ref I found for weight for it was 390 lbs. Not too bad. The v6 version looks like 465 lbs. fully dressed! WHAT!? I thought that was an aluminum engine. Hmmmm.

It's (SHO V8) got a huge bore spacing! I don't get it. They had a chance to make a pretty compact V8 and kinda failed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2007 08:46AM by NixVegaGT.

Great info! I've got the Suzuki engine and 5 speed sitting around, but parts are getting hrd to come by. What's the power potential of the 60 degree V-6? I've heard of the engine for years but never gave it much thought. Is there a pretty good aftermarket for it? What's the trans availability?

Is this what's in ;your midget, Bill? What size is it?

By the way, Nick. I once had a Vega with the Iron Duke in it (no not stock--but the Pontiac Astre equivalent came with that in it for one year). Always thought the 215 would be an ideal swap for the Vega. Was told by one hot rodder that if you're going to put a v-8 in a Vega, you'd better do some serrious body reinforcement. He saw a 350 chevy in a Vega. Owner took it out for a test drive--no serious "pressure"--and when he came back the doors were out of alignment with the body--body twist!

Thanks!

Jack, the power potential for the V6 is really good for it's size. Just depends on how much money you want to spend like any other engine. My car has a 2.8 that's rated by the factory at 130hp with the MPFI. The 3.4 liter is the same exterior block and has better fuel injection in the later Camaros. Don't know what they were rated at, but with some tuning or other hot rod tricks I'm sure you could get a reliable 225hp or there abouts from a 3.4. It does add some weight to the front of a Midget and the car isn't as light feeling anymore, but still responsive to steering inputs. Check out Bill Guzman's web site at Classic Conversioneering [www.classicconversionseng.com] he has a section on the potential of the V6. These make a lively MGB, and make a screaming Midget with the smaller and lighter body.
If you didn't see it, there were photos of a Toyota swap in a Midget on the MG portion of this board a few days ago, take a look. It's another option you might want to look into.
Nick, often the bore spacing and block height of an engine design is dictated because the factory wants to keep certain dimensions the same between a couple of engines so that the same tooling can be used on both. If you keep the same spacing then a multi head boring machine can just be changed for the actual bore diameter and do several engines of varying sizes, same goes for milling machines to cut the deck surfaces on the blocks. Reference off the crank center line to the same height and the machine doesn't care if it's cutting a v6 or v8. Keep main journal diameters the same for both and you can use the same index bars in the machines also. May not make the absolute neatest engine package but can save millions in tooling costs over the years.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2008 12:04PM by V6 Midget.

Ok I guess that is very likely. It's a good point that it's not likely that they were planning on creating an engine for performance modification. A volume manufacturer has got to consider those issues. I'm still disappointed though. LOL.

I hear you on the body reinforcing. As I disassembled the car it became pretty clear that it was tin foil and crepe paper. I spent a bunch of time fabricating some things to reinforce the car. I fabbed up full frame rails that tie into the rear trailing arm mounts and the front unibody frame rails. I'm ditching the bolt on crossmember and making a weld in version that will mount the rack steering too.

It's pretty fun. I'm looking forward to wrapping up though. It's been a couple years now. I figure this summer will be the body work and paint. Then it's rolling!

Has anyone considered a Cosworth Vega engine into a Bugeye? I have access to a rusty 75 Cosworth with a complete engine. With a few tricks it should make 150HP without adding much weight.