Think I am beginning to change my mind again

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:08 am

ppyvabw wrote:Thanks Kev, There's some nice motors in these links peeps are sending me.

Just looking at this link http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/conversio ... -gt-2.html and if that's the final engine position in the 3rd pic there's gonna be some serious meat coming out of the front cross member I reckon. Exhausts have to go through the wheel arch, no doubt about it. If I'm going to the trouble of modding the cross member anyway I'll do a coil over conversion on the front.

Does anyone know about the back axle? Will the b axle take it or will it be a totally different one? Getting it shortened aint a problem if I have to use a different axle, but which one would I use? Some 4*4 axle and a change of ratio or something?

What ratio do you have in the axle at the moment, The tube axle, Salisbury is pretty tough, the weak point are the spider gears but if you fit a Quaiffe dif this would overcome that problem.

Engine wise a pretty good deal at the moment is a new Coscast 4.6 block crank and pistons fro RPI they have knocked £600.00 off and are selling them for £1700.00 add a cam and a decent pair of heads and you've the basis of a nice engine for not too much money.

Suspension, a standard modified front end can be made to work at little cost or you can upgrade to a full coil over system, Bill Guzman Classic Conversions in the states does a nice front end at reasonable money, and his four link rear end is also very good and not expensive, but you may need to wait for the exchange rate to improve a bit.

Hoyles kits in the UK have a good reputation but are a bit pricey especially his IRS which with all the bits can be £3500.00 !

I did a lot of research on suspension when I built my car so if you need any more info just ask.

I am still very tempted to fit a Jaguar IRS in my car, it can be done with all rebuilt components for approx £1800.00

My interim solution was to fit a pair of the good quality reverse spring eye rear springs rated at 110lb for the GT, these are excellent and give good compliance with very good handling with the Monroe telscopics which were already fitted to the car, don't be tempted to buy Spax as they do not seem to be well matched to the car.

Exhaust, the MG RV8 from MGB Hive in stainless steel is very good value and said to release 10 - 13 BHP in comparison to block huggers, approx £400.00 for a complete big bore 2 1/2" ? system.

Hope thats a help,

Kevin.

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:36 am

It's the standard mgb ratio for 1979, is it 3.9:1? I forget.

It's got bloody huge wheels on though which makes up for it a bit. I have my own 2.5" exhaust system I made, it's on its way out tho so I'll soon be making a nice stainless one soon anyway. Exhausts through the arches would be nice but I didn't do that originally cos it does tend to let poo and crud in to the engine bay I expect. With a ford, I'd have no option though. Might do it even if I stick with another rover for it.

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:40 am

CastleMGBV8 wrote: Engine wise a pretty good deal at the moment is a new Coscast 4.6 block crank and pistons fro RPI they have knocked £600.00 off and are selling them for £1700.00 add a cam and a decent pair of heads and you've the basis of a nice engine for not too much money.

Kevin.

I still strongly disagree with that statement, in terms of 'a good deal' anyway - yes it's a good deal if you want a new engine, but why bother? Save yourself £700 and get a slipped-4.6 block, then top-hat it with ARPs = about as bullet proof as an RV8 you're gonna get.

As for the rest, I'm in a similar position in terms of research on suspension etc. to Kevin. Hoyle do a very similar front coilover set up to Bill Guzman, which given the exchange rate with the US at the moment is good value.

The classic conversions kit is very good from what I hear, and I'm buying one as soon as the exchange rate picks up.

IMO and IRS for an MGB is just too expensive for the performance benefits - I'll only consider one when I build/fit my new engine, and even then i'm thinking that you could custom make an IRS set up cheaper than the Hoyle one!

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:15 pm

Olly,

Just do the maths, a brand new Coscast block on it's own £1150 inc VAT and a brand new crank rods and piston all for £1700.00 has got to be good value.

If they had been available at that price when I started building my new engine, I know what I would have done and with 4.0 pistons it would have worked very nicely with my Buick 300 heads. From memory you get a three year guarantee on the block.

Kevin.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:25 pm

If you only want 400 bhp from a chevy then its £250 (4 bolt mains roller cam) for the engine core (well mine was anyway) £600 for the machining work to a very high spec, re use the crank rods and pistons get new shells and rings and a decent set of heads (£800 to 950) and a new cam £175 and off you go.
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 1:31 pm

CastleMGBV8 wrote:Olly,

Just do the maths, a brand new Coscast block on it's own £1150 inc VAT and a brand new crank rods and piston all for £1700.00 has got to be good value.

If they had been available at that price when I started building my new engine, I know what I would have done and with 4.0 pistons it would have worked very nicely with my Buick 300 heads. From memory you get a three year guarantee on the block.

Kevin.

