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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - TD /TF conversion??

Hello has anyone seen a TD/TF conversion??? any idea what might fit??? Please no one scream bloody butcher,,,have friend (he's not a B/S'er) he knows of car in barn definate MG but dosent know if its td or tf,,,It has no engine/no transmission/and as he recalls no rear end..I havent seen it yet but we're going,,(he claims old man wont sell it & it'll sit there till the barn roof falls in on it)probally so,,but gonna go look..thanks..
denny

In the 60's I did several TD-TF Volvo conversions, 1800-2000 motors, some gearboxs had a remote shifter
P1800 I think, and it was possible to put the car back stock, but I never did, in the TD I used a MGA diff,
the TF's were all 1500's so we used the stock rear.
Remember these cars were $100-500 for a nice car then

Bob
BOB FISHER

The Volvo fits well, also the Ford 1600 with transmission is nearly a drop in without the need to butcher the car. (I've seen both swaps) Both give very nice performance. Check the distance between the rear spring centers, I believe that it's the same as the MGA or MGB. If so either rear axle would bolt in. A MGB 1800 should also fit pretty well although I haven't seen one of these installed.
Bill Young

Several years ago (late '80's to early '90s) there was a red TF with a small block Ford that was seen at the University Motors Summer Party in Michigan (it may well have been the year that the TF was the featured car).

Nicely done...but drew a LOT of disgusting looks from the purists.

rick
rick ingram

I bet there are quite a few driver MGB powered TD/TFs. We have one in our club that sports all-MGB running gear. They had to english wheel a clearance bump on one side. Looks like the factory put it there, though.

http://www.britcars.net/WilliamsD2.html

The Volvo swap was popular because of the carbs being on the correct side avoided the hassles with the steering shaft. For those not aware, the intake & exhaust on the T-series is mirror-imaged from the MGA/MGB (as in on the other side of the engine).

The rear diff from an MGA/MGB will not "bolt-in". The spring perches have to be moved & bolt pattern is different. The pumpkin from an MGA/early MGB can be made to fit the TD/TF rear.

Hotrod TD/TFs? Back in the day, no doubt about it! There is a black mgtf 1500 that received a small block Chevy 283 done locally back in 1962. Same guy still owns it.

Dan Masters told me he used to see 'em with flathead Ford V8 power.

Here's my TF. I don't see it getting a flathead Ford, though.
Carl Floyd

"Dan Masters told me he used to see 'em with flathead Ford V8 power."

Phil Hill drove a Ford flathead V8 powered TC in the early fifties. Some of you may be familiar with the name Phil Hill, as he went on to have a moderately successful carreer as a driver (he says, tongue in cheek).
Dan Masters

H'MMMM' A small block v/8 will fit???? Hmmm' thats very interesting (but does it have to be ford??)what about a trusty 215 like in my B ??? I wonder??? anybody out there have any pic's??? The purist's will always wrinkle thier nose at something,,I have been around the Brit bike scene for over 30 years now (same thing there).I will agree I'm guilty of it myself( the chopper thing)sorry,,but I consider it butchering,,but cafe's or bitza's(when done tastefully)I like (thinking of building a Nortski)myself have 850 with no front or rear end.anyway I would think even most purist's when finding out the car had no engine/trans/rearend?? wouldnt want to slap me around,,I would do it tastefully (no blowers thru the hood or rear tires stickin out a foot on either side..)anyway by the sounds of it the old man who has it sounds like (according to my friend) wont sell it come hell or high water,,but I'll go bug him anyway..thanks for your time guys..
denny

One of the Hot Rod Magazine engine swap series books in the 60s-70s had a feature story on a SBF in TF/TD. Seems the more narrow the engine the better so the 215" should work fine. There was also a kit car that looked like a TD but slightly wider in the engine bay in the 70s-80s designed for SBF or SBC.
Boyce

"Seems the more narrow the engine the better so the 215" should work fine."

The Ford 302 is narrower than the 215.
Dan Masters

Denny,

Are you the guy from Ohio that I met in Terre Haute last summer? If so, Hi! Anyway, I have an MG magazine from a couple years ago that has an article about a TC with a rover v8. I can scan it and email it to you if you'd like. It was from Australia, so it might make a difference that the steering was on the other side.

Ryan Reis
Ryan Reis

There was a TD kit car available some years ago that used the Ford 2300 engine and C5 automatic.I saw it at the airport using airport transfers tonbridge in Miami,Florida.

Ryan, you may be thinking of Troy Real from Dayton. He had a TD with a big block Chevy. Ran good at the Dragstrip at Cinncinnati last year. He said he never did open it up all the way. Ran in the 11's I think. He sold it since.
Dann Wade

Darn it, I forgot to look for that magazine when I was home for lunch! Dann, I'm sure the car in my magazine is from Australia and the owner is a guy who road races (or so I recall). I will find it, anyone who wants a copy emailed let me know.

Ryan
Ryan Reis

I knew of a fellow a few years ago that was in the starting stages of a 2.8L V6 conversion here in the states and a few years previous to that a Datsun 510 2.0L I4 which sounds like it would fit even better. If i had one, i would probably have to keep the original driveline if at all reasonable.

-BMC.
BMC Brian McCullough

I'm impressed by all the comments (didnt exspect so many) Hello Ryan ,,no you & I havent met in Terre Haute or any where else but love to see info you might have on t/c with rover v/8,,not worried about creating a monster!!! needs to be tasteful,,useable power,,(driveable)..an improvement on the original,,not a basterdaization (if thats how you spell it ???)to others not sure what a sbf/sbc or ford 2300 is ?? I asume the Datsun 510 2.ol 14 is a 4 cyl.?? I can see that working (the 4 cyl. datsun engines were snappy & well built ) Has to be 4 /5 speed & light (dont wish to get into to many MOD's) with suspension/frame ,,,you know solve one problem create three more,,WHY??? wishing to keep things in the British sense if thats possible when doing a conversion,,I think with my B it worked,,,faster/ funner/ scarier/but still tasteful (love the car!!)Big Blocks,dragstrip's?? probally some useful info. there,,but thats not for me,,Sporting/Backroads/Mountains/twisties/& the occasional cow path,,,I LIKE IT!!!!!anyway havent even seen car yet,,the old guy who has it ,,dosent sound like he'll sell it,, even if Mr. Lucas himself made an offer,,but pretty wound up about it,,may have to continue scearch for c/d/f if this dosent pan out...thanks to all,whou've written...
denny

Denny the Datsun reference is for a L-20b 2.0 litre Inline 4 Cly SOHC. I think a Datsun A-series 1.5 with a 5 speed and its British heritage would be more apropriate.
R J Brown

Well, I found the article in an old issue of MG World. It is a TC from Australia with a rover v8 mated to an mgb 4-speed and using an mgb rear end. Has mgb disc brakes, cycle fenders on front, and the article says he has problems with cooling. Neat car. Denny, if you will email me with your email address I'll send you a copy.
Ryan Reis

There was an article in Excellence Mag (mostly Porsche stuff) about a Fiat 124 conversion into a T series. They used an alfa trany and the conversion was done by the head of Porsche's racing department. Couple page article and a fun read. And he could race with 356's!

Safety Fast
Jeff
Jeff Pintler

This thread was discussed between 26/10/2005 and 04/11/2005

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

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