Conference terri::cars_uk

	You want a Costello V8.

	JJ.

    
    Re .0 & .1
    
    Well, you might want a Costello V8, but weren't they only made in
    hardtop form?
    
    Anyway, it certainly is possible to drop the Rover V8 into the MG
    roadster shell (If you believe the press, Rover are planning to do just
    that themselves pretty soon, for a price) and this would be the best
    way to get lots of extra performance from a B. Alternatively, it is 
    fairly simple (I believe) to extend the 1.8 litre B engine out to 1.9
    litres to get an improvement in torque - this used to be quite popular
    in racing circles.
    
    The Rover V8 is light and receptive to tuning. A friend of mine has a 
    230 BHP 3.5 litre V8 in a TR7 Convertible and it sounds wonderful and
    goes like a bullet! And that's saying nothing of what TVR do to V8s!
    
    Mark

    Re .2
    
    I though it was Leyland's own V8 (brought out after Costello started
    selling loads of hiw) that was only in the BGT, Ken Costello used to
    do V8 roadsters as well. Apparently Leyland didn't think the roadster
    shell was rigid enough for the extra power or something...
    
    JJ.

    
    Certainly you are right about the BL V8 and you could well be right
    about the Costello conversions too. I just can't recall ever seeing a 
    Costello V8 roadster.
    
    Mark

	This is a rat-hole, really.  Rover are bringing back the MGB, with
	a V8 engine, for around 28K (Sterling).  However, they have the next
	model MG prototypes all ready to go into production.  According to
	a friend of mine who test drives for them, the next model will 
	be really something.

	Dave

    Back to .0, my dad has a plastic-bumper BGT with handling kit,
    lowered suspension, and mildy uprated engine... it's a nice car.
    Not as nice as the '67 BGT which I bought off him years ago (sadly
    now gone to the great scrapheap in the sky :-( ), nor as fast, but
    not bad nonetheless.
    
    The *real* ones to look for are the end-of-production ones bought
    by the owners club and treated to handling kits, turbo or V8 engine
    conversions, Connolly leather interiors and special paintwork, but
    I believe they're changing hand for ridiculous sums these days.
    
    I think a good but unrestored chrome-bumber BGT will cost you �5k
    or thereabouts.
    
    JJ.

    Thanks for the replys.
    Just so I'm clear about this, are you saying that the colesto V8 is the
    engine to put in the MGB shell, or that this was a type of MGB
    conversion ?
    If I put a V8 (Rover or whatever) in an MGB would I then need to
    improve the brakes, clutch etc...?
    Finally, has anyone any idea of prices on the engines themselves ?
    
    Jason.  

    
    The Costello V8 was a conversion on the MG - I think the person was 
    John(?) Costello.
    
    You'd probably have to change the gearbox as well as the engine in a B,
    but the 5 speed Rover box is better than the B box anyway, so it's no
    sacrifice. Brakes and suspension are best uprated at the same time
    (especially if you do any tuning on the engine), although as the Rover
    V8 is as light (lighter?) than the B engine handling and braking shouldn't 
    be affected at equal speeds, it's just that you'll be going faster! :^)
    
    Rover V8s vary from a �100 or so (maybe less) from scrapped cars to
    multi thousand pound jobs with steel cranks, forged pistons, increased 
    capacity etc. There's virtually no limit. A new Rover V8 will (at a
    guess) be in the �800 - �1000 range, with a recon being around 2/3rds
    of the price (going by other engine prices), but on top of that you'll
    need a box (C.�500 new/recon?) and some other parts to fit the V8 (best
    left to real B fans).
    
    Mark
    
    Mark

Have you thought of an MGC ?

    MOSS -  have just produced an 'MG - Special Tuning Catalogue' which is
            full of goodies and plenty of technical advice.
    
    021-544-4444 is their Birmingham phone no.
    
    b.   

    I thought about an MGC but the prices seem to be prohibitive, what I
    want to do is get hold of an MGB and do it up (ideally by next April)
    I don't think I'm going to be able to afford to put a V8 in. 
    I have an offer from a friend whose into MG's in a big way. He says
    he'll put an 'L reg on the road for me with a new reconditioned engine,
    two new wings and a respray.
    He's talking about �4500, if I can afford it, comments ?
    
    
    Jason.

    I have two MGBs, a rubber bumper BGT and a chrome roadster. As far as
    V8s are concerned, there is a specialist supplier, the V8 Conversion
    company, who are excellent specialists. However, the engine bay needs
    modifying to accept a V8 if you have the earlier chrome bumper models, the
    rubber ones were designed to accept the V8 as BL was making them by
    that time. As far as I know, no new Costellos are available. 
    
    If you stick to the 1800 block, (the V8 is circa 60 lbs lighter and it moves
    the centre of mass further back in the car improving handling as well
    as performance) then
    there are a number of specialist suppliers (see the MGOC magazine) such
    as Oselli in Oxford.
    
    If you're buying secondhand, I recommend you buy the Lindsay Porter
    book "Buying and Restoring and MGB" or some such title, published by
    Haynes. This is invaluable in taking you through a three stage process
    of inspection with notes on the associated severity of problems you
    detect. Worth the 8 quid or so plus good inspiring restoration reading. 
    
