Road Test
The M.G.-B GT V8
Six years too late, comfortable seating, poor ride, excessive wind noise, fast and economical.
as published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume XV Issue 3, December 2007
Re-printed unedited by exclusive written permission of "Motor Sport".
This article originally appeared in their October 1973 issue.
There are those who say that certain sectors of the British motor industry would have
been in a better state had the formation of the British Leyland Motor Corporation never
occurred. Possibly, but in another respect it might have been an advantage if the merger
had occurred a couple of years earlier than it did in 1968. The Motor Show of 1967 saw
the introduction by the MG Car Company Ltd., then part of British Motor Holdings (the
old BMC plus Jaguar-Daimler) of an ill-conceived and ill-received version of the M.G.-B
fitted with a seven-main-bearing, reduced power version of the four-bearing six-cylinder
engine which had powered the excellent Austin-Healey 3000. On the Rover stand at the same
Show, the Solihull company, part of the Leyland Motor Corporation along with Triumph,
introduced an outstanding 3.5-litre V8 engine into the familiar 3-litre bodyshell.
Within a matter of months that enormous merger took place in which Rover and MG plus
their existing connections found themselves under the one corporate hat of the British
Leyland Motor Corporation. Among the many inheritances to which the then Sir Donald Stokes
succeeded were this unpopular M.G.-C and Rover's light alloy V8. The M.G.-C was stifled
in late 1969 after 4,542 roadsters and 4,457 GT's had been manufactured, while the Rover
engine went on to power the Rover 3500, the Range-Rover, the Morgan Plus 8, and other
more specialized vehicles.
Had the merger taken place earlier shrewd engineers might have seen the possibilities of fitting the compact V8 into the M.G.-B bodyshell and the disastrous M.G.-C might have been stillborn. Certainly after the merger there were engineers at Abingdon who saw the possibilities, men who had experimented previously with fitting Daimler V8 engines into the M.G.-B (including the 4.5 litre power unit from the Magestic Major with, I think, an extra four inches longitudinally in the roadster shell's middle, though this car never ran. Presumably, because the management had been frightened by the M.G.-C debacle, they thought the time was hardly ripe to produce another large-engined M.G.-B, for a Rover-MG mechanical merger failed to transpire.
External differences are limited to the badges, twin door mirrors and Dunlop alloy/steel wheels.
The bigger tyres (175 instead of 165) and one-inch raised suspension make the V8 tower above
the normal GT. Lines are almost dateless, but some detail features are antiquated.
But one day two or three years ago Ken Costello, a former Mini racing driver from
Chislehurst, Kent, arrived at the MG factory to show the aforesaid engineers his
Rover-engined M.G.-B concoction, which he subsequently put into small-quantity
production. Demand for Costello's V8 M.G.-B proved to be quite high, but he was
to strike a problem when his supply of Rover engines from the factory suddenly dried
up. Somehow Costello managed to maintain production, but the reasons for the cessation
of supplies seemed pretty obvious. In August this year MG introduced their own version
of the M.G.-B GT V8, eight years after the introduction of the four-cylinder M.G.-B GT,
five years since MG and Rover became part of the same firm, and six years too late.
Rather than road test this car for the issue immediately after announcement, I
chose to wait until an opportunity for a long continental journey presented itself
and what better than a weekend visit to the ultra-modern Circuit Paul Ricard, east
of Marseille in the South of France, to report a round of the European Touring Car
Championship for our associated weekly journal. In all, nearly 1,900 miles of motoring
of which 1,566 miles were completed in France, and 1,726 miles were added to the Smiths
odometer between leaving our London office on Thursday lunchtime and returning to it
141 hours later.
In between times this remarkable alloy V8 had succeeded in propelling the 110 m.p.h.
body design at cruising speeds of 120 to 130 m.p.h. for miles on end, on one occasion
a 121 m.p.h. average being maintained for almost 100 miles at night and always the
average autoroute speed remained in excess of 105 m.p.h. In spite of this hard usage
the overall fuel consumption worked out at exactly 18 m.p.g. failed to drop below 17
and more representative of what the normal driving customer can expect, averaged 26.3
m.p.g. on one journey of 80 miles which was not on the direct trip, when speeds of
100 to 130 m.p.h. were maintained on an autoroute for 45 per cent of the distance and
most of the remainder was in traffic-jam conditions on a main road hampered by road works.
