Robert Milks' 1965 MGB with Buick 215 V8 Engine

Originally featured in British V8 Newsletter, Volume 11 Issue 2. Updated May 2015. (Scroll down for earlier version.)

Owner: Robert Milks
BritishV8 UserID: RobM65BV8
City: Hendersonville, NC
Model: 1965 MGB
Engine: 1963 Buick 215 V8
Conversion performed by: Gary Nye of Nye Performance, Brevard NC

Engine:	1963 Buick 215cid aluminum V8, built by Dan LaGrou. The compression ratio is 9.6:1. The engine is equipped with both lateral and rotational stabilizers. Valve covers are aftermarket UK MGB GT. Correction from previous notes: Engine mounts are stock Buick. 500 CFM Edelbrock 1404 carburetor, using 1422/1426 jets and a 1460 metering rod for two stages lean on both power and cruise mode, with a stock manifold. Throttle linkage from D&D.
Transmission:	1983-87 Borg Warner T5 NWC 5-speed from D&D with a .63 overdrive. TransAdapt bellhousing from D&D. Clutch is a Sachs 10.4", with a McLeod 1400 HTOB and a 1420 adjuster screw. Flywheel is a 28 lb. unit.
Electrical:	Pertronix ignition, MSD 6A control box and coil, Powermaster 150 amp alternator and a mini starter. Gauges are stock, but with an electronic tach and Smiths GPS speedometer. Voltmeter is installed to the left of the fuel gauge. The windshield wiper was replaced with a 2-speed Mark II unit. Painless Wiring. Lucas European headlamps with LED bulbs.
Cooling:	A FlowKooler high volume aluminum water pump, with an overdrive pulley. The radiator is an 18" x 18" aluminum Be-Cool with integral fan shroud and a 16" 2070 cfm Spal fan. Two small pusher fans operate with the a/c.
Exhaust:	RV8 headers, Jet Hot coated by D&D, with a 1 3/8" primary tube ID. Early cars have the gas tank skewed to the right side, so this car has a single exhaust pipe of 1 3/8" ID aft of the Y pipe. Muffler is a Flowmaster Super HP-2 with an Ansa tip.
Rear Axle:	1975-79 Ford Grenada 8" rebuilt and modified by Ted Lathrop of Fast Cars Inc. with a Moser gear set at 3.55:1 ratio and an Auburn limited slip differential. The driveshaft is a shortened MGB shaft.
Front Suspension:	Stock early crossmember, lever shocks with heavy-duty valves, 1" lowered 480 lb. springs and a 3/4" sway bar. Later model slower ratio steering rack. 3 degree caster wedges to lighten the steering effort.
Rear Suspension:	Classic Conversions 4-link with QA1 coil-over shocks set to 1" lower than stock, replacing leaf springs, track bars, sway bar and panhard rod (and the even earlier traction bars).
Brakes:	Front: "Ted's Big Brake Kit" by Ted Lathrop of Fast Cars, Inc. 11.75" vented Wilwood discs and C&C hats, Dynalite 1.75" four-piston calipers. Rear: 11.00" vented Wilwood discs, Dynapro 1.38" four-piston calipers with integrated drum e-brake, p/n 140-11403. The smaller volume of the rear pistons reduced the pedal travel with the brake master cylinder from a Mark II dual unit. Wilwood proportioning valve.
Wheels/Tires:	Compomotive 16 x 6.5, 31 mm offset; 4.9" backspace, with 205/50ZR16 tires. Fenders were trimmed to the welds for clearance, but flares weren't needed.
Interior:	1990 Miata seats with custom "Katskin" leather upholstery, custom door and rear bulkhead trim panels were made up by Murdock's Auto Upholstery shop, Brevard, NC. The MG logo formed on the doors and additionally includes "V8 Power" on the rear bulkhead. Stock banjo steering wheel downsized one inch in diameter using a Midget rim.
AC:	Air conditioning is a Hot Rod Air unit (similar to Vintage Air), with fold-flat Acura eyeball vents behind removable original console speaker grill. Controls are incorporated into original dash heater controls.
Stereo:	Kenwood flip face stereo system with MG blanking plate on reverse. Amp is in an enclosed extra battery box.
Body:	Visually, the body is a stock pull-handle with an aluminum hood, but modifications have been made to the floor cross members and to the bulkhead. The floor members are strengthened by the addition of an extra transverse hat section bracing at rear bulkhead and the A-Post and an extra longitudinal hat section bracing forward of rear bulkhead. The firewall, front valance and steering rack are from a 1977 MGB. Seam sealer was used extensively. A full body restoration was done by Gary Nye, of Nye Performance, Brevard, NC.
Paint:	The paint color is XKE Series 3 BRG. 3 coats of acrylic enamel were applied over multiple primer coats
Struts:	Hood and trunk struts are Stabilus 752827 150# for both front and rear.
Outside Mirror:	Outside Mirror TR4 right-hand fender mirror mounted on the left wing window frame.
Bumpers:	OEM bumper over-rider bolts welded, shaved and re-chromed. CB license plate lamps mounted directly on the bumper. Fitted with an early stainless radiator grill from 1962-64
On the road:	5/1/2003.
Comments:	Our focus was to maintain the clean lines of early "pull-handle" MGBs. Other than the wheels and roll-bar, our car looks pretty much stock. What would I do differently on the next conversion? I'd investigate improved engine cooling for a car with a/c. The Speedway 22" x 19" , 3-Row, Double Pass, Crossflow aluminum radiator with shroud would require notching the rails, but has been reported to be a good choice, especially with a strong 30-amp, 16" fan. All the folks we worked with were excellent. Along with his great engine work, Dan LaGrou encouraged me to use rodding techniques to have fun with the car. Ted and Judy Lathrop helped by breaking ground in development of the first Wilwood 4-wheel disc package for LBC's, along with narrowing and building the rear end. Then there's Gary and Billy, two local artisans who put it all together.

