Robert Milner's 1967 MGB-GT with Rover/Buick 293cid V8
Owner: Robert Milner
City: Manteca, CA
Model: 1967 MGB/GT
Engine: Rover/Buick 293cid V8 (built by D&D)
| Engine: | Offenhauser intake manifold and valve covers, Isky cam, custom headers (soon to be redone). |
| Transmission: | T-5 5 speed. |
| Clutch: | Centerforce. |
| Tires/Wheels: | 1989 Jaguar XJS wheels, BF Goodrich g-force T/A tires. |
| Front suspension: | Fast Cars Inc. |
| Rear suspension: | Fibreglass springs, tube shocks. |
| Cooling: | custom aluminum radiator (by Air Mobile, AZ), Sidewinder electric fan. |
| Rear end: | 1969 MGC (3.07:1), open differential. |
| Brakes: | Wilwood Vented Rotors and 4-pot calipers (front) / MGC (rear). |
| Instruments: | Stock. |
| Body/interior mods: | air conditioning, cup holders (ex. Toyota, they're hidden in the old speaker console),
Les Leston steering wheel. |
| Weight: | 2218 pounds. |
| Date Completed: | Never. (Started 1978.) |
| Miles Driven: | About 150,000 as of the British V8 2006 meet. Editor's Note: Robert and Susan drove approximately 6500 miles round trip to attend the meet! |
Sidewinder electric fan
air conditioning system cover made from MGB master-cylinder covers
spark plug wire routing, and pre-RV8 through-the-inner-fender headers
access cover for electrical center (fuseblock, etc.)
compact air conditioning compressor
convenient and serviceable location for AC receiver-drier
very discrete looking air conditioning vents, and cute love-bird mascots on dashboard brow
(NOTICE: the parking brake on this car actually works, so don't forget to disengage it!)
dead pedal, foot-operated high-beam switch, clutch pedal extension...
nifty tuck-away cup-holders (ex: Toyota)
1989 Jaguar XJS wheels
This "How It Was Done" article was originally published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume 3 Issue 1.
Most of the car's specifications have changed, but it's included here for historical reference.
Owner: Robert Milner
City: Brentwood, CA
Model: 1967 MGB/GT
Engine: Buick 215 V8
| Donor Car: | 1962 Buick Special |
| Engine: | balanced, line-bored, Kenne-Bell camshaft, high volume oil pump, Offenhauser intake manifold
and valve covers. 100% California smog legal. Ceramic exhaust wrap on headers. |
| Transmission: | 1985 Borg-Warner T-5 5 speed overdrive manual from a Camaro. This is the fourth transmission
in this conversion. 1st: two speed automatic. 2nd: Muncie 4-speed. (Note: couldn't get the
shifter boot worked out, and wanted the overdrive 5th speed.) 3rd: T-50 Borg-Warner. (Note:
awful box! Notchy, and couldn't get rebuild parts.) The T-5 is great and I have installed the
original shifter, boot and trim ring. |
| Bellhousing: | stock Buick, found at junkyard for $25. Have two others but they are somewhat different. The
one I used has a removable bottom section which is necessary for the hydraulic throw-out bearing.
|
| Clutch slave cylinder: | used a hydraulic throw-out bearing, which eliminated the standard bearing retainer/throw-out
arm. This simplified the installation and solved clearance problems. I used the McLeod bearing.
I would use a Tilton adjustable if repeating installation. |
| Clutch: | stock Buick. Had to have a special clutch disc made with a 21-spline center to fit the
input shaft of the T-5. (AES of Oakland: $30.) |
| Flywheel: | stock Buick |
| Exhaust system: | Headers were home-made with parts from "Headers by Ed" (Minneapolis, MN 612-729-2802). They
have flanges, custom collectors, and have all U-bends and miscellaneous parts to make any
header for any service. Mine are not a tuned length and are not equal length because of
restricted space. They exit out the inner fenders (sounds awful) because of the early body.
They "Y" at the transmission to a single 2 1/2" pipe in the original location. |
| Tires/Wheels: | 195/60-15 on spline drive repro Minilites (5.5" by 15"). |
| Front suspension: | Moss coil-over system. |
| Rear suspension: | Moss supplied Monroe tube shocks. I am planning on fitting a set of composite leaf springs
that Doug Jackson of British Automotive (415-883-7200) makes. Doug also manufactures a
Panhard rod for the MGB. |
| Radiator/Cooling system: | custom made 12" by 18" 4-row with twin 8" electric fans. I originally had one 12" fan and
cooling was marginal. |
| Rear end: | 3.07:1 stock MGC. With the T-5 5th speed overdrive the gearing is 30mph/1000rpm. |
| Instruments: | Stewart Warner speedometer, tachometer, oil temperature, oil pressure, voltage meter, and
clock. Stock fuel gauge. |
| Notes: | Never convert an early car. Use a rubber bumper car with the revised engine compartment.
Use the Buick short shaft water pump, which saves about 5/8" in front of the engine.
Use the Buick metric V6 oil pump base which exits at an angle. |
| Cost: | about $11,000 less car. |