However, even after this experience I am finding it hard to decide whether I really
like this latest Abingdon product, or more to the point, whether I would choose one
as a replacement for my TR6. It has some excellent attributes, but most of them are
marred by some of its more dated features which I have tolerated in the M.G.-B but
find hard to accept in a car which is brand-new in price (some £600 more than
the 4-cylinder GT) and performance concept, yet is wrapped in the same familiar package.
The package most certainly is the same as the 4-cylinder version, the body being
distinguished only by V8 badges on the grille, left-hand front wing, and left-hand
side of the lift-up tailgate while there is only one exhaust tail-pipe. More
distinctive are the new Dunlop 5J wheels with ventilated cast alloy centres riveted
to chromed steel rims, most attractive and claimed to be the strongest wheels ever
fitted by MG. Like the current M.G.-B wheels they are of 14 in. diameter and have
5J rims, but are fitted with 175 HR 14 tyres rather than the ordinary GT's 165 SR
14 or the roadsters 155 SR 14. The test car was fitted with Goodyear G800 tyres
which when checked at Dover proved to be inflated to the 21 p.s.i. front, 25 p.s.i.
rear pressures recommended for moderate speed, lightly laden conditions, although
British Leyland had been aware that the car was likely to be driven at very high
speed on the continent. Indeed they had kindly fitted yellow beam, correct dipping
headlamps and supplied a too bulky continental touring kit, which incidentally was
left untouched other than for reasons of curiosity, for this new British Leyland
model remained 100 per cent reliable under the sort of duress to which it could have
been forgiven for objecting. Raising the pressures to "gross car weight and sustained
speed" settings of 26 and 32 made the car suitable for the intended high speeds,
slightly reduced for the low-speed steering effort, but had no noticeable effect
on the already extremely hard ride.
Opening the heavy bonnet (nowadays fashioned in steel by Pressed Steel Division
instead of the aluminum of earlier cars, through given the advantage of a self-propping
stay), reveals an awesome sight to 4-cylinder M.G.-B owners or surprised garage
attendants. The Buick Special/Oldsmobile F-85 derived Rover V8 sits in there as
though the body had been molded round it. Closer scrutiny reveals that this has
been far from a shoe-horning job, there being plenty of room to work on the engine
other than the plugs, hidden among the exhaust manifolding down between the air
cleaners. The bulkhead has been slightly modified to make more room and indents
in the inner wheel arches ensure the exhaust don't foul, modifications which will
be inherited by the ordinary M.G.-B shells. A modified cross-member is fitted too,
while twin thermostatically controlled and slightly noisy electric fans in front
of the enlarged radiator allow a reduction in the engine's overall length.
The alloy V8 sits snugly in the four-cylinder's place, surmounted by twin SU carburetters
with an integral float chamber and capped by smart alloy rocker covers.
The 3,528 c.c. (bore and stroke 88.9 x 71.1mm.) V8 engine with an MG octagon
on its left-hand alloy rocker box retains the hydraulic tappets and all the other
features which we have described many times in relation to Rovers. However, European
emissions regulations have forced a reduction in compression ratio from 10.5:1 in
Rover saloon application to 8.25:1 similar to the Range-Rover. Thus, the maximum
power is down from 150b.h.p. DIN at 5,000 r.p.m. to 137 b.h.p. at the same figure,
while 193 lb.ft. DIN torque at only 2,900 r.p.m. is claimed.
An unusual SU carburetter lay-out enables the powerplant to be accommodated
beneath the standard bonnet. The Rover penthouse manifold is dispensed with in
favour of a low-line one which mounts the twin SU HIF 6 (horizontal integral
float chamber) carburetters at the rear of the engine where they are fed through
a single collector box via twin air cleaners. Each air cleaner includes a bi-metallic
valve which draws in warm air from sleeves on the exhaust manifolds when the engine
is cold and draws in cool air when the pot is boiling.
The use of alloy makes the basic V8 weigh 40 lb. less than the 4-cylinder iron
engine, though the addition of an AC-Delco alternator (BL supports GM again -
hopefully this item will be more reliable than the AC-Delco distributor fitted
to the Dolomite) and other ancillaries raise the weight to slightly above that
of the four, to give a front/rear weight ratio of 49.4 per cent/50.6 per cent
compared with 47.8 per cent/52.2 per cent.
