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Curtis Jacobson's 1971 MGB GT with Buick 215 V8

Curtis Jacobson · 1971 MGB GT

MG MGB

BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

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 1971 MGB GT rescued from a farm and rebuilt around a Buick 215 V8

Curtis Jacobson and a college friend bought this derelict MGB GT for a dollar in the 1980s, briefly ran it on its original engine, then shelved it when it threw a rod. After college Jacobson swapped in a Buick 215 aluminum V8, got it road legal in 1991, and has spent the following decades steadily upgrading nearly every system, including a custom sequential EFI and crank-fired ignition, while using the car as a regular driver, road-tripper, and occasional track/autocross car.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
1963 Buick 215 aluminum V8, stock block/crank/rods/valve gear, Silvolite 8.8:1 0.030" oversize pistons, Kenne-Bell 1XA camshaft (0.462" lift, 260 deg duration, 110 deg lobe center), Rover 4.0L cylinder heads (fitted May 2009, shaved 0.010", ~10.1:1 static compression), Buick V6 timing cover and metric oil pump
Fuel & Ignition
MegaSquirt MS3-Pro engine control module, Rover 14CUX intake manifold and fuel rail, Lucas fuel injectors and pressure regulator, Chevrolet throttle body and MAP sensor, Chevrolet LS2-truck ignition coils (crank-fired sequential EFI and ignition), Champion Truck spark plugs
Cooling
AFCO dual-pass aluminum radiator (reworked), Dayco hoses, VW Jetta remote header tank, twin Honda Civic electric fans, custom carbon fiber recirculation shield
Exhaust
Custom sand-bent Tri-Y headers with dual Thrush Turbo mufflers
Gearbox
1992 Borg Warner T5 World Class 5-speed manual (1st 2.95, 2nd 1.94, 3rd 1.34, 4th 1.00, 5th 0.73), Buick 215 bellhousing, D&D Fabrications steel flywheel, 10.4" Camaro clutch and pressure plate
Rear axle
1992 Ford Mustang 5.0 8.8" axle, 3.27:1 gears, Traction-Lok limited-slip differential, Moser Engineering axle shafts
Front suspension
Dropped spindles, Eibach 525 lb springs, gutted Armstrong lever shocks used as upper arms/mounts for GAZ adjustable coilovers, lightened Moss coilover spring pans, ADDCO front anti-sway bar on polyurethane mounts
Rear suspension
Stock (sagged) leaf springs with custom extended shackles, Monroe 5877ST telescoping shocks (ex Dodge Colt), custom fabricated Panhard rod
Brakes
New MGB master cylinder; front Classic Conversions (Wilwood) big brake kit with Wilwood 2psi residual valve; rear Ford 9" drums with 13/16" wheel cylinders and Wilwood 10psi residual valve; Lokar parking brake cable on extended MGB lever
Wheels
Panasport 8-spoke wheels, 15x6, -22mm offset, 15 lb each, polished rim
Tyres
Dunlop Direzza DII, 205/50R15
Body
Custom carbon fiber bonnet from Preform Resources, Ureflex air dam
Paint
PPG Deltron basecoat/clearcoat in Jaguar Brooklands Green with a Ford Performance White Sebring stripe
Interior
Six-point roll cage with seam-welded engine bay, Simpson 5-point harnesses, home-made aluminum dashboard with early MGB padded eyebrow, aluminum door trim, removable polycarbonate rear quarter windows, built-in cargo toolbox
Electrical
Nippondenso 55A alternator (ex Chevy Swift), single battery passenger side, FIA battery disconnect switch, home-made crosslink wiring with Metri-Pac connectors
Instruments
Autometer Traditional Chrome speedometer (model 2489) and tachometer (model 2499), AEM air/fuel ratio gauge with Bosch wideband sensor, Stewart Warner Track Force fuel level, oil pressure and water temp gauges
Weight
2150 lb wet as measured at British V8 2013, corner weights 521/546/542/541 lb (LF/RF/LR/RR), 49.63% front / 50.37% rear

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 9

Fuel & Ignition 8

Cooling 5

Gearbox & Drivetrain 8

Suspension & Steering 9

Brakes 4

Wheels & Tyres 3

Electrical 12

Other 2

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.

