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John Mangles's 1958 MGA with Buick 215 V8 Engine

John Mangles · 1958 MGA

MG MGA

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsBritish V8 Newsletter, Volume XIV Issue 2, August 2006

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

1958 MGA converted to Buick 215 V8 power by John Mangles

John Mangles, known as "The MG Doc," rebuilt his 1958 MGA around a Buick 215 V8 using mostly stock and shelf parts so that roadside repairs could come from a regular auto parts store. The car combines a Borg Warner T5 gearbox, a narrowed Volvo 240 rear axle, and MGB running gear, finished with custom bodywork details and a hand-mixed aubergine paint colour. It was completed in August 2005 and had covered about 10,000 miles by the time of the 2006 British V8 meet.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
Buick 215 V8
Intake
Stock Buick manifold, Edelbrock 500cfm carburetor, custom ductwork to K&N filter
Engine Electrical
Delco-Remy alternator from a GMC Astro van, stock Buick ignition and starter systems
Cooling
MGB radiator with replaced high efficiency core and over-sized ports
Exhaust
Block hugger headers and custom exhaust
Transmission
Borg Warner T5 5-speed with GM hydraulic slave cylinder
Rear axle
Volvo 240 (Dana 30), narrowed about 5 inches, with limited slip differential
Driveshaft
Custom, half Volvo and half GM
Front suspension
Stock MGB
Rear suspension
Stock MGA
Brakes
MGB brake/clutch master cylinder assembly, MGB front discs, Volvo rear discs
Wheels/Tires
Minilite 15x5.5 inch wheels with Toyo 300 Ultra tires
Completed
August 2005
Miles Since Conversion
Approximately 10,000 as of the 2006 British V8 meet

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 2

Fuel & Ignition 2

  • Edelbrock 500cfm carburetorEdelbrock

    Paired with the stock Buick intake manifold

  • K&N air filterK&N

    Fed by a custom hammer-formed steel intake duct

Cooling 1

Gearbox & Drivetrain 3

Suspension & Steering 2

Brakes 3

Wheels & Tyres 2

Body & Trim 3

  • Louvered hood

    Custom hood louvers added for styling and heat extraction

    In the shops
    Reproduction Louvered Hood Vent Set, 77-78 280Z ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $359.87
  • Stainless steel mesh grille

    Custom grille fitted to the front of the car

    In the shops
    Mesh Grille Insert ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $179.00 USD
    Mesh Grille Insert ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $179.00 USD
    Mesh Grille Insert ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £190.25 GBP
  • Custom aubergine paint

    Deep eggplant color formulated with a local paint supplier

Interior 3

Electrical 4

Photos

12 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.

John Mangles's 1958 MGA with Buick 215 V8 EnginePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Call The MG Doc, John Mangles, for top quality conversions and restorations of both MGA and MGB sports cars.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
John Mangles's 1958 MGA with Buick 215 V8 EnginePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Hood louvers and stainless steel mesh grillePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Bleeder port for purging air from cooling system.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
John hammer-formed this intake duct out of thin steel.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
John shows how an MG badge hides the air cleaner removal nut.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Wrinkle-finish paint provides a finished appearance.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
John worked with a local paint supplier to formulate this mysterious deep aubergine (eggplant) color.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Custom dash board...Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Volvo disc brakes can be spotted behind John's Minilite 8-spoke wheels.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Donate Now!Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

How it was done

A V8 built from shelf parts

John Mangles set out to power his 1958 MGA with a Buick 215 V8, deliberately choosing mostly stock and readily available components. His reasoning was practical: if the car broke down on the road, he wanted to be able to find replacement parts at a regular auto parts store rather than relying on rare or custom pieces.

Drivetrain from several makes

The engine feeds a Borg Warner T5 five-speed gearbox using a GM hydraulic slave cylinder. Behind that sits a narrowed Volvo 240 rear axle, actually a Dana 30, fitted with a limited slip differential. The driveshaft connecting them was custom made, built from half a Volvo shaft and half a GM shaft.

Suspension and brakes mixed and matched

Front suspension stayed stock MGB while the rear kept the original MGA setup. Braking combined an MGB brake and clutch master cylinder assembly with MGB disc brakes up front and Volvo disc brakes at the rear, visible behind the Minilite wheels.

Cooling and intake detail work

John fitted an MGB radiator with a replacement high efficiency core and enlarged ports to keep the V8 cool. On the intake side he used the stock Buick manifold with an Edelbrock 500cfm carburetor, hand hammer-forming a custom steel duct to route air to a K&N filter.

Electrical and finishing touches

Engine electrics relied on a Delco-Remy alternator sourced from a GMC Astro van alongside the stock Buick ignition and starter. John wired a custom harness and added MGB gauges and windshield wipers, cleverly wiring the two speed wiper motor through an MGA headlamp switch and a relay.

Body, paint and comfort upgrades

The MGA received a louvered hood and a stainless steel mesh grille for a more aggressive look, with an MG badge cleverly hiding the air cleaner removal nut underneath. John worked with a local paint supplier to formulate a deep aubergine, eggplant-toned finish for the body, and added heated seats, lumbar supports and cruise control inside.

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

  • Using mostly stock and shelf components makes roadside repairs easier to source.
  • A narrowed Volvo 240 axle can be adapted to carry V8 power with a limited slip differential.
  • Custom half-and-half driveshafts can bridge mismatched gearbox and axle combinations.
  • Hand-forming your own intake ductwork can solve clearance problems for the filter.
  • Working directly with a local paint supplier can produce a unique, hard-to-replicate color.
  • Everyday switches, like an MGA headlamp switch, can be repurposed to control upgraded components such as two-speed wipers.

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