There is an MG 4 cylinder engine and four speed trans in a local auction in a couple days. There is almost no info about it but there are a few pics. I can see the number 1500 cast into the block, and the name "MOWOG" cast into the trans. By appearances the engine looks to be complete with carb, fuel pump, and distributor. It looks like it has always been stored inside. The big downside is there aren't any spark plugs in it, so I assume they have been out however long the engine has been out of the car, no telling how the cylinder walls look.
Is there any value to this thing? The local MG market is non existent and this is the only car related item at this sale so I think it will go cheap , I want to know if I should try to buy and flip. Thanks
Can you share a picture?
Which side of the engine are the carbs on?
Look like this
Thats a 1500 Midget motor, I dont think they are worth much.
A 1275 is considered a much better engine and I got an engine, trans, and rear end for $250 (which was a great deal, but off craigslist)
Heres a 1275 (if you really need, I can go to my shop and get better pics, I have two of them. One in a car and one out)
Sounds like this is a 1500cc MG engine from an MGA or MGTF. A MOWOG transmission wouldn't bolt up to a 1500cc Spitfire engine. I don't think.
It would only have value to someone restoring one of the above cars that wanted to go back original. Most people have stepped up to the 1798cc used in the B.
I'm having some issues uploading a pic, but it' a single carb on the LH side of the engine.
Carb on the left and 1500 on the block pretty much rules out the MGTF and the Spitfire engine and suggests it's a BMC B-series engine. MGAs and Magnettes used that engine, but with dual carbs. Of course, it could actually be an MGA engine with a Weber carb. They don't have a fuel pump on the block though. If the head isn't cracked, that might be worth flipping. MOWOG supplied the castings (blocks, heads, trans. cases, etc) for many British manufacturers, so it's hard to tell what it is without a pic.
1500cc MG engine from an MGA or MGTF
Definitely not a TF (they used the XPAG or XPEG (1500) motors). As Apis stated, it's most likely out of a Mangette, or an Austin A50. Not worth a whole lot unless you're really wanting one.
Edit: Looking at the pics, that gearbox appears to be set up for a column shift, so definitely not MGA.
Not an MG engine. Looks like an A-series engine to me. Maybe from an Austin A35. Are you sure it has 1500 cast into it? Maybe 950 instead?
Dave
Reader
4/13/18 10:03 a.m.
Looks like maybe from a 1956–62 Nash Metropolitan 1500. I can't imagine it is worth much in that condition. I had a similar pre-B-series engine from an Austin A40 that I gave away for free.
yeah, from what I can see that looks like an A series. Cant see past the carb, but IIRC the dead giveaway would be siamesed center exhaust port.
The trans isnt familair to me.
It's most definitely a B-series engine, and you can tell solely based on the oil filter arrangement (even though the cannister is missing). Both the A-series and B-series heads had the siamesed center exhaust port. The gearbox is the basic 3 sync that was used in a ton of BMC cars though this one isn't a floor shift 'box. I can't recall if the Met had a floor shift, but I do know that the A50 pick-ups and vans had the column shift.
I think Metropolitan is right. I was stumped by the mechanical fuel pump; didn't realize some B-series had that too. It being a Metropolitan also explains why I have that carb in my pile, since we bought a large group of MGAs and MGA/Metro parts in the mid 80s and chucked the Metro engines since they don't have a tach drive.
To OP, don't buy it to flip. I think you will loose money.
Yeah, it doesn't sound like there is much value to it, I figured it was worth checking. Currently the online bid is at $6, so I wouldn't lose too much. If anybody here needs it I can put a bid on it for you.
In reply to RoddyMac17 :
I didn't realize the TF 1500 was an XPAG engine.
I didn't realize the TF 1500 was an XPAG engine.
It isn't - it was the XPEG engine. The XPAG was the smaller earlier version.
Sadly, a Nash engine isn't worth anything much. It puts out 52 bhp vs. 70 in the sports car version and nothing including the head is usable on the MGs - well, maybe the connecting rods, but there is no shortage of those.
spitfirebill said:
In reply to RoddyMac17 :
I didn't realize the TF 1500 was an XPAG engine.
The last XPAG & XPEG are nearly the same. Slightly bigger bore in the XPEG but you can take an XPAG out to .140 before the walls get too thin.
Stock bore on a XPAG is 2.618 Stock bore on a XPEG is 2.835
Or take the walls out completely and re-sleeve it with 1500 sleeves. Then go .060 over. The last .060 will get you only 1 horsepower but 3 ft pounds of torque.
