SCCA EMod MGB GT V12 Build

loosecannon wrote: Ok, this is going to sound pathetic but it's true. This project has exploded in costs (as all these things seem to do) and the supposedly cheaper option of putting a 5.0 in is every bit as expensive as fixing the V12. I desperately want to run the car at this years Nationals and my wife and I are already registered but business (www.speedworld.ca) is painfully slow and I am still some expensive parts away from getting it together. Does anybody know where I can get any of the following parts for a 86-93 5.0 at a good price? Flywheel, pressure plate, T5 transmission, universal wiring harness, efi fuel pump. Of lesser importance are a good roller cam, underdrive pulleys and proper shorty headers. E-mail me marksawatsky at gmail dot com if you have something I could use.

for that shopping list you might as well buy a wreck and salvage your parts, sell the rest to recoup your investment

for that shopping list you might as well buy a wreck and salvage your parts, sell the rest to recoup your investment

I dunno, all I could pull off a wreck is the tranny/clutch/flywheel, everything else is aftermarket. I thought I found one but it was a 4 cylinder car and all that stuff is different. There doesn't seem to be any V8 Mustangs locally for salvage.

It may sound lame but seriously, swap in an Automatic. I'm 99% sure you can find an auto that is in decent shape that will bolt to your engine. It removes a bunch of what you need and since this is a temporary swap who cares about the lack of 3rd pedal. For autox with enough torque and light weight an Automatic is really not a disadvantage at all and may be an advantage.

Considering the weight of what you are removing surely you could find a semi built 350 chevy with 3-speed auto for silly cheap (check Roundy round guys or Drag racers, perhaps someone will "loan" you a drivetrain for nationals). Run a side hung float Holley and bask in 3 wire engine hookup and 300+ HP simply cooling and driveshaft hookups away..

nocones wrote: It may sound lame but seriously, swap in an Automatic. I'm 99% sure you can find an auto that is in decent shape that will bolt to your engine. It removes a bunch of what you need and since this is a temporary swap who cares about the lack of 3rd pedal. For autox with enough torque and light weight an Automatic is really not a disadvantage at all and may be an advantage. Considering the weight of what you are removing surely you could find a semi built 350 chevy with 3-speed auto for silly cheap (check Roundy round guys or Drag racers, perhaps someone will "loan" you a drivetrain for nationals). Run a side hung float Holley and bask in 3 wire engine hookup and 300+ HP simply cooling and driveshaft hookups away..

This guy wins. Concentrate your efforts on the badass V12.

if I had decided to concentrate on the V12-nobody would see the car at Nationals this year, as it is there is only a slim chance.

I think what he is saying is take my advice and do the EASIEST swap humanly possible (carb'd Auto V8) to get you to nationals this year and then put all your spare time/money into the V12 build for next year.

nocones wrote: I think what he is saying is take my advice and do the EASIEST swap humanly possible (carb'd Auto V8) to get you to nationals this year and then put all your spare time/money into the V12 build for next year.

yes indeedy.

The V12 is definitely where my heart is-it's the reason for the whole project! But, doing well at Nats is pretty strong motivation, too. The 5.0 makes more power and weighs 250 lbs less. I don't plan on doing any changes that make going back to the V12 possible but this thing has tapped me out financially and I will have to bring the matsercard balance down a lot before I start thinking about rebuilding the V12. Doing it right is hugely expensive.

I installed a windage tray and road race oil pan today. A windage tray is designed to keep oil from splashing back up on the crank during racing while still allowing oil to drip into the pan. The oil pan is made by Canton and has several one way doors that keep oil flowing towards the pickup but prevent oil from flowing away. The one pic shows one of the hinged doors.

The whole project has ground to a halt because I am waiting for the flywheel bolts to arrive (there seems to be a worldwide shortage) but I am desperate to do something so I started taking the rust off the nuts/bolts and certain parts. I purchased some Zep Lime and Rust remover and soaked the parts in it for a day. Here is a motor mount before and after. I put only half the mount in the solution so you can see the difference. After eating off the rust, I rinse the part with water then either paint it or spray with WD40 to prevent further corrosion.

In reply to loosecannon:

muriatic acid woulda cleaned the rust offa that in less than half an hour

fasted58 wrote: In reply to loosecannon: muriatic acid woulda cleaned the rust offa that in less than half an hour

I used muriatic acid to etch a concrete floor and it's too evil for what I need. The vapors that come off of muriatic will knock you on your bum and will eat away the metal containers I soak my parts in, too.

loosecannon wrote:

fasted58 wrote: In reply to loosecannon: muriatic acid woulda cleaned the rust offa that in less than half an hour

I used muriatic acid to etch a concrete floor and it's too evil for what I need. The vapors that come off of muriatic will knock you on your bum and will eat away the metal containers I soak my parts in, too.

That's why I only use it a plastic container in the outdoors... I learned after my first whiff. Cut down milk jugs, margarine tubs or for larger jobs like leaf springs plastic mortar pans from Lowes or HD.

Also strips galvanized, zinc and cad plated steels in prep for welding. Just used acid today to strip cad from a # 12 sheetmetal screw for welding on a rod to make a freeze plug puller/slide hammer. I quit grinding cad off long time ago when acid does the work in a few min.

I respect acid but don't fear it, just another tool in the 'ol toolbox

Finally got the bolts I needed so I bolted the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, bellhousing, transmission and intake manifold on and slid the whole unit into the car. The good news is that there is a ton of extra room in the engine compartment, the bad news is that the Tilton hydraulic release bearing I have will not work, the V12 mounts interfere with the 5.0 oil filter, the headers will have to be modified and the oil pan is a little too close to the ground. I can't do the fabrication work at home so I will have to move the car to the kart track to move this project along.

Can you use a remote oil filter? One less thing to change?

4Msfam wrote: Can you use a remote oil filter? One less thing to change?

Yes, I think a remote filter will help with the headers, too.

The Pink Panther becomes The Blue Oval just like that.

still loving this build!!!!

Ford owned Jag for a while, didn't it? I hope to make some good progress on the thing soon but I'm seriously strapped for cash and none of my stuff on E-Bay is selling :(

What's your eBay seller ID?

In reply to loosecannon:

Ford owned Jaguar for 20 years.

dculberson wrote: What's your eBay seller ID?

auto-xking

The car is back at the track, where the adventure began. The first thing I did was put a 2" block under the oil pan and crossmember to simulate the clearance I need at normal ride height. The 5.0 bellhousing is taller and the oil pan is deeper than what was on the V12 so there is some clearance issues with the firewall. I trimmed the firewall and fitted the EFI upper intake manifold, it barely fits. It looks like I will have to mod the frame for the exhaust to fit.

That block sits way down low in that beast, should keep the CG in a nice low spot! And also, Im not a ford expert at all, but wasnt there several manifolds that fit to that block? seems there was a really low one in P71s or something?

This is me, cheering you on!