MGB GT Engine Swap

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Steve Simmons
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MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by Steve Simmons »

Continued from this thread

This isn't really a restoration project, just an engine swap from one car to another. The '65 engine is moving into the '67 since the '65 isn't likely to get back on the road for quite a while.

My goal with this engine is to use only technology that could have been obtained when it was new. The one exception to this rule was the roller rockers. It took a lot of convincing but I finally agreed to let the builder use them because the blower really does need higher ratio arms than the stock type are capable of. But I keep them hidden beneath the stock stamped steel valve cover. ;)

A bit of info on the '65 engine:
  • +40 overbore
    Custom pistons
    Cylinder head re-worked and flow tested by Sean Brown for use with the blower
    Larger exhaust valves (note notches in block)
    Compression ratio lowered to 8.1:1
    Moss supercharger kit with big boost pulley (not currently installed)
    APT supercharger cam
    Roller rockers (standard rockers didn't have sufficient lift)
    Peco HDR 2" header
    Lucas C40 generator with dual bearing modification
    Heavy duty clutch plate
    Uprated 3-syncro gearbox with larger layshaft and dual bearings, D-Type Laycock overdrive
The engine has approximately 150 HP / 150 lbs.ft with the low boost pulley. It has not been successfully run on the dyno with the big boost pulley because the power was so great that the belt kept slipping. My hope is that with some inertia / resistance behind it once in a car, the belt will no longer slip and I'll be able to run higher boost. I suspect this will give 5-10 additional HP.

First, a few photos from the rebuild...

Image

Image

Image

Image

Here is a shot of the old engine (left) and new engine (right) from last week. Notice how much more trim the gearbox is. This will save around 40 pounds of weight over the old one if I recall correctly, and it's the correct unit for the car.
MGB Engines
MGB Engines
engines.jpg (66.53 KiB) Viewed 17428 times
Dean offered to come over and help drop the new lump in and I'm glad he did. (Thank you Dean!) I had this crazy idea that I could do this with the header already installed but I was grossly mistaken. I got it wedged in pretty good and we had to remove the blower and manifold while it was dangling over the engine bay. Eventually it went in, and only took three times longer than pulling the old one out by myself! :hammer:

The new engine ready to go in...
Supercharged MGB Engine
Supercharged MGB Engine
engine1.jpg (64.25 KiB) Viewed 17428 times
Supercharged MGB Engine
Supercharged MGB Engine
engine2.jpg (84.05 KiB) Viewed 17428 times
And today's progress, tidying up the little stuff before putting the radiator back in...
Supercharged MGB Engine
Supercharged MGB Engine
incar.jpg (65.69 KiB) Viewed 17428 times
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Jimmy
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Re: Engine Swap

Post by Jimmy »

Bitchin'!
And I'm glad you decided to stick the motor in the correct way - seeing it hanging on the hoist in front wheel drive fashion had me worried for a second.
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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Re: Engine Swap

Post by gorms68 »

Great job! How soon too you can turn it over for the first time?
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Jimmy
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Plus, a Turbo S (with a damn roof) in the household.
And three Mercedes on 20" wheels.
Location: NM

Re: Engine Swap

Post by Jimmy »

No, Steve, don't turn it over!
Isn't it enough that Tanny keeps trying to do that?
In baseball, running into someone is apparently a "collision".
But doing the same thing in a car somehow makes it an "accident".
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Re: Engine Swap

Post by Steve Simmons »

Oh Jimmy. Ouch! :lol:
gorms68 wrote:Great job! How soon too you can turn it over for the first time?
Hopefully tomorrow if I can get my act together. After that I work for 15 days straight so time will be limited. Today I had to figure out a few things with the wiring, etc. to convert the car back to stock. It used to have a later starter motor, LH overdrive, etc. I also still need to cobble up a makeshift fuel hose because the old one is too short to reach the new carburetor. Same with the accelerator cable. The drive shaft will be done tomorrow so technically I should be able to drive it by late afternoon. I'm sure something will stand in my way though. Always does on this type of project.
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Re: Engine Swap

Post by Larry Kluss »

Impressive engine. I expect 150 hp will transform that car. It should be lots of fun.
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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by Steve Simmons »

UPDATE: The car has been running for two days but it still isn't on the road. I'm working every day so I don't have the time to finish up the last of it, and most importantly I'm still waiting for my driveshaft to be rebuilt / lengthened. I won't get far without that. ;)

Everything went smoothly outside of a couple minor hiccups. I had to figure out the best way to revert the wiring to original spec and then make sense of the radiator hose setup that Moss provides. The hoses are impossible to install with the radiator in place because they are so darn stiff. I'll need to remove the radiator again to get them fully installed. I've never had to do that before, even with Vulcoflex hoses. Oh well, it's easy to do except for the oil cooler hoses making a mess.
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MGB Engine
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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by HealeyBN7 »

Steve Simmons wrote:....I'm still waiting for my driveshaft to be rebuilt / lengthened....
And we thought it would be done in two hours. Did they say what is causing the delay.

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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by Fifty Six MGA »

I want an engine like that for my car. That'd double my HP! :devil:
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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by gorms68 »

It should run even better when all the spark plugs are hooked :pimp:
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Steve Simmons
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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by Steve Simmons »

HealeyBN7 wrote:And we thought it would be done in two hours. Did they say what is causing the delay.
Not sure really. I called on Monday to see if it was ready and they said he was working on it but ran into a snag because they didn't have U-joints in stock, and that they would be in the next morning. I offered to bring some down on the spot, and was there with them 1 hour later but when I arrived they hadn't even started on it yet and said it would be the next day regardless. I could have saved the trip! It's Friday now and they still haven't finished. :?
gorms68 wrote:It should run even better when all the spark plugs are hooked :pimp:
And cooler with the radiator hoses on. :D

Still need to make sense of the vacuum and vent lines also (I've never owned an HIF before) but otherwise the car is running. A bit loud with the 12" gap in the exhaust pipe but earplugs will take care of that.
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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by HealeyBN7 »

Steve Simmons wrote:
HealeyBN7 wrote:And we thought it would be done in two hours. Did they say what is causing the delay.
Not sure really. I called on Monday to see if it was ready and they said he was working on it but ran into a snag because they didn't have U-joints in stock, and that they would be in the next morning. I offered to bring some down on the spot, and was there with them 1 hour later but when I arrived they hadn't even started on it yet and said it would be the next day regardless. I could have saved the trip! It's Friday now and they still haven't finished. :?
I am really feeling good about my endorsement... :oops:
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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by HealeyBN7 »

And now a short video of Steve hard at work...

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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by Steve Simmons »

Now I want my video crew there every time I work on the car! :lol: Nice work Austin, looks great. I really need to paint that MGB hood before the sequel though. ;)

So I guess the secret is out, and so is the engine. The car was running but I made a bonehead mistake with the clutch and had to pull the lump to fix it. Thanks to Dean, who stopped by at just the wrong time and helped with the final pull. And to Austin for the cool video.

I would have had the engine back in the car and running this weekend but unfortunately an aluminum thread stripped in spectacular fashion and I don't have any repair inserts in that size so I'll have to wait until early this week to pull the gearbox again and repair it. In the meantime I may pull the flywheel and take a few pounds off of it so that the time isn't wasted.
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Re: MGB GT Engine Swap

Post by gorms68 »

I think I'll charge by the use next time for the hoist :pimp:
That sucks that you had to pull the engine again.

Austin you really have an good eye for making these little vignettes. Keep up the good work. Maybe you can teach my son a thing or two so I can have a cool documentary of the work we are doing on our cars.
Chris Gorman
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