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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - 2.8 or 3.1?

I am in the process of gathering parts for my conversion. I want to put a 3.1 60 degree out of a FWD car instead of the 2.8 from a RWD car. Can this be done? What problems will I run into?

I have a T5 out of a Trans Am and it has 2.95 first gear and 0.63 5th gear. I am using the 3.909 stock rear end. I'm not sure if this extra info will help.

Any tips or help will be great, Thanks!

Angelo
Angelo

There is a slug of stuff in the archives about the Chev V6-60 - I realize it's a slog to go through all the chaff, but it's useful homework, and saves repeating the same info on the live BBS. The 2.8, 3.1, and 3.4 liter versions of this engine were all offered in Camaro's and Firebirds at various times, with the larger engines occurring in later model years. In mid-95, GM stopped offering the V6-60 in those cars and the Buick 3.8 V6 (90-degree block) became the base engine.

A sometime contributor to this BBS has a web page offering a FWD conversion kit of parts. He specifies the 3.1, which is the most common FWD version. Try a search under mgbv6. There have been recent (last four weeks or so) postings from him. His price estimates are steep, but look realistic. These things (conversions) are always more complex, time consuming, and expensive than you think. Bill Guzman has a kit for the RWD engines. The FWD engines are lighter in weight (alum. heads), more sophisticated and slightly lower profile than RWD, but prob. require more work to fit into the RWD alignment of the MGB. In my view the RWD engine installation would require less parts chasing than the FWD, unless you want to source the entire kit from the first guy I mentioned - then it's $$$.
Bob Wilson

I have looked at all different types of conversions for the last two years and still have yet to make up my mind which way to go. I have a 215 and two 300's in my garage. The V-6 looks easier, but..... If you want HP in a V-6 the 2.8 stroked to 3.4 looks like the way to go. The estimate I got from ARI that builds these strokers was $2800 for 185 HP. This will easily push the conversion to about $5,000.

The 300 looks very promising for Hp, but would require the heavy mods like the 215 or Rover conversion.

It looks like I may have to settle for less HP in order to afford any conversion at the moment.

Sometimes the 4 cylinder doesn't look so bad. I am just tired of having just about any car on the road smoke me at stop lights!
Michael Wish

You sure can put a front wheel drive motor in your mg.
Check this site out: http://www.killerbv6.com/

Then check out my site: http://www.v6mgb.com I used the 3.4l stroker from ARI mentioned above.
Shawn Kennedy

The FWD Shurly can be done. It is limited to Multi port and sequential port Fuel injection only. The RWD engines can use carburetor, stock, and aftermarket high rise 2 & 4 barrels, TBI, MPFI (not reccomended for hight reasons) and my favorite, SFI.
The FWD is around 25 pounds lighter from the difference in heads, but still has a cast iron block like the RWD. An aluminium block can be purchased from GM for the FWD or RWD conversion.
In order to fit a front wheel drive block, it will cost more and more time will have to be spent if you do not source your parts out from a conversion specialist such as kiilerbv6. (Seems like a great guy to work with!)


On our conversion, we used everything from a 1993-1995 Camaro because we wanted to keep it simple. The only thing we did not use was the camaro shifter, instead, we used a S10 shifter because of its ability to be re-formed and its shorter throw. The fuel pump is a holley Pro-jection higher volume unit.

Check out my website for a fuel injected version of the RWD engine that has from the factory a Distributorless ignition system. (DIS)

http://www.drive.to/bmc.com

And of course as shawns site as mentioned above has wonderful pictures of the RWD V6 with carburetor, he also has a great MG V6 Forum!


Good luck.
Brian Mc Cullough

This thread was discussed between 01/10/2001 and 11/10/2001

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical BBS is active now.