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Transmission has been toughened to withstand the torque. Higher intermediate
ratios in the M.G.-C type gearbox match the power characteristics and reduce the
torque load to the box. The gearbox casing is changed to accept a 9.5 in. Borg
and Beck diaphragm spring clutch now with a ballrace withdrawal race instead of
the rapid-wearing carbon bush found on most other British-Leyland cars. Some
measure of the V8's increased capabilities (torque is almost double that of the
four) comes with a change of final drive ratio from 3.91:1 to 3.07:1 to aid which
already high gearing there is a Laycock LH overdrive fitted as standard, operative
on top gear only.
Suspension modifications are remarkably slight. Front and rear suspension is
raised one inch and the necessarily longer front coil springs in the wishbone
suspension are uprated, as are the semi-elliptic leaf springs supporting the live
axle. Dampers are exactly as on the ordinary M.G.-B which means that these lever-type
items are likely to be similarly prone to leakage and doubtless the links on the
rear ones will be similarly prone to breakage, of which I speak from former M.G.-B
owning experience.
Current 4-cylinder M.G.-Bs have considerably more refined cockpits than their
earlier brothers, though the pressed-steel, matt-black fascia remains much the
same and in the V8 version reminds one that one is driving basically an old friend.
However, on the V8 the Abingdon designers have at least retired that ridiculous
hand-pump screenwasher which has been a source of complaint since 1962 and replaced
it with an electric variety operated along with the two-speed wipers and the
overdrive by a stalk on the which has been a source of complaint since 1962 and
replaced it with an electric variety operated along with the two-speed wipers and
the overdrive by a stalk on the which has been a source of complaint since 1962
and replaced it with an electric variety operated along with the two-speed wipers
and the overdrive by a stalk on the which has been a source of complaint since
1962 and replaced it with an electric variety operated along with the two-speed
wipers and the overdrive by a stalk on the which has been a source of complaint
since 1962 and replaced it with an electric variety operated along with the
two-speed wipers and the overdrive by a stalk on the which has been a source of
complaint since 1962 and replaced it with an electric variety operated along with
the two-speed wipers and the overdrive by a stalk on the which has been a source
of complaint since 1962 and replaced it with an electric variety operated along
with the two-speed wipers and the overdrive by a stalk on the which has been a
source of complaint since 1962 and replaced it with an electric variety operated
along with the two-speed wipers and the overdrive by a stalk on the which has
been a source of complaint since 1962 and replaced it with an electric variety
operated along with the two-speed wipers and the overdrive by a stalk on the which
has been a source of complaint since 1962 and replaced it with an electric variety
operated along with the two-speed wipers and the overdrive by a stalk on the
left-hand side of the steering column. Two or three times I managed to flick on
the wipers when flicking the overdrive switch in or out hurriedly and though I
became accustomed to the switch eventually, pulling it towards me to switch in
the overdrive and out to switch it off felt an unnatural action. A gearlever switch
similar to the Triumph-type would be preferable, albeit with an M.G.-B shaped
knob, more suited to the position of the gearlever. Headlight dipping, flashing,
and winking is carried out by a stalk on the right of the column and the horn is
operated by the padded steering wheel boss. The 15.5 in. steering wheel looks,
rather than feels, excessively large on first acquaintance, but I would not
recommend fitting of a smaller one, while the "leather" rim is plastic, yet
comfortable.
Instruments are much the same in layout as before though the tachometer and
140 m.p.h. speedometer are reduced in size from 4 in. to 80mm to accommodate a
collapsible steering column. On a car which is described by name as a Grand Tourer
and is so obviously suited to continental touring, the omission of subsidiary
kilometer markings on the m.p.h. speedometer is nothing sort of disgraceful,
particularly at a time when most European countries are tightening up on speed
restrictions. A poorly-damped fuel gauge lies on the right of the fascia and a
combined oil pressure gauge and water temperature gauge to the left below the
rocker-type master light switch. Instrument lighting is controlled as always by
a rheostat and maximum illumination could be improved.
A moulded plastic central console houses the courtesy-switch operated
interior light, an excellent Radiomobile radio on the test car, switches for
the standard equipment heated rear screen and hazard warning lights, a cigar
lighter, the gaitered gear-lever, an ash-tray and an armrest, with lift-up lid
to reveal a small yet useful locker.
