Barrie Robinson's 1970 MGB-GT with Rover 3.5 liter V8 Engine
(Originally published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume 14 Issue 1. Updated 9/2007.)
Owners: Barrie & Anne Robinson
City: Barrie, Ontario
Model: MGB GT 1970
Engine: Rover 3.5 liter V8
| The Saga: | after years of battling wind, rain, snow, sleet & monstrous lorries
in a 1970 MGB GT it was decided a little more oomph was required. Some eight years
have passed since then. What started as a 'driver' project turned into an
OMG-expensive project. Finances were secured by lying, cheating, robbing banks,
selling other cars, pleading, purveying some motor-car goodies to those similarly
inclined and occasional windfalls, as well as empty beer bottle collections. |
| Body: | a purchased 1970 body shell was chemically cleaned. Professionally modified engine
bay. Professionally fitted new panels, door skins and fettling. Tunnel enlarged with
FBH to accommodate SD1 gearbox. Professionally painted inside and out. Internal
panels rustproof with Dinol. New windshield and door windows fitted. Re-chromed
brightwork including bumpers. Custom made stainless steel mesh grill (which I now sell!). |
| Paint: | Austin Healey Metallic Golden two-pack paint (exterior). The interior and underside
were painted in a high grade rustproof one-stage paint. Suspension components including
springs, axle housing, bars, brackets, and sundry, were all powder-painted black. |
| Engine: | Rover 3.5 liter V8 rebuilt by the Ministry of Defense UK with all original Rover
parts. RPi Engineering of UK modified with 10:1 pistons, composite head gasket,
mild cam, mains bearing kit and duplex timing chain. New electric Modprod FP503E
fuel pump and cupro-nickel lines. Custom heater ball valve. Glenn Towery A/C engine
mounts. D&D Fabrication 'on-block' oil filter. Ted Schumacher high torque starter.
The Lucas alternator failed in 2007 and was replaced with a Delco. |
| Intake: | Edelbrock 2198, with 500 cfm Weber (Edelbrock 1404) four-barrel carburetor and
manual choke. Modified 14" air filter to get better clearance. |
| Ignition: | sports coil. Standard Rover V8 distributor with Pertronix conversion |
| Transmission: | "better than world class" SD1 5 speed gearbox and custom Spicer-Hardy prop shaft.
High grade helicopter fasteners. Shortened gear lever. |
| Clutch: | standard Rover V8 SD1 |
| Cooling: | custom aluminium radiator from Howe Racing. (Barrie originally fitted a
D&D Fabrications heavy-duty radiator, but upgraded for additional capacity
in 2007.) Shortened standard water pump. Single puller 2,950 cfm Perma-Cool
14-inch electric radiator fan. Custom water hoses made by Goodyear. |
| Exhaust: | ceramic coated Australian through-the-wings stainless steel 4-2-1 headers.
Single stainless silencer on tuned custom 2 1/4-inch pipe with crossover. All
connected by special flanges to ease replacement. |
| Rear Axle: | standard MGB casing with 3.07 Satur gears. |
| Front Susp.: | standard Armstrong knee-action shocks rebuilt by Apple Hydraulics. 5/8 Hopkins
anti-sway bar. Polyurethane bushings from TS Imports. New springs |
| Rear Susp.: | Australian Monroe vertical tube shock system with integrated traction bars.
Polyurethane bushings. Re-furbished springs. Hopkins antisway bar. |
| Brakes: | MGB V8 rotors with composite Triumph 2500 and MGB calipers. Later model vacuum
assist fitted with new master and reservoir. New rear drum wheel cylinders fitted
with re-lined shoes. All lines replaced with cupro-nickel pipe and stainless steel
flexible hoses. |
| Wheels: | Dayton stainless steel 14-inch 72 spoke wire wheels. 185/70/14 Affinity
Firestone tyres. |
| Interior: | '77-'80 style re-covered dash. TR8 tachometer mounted in MGB body. Prestige
Autotrim leather seats and carpet kit. Custom made highperformance sound deadening
kit. Custom headliner. Moto-Lite steering wheel. |
| Electrical: | custom made to Dan Master's specifications (see British V8 Newsletter May-Aug 2001).
Control box mounted under right side dash. |
| Est. Cost: | totally unreasonable |
| Completion: | test run June 2005. Roadworthy Sept 2005. |
| Suppliers: | RPi Engineering UK, Ted Schumacher, Glenn Towery, Summit Racing, D&D Fabrications,
Canadian Tire, Apple Hydraulics, British Wiring, Little British Car Co, Martin McGregor,
Cambridge Custom Chrome, Auto-Glass of Barrie, Prestige Autotrim and Fastenal |
| Notes: | what would I do differently next time? Oh grasshopper! So many things!!! |
(Barrie upgraded to this aluminum radiator and a Delco alternator in 2007.)