Robert and Dreama Milks at BritishV8 2006, Townsend Tennessee

Engine Installation

Buick 215 aluminum V8, note extended dipstick tube and tilting hoist mechanism

engine overview, including AC system

MGB hood struts (aka gas springs)

2010: BeCool aluminum radiator has replaced the earlier D&D unit.
2010 update: BeCool aluminum radiator has replaced the earlier D&D copper/brass unit.

2010 update: a smaller water pump pulley speeds coolant flow rate.
trick for purging air from cooling system

Jet Hot coated headers

RV8 style headers

evaporator and heater core

Moroso remote filler

sight glass for coolant level

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Bodyshell Modifications

Drivers side footbox.

Passenger side footbox.

Motor mount (passenger side).

Steering.

Motor mount (driver side).

Torque rod.

Lateral torque rod.

Hidden conduit for wiring.

Floor reinforcements.

Spring perch reinforcement from above.

Spring perch reinforcement from below.

Transmission tunnel.

Completed firewall modifications.

Rear Axle and Suspension

traction bars by Gary Nye of Nye Performance

telescoping traction bars

valve spring trick

Ford 8 inch axle

MGB battery boxes converted for storage

Interior

2010:

2010:

custom MGB interior

sculpted MGB door panels

rear deck trim

2010: voltmeter

Exterior Details

grille

mirror

pullhandle mgb

MGB boot struts

Compomotive wheels

Early Grill Addition

grille

2025 Update: Just for fun, the stock 1965 stamped aluminum grill was replaced with an early stainless grill. Shown is the backside of the early SS grill insert (discontinued in 1964) as purchased on eBay. Note individual rivets in the slats.

mirror

Frontside of the early SS grill insert.

mirror

(Top) Unpolished stamped aluminum insert introduced in the fall of 1964. (Bottom) Polished early SS insert.

mirror

Polished early SS insert installed over original bumpers with shaved overrider bolts.

