Mike Maloney's 1974 MGB-GT with 3.9L Rover V8

Mike Maloney's 1974 MGB-GT with 3.9L Rover V8

as published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XVI Issue 2, October 2008

Owner: Mike Maloney
BritishV8 UserID: RMO_699F
City: Tipp City, OH
Model: 1974 MGB-GT
Engine: Rover 3.9 V8
Conversion by: Tom Hoagland

(as photographed at British V8 2008 in Port Washington, WI and British V8 2016 in Townsend, TN)

Engine: Rover 3.9L V8 rebuilt with 9.35:1 compression ratio pistons (stock bore) and a 10-10 grind on the crankshaft. Crower 50230 camshaft. Duplex timing chain. Upgraded oil pump. Remote oil filter. Buick four-barrel intake manifold. Edelbrock 500 carburetor. Pertronix "Ignitor" breakerless ignition. Pertronix "Flame Thrower" coil. Delco-Remy alternator.
Cooling: later model ("rubber-bumper") MGB radiator with inlet and outlet ports repositioned (i.e. the original port locations are blanked off.) Spal electric cooling fan (pushing).
Exhaust: MG RV8-style (through-the-apron) 4-into-1 headers going into a single muffler.
Transmission: Borg-Warner T5 (nwc) 5-speed, with 0.073:1 fifth gear. 10" clutch with McLeod HTOB. Custom driveshaft.
Rear Axle: Clive Wheatley 3.07:1 CW&P installed in the MGB axle. (0.218 thousandths removed from original MGB carrier.)
Front Susp.: standard, with castor reduction wedges fitted (to reduce steering effort).
Rear Susp.: standard, with tube shocks in lieu of lever shocks.
Brakes: standard MGB brakes.
Wheels/Tires: Konig "Rewind" 8-spoke aluminum wheels, 15x7 with zero offset.
Body: Complete MGC-GT "Sebring" body kit, including fiberglass flared fenders and valances.
Interior: Mountney 14" steering wheel.
Electrical: MGB wiring harness, refurbished. Two 12V batteries hooked up in parallel with separate grounds, in original battery boxes.
Completed: 5/1/2007. Approximately 3,000 miles driven as of British V8 2008.
Comments: I originally purchased this car from a Ford dealer in San Angelo Texas. The previous owner had traded it in on a "150" pickup! It came with the Sebring body kit and also had a fiberglass MGC hood with an extra hood scoop. (It now has standard MGC hood.) I originally installed a Chevy 4.3L V6 obtained from a 1988 Astro minivan. It ran with a 3-speed automatic. The V6 headers were piece cut and tack-welded from three complete sets of tubular Astro van headers. I never was happy with this arrangement and when Tom Hoagland offered to install the 3.9 V8 in 2007, I jumped at the chance. The Clive Wheatley 3.07 CW&P was installed by Babbitt Bearing in Columbus, Ohio. I highly recommend these folks.

Rover 3.9 aluminum engine

Edelbrock 500cfm four barrel carburetor

Delco alternator

torque rod to subdue engine rotation

modified MGB radiator, with Spal electric fan

remote oil filter

through-the-fender headers

header slip coupling

muffler

Enjoying this article? Our magazine is funded through the generous support of readers like you!
To contribute to our operating budget,  please click here and follow the instructions.
(Suggested contribution is twenty bucks per year. Feel free to give more!)


MGB GT interior with Mountney steering wheel

MGC hood



MGB GT license plate

MG V8

rear quarter windows in vented position

Sebring flares
Konig Rewind 8-spoke aluminum wheels.


New Compomotive ML wheels in optional black finish. (2016)
New Compomotive ML 8-spoke wheels in optional black finish. (2016)


(2106)

Photos by Curtis Jacobson for BritishV8.org. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. Use by written permission only. (Do not print, copy to your hard drive, or post these online without permission.)


British V8 Home:        Read the Magazine        Photo Gallery        Web Forum        Annual Meets        Contact Us        Site Map