Introduce Yourself Here!

[triumphtr2]

Hello Curtis. I introduced myself the other day and had a couple of question to ask , which I did. Where do Igo to find out if anyone responded. Ca you send me an Email and let me know? Singned Lost.

[Dan B]

You might want to try reposting your questions over in the Triumph Forum.  I think a lot of people probably consider a TR3 "too valuable" to do a conversion on, but you can see most converted cars on here have added value.

[restorem]

Hi I'm Bob in Sacramento Ca.
I am restoring a 73 Triumph Stag for a familey friend.  It has been in a shipping container for ? years.  No rust but no engine, plenty of dirt and Wasp nest.  I have hobby level experience in restoring.  70s Chevys, Mustangs, 65 Porsche 912 Piper J3 Cub.  I am looking for some direction in selectng a motor.  Maybe a Ford 302?  So far I am impressed with the web site.  Many thanks.

[BlownMGB-V8]

A number of people have put the Rover motor in those. They seem right pleased with the results from what I hear.

JB

[qwaii]

hi.i came across a 70 gt6 that had been rusting away in an impound yard,and was about to be scrapped.

just couldn't let that happen,so i adopted it.after some dreams of restoring it,i realised that it would not be feasible....but hotrodding it would be.

i was also given a jag v12 from a good old guy that was dying of cancer.when i asked him what he wanted for it,he just said to do something interesting with it.

hopefully,combining the two will be interesting enough.


and for the moderators-i started out by misspelling my username....it should be 'gwaii',not 'qwaii'....if there is something that could be done to fix this,it would be much appreciated.tks.

[Bratfink]

Hi all,

My name is James and I have a MkIV Vogue Estate I brought with me to the US from UK. Have plans to make it drive more modern, as soon as funds allow!

I will be watching all modifications to Rootes 'Super' series cars with interest since there isn't alot of room in there.

[Healey Z]

Long time car guy.  All fords, mostly off things; cobra replica, 289 4 speed falcon, mustangs, GT350 clone.

I am pretty serious about buying a 3000 with 260Z running gear.  In good time, it will surely go 289/302/5.0

Here to learn as much as I can before I buy this car.

thanks.

[rickbseattle]

I've been poring over your forums for the past 10 months, since I acquired my own little love project.  I just posted a bit about the car and the progress-to date in the Project Journals section.  1957 MGA Roadster with SBC 350 V*, Muncie 4-speed, and many needs.  Looking forward to reading and writing more inthe upcoming months and years.

-Rick

[BlownMGB-V8]

The car looks pretty good aside from the frame, but that's fixable. You might want to consider a lighter engine, long as it's apart. If it's really a 327 as the lettering on the body seems to indicate that could be worth enough to swap for an LS.

JB

[rickbseattle]

Hi Jim.  There's some decent-sized bondo scabs, but minimal rust other than the rocker panels.  The lettering on the side (now gone - thank you scotch-brite) was done by a previous owner, and it had at least one engine transplant under his watch.  He told me that it was currently fitted with a 350 crate motor, but I'll get the numbers off the engine in the next week or two and confirm.  Fitting a LS would be great, but for now I need to ration limited resources (time & money) and will probably reuse the existing one.

-Rick

[jim0899]

Hi, my name is Jim Willenbrink and I live in Florence, KY, which is about 15 miles south of downtown Cincinnati.  I purchased a 1978 MGB in 2003 from the previous owner (Craig Jensen).  He completed the major conversion (he installed a Chevy 327 engine with 3 speed saginaw) in 1996 and logged about 20k miles driving.  I have a number of upgrades for the car scheduled for this winter.  I purchased a narrowed S-10 rear end with posi, and Chev drum brakes.  I am in the process of ordering a new aluminum radiator, and I am planning some sort of brake upgrade (not sure how far I am going with the brakes),

[MGBV8]

Hi James,

I recognize your MG & the name of its previous owner.  Craig attended the 2nd annual V8 Meet that was hosted in Annapolis, MD in 1998. First small block Chevy MGB I had ever seen.  Unfortunately, it overheated in the Beltway traffic on the way to Summit Park Raceway. I have wondered what became of Craig & his B cause we never saw him again.

