Rick Ingram's 1974.5 MGB GT with Bored and Stroked Rover V8

Rick Ingram's 1974.5 MGB GT with Bored and Stroked Rover V8

as published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XIX Issue I, December 2011

Owner: Rick and Jean Ingram
BritishV8 UserID: mowog1
City: Saint Joseph, Illinois
Model: 1974.5 MG MGB GT
Engine: 3.9L Rover V8.
Completed at: Mantell Motorsport

Features and Specifications

Engine: 3.9 litre Rover; bored and stroked by D&D Fabrications to about 5 litres. Buick 300 crankshaft. Ford pistons. Buick 300 aluminum cylinder heads. Crower camshaft. Stock Buick 300 valve train. Buick 215 4-barrel intake manifold. Edelbrock 500cfm 4-barrel carburetor (model 1404). Delco-Remy (Buick) distributor with Pertronix Ignitor. MSD 6AL capacitive discharge ignition. D&D swiveling oil filter adapter.
Cooling: D&D copper and brass radiator. Brass header tank. Electric fan, pulling.
Exhaust: stainless steel RV8-style headers into single exhaust. Magnaflow 20"x6" stainless steel muffler.
Transmission: Borg Warner T5 5-speed, with 0.63:1 fifth gear. D&D bellhousing. Stock MGB master cylinder. Weber HTOB-style slave cylinder. Chevrolet Camaro clutch disc and pressure plate. Prop shaft from Denny's Driveshaft shop in New Jersey.
Rear End: Ford 8" with Auburn posi and 3.27:1 final drive ratio.
Front Susp.: Fast Cars front suspension assembly (standard width).
Rear Susp.: Classic Conversions Engineering four-link w/200# springs.
Brakes: (master) stock MGB master cylinder and power brake booster. Wilwood bias valve.
(front) Wilwood 4-pot brake calipers. Vented and cross-drilled rotors.
(rear) Wilwood 4-pot brake calipers. Solid cross-drilled rotors.
Wheels/Tires: Superlite 8-spoke 15" charcoal-colored aluminum wheels. Goodyear Assurance 205/60 tires.
Electrical: aftermarket Delco 100 amp alternator. Stock lighting. Alpine audio system.
Interior: Autometer gauges. Wood rimmed steering wheel. Pontiac Fiero seats, updated with Mr Mike's upholstry. Nostalgic Air a/c unit with heater/defroster. Advance Auto-Wire wiring kit.
Exterior: mid-1980s Chrysler New Yorker bonnet louvers. Late 1970s Buick LeSabre mirrors. 2002 Chevrolet Blazer third brake light. Two-tone DuPont paint (silver over purple). Special Tuning style front spoiler.
Completed: July 1, 2011.
Comments: persistance overcomes procrastination.


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Pete at Mantell Motorsport specializes in Ford V8 engine conversions for MGB, plus powder coating

Engine Installation

3.9 litre Rover; bored and stroked to about 5 litres.
3.9 litre Rover; bored and stroked to about 5 litres.

Buick 215 intake manifold. Edelbrock model 1404 four barrel carburetor.
Buick 215 intake manifold. Edelbrock model 1404 four barrel carburetor.

D&D copper and brass radiator.
D&D copper and brass radiator.

Aftermarket Delco-style 100 amp alternator.
Aftermarket Delco-style 100 amp alternator.

The MGB's slam panel has been made removeable for serviceability.
The MGB's slam panel has been made removeable for serviceability.

At left: Wilwood brake bias valve. At right: brass coolant header tank.
At left: Wilwood brake bias valve. At right: brass coolant header tank.

D&D bellhousing. Weber HTOB-style slave cylinder.
D&D bellhousing. Weber HTOB-style slave cylinder.

Stainless steel RV8-style exhaust headers.
Stainless steel RV8-style through-the-wing, 4-into-1 exhaust headers.

The headers come down through skirted openings in the inner wings.
The headers come down through skirted openings in the inner wings.

Transmission crossmember, and an adapter for the T5 transmission (in body color!)
Transmission crossmember, and an adapter for the T5 transmission (in body color!)

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Front Suspension

Fast Cars front suspension assembly (standard width).
Fast Cars front suspension assembly (standard width).


 Please support the sponsoring companies who make BritishV8 possible, including:
Bill Young's Service Garage of Kansas City Missouri, where SERVICE has been a family tradition since 1918

Rear Suspension

Ford 8 inch with Auburn posi and 3.27:1 final drive ratio.
Ford 8" with Auburn posi and 3.27:1 final drive ratio.

Magnaflow 20x6 stainless steel muffler.
Magnaflow 20"x6" stainless steel muffler.

Classic Conversion four-link rear suspension with 200# springs.
Classic Conversions Engineering four-link rear suspension with 200# (GT-spec) springs.


Archival Footage

Stripped down rubber bumper MGB GT.
Stripped down rubber bumper MGB GT.

Rust repair in process.
Rust repair in process.

Jean supervises as the body comes back together.
Jean supervises as the body comes back together.

Careful trial installation of the Rover V8 engine.
Careful trial installation of the Rover V8 engine.

Trial installation of the radiator on its newly fabricated bracketry.
Trial installation of the radiator on its newly fabricated bracketry.

Interior

Generous application of Dynamat foil covered sound-deadening mastic.
Generous application of Dynamat foil covered sound-deadening mastic.

Advance Auto-Wire wiring kit.
Advance Auto-Wire wiring kit.

Air conditioning ducts.
Air conditioning ducts.

Autometer gauges.
Autometer gauges.

MSD 6AL multi-spark capacitive discharge ignition controller.
MSD 6AL multi-spark capacitive discharge ignition controller.


Exterior

Mid-1980s Chrysler New Yorker bonnet louvers.
Mid-1980s Chrysler New Yorker bonnet louvers.

Late 1970s Buick LeSabre mirrors.
Late 1970s Buick LeSabre mirrors.

2002 Chevrolet Blazer third brake light.
2002 Chevrolet Blazer third brake light.

Illuminated light emiting diodes.
Illuminated light emiting diodes.

Two-tone DuPont paint (silver over purple).
Two-tone DuPont paint (silver over purple).

Superlite 8-spoke 15 inch aluminum wheels. Goodyear Assurance 205/60 tires.
Superlite 8-spoke 15" aluminum wheels. Goodyear Assurance 205/60 tires.

Illinois - 74 BGT - Land of Lincoln
Illinois - 74 BGT - Land of Lincoln


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