Barrie Robinson's MGB-GT V8

Barrie Robinson's 1970 MGB-GT with Rover 3.5 liter V8 Engine

(Originally published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume 14 Issue 1. Updated 9/2007.)

Owners: Barrie & Anne Robinson
City: Barrie, Ontario
Model: MGB GT 1970
Engine: Rover 3.5 liter V8

The Saga: after years of battling wind, rain, snow, sleet & monstrous lorries in a 1970 MGB GT it was decided a little more oomph was required. Some eight years have passed since then. What started as a 'driver' project turned into an OMG-expensive project. Finances were secured by lying, cheating, robbing banks, selling other cars, pleading, purveying some motor-car goodies to those similarly inclined and occasional windfalls, as well as empty beer bottle collections.
Body: a purchased 1970 body shell was chemically cleaned. Professionally modified engine bay. Professionally fitted new panels, door skins and fettling. Tunnel enlarged with FBH to accommodate SD1 gearbox. Professionally painted inside and out. Internal panels rustproof with Dinol. New windshield and door windows fitted. Re-chromed brightwork including bumpers. Custom made stainless steel mesh grill (which I now sell!).
Paint: Austin Healey Metallic Golden two-pack paint (exterior). The interior and underside were painted in a high grade rustproof one-stage paint. Suspension components including springs, axle housing, bars, brackets, and sundry, were all powder-painted black.
Engine: Rover 3.5 liter V8 rebuilt by the Ministry of Defense UK with all original Rover parts. RPi Engineering of UK modified with 10:1 pistons, composite head gasket, mild cam, mains bearing kit and duplex timing chain. New electric Modprod FP503E fuel pump and cupro-nickel lines. Custom heater ball valve. Glenn Towery A/C engine mounts. D&D Fabrication 'on-block' oil filter. Ted Schumacher high torque starter. The Lucas alternator failed in 2007 and was replaced with a Delco.
Intake: Edelbrock 2198, with 500 cfm Weber (Edelbrock 1404) four-barrel carburetor and manual choke. Modified 14" air filter to get better clearance.
Ignition: sports coil. Standard Rover V8 distributor with Pertronix conversion
Transmission: "better than world class" SD1 5 speed gearbox and custom Spicer-Hardy prop shaft. High grade helicopter fasteners. Shortened gear lever.
Clutch: standard Rover V8 SD1
Cooling: custom aluminium radiator from Howe Racing. (Barrie originally fitted a D&D Fabrications heavy-duty radiator, but upgraded for additional capacity in 2007.) Shortened standard water pump. Single puller 2,950 cfm Perma-Cool 14-inch electric radiator fan. Custom water hoses made by Goodyear.
Exhaust: ceramic coated Australian through-the-wings stainless steel 4-2-1 headers. Single stainless silencer on tuned custom 2 1/4-inch pipe with crossover. All connected by special flanges to ease replacement.
Rear Axle: standard MGB casing with 3.07 Satur gears.
Front Susp.: standard Armstrong knee-action shocks rebuilt by Apple Hydraulics. 5/8 Hopkins anti-sway bar. Polyurethane bushings from TS Imports. New springs
Rear Susp.: Australian Monroe vertical tube shock system with integrated traction bars. Polyurethane bushings. Re-furbished springs. Hopkins antisway bar.
Brakes: MGB V8 rotors with composite Triumph 2500 and MGB calipers. Later model vacuum assist fitted with new master and reservoir. New rear drum wheel cylinders fitted with re-lined shoes. All lines replaced with cupro-nickel pipe and stainless steel flexible hoses.
Wheels: Dayton stainless steel 14-inch 72 spoke wire wheels. 185/70/14 Affinity Firestone tyres.
Interior: '77-'80 style re-covered dash. TR8 tachometer mounted in MGB body. Prestige Autotrim leather seats and carpet kit. Custom made highperformance sound deadening kit. Custom headliner. Moto-Lite steering wheel.
Electrical: custom made to Dan Master's specifications (see British V8 Newsletter May-Aug 2001). Control box mounted under right side dash.
Est. Cost: totally unreasonable
Completion: test run June 2005. Roadworthy Sept 2005.
Suppliers: RPi Engineering UK, Ted Schumacher, Glenn Towery, Summit Racing, D&D Fabrications, Canadian Tire, Apple Hydraulics, British Wiring, Little British Car Co, Martin McGregor, Cambridge Custom Chrome, Auto-Glass of Barrie, Prestige Autotrim and Fastenal
Notes: what would I do differently next time? Oh grasshopper! So many things!!!

Barrie Robinson's MGB-GT V8

Barrie upgraded to this aluminum radiator and a Delco alternator in 2007.
(Barrie upgraded to this aluminum radiator and a Delco alternator in 2007.)

Ceramic coated Australian through-the-wings stainless steel 4-2-1 headers.

modified rv8 style tri-y headers


flanged couplings facilitate easy header installation

Barrie Robinson's MGB-GT V8

Dayton wire wheel


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