What do you do with a recently acquired MGB GT roller? If you are forum user autocomman, you drop in a GM 3800 V6 engine–and then add a supercharger for good measure.
Out of all the possible engine choices, why the 3800? According to the car’s builder, “Everyone does a V8 and I felt this was different enough not …
Haha, this was a fun surprise to see!
A friend did a 3800 from a Firebird into a B. It is pretty darn nice to drive, although the LBC skeptic in me is very concerned about axles.
It's mellow, and tractable, and three times faster now.
Yeah, all respect to Keith, but I think the 3600 or 3800 V6 is the perfect size for a BGT. That's exactly what I would have done with a roller.
I'm excited to get back to my BGT swap!
A Ford V8 is also a good fit and has similar power capabilities , but it is a question of just how far you want to go with a small British sports car and the engine that the 3800 was developed from (the all alloy 215 of the 1960s) is also available from the UK in various displacements as it continued to be used by Rover and TVR in various displacements. More power isn't always a good goal - but a balanced end product is.
I considered the later GM V6 for my last swap project, but the 3800 is a 90 deg. V engine and too wide for what I was installing into (MGA chassis has less space laterally than the MGB engine bay) so I went with the older 3.4 60 deg. V6 instead.
wspohn said:More power isn't always a good goal - but a balanced end product is.
A really good point. More power is always welcome, but too much and it's just not enjoyable.
Maybe that's why some engine swaps "work" and some just look like someone wanted to make the fastest, craziest version of a car.
In reply to Colin Wood :
Regarding power,
Some's good
More's better
Too much is just starting to get fun.
wspohn said:A Ford V8 is also a good fit and has similar power capabilities , but it is a question of just how far you want to go with a small British sports car and the engine that the 3800 was developed from (the all alloy 215 of the 1960s) is also available from the UK in various displacements as it continued to be used by Rover and TVR in various displacements. More power isn't always a good goal - but a balanced end product is.
I considered the later GM V6 for my last sp project, but the 3800 is a 90 deg. V engin and too wide for what I was installing into (MGA chassis has less space laterally than the MGB engine bay) so I went with the older 3.4 60 deg. V6 instead.
The engine I'd use would be the all aluminum 4 valve head Six cylinder Jaguar. And yes it comes with an optional supercharger. I'm sure it will fit with a little aide of a shoe horn and it probably doesn't weigh anymore than the cast Iron 4 cylinder. ( the factory fitted a cast Iron 6 and even the V8 )
If you absolutely must use an American engine use the 4200 trailblazer/Envoy
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
I did this in 1997
Engine trans and computer from a 96 Firebird, Original Banjo Rearend
Would like to contact other mgb 3800 conversions
Check the MG Experience
Don Zeigler
dwz5345@gmail,com
Colin Wood said:wspohn said:More power isn't always a good goal - but a balanced end product is.
A really good point. More power is always welcome, but too much and it's just not enjoyable.
Maybe that's why some engine swaps "work" and some just look like someone wanted to make the fastest, craziest version of a car.
Here's the thing - any high power car has the same power as a low power car if you don't open the throttle all the way. So you can have your low power any time you want it. You just have the option of more.
It'll be interesting to see actual wheel weights with full fluids when this is done as a comparison. Autocomman did a lot more restoration work than I had to, but that also means he got to address things I didn't.
Keith Tanner said:Colin Wood said:wspohn said:More power isn't always a good goal - but a balanced end product is.
A really good point. More power is always welcome, but too much and it's just not enjoyable.
Maybe that's why some engine swaps "work" and some just look like someone wanted to make the fastest, craziest version of a car.
Here's the thing - any high power car has the same power as a low power car if you don't open the throttle all the way. So you can have your low power any time you want it. You just have the option of more.
Very true, but for the larger part of the population that lack either the skill to drive a high powered car or the sense of when to use the power, or both, having an excess of power at you fingertips your right foot) is dangerous.
Examples:
A client was a car dealer that customarily dealt in high powered GT cars. One of the salesmen was in a turbo Porsche that a test driver customer managed to nail a telephone pole, backwars, when only a block away from the dealership.
A friend I used to race with had a Canam style sports racer (some of you might know of it - made by Huffaker, called a Genie, and powered by an alloy Olds 215 V8 engine). He had it for sale and arranged for potential buyers to carefully test drive the car at practice nights at our local circuit. Most drivers very carefully took it around to get an idea of handling ans mechanical soundness. One guy jumped int it and spun out before the first turn....and then spun it six more times in one lap of a 1.8 mile circuit. As I recall, he left with my friend, the owner, yelling at hime and brandishing a large wrench at him.
That's why there are 1.6 Miatas and stock engined MGBs, so people with no brains and no concept of throttle control can be protected from themselves.
If you're going to kill yourself with an LS1 MGB GT, you're going to kill yourself with a supercharged 3800 too.
I love the commentary. I started this in my head iwth an LS swap in mind, then saw what it would take to do it and went screw that. Ive never been a huge fan of the 60 degree V6, dunno why, maybe from my service days. It was always just a bleh boring engine in bleh boring cars. the Camaro 3.4 was the highest output of the day with 170hp, and I wanted 200hp for this one. I was originally gonna do an N/A 3800 cause you can get em used for like $400.
Anyway, I agree with too much power. If it just smoked the tires when you mash it, thats no fun and undrivable. I wanna use all the power all the time. The 240hp from this will defiantly be on the too much end with the 14s and stock suspension, but should easily be tamable. I should be really close to stock curb weight, how the split will be? Dunno. Hopefully I can get it on a scale to find out when its all done cause I really wanna know. Anywho, shes back from the body shop, so follow the thread for updates!!
Also, so glad I joined this forum!
It all depends on whether you'd rather have more power than grip or more grip than power :)
Definitely get it on the scales, that will be interesting.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
1200 front 1100 rear
In reply to Zeitek :
Nice. Is that full of fuel?
My LS-powered car is 1233 front, 1143 rear wet.
Um, I think he's guessing at the weight. The car is far from being fully assembled. I'd recommend following the thread as it comes together. I will try to find someone with scales so I can weight it when done, cause I'm curious myself.
Just picked up a Dana 44 with trac loc , researching disk brake options.
Whats the status of the 3800 ?
Current Status of your project ?
73 CJ5 Dana 44 installed, TracLoc 3.31 ratio
Axles redrilled for 4x4.5
Wilwood Early Mustang Disk brake kit
Tr3 Spline Adapters for my Minitor 14" Alloys
MGRV8 4 Pot front brakes
In reply to Zeitek :
Doin an update on the build thread now
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