Other interior features are much as on the existing M.G.-B GT: rubber mats
in the front footwells, carpet on the transmission tunnel and side panels, and
rear floor area; fold-down rear seat to provide more luggage space when the GT
is used as the 2-seater which it is forced to be by lack of rear seat room
(although a couple of very young children might be accommodated comfortably
enough); a wide-opening tailgate which is difficult to move from the open position;
two six-volt batteries continue to lie below a panel underneath the rear seat.
Other detailed description of this so-familiar design should be unnecessary.
However, worthy of comment is the astonishing fact that after 11 years in production
the M.G.-B even in this latest V8 GT guise, has no keeps to hold the doors open.
The body design may be aged, but the result remains extremely attractive,
the sort of shape which cuts across any class barriers. However its age and
the stagnation in development since its introduction is indicated by the
extraordinary high level of wind noise, the car's worst feature and the one
deciding point which would cancel my custom. Even as low as 45-50 m.p.h. there
are annoying hisses from the side-window areas, at 70 m.p.h. voice decibels
must be increased to keep up a conversation and above 100 m.p.h. the noise is
almost deafening. That this should be so is a tragedy for what could otherwise
be such a quiet and refined long-distance touring car, for as in its Rover
application the V8 remains smooth, silent and unfussed at all speeds. The root
of the problems seems to be roof guttering rather than the front quarterlights,
which I would not like to see removed, although the standard twin door-mounted
rear-view mirrors (which folded back uselessly at speed) perhaps account for
some of the noise.
There will be some potential customers who will dismiss the V8 GT as
insufficiently distinguished in appearance from the straight-four. As a
standard-production "Q-car" it reigns supreme, however, and left hundreds
of amazed faces across the length of France. Often aggrieved faces too, for
the fashion in which this big-engined M.G.-B disposes of Alfas, most Mercedes
and BMWs and Citroens is remarkable. British Leyland claim conservatively
"120 m.p.h. plus", whereas this particular road test car proved capable of
a true 130 m.p.h., 4 m.p.h. more than another example tested by our weekly
journal for which the performance figures are appended. The tall gearing
gives 28.5 m.p.h. per 1,000 r.p.m. in overdrive top, so 128.25 m.p.h. is
equivalent to a mere 4,500 r.p.m. Indeed on one occasion a gentle downhill
stretch of autoroute saw the speedometer needle playing somewhere around the
imaginary 150 m.p.h. mark and the rev counter into the red, before realization
struck home and the throttle was lifted rapidly.
Straight line acceleration from rest is impressive, but more important
is the tremendous urge which the torque gives in the gears, reminiscent of
six-cylinder E-types. Gearbox ratios are excellent, offering maxima of
approximately 39 m.p.h., 60 m.p.h., 98 m.p.h., and 122 m.p.h. in the gears,
at maximum revs of 5,200 r.p.m., overdrive top being very much an electric
fifth gear on this car, which comes in smoothly but cuts out with a jerk
unless the clutch is dipped. There will always be those who say that the V8
is underpowered in its low compression guise; maybe for the few, but most
owners will find 137 b.h.p. more than adequate.
The gearchange seemed quite happy and positive when rushed with the
engine working hard, yet notchy and with baulking synchromesh when treated
gently. Its worst aspect was an objection to the engagement of first or reverse
from rest. To be fair this car had done but 3,200 miles when delivered and I
would expect the change to be quite pleasant with 10,000 miles of loosening up.
Credit must be given for the highly effective brakes, which were capable
of pulling down this 2,427 lb. car plus two people and luggage from 130 m.p.h.
several times in quick succession without fade, the only sign of hard work
being a slight roughness which disappeared when the brakes had cooled again.
Just a hint of instability under such hard braking showed that the brakes are
rather more advanced than the suspension. Certainly this is one area in which
the B V8 scores over its Datsun 240Z competitor. Surprisingly it has not been
found necessary to fit ventilated discs, though diameter is raised to 10.7 in.
and they are of greater thickness. Rear drums are of 10 in. diameter and a
servo is fitted. Overseas cars will have a twin hydraulic system; the home
market purchaser must make due with a single circuit, a somewhat nonsensical
situation.
