James Englehart's 1967 MGB with Buick 3.8L V6
as published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XVII Issue 1, July 2009Owner: James Englehart
City: Ault, CO
Model: 1967 MGB
Engine: Buick 3.8L V6
Conversion by: Butch Pilgrim
| Engine: | Buick 231cid (90 degree) V6, with a rated output of about 140hp.
Edelbrock "Performer" high rise intake manifold with Edelbrock 650cfm
4 barrel carburetor. Stock cam. Delco-Remy H.E.I (high energy ignition)
distributor. All new wiring. |
| Cooling: | stock radiator except lengthened 3 inches with a new core, relocated and
enlarged ports, and the whole assembly has been relocated forward.
Single electric cooling fan (pushing). |
| Exhaust: | custom built exhaust manifolds with a rear dump leading into side pipes
with Harley Davidson motorcycle mufflers. |
| Transmission: | Borg Warner T-50 5-speed transmission. Cable operated clutch, utilizing the
Buick cable, operated by a modified MGB pedal on custom modified brackets.
Stock MG driveshaft, except rebuilt with a GM front yoke. |
| Rear Axle: | stock MGB. |
| Front Susp.: | stock MGB. |
| Rear Susp.: | stock MGB. |
| Brakes: | stock MGB. |
| Wheels/Tires: | stock MGB wire wheels. |
| Body: | "pull-handle doors" (from a 1963 MGB), fiberglass "Sebring" valances,
front and rear. Custom fabricated grille. The aluminum hood was replaced
with a steel hood and a fabricated steel cowl-induction hood scoop was
added. PPG acrylic urethane base coat ("Porsche red" with a a black racing
stripe) with 2 coats of PPG clearcoat. |
| Interior: | custom walnut dashboard. AM/FM/CD stereo. (Unidentified seats.) Custom
upholstery by Keith Hall of University Upholstery in Eaton CO. |
| Completed: | 2005. (About 500 miles driven since conversion, as of December 2008.) |
| Comments: | this conversion took 2 years from start to finish. To minimize firewall
modifications, and get clearance at the cylinder heads, the (90 degree
V6 motor) was mounted rather far forward. The crank pulley sits just in
front of the MG steering rack. The passenger-side subframe was sectioned
and boxed back in to clear the starter motor and oil filter. |
The car's builder, Butch Pilgrim of LaPorte, Colorado.
