Earl Dickeson's 1977 MGB with Ford 302 V8 Engine

Earl Dickeson's 1977 MGB with Ford 302 V8 Engine

as published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XVIII Issue I, December 2010

Owner: Earl Dickeson
City: Kingman, Arizona
Model: 1977 MGB
Engine: Ford 302cid V8
Conversion by: owner.

Engine: Ford 302cid V8.
Patriot Performance aluminum cylinder heads.
Ford E303 hydraulic roller camshaft.
Ford roller rockers.
Summit Airwind intake manifold.
Powerjection I throttle body electronic fuel injection system.
Ford TFI ("Thick Film Ignition) ignition system.
March serpentine drive belt system.
Cooling: '65 Ford Mustang radiator.
Exhaust: Fast Cars Inc. stainless steel block-hugger headers.
Magnaflow mufflers.
Custom exhaust pipes, including crossover.
Transmission: Borg Warner T5 World Class 5-speed.
McLeod aluminum flywheel.
RAM Performance clutch.
RAM hydraulic release bearing.
Rear axle: Fast Cars Inc. modified Ford 8" rear axle with 3.50:1 gears.
Front Susp.: Fast Cars Inc. coilover front suspension.
Flaming River tilting steering column.
Rear Susp.: stock MGB leaf springs.
Spax telescoping shocks.
Brakes: (master) Corvette master cylinder and 7" booster from Stainless Steel Brake Company.
(front) Wilwood calipers and rotors.
(rear) Wilwood calipers and rotors.
Wheels/Tires: Jegs 15x8 (4.5 offset) wheels.
BF Goodrich TA tires (P205/60/R15 front, P215/70/R15 rear).
Body: Fast Cars Inc. frame stiffeners and transmission mount.
Sebring fender flares.
Rear spoiler.
Moss Motors chrome bumper conversion kit.
Sebring-style headlight covers.
Ford Mustang hood scoop.
New convertible top from Moss Motors.
Paint by Prestige Auto Body and Paint, Kingman Arizona.
Instruments: Dolphin gauges.
Interior: Southern Rod and Parts air conditioning system (for '65 Mustang under-dash installation).
All-new leather upholstery.
Cruise control.
Electric door locks.
Heated seats.
Electric windows.
Boss Frog roll hoops.
Electrical: Delco 108Amp alternator.
Painless Wiring 7-circuit fuse block.
Moss Classic radio.
European style headlights.
Completed: January 2010.
Comments: the Sebring-style flared fenders required extensive modification to install because they were originally designed for the MGB GT model.

Engine Installation

Ford 302cid V8 with Patriot Performance aluminum cylinder heads.
Ford 302cid V8 with Patriot Performance aluminum cylinder heads.

Chevrolet Corvette master cylinder and 7 inch power brake booster.
Chevrolet Corvette master cylinder and 7" power brake booster.

March serpentine drive belt system.
March serpentine drive belt system.

Powerjection I throttle body electronic fuel injection system.
Powerjection I throttle body electronic fuel injection system.

Summit Airwind intake manifold.
Summit Airwind intake manifold.

Fast Cars Inc. stainless steel block-hugger headers.
Fast Cars Inc. stainless steel block-hugger headers.

Magnaflow mufflers and custom exhaust pipes, including crossover.
Magnaflow mufflers and custom exhaust pipes, including crossover.


How It Was Done

Beginning the bodywork.
Beginning the bodywork.

Front fenders removed.They'll be replaced with Sebring-style flared fenders.
Front fenders removed.They'll be replaced with Sebring-style flared fenders.

Empty engine bay.
Empty engine bay.

Painted body, including Sebring flares.
Painted body, including Sebring flares.

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Interior

All-new leather upholstery.
All-new leather upholstery.

Tilting steering column from Flaming River.
Tilting steering column from Flaming River.

Southern Rod and Parts air conditioning system (for '65 Mustang under-dash installation).
Southern Rod and Parts air conditioning system (for '65 Mustang under-dash installation).

Installing the seat belt retractor.
Installing the seat belt retractor.

Fully trimmed trunk.
Fully trimmed trunk.


Exterior

Sebring fender flares.
Sebring fender flares.

Ford Mustang hood scoop.
Ford Mustang hood scoop.

Boss Frog roll hoops.
Boss Frog roll hoops.

Fiberglass spoiler.
Fiberglass spoiler.


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