MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - What do you think this fire-crackers worth?

Hi Guys,
I would like some unbiased advise on an engine that Im removing from the TF. My father had removed the original xpeg (the one I am overhauling now) and had a modified xpag fitted. He was going to do the vintage racing circuit here in the UK during his retirement. Unfortunately he died just prior to realising his lifelong dream. My ambition is to return the car back to as I remember it as a kid.
So, in a month or so Ill have a modified xpag engine for sale.

Here is a list of mods:

1. Short stroke steel crank
2. Lightweight steel flywheel
3. Carrillo stile con rods
4. Peugeot cast pistons, next phase was to fit forged pistons
5. Bored block, but not excessive
6. Sports steel cam shaft. Duration to much. Next phase was to fit reduced valve overlap, but high lift cam, as fitted with modified drilling down centre and at each lobe base circle as fitted. This would reduce exhaust heat increase torque and power, because boot pressure is disappearing down exhaust, due to too much valve overlap. At best it produced 143 BHP, but was knocked back for reliability to 134 BHP currently.
7. Light weight followers
8. Aluminium cylinder head.
9. I think they are land rover big valves.
10. Cosworth valve springs + Special profiled rockers fitted to cope with increase lift.
11. Duel water pump. Original feeds block only. Due to blanking of water holes in block and cylinder head. This allows head to lift without blowing head gasket. A regular occurrence. Fiat Strada pump only supplying cylinder head from rear with restriction in pump outlet pipe to restrict excess volume and pressure causing the header tank to fill quicker than flow radiator would allow, causing pressure cap to be exceeded there for loosing water.
12. Ford 1600 5 speed gearbox.
13. Ford 1600 competition clutch assembly.
14. Sprintex super charger, mounted to special manifold. Special drive on flywheel to drive tooth belt charger. Special jockey wheel (with jaguar valve spring) and adjustor to allow take up when engine was cold and allowing for the manifold and super charger to grow because of heat. This was very successful.
15. Special dump valve on inlet manifold made from modified water valve with Jaguar inlet valve, this allows kick back pressure from inlet manifold to exhaust to atmosphere without damaging the supercharger rotor blades. It is not a pressure control valve. Large SU Carburettor, vortexing was experienced due to tight angle of inlet pipe through air filter, attempting to provide cooler air from external of car.
16. Hard steel screw & gears on oil pump and direct oil feed to cam / screw gear to over come wear due to higher oil pressure. Cant remember compression ratio, might be 7:1 or 7.5:1?
17. Even with out low compression ration boost pressure was instant with no lag, like turbo.
18. The torque was great enough to twist the halfshaft spines. New harder half shafts were fitted with no further problems.
19. However the torque loosened the spokes, so new increased spoked wheels fitted.

It really is an absolute fire cracker but I dont think Ill be getting any use from it. I have an interested party who is coming over to see it in a few weeks time. Now, you guessed it, what do you think would be a fair price for it? I realise it can be seen as either a total "one off" or merely as a bastardised engine.
Im not in a great rush to sell it but neither do I want it lying on the garage floor rusting away for the next twenty years.
So, what do you think?

Regards
Jon
j.harrison(at)gmx.co.uk
J Harrison

Peter Edney had a well developed road-race XPAG engine, done by him, on sale on Ebay last week. It was a commission job which the customer had been unable to complete, financially.

He claimed that the parts would cost £7,000, and then there was his time as well.

When I last looked (with about 5 hours to go) the best offer was £5,200. It may have gone much higher in the end.

This may give you an idea of the costs your father incurred, and the market's appetite for an engine such as this.

Oh, the temptation!

IanB
Ian Bowers

Hi Ian, I saw this engine and followed it's sale. It didn't shift from £5200. The one on ebay wasn't supercharged and neither did it come with the 5 speed gearbox included.
Interesting.
Regards
Jon
J Harrison

Jon, did you buy the Edney engine?

I see it is now advertised on Pre-war car for £5,250 alongside a second engine which looks like the one you originally described above.

Life is a bugger when you get the MG disease!

IanB
Ian Bowers

No Ian, I didn't. I've got one too many anyway!
Jon
J Harrison

Ian, can you post a link for the adverts you saw on Pre War Car please?
Many thanks
Jon
J Harrison

This thread was discussed between 28/02/2012 and 29/02/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.