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David Hawkins' 1967 MGB with Buick 215 V8

David and Emily Hawkins · 1967 MGB (with a 1972 bodyshell)

MG MGB

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports carsBritish V8 Magazine, Volume XVI Issue 1, May 2008

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 1967 MGB with a 1972 bodyshell converted to a Buick 215 V8

This MGB was converted to Buick 215 V8 power by "The MG Guys" in 1997, then bought by David and Emily Hawkins in 2002. The write-up documents the full specification of the car as the Hawkins received and ran it, covering the built aluminum V8, T-5 gearbox, Ford 8 inch rear axle, and a thorough brake, suspension, and interior package.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
1963 Buick 215 aluminum V8, bored 0.040 inch over, 9.6:1 compression pistons, high volume oil pump with remote filter, baffled oil pan, Crower 228 cam, hydraulic lifters, Rover exhaust valves, match-ported heads
Induction
Buick intake manifold with Edelbrock 500cfm 4-barrel carburetor
Ignition
Pertronix ignition in Delco distributor
Charging
Delco 80 amp alternator
Starter
Gear drive starter
Cruise control
Audiovox cruise control
Cooling
1965/66 Ford Mustang "Maximum Cooling" radiator
Exhaust
Ceramic coated block hugger headers
Gearbox
Borg-Warner T-5 transmission, 0.73:1 overdrive
Clutch
9 3/4 inch diaphragm clutch from a Chevy S10 4WD, Tilton hydraulic throw out bearing with MG master cylinder
Flywheel
Rover 3500 flywheel, lightened to 24 pounds
Rear axle
8 inch Ford rear axle from a 1970 Ford Mustang/Maverick, narrowed, 3.00:1 final drive
Front suspension
3/4 inch front sway bar, V8 front control arm bushings, heavy duty lever shocks
Rear suspension
Spax adjustable tube shocks and anti-tramp bars
Brakes
Braided brake hoses, late MGB brake booster, cross-drilled and slotted front rotors with MGB V8 pads, Datsun 280Z finned-aluminum rear brake drums
Wheels
Panasport wheels
Tyres
195/60-R14
Body
New sills, floors, and fenders, aluminum bonnet
Paint
"Brooklands Green" PPG basecoat/clearcoat over PPG DP series epoxy primer
Interior
Biscuit interior with Pontiac Fiero seats and Mr. Mike seat covers
Audio
Nakamichi stereo head unit, Profile amp, Polk component front speakers (tweeters in door caps, main speakers in kick panels), Infinity speakers in headrests
Weight
2060 pounds

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

Fuel & Ignition 2

Cooling 1

  • 1965/66 Ford Mustang "Maximum Cooling" radiatorFord

    Used to cool the V8 swap

Gearbox & Drivetrain 5

Suspension & Steering 4

Brakes 4

Wheels & Tyres 1

Body & Trim 2

  • Aluminum bonnet

    Lightweight bonnet fitted to the body

  • PPG DP series epoxy primer and basecoat/clearcoat paintPPG

    Used to finish the body in "Brooklands Green"

    In the shops
    Spray Paint, Engine Primer, Grey ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $17.99 USD
    Primer Aerosol Paint ↗MGbits4U· £28.80 GBP

Interior 2

Electrical 7

Photos

11 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.

David Hawkins's 1967 MGB with Buick 215 V8Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
1963 Buick 215 aluminum V-8 enginePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Audiovox cruise controlPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
1965/66 Ford Mustang radiatorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Delco 80 amp alternatorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MGB biscuit interiorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
steel dash with custom center consolePhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Pontiac Fiero seatsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Panasport wheels with 195/60-R14 tiresPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
auxiliary amplifierPhoto: 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 car is a 1967 MGB fitted with a 1972 bodyshell. It was originally converted to V8 power by a shop called "The MG Guys" in 1997, before being bought by David and Emily Hawkins from previous owner Jack Emery of Glenburn, Maine in 2002.

Engine and drivetrain

The car runs a built 1963 Buick 215 aluminum V8 with overbored pistons, a Crower cam, match-ported heads and an Edelbrock carburetor, paired to a Borg-Warner T-5 overdrive gearbox and a narrowed Ford 8 inch rear axle with 3.00:1 gears. A lightened Rover flywheel and a Chevy S10 clutch were used to put the power down.

Chassis and brakes

Suspension was upgraded front and rear with a sway bar, uprated bushings, lever shocks, and Spax adjustable rear shocks with anti-tramp bars. Braking uses cross-drilled and slotted front rotors with MGB V8 pads and finned Datsun 280Z rear drums, running on Panasport wheels.

Body, paint and interior

The bodywork received new sills, floors, and fenders along with an aluminum bonnet, finished in "Brooklands Green" PPG paint. Inside, the car has a biscuit-colored interior with Pontiac Fiero seats, Mr. Mike seat covers, and a multi-component stereo system including speakers built into the headrests and kick panels.

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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David Hawkins' 1967 MGB with Buick 215 V8 | Restomod Life