I hope you noticed that you & Jim Blackwood are neighbors.

[LMVG]

Hi there, my name is Louis and i purchased my first British car in 1979 a brand new Triumph Spitfire russet brow with factory hard top and electric overdrive. The Dam Masters article on the TR6 V8 w/302 Ford Windsor totally caught my attention, this is the finest article on automobile modifications that i have ever read! Two Thumbs Way Up!!!! I wasn't even aware that you could fit a reliable V8 engine in a TR6!  The mathematical explanations make total sense and i have since then spoken to Van over the phone about the project as it looks likes he took it over. It looks like it's too rich for my blood at present (my budget is $20000. at most for now) but i am really interested in buying one when the opportunity. I also love the Sunbeam "Tiger" Alpine and was wondering if the "289" conversion is "bolt on" or requires firewall modifications etc... Van's car is a solid beast and i would love to drive it to see just how much a TR6 can be improved....frankly it's a concept car with a TR6 shell. I just completed a Vespa 90SS restoration so i am looking for another toy.

[jim0899]

(quote)
Hi James,

"I recognize your MG & the name of its previous owner. Craig attended the 2nd annual V8 Meet that was hosted in Annapolis, MD in 1998. First small block Chevy MGB I had ever seen. Unfortunately, it overheated in the Beltway traffic on the way to Summit Park Raceway. I have wondered what became of Craig & his B cause we never saw him again.

I hope you noticed that you & Jim Blackwood are neighbors."

Thanks Carl,

I did subscribe to the old British V8 Newsletter, just took a while to make the digital transition. I made one simple change to eliminate the overheating problem when sitting in traffic (on hot summer days). I added a flex-a-lite fan blade to the front pulley, and it has worked great for the last 7 years. Now I'm in the process of ordering a custom built radiator to replace the original (14year old) radiator.
I'm looking forward to meeting Jim Blackwood, the street I live on (Heritage Dr.) is very close to Gunpowder Creek.

Jim

[kenvs1]

Hello Guys. I've owned my 71 B-GT for about 6 years now. I had it almost completely restored 2 years ago with the exception of the interior. The old time vs money equation raised its ugly head. If I have the time I don't have the money. So I had the money and someone else had the time. My wife still hasn't forgiven me. 18k later (she says it's 20 [Ihave the receipts]) and I'm beginning to plan the installation of a V8 and maybe a divorce in the process. The Olds 215 cid Jetfire looks like a good fit producing 155 hp and 215 hp with the turbo. I've also heard that the Cadillac 273 has the same footprint and bellhousing pattern and should be considered. I haven't looked deeply enough into that option yet. At least the Cad engine is available. After months of looking I've not been able to locate a 215 that isn't just suitable for a core. It's been a long while since I've worked on an engine or done much with automobile mechanics, but the spirit is willing. I'm a field service technician for a packaging machine distributor and am on the road 250 to 260 nights per year. As I said the spirit is willing. I hope to find some friendly advice and shoulders to snivel on every once in a while on a site devoted to those who've already accomplished what I aspire to. I love the B-GT and the smell of the interior on a warm summer's day brings back many great memories. There is just nothing that smells / sounds as good or as right as the interior of an LBC with the exhaust at full song. Thank goodness for a little corner of pure delight.

I'll think of a good signature later.

[BlownMGB-V8]

Beautiful car Ken.
Have you driven a V8 conversion yet? If not you really owe it to yourself to do so. Any one of them will amaze you, and even an extremely mild 215 is an incredible step up.

You have many options in a very broad range that encompasses nearly anything you could want in an engine. Some want simplicity. At that end something like a 3.5 Rover engine is a good choice or even in some cases a V6, although you lose that V8 sound. From there you can go from mild to wild or as sophisticated as you like and still stay within the Buick/Rover family of engines. Or you can go outside that family with the small block Ford, Chevy, LS series, and others. Naturally the farther afield the more fabrication is needed but the more basic swaps are pretty much a bolt-in proposition. Since your body restoration is complete, pay particular attention to the BOPR (215 and Rover) and SBF swaps.