Curtis Jacobson's 1971 MGB GT with Buick 215 V8Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MegaSquirt MS3-Pro based sequential electronic fuel injection system.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Buick 215: the most important mass-production engine in the history of motorsport.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Autometer Speedometer model 2489 and Tachometer model 2499.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Racetech steering wheel - made in EnglandPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Falken Azenis tires on new Panasport 8-spoke wheelsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Jaguar Brooklands Green with a white Sebring stripe.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Don't waste your time and money on car wax!Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MG hood by Dave Craddock at Preform ResourcesPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Lightweight composite MGB HoodPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Carbon fiber MG RV8 style bonnet.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Carbon-fiber hood for MGBPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
OMP aluminum hood pin - topPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
OMP aluminum hood pin - bottomPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
carbon fiber and epoxy recirc shieldPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Coilover Front Suspension with Dropped SpindlesPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Bill Guzman at Classic Conversions Engineering specializes in MGB V6 kitsPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Wilwood Dynalite four-pot forged aluminum brake calipers and 11.75 vented rotors.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
A bespoke fuel injection system is gradually coming together!Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Wraparound plenum wall.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Fuel rail fabrication is complete, and it's been electroless nickel plated.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Attachment of PCV and MAP sensor port block.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Rover intake manifold thermostat bypass has been relocated to suit Buick style timing cover.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Tuned intake trumpets.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Styled-up plenum lid with a racing stripe offset to one side in classic retro style!Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Scott McRoberts: McRoberts Machine of Longmont ColoradoPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Electroless nickel plated throttle linkage.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Crankshaft position sensorPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Trigger Wheel For Buick 215, 36-1Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Alternator BracketPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
MS3-Pro engine computerPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
instrument panelPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Fuse and relay center (top view).Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Fuse and relay center (bottom view).Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Electrical center: an intake air temperature (IAT) sensor is installed between...Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
Walbro GSS250 (190 liter per hour) fuel pump with Honda Civic (45-degree angled) prefilter.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
How to fabricate a fuel tank sump for an MGB.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
How to: fuel tank baffles and fuel tank sumps.Photo: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars
PTFE fuel line, stainless steel braidedPhoto: BritishV8: the site for enthusiasts of modified British sports cars

How it was done

Starting condition

The MGB GT was found derelict on a farm near Dulles airport in the mid 1980s and acquired for one dollar after the owner was promised it would be put back on the road. The original engine was patched together enough to run a couple thousand miles before throwing a connecting rod, after which the car was parked while the owner finished college.

Engine swap and first roadworthy build

After college, Jacobson built up a 1963 Buick 215 aluminum V8 and, with help from two colleagues, installed it in 1990. The car, nicknamed Bonnie, passed state safety inspection in 1991 and became a daily-usable project, with the plan to drive it in warm months and improve it in cold months.

Ongoing mechanical upgrades

Over following decades nearly every system besides the original engine block and internals was upgraded: custom sequential EFI with a MegaSquirt MS3-Pro and crank-fired eight-coil ignition, Rover 4.0L cylinder heads fitted in May 2009 raising compression, a Ford 8.8 rear axle, a Borg Warner T5 five-speed gearbox, coilover front suspension with dropped spindles, and a Wilwood-based brake conversion.

Body, trim and weight reduction

The car received a carbon fiber bonnet from Preform Resources, a six-point roll cage with seam-welded engine bay, a home-made aluminum dashboard, and removable polycarbonate rear quarter windows. As weighed at the 2013 British V8 meet it came in about 160 pounds lighter than stock and 277 pounds lighter than a factory MGB GT V8.

Progress so far

Jacobson reports the conversion has proven reliable since being sorted out, and the car has done long road trips plus occasional track days and autocrosses without ever going more than a few months without being driven. He describes it as a continuing project and says his main plan is simply to keep driving it.

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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