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Re: MGB V6 Upgrade

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: MGB V6 Upgrade
From: Chris Thompson <ct-mg@cthompson.com>
Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 06:41:50 -0400
Paul Root (proot@iaces.com) wrote:
> I used to cringe whenever I saw a small block Chevy in a Jag. I felt if 
> you can't handle the engine quirks of the Jag, you don't deserve one.
> 
> That translated to 'the only proper conversion for an MG is the Rover 
> V8', for obvious historic reasons.

I'm not sure I'd put an american engine in, say, an E type, and I can
certainly understand the originality issues. But on a $1000 1974 MGB, I'm
not so concerned.

> However, the V6 conversion is looking better these days. For many reasons:
>       1. Cheap engine, tranny and parts available everywhere.
>       2. Great power.
>       3. Any mechanic anywhere in the US can fix this engine.

Those were my thoughts too. Add to that a thriving enthusiast market.
There's tons of guys who want to juice up their Camaro a bit. For a brief
time I drove a V6 99 Camaro, and I can tell you that while it's decidedly
not a V8, it's definitely got some pull.

> If originality is a concern, you wouldn't be doing a conversion anyway.

Originality isn't too much of a concern to me. It's a 1973 CBB Roadster,
titled as a 1974, and as I refurb and repaint it, it's getting a pre 1970
grille and the early style bumper with all chrome overriders. 

> It's probably a very easy way to get better performance and reliability
> with less maintainence.
> 
> Bottom line, don't worry about what we think. It's your car, do with it
> what you want. Then be ready to give lots of rides. :-)

I was mostly looking for someone who could say "Oh, I did that and it
always causes the fetzer valve to burn out because of a broken attenuator
on the wobble shaft", to, uh, paraphrase. (To fix that, of course you need
a four and seven sixteenths left handed mangstrom gangley spanner.)

Amazingly, the Killer B V6 guy is about 40 miles from my house. I think I'm
going to see if there's one I can go test drive. I'll keep everyone
informed.

_______________________________
Chris Thompson
1974 MGB Chrome Bumper Roadster

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