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Lorenz Hassenstein's Rover V8-Powered 1968 MGB-GT

Lorenz Hassenstein · 1968 MGB-GT

MG MGB GT

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

A 1968 MGB-GT rebuilt with a stroked 5.0L Rover V8

Lorenz Hassenstein converted his 1968 MGB-GT to a fuel-injected, stroked Rover aluminum V8, with a Sebring body kit, roll cage, custom rear axle and suspension, and a stripped-down lightweight interior. The build started in 1996 and was completed in June 2003, with the owner continuing to refine it afterward and reporting about 5000 miles driven by October 2007.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
Rover aluminum V8, 4.6L block stroked to 5.0L via offset crankshaft grinding, balanced and blueprinted, cross-bolted main bearings, roller rockers, roller cam (108 degree lobe separation, 258/265 duration at 0.585 inch lift), oversized valves, ported Buick 300 aluminum heads, JE pistons
Ignition
MSD ignition
Fuel Injection
Simple Digital Systems (SDS) EFI management, 40 lb injectors (upgrading from 30 lb), BBK 75mm throttle body, open plenum, K&N filter
Oil System
Geroter oil pump in modified Rover front cover with remote-mounted oil relief valve and filter on fender well, adjustable oil pressure (30 psi idle, 50 cruising, 75 under load)
Cooling
C&R (Visteon) 3 inch core double pass aluminum radiator, Spal 16 inch puller and 12 inch pusher fans with controller, glycol coolant, 25 row oil cooler under the deck, undersized water pump pulley
Exhaust
1 5/8 inch thru-fender headers, dual 2.5 inch exhaust with X-pipe under transmission, high performance mufflers mounted vertically beside the fuel cell
Gearbox
Borg Warner T-5 with cruising 5th gear, machined bell housing, Tilton hydraulic throwout bearing/slave cylinder, Center Force clutch, custom driveshaft by D&D Fabrication
Rear axle
Dana 44 (from Jeep or mail truck) with 3.73:1 gears and limited slip differential, sourced from D&D Fabrication
Front suspension
Uprated lever arm shocks with compression valving and 20 weight oil, 2 inch lowered racing springs, longer lower arms on nylatron bushings, 1 inch custom sway bar with adjustable end links
Rear suspension
Koni shocks on 2 inch lowered racing springs, 5/8 inch sway bar, anti-tramp bars and track bars
Brakes
12 inch vented front rotors, 12 inch solid rear rotors, Wilwood 4-piston calipers all round, Tilton dual master cylinder with remote reservoirs, rear brake proportioning valve
Wheels
16x8 street wheels; 17x8 for competition
Tyres
Street: Pirelli 225 front / 255 rear on 16x8; Competition: DOT slicks 225 front / 255 rear on 17x8
Weight
2,089 lbs with half tank, measured about five years before the write-up; weight reduced further since (glass, window cranks and unnecessary items removed)
Electrical
Mix of original MG and new wiring for EFI, fuel pumps and electronics; 160 amp alternator; Autometer competition gauges; no audio system; battery relocated to left-hand battery box
Chassis
Stripped and etched body, Sebring body kit with fiberglass hood, six-point roll cage, forward track bar mount doubling as driveshaft safety catch, 14 gallon fuel cell with 4 gallon surge tank in right-hand battery box, aluminum deck added as fire barrier
Interior
Stripped interior, lightweight door panels, original dash stripped of padding and modified for 2 5/8 inch gauges, no insulation, MG rubber floor mats and carpet, Momo carbon fiber seat, steering wheel and belts (friend's donation), side glass and window cranks removed, passenger seat retained

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 4

  • Rover 4.6L aluminum V8 block, stroked to 5.0L

    Offset ground crankshaft, balanced and blueprinted, cross-bolted main bearings

  • Roller camshaft and roller rockers

    108 degree lobe separation, 258/265 duration at 0.585 inch lift, replaced an earlier cam

    In the shops
    Roller Rocker Assembly (6-Cylinder) ↗Good Parts· $999.00 USD
    Roller Rocker Assembly (Spitfire/Midget) ↗Good Parts· $799.00 USD
  • Ported Buick 300 aluminum heads

    Fitted with oversized valves

  • JE pistonsJE Pistons

    Fitted as part of the engine build

    In the shops
    Deves Piston Ring Set ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $168.31 USD

Fuel & Ignition 5

  • Simple Digital Systems EFI management systemSimple Digital Systems (SDS)

