Owner: Martyn Harvey -
An MG "hobbyist" building an MGB V8 using many of the quality conversion parts supplied by the
amazing vendors* that sponsor this website. Car started out as a Harvest Gold 1974.5 MGBGT.
The project started on December 22/08. Actually, I purchased the car in the fall of 1998 with the intention of converting it to a V8. My goal is to build a highly modified, exciting but reliable Grand Tourer that looks like it came out of the MG factory. It will not have a hot rod "look" and it will not be a race car. It will, hopefully, project a powerfull period presence. My goal is to fit the Ford drive train into the original MGB shell without making any major cuts to the original bodywork.
Projected completion date is now summer 2012. The car was painted during summer 2011.
The car had the old paint stripped the week of July 4th - 8th. Sandblasted July 14th. Primered July 20th. Painted August 10th. Purchased March AC brackets. Switched to serpentine drive water pump. Purchased Fast Cars aluminum rad and added extra fuse panel to the Advance Wire fuse block. Started building the dash with Speed Hut instruments. Car painted and returned home Aug 17th. September 11th, installed 4-link rear axle. Sept 15th, installed windshield and tail gate glass. Sept 24th, checked wheel fit. Sept 27th, started to assemble the Hoyle front suspension. Purchased Dynamat sound proofing/insulate for cockpit. Purchased Falken tires and mounted on rims. Oct 2nd, re-fitted steering rack (I'm using 1980 front crossmember, 1980 steering rack, drop spindles on Hoyle front suspension), installed new gaiters and tie rod ends to rack,drilled front tray and fitted AC drier, drilled and fitted battery cut off switch. Oct 30th, installed all lights, fabricated interior stowage compartment to replace rear seat. Nov 21st, received new fuel tank from BMC - 50% more fuel capacity and complete with internal high pressure fuel pump for fuel injection. Dec 10th, started application of Dynaliner sound proofing material on interior panels. Dec19th, assembling new leather seats, purchased EZ Fast fuel conversion kit, purchased Speedhut GPS speedometer and electronic tacho. Dec 23rd, more progress on rewiring the car with Advance Wire kit. Jan 6th, re-fitting chrome, door frames, door locks, windows. Installed door jamb connectors for all door wiring for remote door locks and power windows. Fitted hydraulic struts to the "boot" floor. Funny how the "small stuff" takes so darn long. I can't believe how much time i spend looking for nuts and washers that i always seem to drop on the garage floor.....and then roll under the bench or under anything!!!!
Also, i can't believe that i didn't bag all the "bits" better than I did.........but there are so many "bits" to organize or lose!!!!! Anyway, much progress has been made over the past couple of weeks. Jan 21st, power windows and remote door locks tested. Speakers fitted into rear quarter panels behind rear wheel arches. Advance wiring kit installation continues. Feb 25th, working on interior.....dynaliner sound proofing and making new interior panels and trim. March 12th, installed efi fuel tank. March 29th, Installed clutch and trial fit engine. April 5th, took delivery of new Tremec gearbox today and fitted clutch slave. April 14th, trial fit engine - slight mods to chassis required. April 20th, fitted brake lines and new clutch to slave line. April 26th, frame mods completed and engine installed. May has been a month of numerous small completions: installed heater valve, installed heater controls and cables, switched distributor, checked that hood will close over the fuel injection throttle body and air cleaner, purchased new front brake calipers (Toyota truck), purchased gear shifter and boot, purchased different AC condenser, and planned installation of FAST EZ fuel injection wiring harness. July 14th, re-working rad and AC condenser brackets, sourced rad hoses, re-configuring the front sway bar, installed efi cmputer, wiring and harness. Ordered up a new driveshaft. Re-covered seats in leather. Spent a pile more money on small stuff.....!!! July 17th, Building bracket to install the remote oil filter. Aug 3rd, re-worked the rad, fan and condenser brackets. Re-working the front sway bar to fit around the crank pulley. Hope to be on the road in August :-) Sept 2nd, fitted new fuel lines, fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter, etc. More work on dashboard wiring. All heater hoses installed, electric cooling fan sensor and temp guage sensor installed. September 25th, exhaust system installed. Oct 11th, today was supposed to be start-up day......but....:-(........when I added coolant to the system, my rad leaked around where I had attached the AC condenser brackets.....so, rad out and back to the rad shop. All wiring has been completed and tested...at least that is all good. Oct 13th, filled clutch line with fluid and attempted to bleed the brakes. All was going well until I apparantly tripped the pressure differential switch. Apparantly the actuator is now preventing me moving fluid to the rear brakes. I think I will take a break for the day!!!!!!! After researching more about this pressure differential device, I find it is fine and working properly. Oct 28th, so there is nothing wrong with the braking system except for a faulty rear brake proportioning valve. It seems that my brand new (swap meet purchase) APV is blocking fluid for some reason. Who knows!!! . Unbelievably annoying and frustrating!!! I will purchase another new one and hope it works. Nov11th, replaced the rear brake bias valve with another new one and completed bleeding the brakes. Re-worked the clutch slave bracket and adjustable piston. I think I'm ready to fire up the engine, test drive and do a 4 wheel alignment.Nov16th, DRIVING!!! It's all I had hoped AWESOME!!! Nov 22nd, alignment completed. Corner weights set......exact 50/50 front/rear weight distribution. Car weighs in at a whopping 2600 lbs fully laden with spare wheel, jack, tools and 3/4 tank of gas.
