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Jeb Blanchard's 1961 MGA with a Chevy 4.3L Vortec V-6 engine

Jeb Blanchard · 1961 MGA

MG MGA

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsas published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume XV Issue 1, April 2007

Read the full write-up at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

A 1961 MGA rebuilt around a Chevy 4.3L Vortec V-6

Jeb Blanchard had Custom Magic in Collierville, TN convert his MGA with a Chevy 4.3L V6, a T5 five-speed, and widened fenders to fit 18 inch wheels. The build touched nearly every system on the car, from drivetrain and suspension to a reworked interior and carbon-fiber-look paint, leaving only the heater and front brakes untouched.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
Chevy Vortec 4.3L V6 crate motor, Crane 258/264 degree 0.401"/0.423" lift cam, ProForm 1.6:1 roller rockers, Chevy HEI distributor, aluminum timing cover, billet pulleys, chrome valve covers
Induction
Edelbrock #2111 intake manifold, Edelbrock #1405 500cfm carb, cold air intake with carb bonnet
Exhaust
Custom Magic custom headers ceramic coated by Jet Hot, T-304 stainless steel straight-through mufflers, fuel tank centered for dual exhaust
Cooling
1967 289 Ford Mustang radiator (later replaced with new aluminum radiator), electric fan, stainless radiator hose, swivel water neck, steel flexible hoses to radiator
Transmission
Borg-Warner T5 5-speed (previously an NV3500) with Chevy clutch/pressure plate, custom driveshaft and custom shifter lever
Rear Axle
Chevy 10-bolt from an S10, not narrowed
Suspension
Pontiac Fiero steering column, Borgeson steering linkage, MGB front springs, gas telescoping shocks front and rear, MGC front antisway bars
Brakes
Stock MGA front discs, Chevy S10 rear drums, Ford master cylinder (1.068" piston, up from 7/8"), ECI brake pressure multiplier
Wheels
Privat "Zwanzig" 18x8 5x100mm front and 18x9 5x120mm rear, 40HGR offset
Tyres
215/35R18 front, 275/35R18 rear
Body
Reverse hood scoop, elongated grille, modified front bumper with overriders removed, shaved front turn signals, Blue Dot halogen headlamps with integral signals, suicide doors, carbon fiber mirrors, rear bumper removed, shaved taillights, flush sequential rear turn signals, Frenched license plate with LED lamps, electric remote trunk release, relocated fuel filler with Aston Martin style gas cap…
Paint
BASF Glasurit basecoat/clearcoat in dry blue pearl mica (color 42185), no metal flake, over 100 hours of blocking, wet sanding and buffing; brightwork painted to look like carbon fiber
Interior
New leather upholstery, dashboard moved forward three inches with smooth painted fascia, LED under dash and door lighting, lighted foot pedals, fabricated sheetmetal floorboards and transmission tunnel, extensive insulation
Electrical
Complete rewire with new fuse panel, Dakota Digital Electronic gauge strip replacing Smith analog gauges, lighted toggle switches, Pioneer stereo receiver mounted in trunk with hard-wired remote

Parts used

Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.

Engine 9

Fuel & Ignition 3

  • Chevy HEI distributorChevrolet

    Ignition system for the V6

  • Edelbrock #2111 intake manifoldEdelbrock

    Induction for the V6

    In the shops
    Intake Manifold ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $305.25 USD
    Intake Manifold ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
    Intake Manifold to Head Gasket ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6.40 USD
  • Edelbrock #1405 500cfm carburetorEdelbrock

