Hello forum. Not being into the blow by blow thing I waited until I was pretty much done to post this.
On August 29, 2020 my son and I pulled the stock engine and transmission from my chrome bumper MGB. Today the car ran up and down the street under its own power, which is now provided by a Ford 302 HO motor that came out of a 1991 Fox body Mustang.
I used the stock efi and ecu from the donor car, as well as the transmission. I also added AFR 165 aluminum heads to help cut down the weight as much as possible.
I'm mostly posting this to promote Pete Mantell and Mantell Motorsport. I used his 302 kit and while I'm not an inexperienced mechanic, this was the first time I've tried anything as ambitious as a motor swap. The kit (with optional driveshaft also provided by Pete) made this project pretty straightforward and I think the best testament to that is the first time I tried to back it out into the street the car worked as expected. Unless you have a really strong need to do 100% of your own engineering I would not hesitate to recommend his kit. There's still enough fabrication and figuring out solutions to make you proud of your own accomplishments, but it was nice for me knowing all the structural fabrication was done professionally and was using proven parts.
Anyway I still have to finish the exhaust and get a hood fitted (one is on order from Tim at Morspeed) but otherwise it's all buttoned up and done in just about 5 months. The interior looks 100% stock and everything works on the dashboard, including the stock heater. I did turn my brake balance warning light into the check engine light though. I figured the.balance warning is pretty useless anyway.
Hopefully I'll be able to meet some of you who are local after all this Covid business is over and done with.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
3FEEC079-99E5-467D-AF27-9843C09F794D.jpeg
Welcome, Pete and his products are first class all the way! Hopefully you can attend Auburn in June.
QuoteHopefully I'll be able to meet some of you who are local...
How local.......where have you got the new 302 conversion parked?
Welcome & great job.
My son and I are doing one for him and hope to have it at Auburn this summer. Hope to see you there!
welcome, hope to meet you one day soon. I'm in NC
Pete built my MGBGT V-6 for the previous owner, I've added 80,000 miles since 2009.