Go to the Web Forum tab, MG sports cars, scroll down and read some of the articles on how these cars were converted to get a better idea on how to proceed, then check out some of the threads on the MG forum and the Projects forum. For an idea of how far the limits can be pushed, read some threads like the MG-Roadmaster, my 340 upgrade, Calvin Grannis' TR6 conversion on the Triumph forum and others. By the time you're done with that you'll have a real good idea of the direction you want to take.

Incidentally, I think you will find that with the '71 body shell most builders had some sort of fairly minor engine bay mods required to fit the BOPR engine. Probably not what you want to hear. But they vary significantly. For instance, I did not want to cut the bulkhead, steering, or use a remote filter so I used a forward engine location, but that required me to cut the pan and move the radiator forward. There may be a location and method that allows you to only cut the openings for the RV8 style headers. (highly recommended)

JB

[deltadave]

Hi Guys
I just retired as a gas compression engeneering tech and moved from upstate New York to middle Tennessee. Love the weather, because of the extended driving season. Started building a Corvette powered TD last winter. The MG also has a Corvette rear and a Corvair front that I converted to disc brakes. Just got the car running last week so I'm working out some small bugs. I posted the build pics on the HAMB, and after over five hundred hits they killed the thread for being off topic. Before the thread was dusted one of the guys gave me a link to this site. Looks like this is the place for me.

[jim0899]

Welcome Dave,

Wow, that is quite a nice looking car.  I can't wait to see it in person, hope you will bring it to the 2011 British V8 meet.  Mark your calendar: May 15, 2011 at the Tally Ho Inn, Townsend, TN.  How far are you from Dan Masters
(at Alcoa, Tennessee)?
 
Jim W.

[rficalora]

Way cool Dave.  You've definitely found the right place!

[63215BUICK]

Hello everyone,My name is Clyde, my wife and I live in Salinas Ca,and collect old car's. To date we have a 68 one owner firebird a 72 c-10 one owner, Ive been really lucky(blessed) to find two one owner car's, also my favorite is my 69rs/ss camaro im the 3rd with 97 tho and change miles, a 55 chevy that's on my list of thing's to finish???don't know when because I found a 93'frame sandrail that has a 215 buick V8 alll aluminum block& heads never new they had this? and after some run's and some repair on the tran's ...we are looking for motor parts??? Broke that to,and need a block or the whole thing, bla,bla anywhy that's how i found this great site! Now ,I never wrote thing's but felt happy to do so here? so hello to all and hope that we can find some things and share some thing's also? never know!  Hi from Salinas CLYDE & SARAH S.

[rficalora]

Welcome Clyde.  I used to be @ Ft. Ord years ago -- just down the road from you.  This board has a pretty active classifieds board and also a very active engine & drivetrain board where the aluminum block 215's are covered in tons of detail.  Post what's going on with your engine there & I'm sure you'll find plenty of help (even if it's not in a british car).

[Stage6TD]

Hi All,

A life long preoccupation with small cars powered by relatively large V8s should be explainable. Incidents during the formative years may have played a part.

It may have started with the Hurricane Hot Rod Association races on the ¼ mile dirt oval track inside the Milwaukee Mile in the late 1940s. These stripped-down roadsters were powered, primarily, by hopped-up flat head Ford V8s. Following the feature race, the pits were opened to the spectators. The night air was filled with the smell of hot oil, over heated clutches, brakes and tires. Some of the engines with their aluminum heads and dual carburetor manifolds were still making cracking and snapping sounds as they cooled down with steam still blowing from their radiators. The race cars were driven up the trailer ramps with exhaust blowing from open headers. Intoxicating! A memorable tow car was a lowered de-chromed 1941 Mercury convertible with dual "motor boat" mufflers. The rumbling sound of its exhaust pipes in the tunnel under the mile track as the Mercury pulled the loaded trailer up the incline may have had an irreversible effect.

Those impressions were reinforced by the road race at Elkhart Lake in 1951. Sitting on a billboard at the outskirts of town, observing the awesome sights and sounds of the racing Allards and Cunninghams at our feet could alter the direction of one's life. Some of the engines howled or shrieked but the V8s boomed. Famous and wealthy people seemed to like participating in these events. Good or bad, these are things that can't be ignored.