Rear Brake Upgrade

grille

2022 Update: Previous rear solid and drilled Wilwood rotors with a separate e-brake caliper were replaced with Wilwood drum e-brake kit p/n 140-11403 with 11" vented rotors.

mirror

New Wilwood rotor and DynaPro caliper installed on the Ford 8" axle. Also showing is Bill Guzman's 4-Link suspension installed at the same time in 2022.

mirror

Brakes as viewed through the 16" wheel.

Steering Wheel Modification

grille

2023 Update: Banjo steering wheel restoration and downsizing from 16 �" to 15 �". A good Midget rim was welded to a good MGB hub and spokes. Photo is of the MGB wheel as purchased on eBay. The rim was discarded; all that was needed was a solid hub and spokes assembly.

mirror

Midget wheel as purchased on eBay with bakelite crack at banjo spokes.

mirror

Photo reveals the original weak spot welds under the old brittle Bakelite.

mirror

The MGB spokes prepared for cutting and butt weld to Midget rim.

mirror

The spokes have been welded and bakelite beveled in preparation for epoxy buildup.

mirror

PC7 epoxy after initial filing and sanding.

mirror

Eastwood 2k Primer Filler after more sanding.

mirror

Comparing the original to the modified wheel after painting.

mirror

The new wheel, covered in leather by Craft Customs, installed in the car. To compensate for increased steering effort of the smaller wheel, a Moss 3o caster kit was also installed. Decreasing the caster from the original 7o did not affect straight tracking.

Robert Milks' 1965 MGB with Buick 215 V8 Engine

(Originally featured in British V8 Newsletter, Volume 11 Issue 2. Updated July 2006 and December 2010.)

Owner: Robert Milks
BritishV8 UserID: RobM65BV8
City: Hendersonville, NC
Model: 1965 MGB
Engine: 1963 Buick 215 V8
Conversion performed by: Gary Nye of Nye Performance, Brevard NC

