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Steve Engelman's 1968 MGB with Ford 302 V8 Engine

Steve Engelman · 1968 MG MGB

MG MGB

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsas published in BritishV8 Magazine, Volume XXIII Issue 1, December 2017

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 1968 MGB rebuilt solo with a Ford 302 V8 and T5 five-speed

Steve Engelman spent three years in his home garage converting his 1968 MGB to a Ford 302 V8, doing every part of the design, fabrication, welding, bodywork and paint himself. The write-up details the engine fitment struggles, suspension and brake upgrades, and the bodywork changes needed to make it all fit, offering a candid look at the time and cost of a from-scratch home build.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
Ford 302 V8, bored 0.040" over, AFR aluminum heads, 351W camshaft, solid lifters
Induction
Edelbrock Performer intake manifold with Edelbrock 1405 600 cfm carburetor and air cleaner
Ignition
MSD distributor, MSD Blaster 2 coil, MSD Digital 6AL ignition box
Cooling
Aluminum Ford Mustang pattern radiator, electric pulling fan, shorty Ford water pump
Exhaust
Fast Cars inner fender headers, 2.5" exhaust with cross over, Flowmaster 44 mufflers, chrome tips
Gearbox
Borg-Warner World Class T5 5-speed from a Mustang, heavy duty 10.5" clutch and pressure plate, 157 28.2 steel flywheel
Rear axle
Ford 8" axle, 3.25:1 ring and pinion, Auburn limited slip differential, Currie Alumin-8 carrier, 31-spline axles
Front suspension
Fast Cars Inc. front suspension with small block Ford mounts, front anti-sway bar
Rear suspension
Leaf springs, adjustable shock absorbers, Fab-tek traction bars
Brakes
Wilwood aluminum tandem master cylinder with proportioning valve, Wilwood 4-pot calipers front and rear, vented front rotors, cross-drilled rear rotors
Wheels
Crager wheels, 15x7 front and 15x8 rear
Tyres
BF Goodrich Radial T/A, 205/60/15 front and 235/60/15 rear
Body
Aluminum hood with scoop, Sebring style front and rear valances, Dodge Omni fender flares, centered fuel tank
Paint
Candy apple red over silver base coat
Interior
Suffolk leather replacement seats and panels, 1979 MGB dashboard, 14" leather steering wheel, Hurst shorty gear shifter
Instruments
VDO Vision Chrome tachometer, speedometer, voltmeter, fuel level, water temperature and oil pressure gauges
Electrical
12V battery behind passenger seat, Delco Remy alternator, Advance Auto Wire harness, integrated turn signal headlights, LED rear bulbs

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 6

Fuel & Ignition 7

Cooling 4

Gearbox & Drivetrain 8

Suspension & Steering 7

Brakes 3

Wheels & Tyres 2

  • Crager wheelsCrager

    15x7 front and 15x8 rear wheels

  • BF Goodrich Radial T/A tyresBF Goodrich

    205/60/15 front and 235/60/15 rear

    In the shops
    Tyre 165 x 15" Radial ↗MGbits4U· £140.76 GBP

Body & Trim 5

Interior 6

Electrical 5

Other 2

  • Fast Cars headersFast Cars

    Routed exhaust through the inner fenders

  • Flowmaster 44 mufflersFlowmaster

    18 inch by 4 inch mufflers with chrome tips on the 2.5 inch exhaust

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.