City: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Car Model: MGB GT
Engine: Ford 302
Engine: 1988 Ford 302 V8 - roller cam, RHS aluminum cylinder heads. Dyno results: 284HP / 299 torque at rear wheels.
Built by Forrest & Forrest Racing, Kitchener, Ontario (March 2009)
Induction: FAST Throttle body fuel injection system
Ignition: MSD 8579 distributor, Blaster coil, MSD control box
Cooling: Fast Cars Aluminum modified for AC*, Nostalgic air conditioning system using March bracket kit.
Exhaust: Fast Cars Headers* with High Tech Coatings, Twin Pipe Stainless with Borla mufflers
Transmission: 2012 Tremec World Class T5
Rear Axle: Ford 8.8" posi, 3.08
Front Susp.: FabTek dropped spindles*, Hoyle coil-over system.
Rear Susp.: Classic Cars 4 link* with Gaz shocks
Brakes:
(master cylinders) MGB
(front) Toyota twin pot calipers, vented rotors
(rear) Wilwood disc brake with proporrtioning vlave
Wheels/Tires: Compomotive ML rims 15x7 with Falken 225-50x15 rear, 205-55x15 front
Body: Colour - Black. (Car will keep the rubber bumpers!). At first glance "HARV8GT" will look like the "twin" to my
black roadster, "HARV8".........although under the skin there will be a world of difference!
Interior: 1980 MGB Dash, Speedhut guages, leather seats, power windows, remote door locks, cruise control, Pieces of Eight
bonnet and Hatch Struts*, new carpets
Electrical: Advance Wiring Kit*
1GTandBrooklands20073.JPG
original 4-cylinder car photographed alongside a Brooklands BGT
3GTV8Project.JPG
original car before disassembly
5GTV8Louvres.JPG
bonnet louvres for heat removal and style
8MGBGTDismantling.JPG
original 4 cylinder engine
9GTProject.JPG
the beginning of the disassembly process
10DDRad.JPG
D&D radiator
13FastCarsheaders.JPG
Fast cars headers with hi tech coating
14ModifiedXmember.JPG
modified and strenghthened cross member for Ford V8
15AdvanceWireKit.JPG
awesome Advance upgraded wiring harness and fuse block
18RemoteLocksPowerWindows.JPG
creature comforts - power windows and remote door locks
EngineRemoval8.JPG
good engine and driveline sold to an MGA rebuild
harv8302.jpg
Forrest & Forrest built Ford 302
harv8302B.jpg
new engine
Aug23Schwartz11WeldingChassissmall.jpg
welding in the sub frame connectors
Aug23Schwartz20SchwartzIncsmall.jpg
outside Grant's shop, August 2010
Aug23Schwartz25SchwartzIncsmall.jpg
mods completed, ready to return home for further disassembly
Aug23Schwartz29V8EngineMountssmall.jpg
steering shaft to motor mount clearance check
Aug23Schwartz54GoingHomesmall.jpg
going home after engine bay mods, august 2010
Aug20101EngineSteadysmall.jpg
custom bracket for engine steady bar
Aug201015TrialFittingsmall.jpg
using an old engine block for modifying the engine bay
Aug201016SteeringRackFitsmall.jpg
making sure the engine will fit snugly
Aug201038TrialFittingsmall.jpg
trial fitting the engine
Aug201059small.jpg
Grant Schwartz Custom Fabricating........highly recommended!