Engine:	1963 Buick 215ci aluminum V8. Bore/Stroke 3.5"/2.8" Cam is a Crower 50232 with an intake lift of 0.488", an exhaust lift of 0.490". Duration at 0.05": intake 214 degrees, exhaust 218 degrees. Lobe separation angle: 112 degrees. Cylinder heads are stock, with 1.5" intake and 1.312" exhaust valves. The compression ratio is 9.6:1. The engine is equipped with both lateral and rotational stabilizers. Valve covers are MGB. Engine mounts are Chevy.
Intake:	500CFM Edelbrock 1404 carburetor, jetted by D&D Fabrications, sits atop a stock manifold. Throttle linkage is also from D&D.
Engine Electrical:	Pertronix ignition, MSD 6A control box and coil, Painless wiring. The alternator is an 80 amp unit, and the starter is a mini, both from D&D Fabrications. All engine bay wiring is hidden.
Cooling:	A v-belt drives the stock aluminum water pump. (Note: An 18" x 18" 4-row brass downflow radiator by D&D Fabrications was originally used, but as of 2010 it's been replaced with an aluminum BeCool radiator.)
Exhaust:	RV8 headers, Jet Hot coated by D&D, with a 1 3/8" primary tube ID. Muffler is glass-pack type, with an "Ansa" tip. Exhaust pipes are also 1 3/8" ID.
Transmission:	Borg Warner T5 5-speed (rebuilt by D&D Fabrications.) Gear ratios are: (1st) 2.95, (2nd) 0.94, (3rd) 1.34, (4th) 1.00, (5th) 0.63. Chevy transmission mount. TransAdapt bellhousing (from D&D Fabrications.) Clutch is a Weber 10.4", with a Weber HTOB. Flywheel is a 22# steel Weber. Master cylinder has a bore of 3/4".
Rear Axle:	Ford 8" 3.55:1 (from a Granada) rebuilt and modified to fit by Ted Lathrop, of Fast Cars, Inc. with an Auburn cone-type limited slip differential.
Front Suspension:	Stock MGB except lowered by use of shorter springs. Shock valves have been replaced with heavy duty valves, and a Ron Hopkins sway bar added to improve the handling. Steering rack is from a later (1977) model (which has a "slower" ratio and thus more turns lock-to-lock).
Rear Suspension:	Lever type shocks have been replaced with KYB tube shocks. Fiberglass springs were originally fitted, but they delaminated so original-type steel leaf-springs have been retrofitted. A Ron Hopkins sway bar has been added, along with a Panhard rod and unique traction bars to keep everything under control.
Brakes:	11.75" vented Wilwood and C&C hats in front, 10.75" solid drilled Wilwood discs in rear, both by Fast Cars, Inc. Brake master cylinder was replaced with a Mark II dual unit.
Wheels/Tires:	Compomotive 16 x 6.5, 29 mm offset; 4.9" backspace, with Dunlop 9000 205/50ZR 16 tires. Note: fenders were trimmed to the welds for clearance, but flares weren't needed.
Interior:	1990 Miata seats with custom "Katskin" leather upholstery, custom door and rear bulkhead trim panels were made up by Billy Murdock's upholstery shop, Brevard, NC. They incorporate the MG logo on the doors, and additionally include "V8 Power" on the rear bulkhead. Carpeting was provided by Moss motors. Air conditioning is a Hot Rod Air unit, with fold-flat Acura eyeballs behind removable original console speaker grill. Kenwood stereo system.
Body:	Visually, the body is stock, but modifications have been made to the floor crossmembers and to the bulkhead. The "frame" is strengthened by the addition of an extra transverse U-Channel bracing at rear bulkhead and A Post, and extra longitudinal U-Channel bracing forward of rear bulkhead. The firewall and the front valance are from a 1977 MGB. A full body restoration was done by Gary Nye, of Nye Performance, Brevard, NC. Gary is an artist with metal. He did a great blocking job - very straight! The paint color is XKE Series 3 British Racing Green. 3 coats of acrylic enamel were applied over multiple primer coats. Hood and trunk struts are from Ian Pender, although the lightweight aluminum hood only requires a 100# strut.
Electrical:	Gauges are stock. Windshield wiper was replaced with a 2-speed Mark II unit. Wiring was replaced with a Painless Wiring system.
Completed:	5/1/2003.
Miles Driven:	not enough! (as of the British V8 2006 meet).
Warnings:	Glass springs delaminated going into 2nd. Ted's work with a 3.55:1 rear and posi, along with the tires and a stiff body makes for a good hook-up. Face beginning to hurt from constant grinning. Original 9amp cooling fan wasn't adequate.
Comments:	Don't wait, just do it. I should have done this 20 years ago! Things I would do different on the next conversion: install traction bars before the rear springs delaminated. Install a stronger shrouded fan to begin with. Seal windshield before the Tennessee monsoon hit (at British V8 2003)! The inspiration for this car came from Pat Dempsey when he parked his car in the car corral at the 2000 Rolex 24 hours in Daytona. Amongst the Cobras and Ferraris was the perfect car: an MGB with American muscle. After talking with Pat, my little brain wheels started turning. The following Fall we went to the Cleveland V8 Meet and we were hooked. There was no turning back. Every car and owner there gave us ideas. We then studied the back issues of the Newsletter and found a solid(ish) car to develop. A friend called with a $150 parts car (What a deal, honey!) and we went into the shop. Conversion of an early car would be a tough job without professional help on the firewall exchange. The guys taught me how to work on all parts that I couldn't permanently ruin, but I was continually in awe of folks who know what they are doing. The car with an aluminum hood was a challenge, but the clean lines and steel dash of older cars was desired. And yes, I love those pull-handles. We recommend getting ideas from street rodders for wiring tricks and interior designs. The interior work on the seats, dash and panels is very rewarding, as we don't usually actually sit in the engine bay. Lastly, I added a roll bar and bought more life insurance. All the folks we worked with were great. They all helped create ideas, rather than just selling time and materials.

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Robert at the car shop.