    Carburetor for the V6

Cooling 6

Gearbox & Drivetrain 6

Suspension & Steering 5

Brakes 4

Wheels & Tyres 4

  • Privat "Zwanzig" 18x8 front wheelsPrivat

    5x100mm 40HGR front wheels

  • Privat "Zwanzig" 18x9 rear wheelsPrivat

    5x120mm 40HGR rear wheels

  • 215/35R18 front tyres

    Fitted to the front wheels

  • 275/35R18 rear tyres

    Fitted to the rear wheels

Body & Trim 8

Interior 5

Electrical 4

Other 1

  • Jet Hot ceramic coatingJet Hot

    Coating applied to the custom headers

Photos

40 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

New aluminum radiator.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
The carburetor is now connected to the air cleaner by rigid metal tubing, painted body-color.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Steel flexible hoses connect the engine to the new radiator.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Borg Warner T5 versus NV 3500.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Privat Zwanzig 18 inch wheelsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Cold air intake using a carb bonnet.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Dakota Digital electronic strip dashboardPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
custom gear shifter for Chevy T5Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
sequential turn signalsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA grille with carbon fiber paint and stainless meshPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA soft topPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Carbon Fiber F-1 mirrorsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Aston Martin fuel capPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Frenched license platePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
nighttime view of the Dakota Digital Electronic gaugesPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Dakota Digital Electronic gauges at nightPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
1961 MGA restoration projectPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Tim Davis, Walter Reynolds, and Doug CrockPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA widened fendersPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA transmission tunnelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA firewallPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA trunk floorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Pontiac Fiero steering columnPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
fabricating tunnel and floorboardsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA tranny tunnelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
custom footboxesPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
billet pulleysPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
electric fanPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
harmonic balancerPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
carb bonnetPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Borgeson steering linkagePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA rack and pinionPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA telecoping shocksPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA rear shock absorberPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA flared fendersPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGA custom dashboardPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
left quarterpanelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
right quarterpanelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
hood scoopPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

How it was done

Starting point

The project began when Tim Davis of Custom Magic asked Jeb what his MGA was missing. Jeb answered reliability and speed, concluding that a stock restoration would not deliver that, so he and Tim began planning a full V6 conversion instead.

Engine and drivetrain

A Chevy Vortec 4.3L V6 crate motor was built up with a Crane cam, roller rockers and HEI distributor, then paired with Edelbrock intake and carb. Power goes through a Borg-Warner T5 five-speed with a Chevy clutch, custom driveshaft and shifter, to an unnarrowed S10 10-bolt rear axle.

Cooling and exhaust

A Mustang radiator with electric fan and stainless hoses handled cooling, later upgraded to a new aluminum radiator with steel flexible hoses. Custom Magic built headers that were ceramic coated, feeding stainless dual exhaust after the fuel tank was centered to make room.

Steering, suspension and brakes

A Pontiac Fiero steering column and Borgeson linkage were fitted along with MGB front springs, gas telescoping shocks all round and MGC antisway bars. Braking stayed with the MGA's stock front discs but added S10 rear drums, a larger Ford master cylinder and an ECI brake pressure multiplier for balance.

Wheels and bodywork

Fitting 18 inch Privat Zwanzig wheels and wide tyres meant widening the fenders, by as much as five inches a side at the rear. The body was further reworked with a reverse hood scoop, elongated grille, shaved lights and bumpers, suicide doors, carbon fiber mirrors and a relocated fuel filler with an Aston Martin style cap.

Interior and electrical

Inside, the dash was moved forward three inches and fitted with a smooth fascia and Dakota Digital gauge strip in place of the original Smith dials. New leather trim, LED lighting, lighted pedals and fabricated floor and tunnel panels completed a car that was also completely rewired with a new fuse panel.

Paint and finish

The body and all brightwork received a BASF Glasurit blue pearl mica basecoat/clearcoat finish, with the brightwork painted to mimic carbon fiber. Over 100 hours went into blocking, wet sanding and buffing before the car was completed in January 2007.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars ↗

Worth knowing

  • A period radiator meant for another car can be a perfect physical fit while still benefiting from a later aluminum upgrade.
  • Switching from an NV3500 to a T5 gearbox gave a far more conventional, usable shifter position.
  • Widening fenders substantially, especially at the rear, is necessary to run much wider wheels and tyres.
  • Keeping the original front disc brakes can still work if the master cylinder and a brake pressure multiplier are matched to the added rear drums.
  • Centering the fuel tank first makes it possible to run proper dual exhaust afterward.

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Jeb Blanchard's 1961 MGA with a Chevy 4.3L Vortec V-6 engine | Restomod Life