Many others seemed to be similarly affected. A magazine told of a road racing MG with a Ford V8 60. Just imagine, a MG roadster with a hopped-up V8 engine from a record holding circle track midget or hydroplane.

In 1949, Cadillac and Oldsmobile released their overhead valve V8 designs. It may have been a good thing for some of us that those vehicles didn't handle very well. The Oldsmobile wrecks, in particular, began showing up in the salvage yards making the engines available to poorly financed enthusiasts.

My $150 on Carl's counter in exchange for a 1949 303 cid Olds Rocket V8 confirmed my eagerness to join the movement. I'd gone from observer to participant. This could be attributed to the rebellious teenage years.

The photo, below, from 1954 shows that engine after some development. A used Edmunds 2 carburetor manifold was purchased. Inspection of my new treasure revealed why it was available, a part of a sand core blocking a port! The Stromberg carburetors were from Carl's flat head Cadillac engines. The hydraulic lifters were made into solids by removing the springs and check balls. Ak Miller adjustable push rods were used. The heads were milled to increase compression. Mallory supplied the coil and distributor. A camshaft change came later.

This engine was used in various forms in a 1933 Ford cabriolet, 1938 Ford 2 door and a 1940 Mercury club coupe until military draft papers were received in September of 1955.

Serving 2 years in the U.S. Army with a Military Occupational Specialty, 635.10, Vehicle Repairman, only deepened the affliction. Being surrounded day and night by other auto enthusiasts in motor pools and Ordnance Depots is not likely to lead to a higher calling.

By 1957 the movement was in full bloom on the streets, circle tracks, drag strips and road course race tracks. The high winding small block Chevrolet V8 was changing the landscape. Shortly after discharge from the Army, a 1957 Corvette came my way. It went through a series of modifications, including installation of a 4 speed transmission. A factory 2-4 barrel carburetor set-up and 3 Rochester 2 barrel carburetors on an Edelbrock manifold were tried. The engine was bored and high compression pistons were added. Various camshafts were tried. The later model Corvette traction bars were added to prevent spring wrap-up.

The Corvette was great for ripping through the gears but, the British cars seemed to have an edge in the handling department. Increasing the power to weight ratio of a British car with a V8 engine seemed reasonable enough. By 1969, the sacrifice of more normal pursuits allowed the purchase of a new 350 hp 327 cid Chevrolet V8 engine and aluminum case Muncie 4 speed transmission. These were installed in a 1962 Jaguar XKE coupe that had been acquired for this project. At the time of the photo, the engine was basically a standard 350 hp long block with two 550 cfm Holley carburetors on a Edelbrock cross ram manifold. A Mallory distributor and coil were used. The exhaust header tubes are 5/8 inch diameter X 34 inches long. The car turned a 13.2 sec. at 110 mph at Great Lakes drag strip in 1970. The rear axle ratio was the standard 3.31:1 so it went through the traps in 3rd gear at about 6000 rpm. Firestone Wide Oval tires were used. Now that the obsession had been confirmed, it just became a matter of trying to balance it with the other aspects of life.

There is no known genetic disposition toward V8 engines in the family. Unfortunately, the condition may be infectious. In the 1951 photo, the 1933 Ford cabriolet still had its flat head V8 and a cable operated muffler cut-out. My brother, Al, is seated next to me and Jerry is on the nearside running board. I accept some responsibility for Al's affliction.

Ed

[BlownMGB-V8]

Ed, I've been toying some time with the idea of a flathead V8 in an MGB. As someone who has probably seen this done, is the Ford flathead the lightest one that was produced, or is there another?

JB

[Bow]

I', Bow,

Live on the Northwest side of Houston, TX.

I'm looking for a British car to swap my built Nissan KA24DE (2.4L, DOHC, FI) into.

[jim0899]

Ed,

Nice to have you on the forum, looks like you have quite a bit of experience with Chevy powered British iron.  I was curious to find out what part of Ohio you are located, and I sure would get a kick out of seeing pictures of your Chevy powered MG TD.

Jim Willenbrink
just south of Cincinnati, OH