Aug201069Headerssmall.jpg
trial fitting the thru-the-fender headers
Aug201071CuttingRadTraysmall.jpg
modifying the rad tray
Aug201073HeaderHolessmall.jpg
fender cut outs for the headers
Aug201083TrannyMountsmall.jpg
moified MGB tranny mount
Aug201086MountsandHolessmall.jpg
modified engine bay
Aug2010FrameMounts2small.jpg
custom frame mounts for engine
Aug2010FrameMounts4small.jpg
Anchor brand OE Ford engine mounts
August20th4LinkInstall2small.jpg
trial fitiing the Classic Cars 4 link rear
August20th4LinkInstall5small.jpg
4 link rear suspension and Ford 8.8 axle
CompomotiveHARV8GTsmall1.jpg
minilight style rims
CompomotiveHARV8GTsmall3.jpg
15x7 Compomotive rims
HoyleCrossmemberMods3small.jpg
modified front cross member ready for Hoyle front suspension kit
BGTV8OfftoPaint.jpg
April 2011: off to the paint shop
July2011BodyShop.jpg
Preparing to strip paint
July2011BodyShop2.jpg
Ready for stripping
July2011Blasted.jpg
Shell blasted and ready for primer
July20118small.jpg
Primered
July201110small.jpg
Almost ready for paint
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August20113small.jpg
Spraying
August20114small.jpg
Louvered bonnet
August22ndHome1small.jpg
Back home and ready for assembly
August22ndHome3small.jpg
New glass arriving soon
August1920115small.jpg
Cleaned and ready for assembly
August1920114small.jpg
Waxed
August1920111small.jpg
Now what?
NewTailgateGlasssmall.jpg
New tailgate glass with demister
RearAxlesmall.jpg
Checking wheel fit and 4-link suspension
Sept2415small.jpg
Pieces of Eight tailgate struts
CoolingFansmall.jpg
Fast Cars aluminum rad and cooling fan
Sept244ssmall.jpg
Ford 8.8" on 4-Link rear suspension
CompomotoveRimssmall.jpg
Falken 225-50-x15 on Compomotive Rims
HARV8GTDrier1small.jpg
Hoyle front suspension and Fab Tek dropped spindles
HARV8GTDrier6small.jpg
Drier located in front rad tray
HARV8GTDrier2small.jpg
AC condenser and drier
MGBGTStowageComp2small.jpg
Stowage compartment - still untrimmed
Guzman4Link8small.jpg
Trial fitting the 4-link rear suspension
EFIFuelTank6small.jpg
New larger capacity fuel tank with internal high pressure pump
HARV8GTac.JPGsmall.jpg
March AC Bracket. Initially used MSD 8479 distributor, but too tall for stock bonnet
HARV8GTcaliper3small.jpg
Toyota truck twin pot front brake calipers
LeatherSeats1small.jpg
New leather seat skin
SpeedhutGuages1small.jpg
Speedhut GPS Speedometer and electronic tach
EZFASTEFI3small.jpg
EZFASTEFI kit
EZFASTEFI1small.jpg
Throttle body EFI
Jan20th2small.jpg
Refitted door glass, power windows, remote locks, dynaliner sound proofing, etc
Jan20th16small.jpg
door glass refitted
Jan20th13small.jpg
third brake light in licence plate, new badging, 60's style rear lights
Jan20th1small.jpg
Refitting the chrome and GT flash
March20129small.jpg
efi Fuel tank from BMC
March29th13small.jpg
New Hatch Seal
March29th28small.jpg
trial fitting engine
TremecGearbox8small.jpg
Tremec World Class Gearbox and Clutch Slave Cylinder
TremecGearbox1small.jpg
New Engine and Tremec box ready for install
AprilEngineInParty15small.jpg
Engine Trial Fit
April2613small.jpg
Engine in!
April2610small.jpg
Cheers!
MGBwithToyota1small.jpg
Safety Faster front brakes
V8RadandCondenser.jpg
Fast Cars Rad with AC condenser attached
RemoteOilFilterBracket11small.jpg
Remote Oil Filter Bracket on Driver Fender
DriveshaftMGB302T51small.jpg
Driveshaft
exhaust2.jpg
Borla Stainless Exhaust System installed
exhaust3.jpg
Borla XS Muffler
exhaust4.jpg
On the Flatbed.......for the last time!!!
AlmostDone.jpg
Almost Done!!!
ExhaustInstalled25small.jpg
September 28,2012
ExhaustInstalled14small.jpg
TwinV8s.jpg
Twins
Nov11th201219small.jpg
Interior: Power Window switches, Speedhut guages, AC switches, Leather seats
Nov201213small.jpg
" LET ME OUTA HERE..........I'M READY TO GO!!!"
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Nov 16th,2012 DRIVING!!!
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Nov 16th,2012
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Nov 16th,2012
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Practical appeal of the GT
Nov22201216small.jpg
In the rear view mirror
Nov22201230small.jpg<br>Evening drive
.