Heavy steering has a lot to do with the handling feeling rather ponderous,
a heaviness which fails to disappear at high speed. However, application of
bicep strength is rewarded by positive by positive steering with plenty of
feel and no free-play. Indeed the whole car feels remarkably taut, as indeed
the GT always has. Balance is good, nominally an understeerer but not
excessively so like the M.G.-C with its heavy engine and torsion bar front
suspension. This degree of understeer makes the car stable and safe on fast
bends. Too much application of throttle at the wrong time on low gear tight
bends can provoke understeer or oversteer depending on the attitude of the
car when the throttle is depressed, but in either case lifting off the power
and steering correction returns things to normal. On the whole it seemed a
much less "chuckable" car than the M.G.-B, feeling heavier largely, I would
imagine, because of revised steering geometry; the rack has been moved forward
one inch, reducing the Ackerman angle and making the steering more direct, but
somewhat heavier. One thing the B V8 does retain is the general feeling of
forgiving handling and consequent safety for which the M.G.-B has always been
renowned.
Nylon-covered seats with standard adjustable headrests are exceptionally
comfortable, far removed from the flat leather slabs of the early M.G.-Bs. But
this seat comfort is necessary, for the stiffer rear leaf springs have created
a dreadful ride at moderate speeds and bumps should be avoided for the sake of
one's spine. As speed rises, the ride improves to some extent, on main roads
and motorways at least, but this is one of the worst characteristics of the car.
Heating and ventilation is another bad feature - well, certainly ventilation
which was more to the point during my test. Fascia vents are fitted, but these
are operated only by ram effect, so it was a case of boiling under the hot sun
in South of France traffic. When I owned an M.G.-B I grew used to those A55
heater control knobs on the fascia: to return to them was no pleasure. I would
have thought that a 2,300 pound motor car warranted rather more than a one-speed
heater fan, which is noisy into the bargain and o out of balance on the test car
that at traffic speeds it shook the bulkhead and clutch pedal. A sun-roof would
be a welcome extra, which most M.G.-B GT owners seem to have fitted in any case.
(British V8 editor's note: Judging by group photos taken at MGB GT V8 Register
meetings, sun-roofs were indeed an extremely popular "extra". What did they cost?
We have a University Motors dealer invoice for an MGB GT V8 purchased September 7,
1973 which shows an "installed" price of £103 for a Tudor Webasto Sunroof.)
The M.G.-B GT V8 is an answer to the oft repeated cry for a mass-produced,
reasonably-priced British 2-seater, a neglected field since the demise of the
Daimler SP 250 and the Sunbeam Tiger. But is it the real answer? I think not.
It is not a sports car in the same sense as the aforementioned models, although
a soft-top model might have been more so, but is not to be produced, presumably
for reasons of torsional stiffness. On the other hand it is a fast, but not so
Grand, Tourer. The grandness of the GT is tarnished by the wind noise, the harsh
ride, a 12-gallon petrol tank (alright for the British Isles but requiring rather
too frequent filling when the full performance potential is realized on a
continental trip) and the other more minor dated features. Had the new wine
been put into the old bottle a few years ago and a programme of continuous
development maintained, then MG could have had themselves a world-beater.
As it is, that superb engine and the excellent performance have not received
the justice they deserve. It's a likeable car, but has too many criticisms to
make it covetable. The price of £2,293.96 plus £16.92 for inertia
seat belts is not outlandish, buys many "extras" including tinted glass,
overdrive, heated rear screen, headrests and so on, but also buys many 11-year
old features which could have been designed out. -C.R.
Performance
0-30 m.p.h., 2.8 sec; 0-40 m.p.h., 4.0 sec.; 0-50 m.p.h., 6.5 sec.; 0-60 m.p.h.,
8.6 sec.; 0-70 m.p.h., 12.1 sec.; 0-80 m.p.h., 15.9 sec.; 0-90 m.p.h., 19.8 sec.;
0-100, 26.9 sec. Maximum speed: see above! Fuel consumption: 17-26 m.p.g.
When MotorSport originally published this article, they illustrated it with two photos. The first showed a parked, dark-colored MGB GT V8 with registration plate number "HOH 932L". A second photo showed the engine compartment. We've substituted similar, but newer and clearer photos because our copies of the originals weren't suitably clear. If you can help us locate the original photos, please contact us!
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