BritishV8 Forum

General Category => MG Sports Cars => Topic started by: Spitfire 350 on February 14, 2022, 08:09:29 AM

Title: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: Spitfire 350 on February 14, 2022, 08:09:29 AM
I stumbled onto this Autotrader ad yesterday. It caught my eye because I originally built this car back in 1988. It has been through a few owners and had some improvements done since I let it go. I contacted the owner and we confirmed that it is the car I owned all those years ago. I never expected to see it again, thank you internet.

https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars/1973/mg/mgb/100834980
1973-MG-MGB-ImportClassics--Car-100834980-a31eccb4d7c30f51d6b37357957acfd9.jpg
Title: Re: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: kstevusa on February 14, 2022, 09:00:22 AM
Great News Phil, just buy it and add to your inventory!  :-)
Title: Re: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: Spitfire 350 on February 14, 2022, 10:01:27 AM
I wish I could Kelly, that car is a hoot to drive. I still have a stock Spitfire that I need to sell. The garage here is full.
Title: Re: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: rficalora on February 15, 2022, 10:39:16 AM
Wow Phil, that's cool!  And the car still looks great after 34 years.
Title: Re: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: Spitfire 350 on February 15, 2022, 11:20:13 AM
Thanks Rob
The current owner did have the whole car repainted. He said that the driver side needed some touch up work and the body shop said they couldn't match the blue that was on the car, so they did a complete repaint as close as they could get. The wheels are still the color I painted them. I always loved the stance of the car and how the tire/wheel combo perfectly fills the openings.
Phil
Title: Re: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: MGBV8 on February 16, 2022, 10:06:00 AM
You still own a stock Spitfire? Ha.  Wouldn't have believed that.  :)

So. what is that magical tire/wheel size combo?
Title: Re: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: Spitfire 350 on February 16, 2022, 10:35:32 AM
That car is using 205/60/14. I believe that there is no offset to the wheels, but that was a long time ago. The rear fender lips were hammered up on the inside and I used a scissors jack and 2x4s to widen the wheel wells to clear the tires. I cut 2 inches off of the front springs after the swap was complete. Rotary engines don't weigh much and the fenders are fiberglass. The engine was "Street Ported" using templates from Racing Beat.

It's fun to take the stock Spitfire and the modified Spitfire to the local shows, really puts things in perspective.
Title: Re: '73 MGB with 13B rotary 5spd swap
Post by: MGBV8 on February 16, 2022, 04:27:13 PM
No doubt!