Why this car
I had read what was available at the time about V8 conversions and determined that a 1978 model was the best suited for the job. The 1978 model had all the modifications that the factory had made to the bodies of the V8 car that it produced. These include moving the radiator forward, a 45 degree corner vs. 90 degree corner in the engine bay back right side. It also had the power assist brakes. A 1979 or 80 car would also do, but for me in Connecticut the older the better to pass the emission test. Not a concern now that the car is over 25 years old and therefore no longer requires a test. The emissions test is the reason I put a catalytic converter on. It passed without it but they think it is supposed to be there so we put it on. I have the straight pipe to replace it if the buyer is interested.

Preparing the base car
I started by removing the engine and transmission. Then the interior. Next I removed the complete front axle and replaced all bushings, bearings, shocks, slave cylinders, hoses, brake pads and rotors. I sent the main support pieces to the body shop to be painted. I re-assembled the front axle in the dining room. The second test of my marrage. OK, the first test was buying the third MG at all while still owning the other two.

The conversion process
Once reassembled I had a rolling frame to be converted. My research had determined that the most knowledgeable and experienced person at the time in V8 conversions was Glen Towery in Delaware. I contracted with him to locate and rebuild an engine and transmission. He found a Rover 3500 engine with a 10.5:1 compression ratio. I really didn't want to have to find 95 octane gas for the car all the time so I said no. Then he found a 1979 Rover 3500 engine with a 8.5:1 compression ratio. They are not known for performance so we planed the block to achieve about a 9.5:1 compression ratio. It performs great on 93 octane. Plenty of power. He also located and rebuilt a Rover 3500 5-speed transmission.

The next step was the rear axle. I located a 1969 MGC rear axle. I brought the car and the MGC rear axle down to Glen. He rebuilt the MGC rear axle including brakes, brake cylinders, hoses, and shocks. Oh ya, we used the MGC drive shaft too. So he shortened that also.

Glen went through the complete car. Fixing, tightening or replacing everything that wasn't right. When you double the horsepower of the car you want to make sure it's all going to hold together. He also replaced a lot of bolts and screws with stainless steel. All brake lines were replaced, all rubber hoses were replaced. He then squirted rust proofing in all the exposed panel openings and drilled small holes in other places to make sure as much as possible was protected. The underneath was also rustproofed. At the point when the car was stripped of all items that were going to be replaced, including taking off the windshield, the car was sent out to be repainted the same color. I had them also paint the engine bay and trunk.

When the car returned with new paint, Glen installed the engine and transmission. No small task even for someone who had performed the operation 18 times prior. I went down and installed the new interior carpets and panels. I was changing the interior from Wine to Autumn Leaf. At this point Glen also installed the new roll bar and new convertible top with a zip out rear window.

The MGC rear axle is a little wider than the MGB rear axle so we needed rims with a different offset. We found a set of American Racing alloy wheels that worked and I put Goodyear AquaTread tires on them. A very nice look! I also replaced the steering wheel with a smaller diameter Moto Guzzi black padded leather wheel and took the horn ring from a 1975 MG for the center.

The completed project
When I got the completed car back I drove it around town to get it registered and inspected and then a few days later I headed for the National MG Convention in Atlanta Georgia. The car ran great and drew lots of attention.

Why it is For Sale
As the years have passed I have driven the car less and less each year. Largely due to changes in family activities as my children have grown. In the last few years I have put on less than 1,000 miles per year and it is time for someone else to get more enjoyment out of the car then I have time for. I still have my original 1974 1/2 MGB that I plan on keeping forever but at the moment I have no time for that either.

The car has been garaged since it was converted. It has never been driven in the winter salt or snow.

A Guide to V8 Conversions for the MGB