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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Front Brakes

In a Thread title "Rear End Options". The subject of a Volvo rear axle on a MGB was discuss. (Great info)
How about the front brakes. Has anyone used different calipers or rotors on a B.
I am using the cross drilled rotors with Mintex pads(V8) and teflon braided hoses. Great brakes.
Is there any other improvements, bigger rotors, calipers, master cylinder, etc. The goal would be to get more braking surface area.

Any comments.
Thanks Bill
Bill Guzman

Bill see my comment on rear ends!
bob pulleyblank

Hello again Bill & Bob,

I can offer some information here as well. The Volvo 200 series front callipers are 4 piston and supposed to be quite good. There are quite a few guys in Australia running these in conjunction with Nissan 300ZX veltilated discs(I think from the turbo model).

If you want to keep the original uprights, this is supposed to be the way to go. I do not know all of the details about spacers. I believe that a spacer is used on the disc as well as a pair on the callipers.

Perhaps some of the other Aussies who get on line may be able to help. This kit is retailed by a place in Melbourne called MG Workshops (Ph; +61 3 9579 2166).

The parts should be pretty cheap to pick up from one of your "bone yards".

Regards

David
David

David, ypure absolutely right about the front disc brake setup.
MG Workshops do this kit(which is one of the best setups around) and also the rear disc brake setup is off a Nissan as well, probably a Skyline or Pintara im not too sure about that.Be aware that im still using wire wheels so thats why this kit is so good...

Also David, theres a friend of mine who is going to convert my Volvo calipers (which are steel) to Nissan Skyline GTS (Brembo, aluminium)... So ill let everyone know how it goes
Cheers
Steve
Steve Berno

Great information. David, Steve, would like to know more about the kit from MG workshops. The cars you mention are not availble here. The Skyline is an awsomwe car, saw it at the LA car show, It can be bought thruogh a specialty shop here in California $84k 200 + mph Car street legal. I am wondering if does calipers are used on other Nissans here in the USA

Any information you could pass on the brake kit, for all of us here in the USA is greatly appreiated.

Thanks
Bill
Bill Guzman

I read an article yesterday, while watching the Super Bowl, in Kit Car Magazine, March 2000 issue about a company in Georgia, U.S.A. converting an original AC to V-8 ala Cobra. For the front braking system they used MGB spindles and uprights with Camaro ventilated disks and Jag XJ-6 calipers. Has anyone tried the Camaro disks? The person I spoke to claimed the '74-78 Camaro disks would fit (they use the same diameter bearings) with a minimum of machining. They used the Jag calipers because of space limitations. I'm thinking if the Camaro pieces would work, lots of them lying around our junk yards.
Bob Fish

Great info Bob, which Kit car magazine did you read about the brake disc from a camero, there are several.

If this is possible then Wildwood calipers # 102-1055 fit, these are alum. and have greater braking area.

The question is what machining they are talking about.

I am checking with Bear, and Wilwood for a caliper and rotor that could be use on the B. The GM is one piece, hub and rotor. They come in 10" to 11.5" stock
Bear makes one that is 13" this rotors would not fit 15" wheels.
Thanks for the info.
r/ Bill
Bill Guzman

Bill:
The mag is called Kit Car Magazine. Not to be confused with Kit Car Illustrated. The person I spoke to said that the bearing sizes are identical, but the hub area is thicker than the MG and it extends out past the end of the shaft, not allowing the mounting bearing keeper, nut, etc. to be mounted. The extra material needs to be machined off to fit. I have a pair of '86 Camaro disks and will try these when the snow melts and I can get to the "B".
BOB FISH

This is truly great news Bob. I will be leaving the country for a couple of weeks. Upon by return I will investigate this great finding. If you happen to experiment with the rotors you have, please let us know of your findings, the posibilities are fantastic; Corvette rotors, calipers,etc.

Bob Wilson what do you think of this?

Thanks.
r/ Bill G.
Bill Guzman

Stay tuned, i'm just about to finish my brake conversion. It will use Porsche vented rotors, and Wilwood Dynalites, but you could change to any caliper you wanted. I've heard some rumors of wilwoods bending and deflecting during hard use, so I might switch to Porsche 944 Turbo Brembo's. I will still use the MG hub, so I don't have to bother with finding different rims. I should have some pics in a few more days, and i'll post the URL later.
Michael Hartwig

Hi, Bill...been down in your part of the world for a few days (Santa Ynez Valley), so off the BBS.

I only know enough about brakes to leave them to the pro's! In general, tho' I'd be super cautious about mods which don't use OEM pieces that bolt right up, and I'd be nervous changing any clearances, bearing preloads, caliper mounting methods, etc. Brakes are just too critical to safety.

Proven mods only, for me. Up 'til then, I'll just keep the MGB std. pieces in good shape and develop bigger leg muscles...
bobwilson

Michael Hartwig,

How are you handling the problem of changing the rotors from 5 on 130mm to 4 on 4.5 inches? Are you filling the holes and redrilling or are you just redrilling and allowing one of the holes to break-out?

One could possibly machine off the inner portion of the MG hub and weld on a 5 on 130mm rotor carrier or use the aluminum Porsche hub, machine off the outer portion and heliarc on a 4 on 4.5 inch wheel mount.

George B.
George B.

I have machined a 5 to 4 bolt adapter that sits between the rotor and hub. The height (laying the rotor flat on the ground) of the MG rotor is greater than the Porsche rotor. I'm in the process right now of finding the right thickness for the adapter plate. The 5 bolt flange on the Porsche rotor is too big to weld and redrill + you still have to account for the height difference. I would love to use the Porsche hub, that hunk of aluminum is a work of art. I've taken the Fuchs off my brothers 912E to see what they would look like on a B. The look didn't work. Everyone says the minilites look best on my car, so i'm sticking with them. You do know that Porsche and MG wheel bearings are almost identical. I believe I put a porsche hub on the B spindle for testing, but I did not have a rotor on it, so I do not know if the caliper will line up.
Michael Hartwig

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2000 and 08/02/2000

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

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