Steve Carrick's 1974 MGB Ford V8 Conversion
BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsBritish V8 Newsletter, Volume X Issue 1, January 2002
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 carsA 1974 MGB roadster rebuilt around a 375-horsepower Ford SVO 302 V8
Steve Carrick fitted a Ford Motorsport SVO 302 crate V8 with GT-40 aluminum heads into his 1974 MGB roadster, paired with a Borg-Warner T5 gearbox and Ford 8.8 inch rear axle. The write-up details the engine's exact parts, the cooling and suspension compromises that came with the swap, and planned upgrades still to come.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- Ford SVO 302 V8 crate engine (M-60070-B40) with GT-40 aluminum heads
- Induction
- Single 625cfm Road Demon 4bbl carburetor on Edelbrock Airgap 7121 manifold
- Camshaft
- SVO hydraulic roller cam (M-6250-B303), 224 deg at .050, .480 in lift
- Power
- 375 hp (as measured by Car Craft magazine on an identically configured engine)
- Cooling
- Griffen brass radiator (stock '65 Mustang replacement) with Spal electric puller fan
- Alternator
- Delco 100 amp one-wire alternator
- Starter
- Gear reduction starter from PA Performance
- Headers
- Custom headers with 1.50 inch primaries and 48 inch chambered mufflers
- Transmission
- Borg-Warner T5 five-speed with Mustang bellhousing, 0.63:1 fifth gear
- Rear axle
- Ford 8.8 inch axle, 2.73:1 final drive
- Suspension (front)
- Lowered one inch, Ron Hopkins Bilstein telescoping shock conversion
- Suspension (rear)
- Lowered one inch, composite springs and Koni shock conversion from British Automotive
- Brakes (front)
- Stock, planned upgrade to Wilwood four-piston calipers with 12.75 inch rotors
- Brakes (rear)
- Stock Mustang brakes as part of Ford 8.8 axle assembly
- Wheels
- ARE 15x7 wheels
- Tyres
- BF Goodrich TA 225R15
- Interior
- Fiero seats
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
- Ford SVO 302 crate engine (M-60070-B40)Ford Motorsport/SVO
Base V8 for the swap
- GT-40 aluminum cylinder heads (M-6049-Y302)Ford SVO
Lightweight heads, 25 lb lighter per side than iron, 1.94 in intake and 1.54 in exhaust valves
In the shops
Aluminum Cylinder Head, Complete ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1,316.25 USD
Alloy Cylinder Head, Bare ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1,316.25 USD
Cylinder Head Stud, 7-13/16" ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $19.99 USD - Hydraulic roller camshaft (M-6250-B303)Ford SVO
224 deg duration at .050 lift, .480 in lift, fitted for performance
- Rear sump oil pan
Fitted to engine, required crossmember modification for front sump clearance
- Custom headers
1.50 in primary tubes with 48 in chambered mufflers for exhaust
Fuel & Ignition 3
- Road Demon 625cfm 4bbl carburetorRoad Demon
Main fuel mixing unit mounted on the intake manifold
- Edelbrock Airgap 7121 intake manifoldEdelbrock
Aluminum manifold carrying the carburetor
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 - Throttle cableLokar
Used to connect accelerator to carburetor
Cooling 4
- Griffen brass radiatorGriffen
Stock replacement radiator for a '65 Mustang, used for cooling the V8
In the shops
Radiator Drain Tap (Brass) ↗
Sports & Classics· $24.96 USD
Brass Radiator Filler Cap (MGB/TR7/Stag) ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $6.99 USD - Electric puller fanSpal
Mounted to aid radiator cooling
- Robert-Shaw 180 degree thermostatRobert-Shaw
Modified with enlarged bypass to try to raise running temperature, planned reversion to stock
In the shops
160°F Summer Thermostat ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $9.00 USD
Thermostat, 180°F Standard ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $9.00 USD
Failsafe Thermostat, 180°F ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $21.99 USD - Stock Ford water pumpFord
Configured for V-belt operation with reversed rotation
In the shops
Morgan/Lotus/Ford 100E Fuel Pump ↗Sports & Classics· $89.95 USD
Gearbox & Drivetrain 2
- Borg-Warner T5 five-speed gearboxBorg-Warner
Fitted with a Mustang bellhousing, 0.63:1 fifth gear
In the shops
Cover, clutch, Borg & Beck ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £77.00 GBP
Five Speed Gearbox Unit, ford T9 ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £3,185.75 GBP
Clutch Kit, 3 piece, Borg & Beck ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £141.50 GBP - Ford 8.8 inch rear axleFord
Fitted with 2.73:1 final drive, planned upgrade to a 9 inch axle
Suspension & Steering 3
- Bilstein telescoping shock conversionRon Hopkins
Front suspension lowered one inch using this conversion kit
In the shops
Bilstein Tube Shock Conversion Kit ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $568.00 USD
Shock Absorber, rear, Bilstein ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £172.00 GBP
Shock Absorber, front, Bilstein ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £158.26 GBP - Front suspension setupFast Cars, Inc.