Steve Engelman's 1968 MGB with Ford 302 V8 EnginePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Ford 302, bored 0.040 over.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, model 1405 (600 cfm) carburetor, and air cleaner.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MSD distributor.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MSD Blaster 2 ignition coil and Digital 6AL ignition box.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Rockers.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
AFR aluminum cylinder heads.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Fast Cars through the inner fender headers.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Borg-Warner World Class T5 5-speed, from a Mustang.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Engine mounted on Steve's home-made test stand.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Mechanical fuel pump.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
I must have pulled the engine ten times...Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Ford Racing valve covers.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Temporary oil filter location.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
This earlier photo shows a taller distributor.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Aluminum Ford Mustang pattern radiator.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Electric fan, pulling.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Fast Cars Inc. front suspension, with optional mounts for small block Ford engine.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Double steering universal joint.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Steering shaft support bearing.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Centered fuel tank, with exhaust pipes on either side.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Ford 8 inch axle with lightweight Currie Alumin-8 carrier. Wilwood disc brakes.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Fitting Fab-tek traction bars.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
VDO Vision Chrome gauges, mounted in a 1979 MGB instrument panel.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Suffolk leather replacement seats and interior panels are distributed by Victoria British.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
12V battery inside a marine battery box, mounted behind the passenger seat.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Sound deadening mastic.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Advance Auto Wire kit, early in the installation process.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Steve's MGB, mounted on a rotisserie.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Installation of Dodge Omni fender flares.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Bolting on a Sebring style front valance.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Finesse with body filler.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Nice and smooth, under a fresh coat of primer.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Engine bay, with firewall and footboxes reshaped for engine clearance.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Radiator shelf trimmed back to make room for Mustang size radiator.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Sebring style rear valance.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Front turn signal holes filled in.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Hood pins are a very good idea on any MGB. Especially ones with aluminum bonnets.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Candy apple red paint over silver base coat.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Side marker lights removed.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

How it was done

A solo three-year challenge

Steve Engelman set out to convert his 1968 MGB to a Ford 302 V8 entirely by himself, as a personal challenge. Though experienced with cars since age 17, he had to learn welding, bodywork and painting along the way. The project took three years in his home garage and was completed in July 2016.

Building the V8

The Ford 302 was bored 0.040 inch over and built up by Greg's Engine with AFR aluminum heads, a 351W camshaft and solid lifters. Edelbrock supplied the intake, carburetor and air cleaner, while MSD handled ignition. A Mustang-pattern aluminum radiator and electric fan kept it cool, with a remote oil filter relocated under the front fender.

Fitting the engine was the hardest part

Engine fitment proved the biggest challenge of the build. Steve pulled the engine about ten times before achieving the clearance and spacing he wanted for headers, steering column, and brake and clutch masters. The firewall and footboxes were reshaped and the radiator shelf trimmed to make room.

Drivetrain and rear end

Power runs through a Borg-Warner World Class T5 five-speed sourced from a Mustang, with a heavy duty clutch and steel flywheel. A Ford 8 inch rear axle was fitted with a 3.25 ring and pinion, Auburn limited slip differential and a lightweight Currie Alumin-8 carrier.

Suspension and brakes

Fast Cars Inc. supplied a front suspension kit set up for small block Ford engines. The rear kept leaf springs but added adjustable shocks and Fab-tek traction bars. Wilwood four-piston calipers and a tandem master cylinder with proportioning valve handle braking at both ends.

Bodywork and finish

The car was mounted on a rotisserie for metalwork, with Dodge Omni fender flares, Sebring style valances and an aluminum hood with scoop added. Steve finished it in candy apple red over a silver base coat, acknowledging the clear coat was not perfect for a first paint effort.

Interior and electrics

Inside, Suffolk leather seats and panels were fitted along with a 1979 MGB dashboard carrying VDO Vision Chrome gauges. A 12V battery was relocated behind the passenger seat in a marine battery box, wired with an Advance Auto Wire harness.

Reflections

Steve says he is very happy with the result and proud to have done the whole build himself, though it cost far more than he expected. His advice to others considering a similar project is to be honest upfront about the investment needed to do it right.

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

  • Expect to pull the engine multiple times to get header, steering and pedal box clearance right.
  • Budget far more money than initially anticipated for a full V8 conversion.
  • Hood pins are worthwhile insurance on any MGB, especially with a lightweight aluminum bonnet.
  • Painting a car well, especially the clear coat, is harder to get right on a first attempt than it looks.
  • Studying the design thoroughly before starting the actual work pays off once the build begins.

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