    Controls fuel injection, includes fuel-pressure cutoff switch option

  • MSD ignitionMSD

    Electronic ignition system fitted to the engine

  • BBK 75mm throttle bodyBBK

    Fitted with fabricated plenum and plate, fed through K&N filter

    In the shops
    Throttle Body ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1,145.63 USD
    Throttle Body, X-Type ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $454.77 USD
    GASKET MINI SPI THROTTLE BODY ↗Motaclan Limited· £0.55 GBP
  • K&N air filterK&N

    Feeds the open plenum throttle body

  • 40 lb fuel injectors

    Replacing earlier 30 lb injectors for more fuel flow

Cooling 3

Gearbox & Drivetrain 5

Suspension & Steering 6

Brakes 2

Wheels & Tyres 2

  • 16x8 street wheels with Pirelli tyresPirelli

    225 front, 255 rear, for street use

  • 17x8 competition wheels with DOT slicks

    225 front, 255 rear, used for competition

Body & Trim 2

Interior 1

Electrical 3

Other 2

Photos

33 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.

Lorenz Hassenstein's Rover Aluminum V8 Powered 1968 MGB-GTPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
4.6L Rover motor (with cross-bolted main bearings, etc.)Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
balanced and blue-printed, and with offset ground crankshaftPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Simple Digital Systems EFI management systemPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
open plenum with 75mm throttle body fed through K&N FilterPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
SDS EFI CPU can be ordered with a fuel-pressure cutoff switchPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
BBK 75mm throttle-body, fabricated plenum and plate mounts to cast manifoldPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Visteon aluminum radiatorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Spal electric cooling fansPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
1968 MGB Abingdon pillow dashboardPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
toggle switches for ignition, lights, fans, fuel pumps, and wipersPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
quick-release Momo steering wheelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
gas pedal is floor mounted and cable operatedPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MSD electronic ignitionPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Spal programable fan controllerPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Aeromotive pump controllerPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
racing seat with Momo beltsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
stock MGB seat with Simpson beltsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
battery pass-thru bulkhead fittingPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
battery boxPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
surge tankPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
The fuel cell has 3 lines: pick-up, return and breather.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
track bars and anti-tramp barsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Dana 44 rear axle from a Jeep mail truckPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
extended leaf spring bracketsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
track bar bracketPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
X exhaust systemPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Wilwood calipers and 12 inch solid rotorsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
6-point roll cagePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGC hood and Sebring flaresPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Sebring headlamp coversPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Lorenz's red MGB convertiblePhoto: 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

Starting condition

The project began in 1996 with Hassenstein's 1968 MGB-GT, which he had owned since 1982 after it belonged to his brother. The body was stripped and etched in preparation for a V8 conversion and a Sebring-style body kit.

Engine and drivetrain build

A Rover 4.6L V8 was built up to 5.0L with an offset-ground crankshaft, balanced and blueprinted, fitted with a roller cam, roller rockers, oversized valves, ported Buick 300 heads and JE pistons. It runs SDS fuel injection, MSD ignition and a custom exhaust. Power goes through a Borg Warner T-5 gearbox and a Dana 44 rear axle sourced from D&D Fabrication.

Chassis, suspension and brakes

The car received uprated front lever arm shocks and lowered racing springs front and rear, a custom front sway bar, anti-tramp and track bars at the rear, and Wilwood four-piston brakes at all four corners with a Tilton dual master cylinder. A six-point roll cage was installed, though the owner says he was never happy with how it was fitted.

Fuel system and electrical

A 14 gallon fuel cell and 4 gallon surge tank feed the EFI system, with separate fuel and wiring runs along the passenger floor for safety. Wiring was substantially reworked to support the EFI, fuel pumps and electronics, with multiple fuse panels and relocated switches, while some original MG harness circuits were retained.

Interior

The interior was stripped for weight, with lightweight door panels, no insulation, and a modified original dash carrying Autometer gauges. A friend supplied a Momo carbon fiber seat, steering wheel and belts; side glass and window cranks were removed, though a passenger seat is kept in the car.

Progress so far

The car was completed in June 2003 and had covered about 5000 miles by October 2007, with the owner describing ongoing modifications. He notes lessons learned about investing in a reliable clutch and brake system, and about assembling and driving the car before final paint.

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

  • Invest in a quality clutch and brake system from the start, as a leaky slave cylinder caused ongoing problems
  • Assemble the car fully, drive it to sort issues, then disassemble it for final paint and finishing
  • Design the build as integrated systems and plan ahead, since a high-powered motor with stock suspension is unsafe

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