*sigh*

I resent the fact I keep having to say this, and the fact you seem to think my maths is rubbish or that I don't listen! I think double masters in engineering and geology suffices?

Like I said, if you're in the market for a new engine then yes it's a 'good' deal. But is is still the same design and still potentially has the same issues as the old blocks - like I said in another thread they've not been around enough yet for a decent comparison. What happens when one drops a liner?

In the grand scheme of things, I bought a 4.6 short engine complete for £50 with slipped liners; and they're all over the place. Top Hats = £800, ARPs rods/mains say £200, plus bearings/gaskets, say £100. That's no more than £1200 for a solid engine with ARPs, Clevite bearings and top hats, which is £500 cheaper than the new cos-cast which uses standard bearings, standard bolts and standard liners.

And given the fact that people like us are more likely to give it abuse than Joe Public, I know where my money would go!!! hehe

With all due respect I'm not discussing this further because I'll only get into trouble again.

*edit* just seen the 3 yr guarantee on the block - that is impressive - but I'd like to see them stand by that when one fails!

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:29 pm

Whilst having a bit of a surf, found this http://london.craigslist.co.uk/pts/949807426.html
Don't know anything about it apart from If you are looking for cheep power and it is still for sale I would consider it seriously. I am assuming that date is 8th december 08 not 12th August.
Mike

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:43 pm

chodjinn wrote:
CastleMGBV8 wrote:Olly,

Just do the maths, a brand new Coscast block on it's own £1150 inc VAT and a brand new crank rods and piston all for £1700.00 has got to be good value.

If they had been available at that price when I started building my new engine, I know what I would have done and with 4.0 pistons it would have worked very nicely with my Buick 300 heads. From memory you get a three year guarantee on the block.

Kevin.
*sigh*

I resent the fact I keep having to say this, and the fact you seem to think my maths is rubbish or that I don't listen! I think double masters in engineering and geology suffices?

Like I said, if you're in the market for a new engine then yes it's a 'good' deal. But is is still the same design and still potentially has the same issues as the old blocks - like I said in another thread they've not been around enough yet for a decent comparison. What happens when one drops a liner?

In the grand scheme of things, I bought a 4.6 short engine complete for £50 with slipped liners; and they're all over the place. Top Hats = £800, ARPs rods/mains say £200, plus bearings/gaskets, say £100. That's no more than £1200 for a solid engine with ARPs, Clevite bearings and top hats, which is £500 cheaper than the new cos-cast which uses standard bearings, standard bolts and standard liners.

And given the fact that people like us are more likely to give it abuse than Joe Public, I know where my money would go!!! hehe

With all due respect I'm not discussing this further because I'll only get into trouble again.

*edit* just seen the 3 yr guarantee on the block - that is impressive - but I'd like to see them stand by that when one fails!

You guys fighting again? Turner engineering do a 3 year guarantee on their top hat conversion too.

Hoyle do a very similar front coilover set up to Bill Guzman, which given the exchange rate with the US at the moment is good value.

I'm sure I have seen plans on the net somewhere to make a front coil over jobba with measurements and everything, I'll try to remember where.[/quote]

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:39 am

I'd be interested to see those plans mate!

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:53 am

chodjinn wrote:I'd be interested to see those plans mate!

That was probably Nick Smallwoods car where he grafted on a Jaguar front end.

He had a lot of problems as the geometry although designed by a race car suspension designer, turned out to be all wrong, his web site seems to have disappeared.

Front suspension kits are available From, Hoyle, Moss which I have, Fast Cars in US, Classic Conversions Bill Guzman in US, and I think Frontline Costello do a front kit along with their own 5 link rear end.

Ppyw
What is your name?

Re brakes for the front end, I used a pair of SD1 4 pot calipers which bolt straight on with a set of sleeves for the bolt holes which are available from V8 Conversions.

Kevin.

Kevin.

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:11 pm

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:49 pm

Found them plans....Forgive me if it's anyone from on here though.

http://www.vord.net/cars/mgb_mods/updates.html

under 'front suspension' there's a couple of links.

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:51 pm

ppyvabw wrote:Found them plans....Forgive me if it's anyone from on here though.

http://www.vord.net/cars/mgb_mods/updates.html

under 'front suspension' there's a couple of links.

yeah i had the guys email ages and ages ago, he promised to send me the details of the rear link conversion but they never materialised and he's not answered emails since. He sold the car a long time ago.

Good conversion though!

BadgerV8 · Post by **BadgerV8** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:34 pm

chodjinn wrote:
*sigh*

I have to agree, I would not do the new rover route again.

The concept of "new" being better doesn't seem to apply to engines. (Certainly not Rovers!)

ppyvabw · Post by **ppyvabw** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:37 pm

The wildcat blocks look a bit cool though, completely redesigned. 6 bolt mains and go up to 6 litres.

And six figures presumably