Planned upgrade to replace current front shock conversion
- Composite rear springs and Koni shock conversionBritish Automotive, Inc.
Rear suspension lowered one inch using these parts
In the shops
Shock Absorber Conversion Kit, telescopic, rear, Koni ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £376.00 GBP
Shock Absorbers, telescopic, rear, Koni, pair ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £347.26 GBP
Tube Shock Conversion Kit, rear ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $568.25 USD
Brakes 2
- Wilwood four-piston front calipersWilwood
Planned upgrade with 12.75 inch rotors as part of front suspension overhaul
In the shops
Wilwood Caliper Piston Seal Square Ring Kit (6-Piston Front) ↗
Flyin' Miata· $21.99 USD
Wilwood Caliper Piston Seal Square Ring Kit (4-Piston Front, 1.38") ↗Flyin' Miata· $12.49 USD
Brake Pads for Four Piston Dynapro Calipers ↗Flyin' Miata· $66.99 USD - Stock Mustang rear brakesFord/Mustang
Carried over as part of the Ford 8.8 axle assembly
In the shops
NA/NB Rear Brake Upgrade (Stock Calipers) ↗Flyin' Miata· $952.99 USDPowerStop Z17 Stock Replacement Front and Rear Brake Kit - Ceramic Pads and Rotors (06-11 Civic) ↗
JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $200.00 USD
Wheels & Tyres 2
- ARE 15x7 wheelsARE
Fitted to the car
- BF Goodrich TA 225R15 tyresBF Goodrich
Mounted on the ARE wheels
Interior 1
- Fiero seatsPontiac Fiero
Installed in the cabin as an interior upgrade
Electrical 2
- One-wire alternatorDelco
100 amp charging unit fitted to the engine
In the shops
Alternator Plug 3 Wire, ACR ↗
Triumph Special Tuning (TST)· £5.83 GBP - Gear reduction starterPA Performance
Compact starter fitted to the V8
In the shops
Gear Reduction Starter (MGB 68 to 80) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $249.95 USD
Gear Reduction Starter Wire Connector Kit with Ballasted Ignition (MGB) ↗bpnorthwest.com· $8.35 USD
High-Torque Gear Reduction Starter ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $213.50 USD
Photos
16 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.
How it was done
Choosing the engine
Carrick built the car around a Ford Motorsport SVO 302 crate engine fitted with lightweight GT-40 aluminum heads, a hydraulic roller cam and a single 625cfm carburetor on an Edelbrock Airgap manifold. He notes an identically specified engine was dyno tested by Car Craft magazine at 375 horsepower, giving a benchmark for his own build.
Fitting the oil pan and crossmember
A rear sump pan was used, but it still carries a small front sump section for the oil pump drive. This clashed with the MGB's front crossmember, requiring extensive modification to get clearance, a problem he flags as common in this kind of V8 swap.
Cooling troubles
A Griffen brass radiator meant for a '65 Mustang was paired with a Spal electric puller fan, but the car has been running too cold at speed, only 150 degrees at 80 mph. He modified the thermostat bypass to 1/2 inch to try to fix it, but plans to revert to the stock Robert-Shaw 180 degree thermostat and 3/8 inch bypass instead.
Drivetrain and electrics
Power goes through a Borg-Warner T5 five-speed gearbox using a Mustang bellhousing, into a Ford 8.8 inch rear axle running 2.73:1 gears, with an eventual move to a Ford 9 inch planned. A Delco one-wire alternator and a PA Performance gear reduction starter were fitted, and the engine bay wiring was re-routed for a tidier look.
Suspension and brakes
Both ends were lowered an inch. The front currently uses a Ron Hopkins Bilstein telescoping shock conversion, soon to be replaced by a Fast Cars Inc front suspension setup, which will also bring Wilwood four-piston front calipers. The rear uses composite springs and a Koni shock conversion from British Automotive, with stock Mustang rear brakes carried over with the 8.8 inch axle.
Wheels and interior
ARE 15x7 wheels were wrapped in BF Goodrich TA tyres, and Fiero seats were installed in the cabin, with further interior work left as a future project.
Owner's advice
Carrick's main recommendation is to start a build with the engine you actually want from the beginning, since swapping it in later only costs more time and money.
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
- Decide on the final engine at the start of a build rather than upgrading later, since it costs more time and money.
- Even a rear sump Ford oil pan can still clash with the MGB front crossmember and need modification.
- A radiator and fan combination can overcool a V8 swap at highway speed, so thermostat bypass size matters.
- Standard Mustang rear brakes and axle parts can be reused directly with a Ford 8.8 inch rear end.