factory MGB GT V8 press release photo 240573
(From the press release for the first-generation "chrome bumper" version of the MGB GT V8 model.)

MG's "Factory" MGB GT V8 Model

Original MGB GT V8 Press Release

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
MGB GT V8 - Preface(1) August 1973 British Leyland (unspecified)
MGB GT V8 - Description(2) August 1973 British Leyland (unspecified)
MGB GT V8 - Development(4) August 1973 British Leyland (unspecified)
MGB GT V8 - Background(2) August 1973 British Leyland (unspecified)
MGB GT V8 - Technical Specifications(1) August 1973 British Leyland (unspecified)

Original MGB GT V8 Magazine Ads

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
This Will Ruin Your Day1 1973 / 1974 various (British Leyland) (unspecified)
University Motors: V8 MGB GT & MGB1 October 1973 Classic Car (unspecified)

MGB GT V8 Fact File

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
Technical and Service Notes29 June 1973 BL Product Training (various)
MGB GT V8 Parts Catalog26 (undated) Moss Motors, Ltd.(not applicable)
The Eleven Left-Hand-Drive Prototypes5 September 08 British V8 exclusive! Curtis Jacobson
Factory MGB GT V8 Paint & Trim Colors4 September 08 British V8 exclusive! Curtis Jacobson

MGB GT V8 Magazine Articles

Most of the following articles were collected by veteran journalist Ken Smith for a book he planned to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the MGB GT V8 model. Ken secured permission to reprint the respective articles, but his book was never printed. Ken has encouraged us to publish his collection here. Where possible, we've included original photos with the articles. In some cases (as specifically indicated) original photos were damaged, lost, or unsuitable for online use so we've endeavored to make appropriate substitutions or additions. (Parenthetical entries in the "photos" column indicate "new" photos.)

Initial Press Coverage of the MGB GT V8 Model

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
MGB GT V8 in Six British Daily Newspapers1 15 August 73 (various) (various)
Look What's Gone Into the MGB GT5 16 August 73 Autocar A.D. Shanks
Auto Test: MGB GT V84 16 August 73 Autocar (unspecified)
At Last - V8 Power for the MGB(1) 16 August 73 Motoring News M.L.C.
MG B GT V8(2) 17 August 73 Police Review W.R. Taylor
B-Sting: a look inside the new MGB V81 18 August 73 Motor Philip Turner
New Targets for the Old Firm(1) 18 August 73 Motor Philip Turner
Road Test: MGB GT V810 (+3) 25 August 73 Motor (unspecified)
MG V8: Too Little, Too Late, Too Much4 September 73 Car Magazine Mel Nichols
Behold the MGB V83 October 73 Aus. Motor Manual Armstrong
Classics for 1974: MGB GT V81 October 73 Classic Car (unspecified)
Tale of Two Vee's: MGB V8 vs Sunbeam Tiger4 October 73 Classic Car (unspecified)
M.G.-B GT V8 Road Test(2) October 73 Motor Sport C.R.
MGB Improves with V8's Torque(2) 27 December 73 Autosport John Bolster
The B Comes Out of the Gloom3 February 74 Cars & Car Conversions Fred Game

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factory MGB GT V8 press release photo 259990
(From the press release for the second-generation "rubber bumper" version of the MGB GT V8 model.)

Later In The MGB GT V8 Production Era

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
MGB V8 Goes Like A Shot From A Gun(1) 14 January 75 Midweek Observer Clive Birtwistle
Hey you with the squashy nose!2 November 75 Custom Car Peter Dron

Retrospective Views on the MGB GT V8

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
Whatever Happened to the MGB V8?3 (+2) June 79 Old Motor Chris Harvey
Muscles Galore: a tough car remembered(8) 18 December 82 Motor Roger Bell
Classic Choice: MGB GT V86 December 82 Thoroughbred & ClassicGraham Robson
The Thames Valley Police MGB GT V8s3 December 07 British V8 exclusive! David Willcox

A Close Look at Example Factory MGB GT V8 Cars

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source
Clive Wagerfield's MGB GT V8 Prototype (#096)20 March 09 British V8 exclusive!
Phil Marcell's 1973 MGB GT V8 (#0316)28 July 12 British V8 exclusive!
Dave Wellings' 1974 MGB GT V8 (#0974)31 December 07 British V8 exclusive!
Nigel Ricardo's 1974 MGB GT V8 (#1512)11 December 07 British V8 exclusive!
Kevin Richards' 1974 MGB GT V8 (#1873)57 December 07 British V8 exclusive!
Ray Holtzapple's 1974 MGB GT V8 (#1873)19 July 12 British V8 exclusive!
Jos Minderhoud's 1976 MGB GT V8 (#2341)66 July 11 British V8 exclusive!
Bob Fisher's 1975 MGB GT V8 (#2470)26 October 10 British V8 exclusive!
Brook Anderson's 1976 MGB GT V8 (#2884)19 December 10 British V8 exclusive!
Perry Stephenson's 1975 MGB GT V84 September 09 British V8 exclusive!
Factory MGB GT V8 Racer Arrives (in U.S.A.)5 May 00 British V8 exclusive! Jerry Richards
Storm Field's MGB GT V8 Race Car59 October 09 BritishRaceCar.com


Note: car serial numbers were assigned sequentially, in four batches. Numbers 0095 through 0099 were assigned to the first five prototype cars. Numbers 0100 through 1956 were assigned to chrome-bumper MGB GT V8s. Numbers 2101 through 2632 and also numbers 2701 through 2903 were assigned to rubber-bumper MGB GT V8s.



Important Pre-Cursor to the Factory MGB GT V8: The Ken Costello MGB V8's

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
Introducing the Costello MGB.V81 (+2) September 72 Costello Motor Eng. Ken Costello
Costello V8: A Tiger in MG's Clothing1 25 July 71 The Sunday Times Maxwell Boyd
Costello V8: An MGB that Bites1 3 February 72 The Sunday ObserverGordon Wilkins
AutoTest: Costello MGB GT V85 25 May 72 Autocar (unspecified)
Bumbling B: first test of the Costello V81 2 June 73 Motor Tony Dron
Ken Costello and the MGB-V81 (+5) August 96 British V8 exclusive! Robin Weatherall
Costello V8 MKII(+2) August 97 British V8 exclusive! David Michel

B.C. ("Before Costello"): Early MGB Engine Swaps

article topic or titlephotos publication date publication source author
MGB Buick?3 November 67 Sports Car WorldAl Lauder
Dr. Snively's Ford V8 Powered MGB13 December 07 British V8 exclusive! Curtis Jacobson


Note: literally hundreds of MGB V8 and V6 swaps have been documented in magazines. The article "MGB Buick?" in Sports Car World is special because it featured an aluminum V8 conversion way back in 1967. We'll republish other noteworthy articles about early MGB engine swaps as we obtain permissions and reproducible photos. Other interesting "B.C." conversion articles include "289 + MGB = Fun" in Hot Rod Magazine (11/69) which featured a Ford V8 conversion, "British Bomber" in Popular Hot Rodding, (2/72) which featured a Chevy V8 conversion, and "A Hot English Transplant" in Popular Hot Rodding (3/72) which featuring a Buick V6 conversion. Classic American magazine published an article called "Draggin' Up the Past" in October 2012 which documented what they suggested may have been England's first funny car: "Megalomania". That car was built by Keith Sales of SS Motors in Mitcham Surrey in early 1966. Sales put a 396cid Chevy V8 in a 1963 MGB and was dragracing it at Santa Pod by August 14, 1966. We're always on the look-out for magazine articles about early MGB V8 engine swaps!



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