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Earl and Mary Lou Brotherton's 1977 MGB with Chevy 4.3L V6 Engine

Earl and Mary Lou Brotherton · 1977 MGB

MG MGB

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsas published in British V8 Newsletter, Volume XV Issue 3, December 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

1977 MGB rebuilt with a 364hp Chevy 4.3L V6 and T56 six-speed

Earl and Mary Lou Brotherton converted their 1977 MGB to a Chevrolet 4.3L V6 producing a claimed 364hp, paired with a Camaro-sourced T56 six-speed gearbox and narrowed 10-bolt rear axle. The build also included a four-link rear suspension, four wheel disc brakes, and a fully custom interior and convertible top, making it a thorough blend of drivetrain and trim work.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
Chevrolet 4.3L (266cid) V6, 10:1 compression, rated at 364hp, eighteen degree NASCAR heads, roller bearing rocker arms, Competition Cams camshaft
Induction
Modified Edelbrock intake manifold with Holley 600cfm carburetor
Cooling
Griffin aluminum radiator with NASCAR electric cooling fan
Exhaust
Custom-made stainless steel headers and exhaust pipes
Transmission
Borg-Warner T56 6-speed from a Chevrolet Camaro Z-28, with custom shifter
Rear Axle
Narrowed Chevy 10-bolt from a Camaro, 3.73:1 ratio
Rear Suspension
4-link with coilover shocks
Brakes
Four wheel disc brakes with stainless steel braided lines and Camaro master cylinder
Wheels/Tires
Weld Racing wheels
Instruments
VDO gauges
Body
Custom-made Hartzcloth convertible top, Infinity Black urethane paint
Interior
Tan leather upholstery with custom sculpted panels throughout

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 5

Fuel & Ignition 2

  • Edelbrock intake manifold (modified)Edelbrock

    Modified to suit the engine and carburetor combination

    In the shops
    Intake Manifold ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $305.25 USD
    Intake Manifold Adaptor ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $0.00 USD
    Intake Manifold to Head Gasket ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6.40 USD
  • 600cfm carburetorHolley

    Fitted atop the modified intake manifold

Cooling 2

  • Aluminum radiatorGriffin

    Fitted for improved cooling capacity

    In the shops
    Aluminum Radiator ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $355.00 USD
    Aluminum Radiator ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $358.50 USD
    Aluminum Radiator ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $364.00 USD
  • Electric cooling fan

    NASCAR-style fan used with the aluminum radiator

    In the shops
    Cooling Fan ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $17.99 USD
    Cooling Fan Motor ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $158.50 USD
    Cooling Fan Spacer ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1.35 USD

Gearbox & Drivetrain 3

Suspension & Steering 1

Brakes 2

Wheels & Tyres 1

Body & Trim 2

Interior 1

  • Leather upholstery with sculpted panels

    Tan leather interior with custom sculpted trim throughout the cabin

Electrical 1

  • GaugesVDO

    Instrument gauges fitted to monitor the car

Photos

8 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.

Earl and Mary Lou Brotherton's 1977 MGB with Chevy 4.3L V6 EnginePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Modified Edelbrock intake manifold. Holley 600cfm carburetor.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Griffin aluminum radiator. NASCAR electric cooling fan.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Weld steering wheel. Custom shifter.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Weld Racing wheels.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Custom Hartzcloth convertible top. Infinity Black urethane paint.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
sculpted interior trim panelsPhoto: 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

Engine swap

The owners fitted a Chevrolet 4.3L V6 built for performance, running 10:1 compression, eighteen degree NASCAR heads, roller rocker arms and a Competition Cams camshaft, producing a claimed 364hp in place of the original MGB engine.

Induction and cooling

A modified Edelbrock intake manifold was paired with a Holley 600cfm carburetor to feed the V6. Cooling was handled by a Griffin aluminum radiator and a NASCAR-style electric fan, with custom stainless steel headers and exhaust pipes made to suit the installation.

Drivetrain

Power goes through a Borg-Warner T56 six-speed gearbox taken from a Chevrolet Camaro Z-28, operated by a custom shifter, to a narrowed Chevy 10-bolt rear axle also sourced from a Camaro, set up with a 3.73:1 ratio.

Suspension and brakes

The rear suspension was converted to a 4-link setup with coilover shocks. All four corners received disc brakes, with stainless steel braided lines throughout and a Camaro master cylinder controlling the system.

Wheels and instruments

The car rides on Weld Racing wheels, and the dash was fitted with VDO gauges to monitor the uprated engine and drivetrain.

Body and interior

Finishing touches included a custom-made Hartzcloth convertible top and a coat of Infinity Black urethane paint. Inside, tan leather upholstery was used with custom sculpted trim panels throughout the cabin.

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 ↗

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