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  • MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

    I am about to embark on fitting an MGB engine and gearbox to a SWB roadster. Does anyone have any photos of their install, I am very interested in seeing the engine mount area and the tunnel which from reading old messages sounds as though it will require modifying. Any pictures of the footwells so I can judge how much space I will loose would also be good. Also any tips for mounting the box on the tunnel.

    Thanks in advance - I'll photograph my install and write it up for web/club magazine.

  • #2
    Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

    Hi Andy
    I only have experience of this conversion on a LWB roadster, but suggest you see Rob Money MGB gearbox item in Dec 04, if you think I can help you will find my email address there.
    Regards
    Ian

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    • #3
      Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

      Hi thanks for the reply - I have only just bought my car and joined the club - anyone know how I would get hold of a copy of the Dec 04 article suggested by Ian - Thanks

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      • #4
        Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

        Let me have your address and I'll photocopy the article and send to you -my e mail is in 'Pitstop'

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        • #5
          Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

          Andy
          I meant its on this forum dated Dec 04

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          • #6
            Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

            Here are some pics of my conversion (also LWB) including one of how much I had to remove from the floors. Ian was very helpful when I did mine, it gave me that bit of extra confidence knowing it could be done - thanks again Ian.
            Have a look also at the MGB clutch posts on here - I needed an MGB master cylinder for mine but it seems others have got away with the marina one.
            Attached Files

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            • #7
              Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

              Thanks for the pictures - excellent.

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              • #8
                Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                Hi Robert, I've just started fitting an overdrive MGB gearbox and would be interested in seeing the photos of how you did it, if they are still available. Brian.

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                • #9
                  Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                  I completed my install a few years ago - mine was in a SWB so it can be done :-) The biggest challenge with a SWB compared to a LWB is that with the overdrive unit in place the gearbox is long, which means the propshaft is short ! This means the propshaft angle is quite critical to get right. I'll try to dig out a few pics - if you are anywhere near the west the car will be out on the Lands End trial next weekend .....

                  Added some pictures which show the engine reasonably, but can't really find any good ones of the completed gearbox and tunnel area - sorry - I ended up fitting a cross member rather than hanging off the tunnel, which is nice and strong but costs me an inch or two ground clearance.

                  As can be seen in a few of the pics I swapped to the MGB clutch cylinder - cheap from an MG specialist - I seem to remember swapping the forked pedal linkage on the end for the original one which was longer, also had to make a bracket to hold the rubber tube which then connects with copper pipe. Found a picture of the two clutch cylinders - rusty one is the original - I had a 1300 A series in the car originally - pattern of fixing points on MGB was the same just the fork length needed sorting which was an easy swap.

                  As can be seen from the braided hoses in the pictures I also fitted the MGB oil cooler.
                  Attached Files
                  Last edited by andy4; 24-03-13, 10:36 PM.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                    I'm not so sure that the propshaft angle isnt a red herring.
                    I have a Ford Type 9, with a longer tailshaft, mated to a B series and a Dolomite Sprint axle, with a longer nose, so a prop that is around 4" shorter than standard Marina Roadster.
                    Unladen the propshaft hangs down quite steeply but once I am on board it is quite acceptable. On bump stop the prop shaft goes from hanging down, to horizontal, to being angled upwards!
                    MOC member since 05/97
                    1984 Marlin Roadster SWB.
                    1800TC, Unleaded ported head, stage 2 cam. Ford Type 9 gearbox, Dolomite Sprint rear axle fitted with MGF disc brakes.
                    Three core radiator, Renault Clio vented front discs.
                    The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

                    Loads of Marlin Reference can be found documents here or there.

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                    • #11
                      Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                      Agree there is quite a bit of difference unladen and with weight in the back. Perhaps mine is a bit worse as I don't run lowering blocks and have stronger springs as it was built with trialing in mind. I weighed everything I would be carrying on the back and weighted the car down to get a realistic load on the back, then got some help from the propshaft manufacturer ( Chards in Bristol ) to work out the position of the tail of the gearbox.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                        hi Andy,
                        Thanks so much for the trouble you have gone to getting the photos together and assembling the information, like you it's given me a lot of confidence that there is a happy outcome to all the destruction and expense which seems to be the sum of my Marlin ownership so far !

                        It's a pity i didn't see your tunnel photo before as simply bending another sheet of aluminium over the MGBs excess width was the simpler answer to the cutting I had been doing. This was because I'd left the passenger side original to give a reference.

                        Do you remember the size of tube you used for the gearbox cross-member ? Looking at it I'd say it needs to be 2" square or similar. I haven't yet decided to go the cross-member route or to use large inverted "T"s as spreader plates inside the tunnel and rely on the stressed structure. I've got an MGB gearbox cross-member to carve up for the centre mounting when I've decided which way to go.

                        Your engine bay photos were also interesting as my engine had been fitted so far forward that I couldn't use a cooling fan as you have which is to my mind essential with the size of radiators fitted. Also my engine was canted towards the nearside, as far as i could see to get a bit of clearance for the air filters.

                        I can understand your thoughts on prop shaft alignment as Hardy Spicers like to run straight and it is an unusually short shaft that magnifies the problem. One idea that occured to me is to use Constant Velocity joints from a modern front wheel drive which would be a lot more tolerant. Finding the right flange sizes could be a problem though.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                          With regards the fan I had allot of problems last season with overheating which culminated in a new rad. I did however try moving the electric fan to the front of the car between the rad and the grill in order to give me more space, in hind site I think this is a little less efficient and I will at some point move it back, so if you can squeeze the fan inside the bay I would recommend it. these 'B' series engines do run hot.
                          Attached Files

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                          • #14
                            Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                            Hi worth remembering when changing fans from front to rear of rad, make sure wether its a "Pull or Push" fan. Put a push fan in front you will gain nothing....Cheers Chris

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                            • #15
                              Re: MGB Engine and Gearbox Fitting

                              I managed to fit a slim Pacet fan between the rad and the steering rack. Has worked well and seldom comes in except in heavy slow moving traffic or when I overide the thermostat.
                              Attached Files

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