    Good fun and cheap cars to restore, maintain and run (cheap insurance
    thru' owners club). Have a blast.
    
    chris
                  

    UKL 4500 ? I'd sell you mine for that (K-reg, new wings, doors, engine
    most of interior ...)

    Thanks but if I knew I could afford that much I'd have already agread
    to buy the other one.
    
    
    Jason.

If you can't afford that much, then unless you can do lots of work
on the car yourself, expect the final cost of a reasonable B to
be about that.

Mine initially cost me UKL 1200. Since then I've invested at least
another UKL 4000 !!! The problem with the B is that all parts are
available, so much so that you tend to replace them rather than making
do with the exisiting used part. Although not expensive individually,
the total parts cost can be very high ...

    re.15
    Points taken, which is why what I am probably going to do is pick up a
    reasonably rough 'B and then with help from a friend do it up, at the
    moment i know less than nothing but I want to learn and I think this is
    probably my best way of doing so.
    re. a few back, anyone any ideas on prices for a v8 engine, I still
    like the idea but as usual money will probably get in the way. But if
    the cost of a V8 is not too much more then I may opt to buy a car that
    needs an engine anyway.
    
    Jason.

If money is tight, go for one with a solid body. Look at the sills particularly
and the box section at the top/back of the front wings.

With the sills, check outside and inside. These provide the strength for the
car. Bad fitting doors (check gap between door and body is similar all the
way round) can be a sign of weak sills. Sill replacement (outer, middle and
inner) can cost at least UKL 600 and isn't really a job you want to do yourself
unless you know what you are doing.

The mechanicals are dead easy to deal with. Engines tend to be quite solid
as do gearboxes. Back axles can be a problem, and with the later cars cost
a lot to replace (you can't just unbolt the diff). King-pins need replacing
and often, especially since the replacement items are sealed for life. The
problem being that life appears to be defined as 12 months max !!!

    Thanks for the advice I'll certainly bear it in mind.
    
    Jason.

    Why not go for a cheaper 'classic' type car and then use the money
    saved to renovate it. I have a spitty which I have bought this year and
    will be storing at home while I finish my 4 year degree.
    
    I hope to have this as my "project" car when I am once again a working
    person, hopefully. As it is in reasonable nick now I predict new sills,
    new rear wings and valances and a good spray job for the body and maybe
    a bigger engine with a few of the usual added extras will suffice.
    
    Trimphs.....definately worth a consideration if you want a "cheaper"
    car to renovate !!
    
    Barry
    

    
    Just a tip, If you need to replace the wings, many of the pattern ones
    are not very well pressed. The most expensive way to do it is to get 
    genuine leyland wings, but it pays off in the long run. At least they
    fit without being chopped around.

    re. 19
    No offense to the spitty but it's a case of an MG or nothing. Until I
    can afford one I'll just put up with the Beetle.
    
    
    Jason.

    Well.......I obviously credited you with too much taste !!
    
    Barry
    (only joking!!)
    

    Just to add my two cents worth...
    
    I owned an original BGT V8 several years back. This was a chrome bumper
    one. MG never produced a V8 roadster - as a previous note said one of
    the reasons was the lack of stiffness in the body shell. There were no
    mods to the running gear apart from the ride height was upped by an
    inch to allow for bigger wheels. The original MGB box did suffer with
    the power from the V8 and occasionally disintegrated ! (My one had had
    an SD1 5-speed box fitted at some stage).
    
    If you do end up putting a V8 into a roadster you'll find there's
    little space for air filters and things on top of the engine ! The BGT
    V8s had special air filters/boxes on them.
    
    Paul.

    I'm still looking for an MG and I have a few options to consider.
    Does anyone have any strong opinions about resprays ?
    One option is that I have a purple (can't remember the proper name) MG
    resprayed British Racing Green. It's an 'L' reg so it should be
    Brooklands green but I prefer the BRG. The person that would do the
    jobwould make sure that all the visible body was sprayed but would not
    go so far as to strip out the dash and spray behind there.
    Plus points would be that it would come with a reconditioned engine and
    he would check that the body (sills etc..) were sound and do any
    welding that might be needed.
    
    Opinions ?
    
    Jason.

    
    Depends on how much you want to spend, but these days its a buyers
    market.
    There must be enough good MGs out there for you to get the car you
    want without having to do any upgrades. Nowadays it is cheaper to
    buy a car that has already had the work done on it. In fact, there
    are some amazing buys if you are prepared to look around and so long
    as you know a good/bad car when you see one.
    
    - Jonathan
     

    .25 is sound advice. Very sound.
    
    Laurie.

    
    Just one thing about colours. If the bodywork is A1 perfect condition
    then racing green is fine, if it been restored and the bodywork is not
    so good, steer well clear of racing green. Nice as it may look if the
    body is not 100% it shows up every last little ripple, dent etc, its 
    one of the worst colours for that.
    
    
    	Garry

I know  its  stating  the obvious, but please make sure that any re-spray is
being  done by a "known" MG garage or someone you know very well.  Just read
some of the back issues of the club mag.  to appreciate some of the mess you
can get into...

I would  also  second  the idea of looking round for a "ready made" MGB.  If
you  not  already,  become a member of the MGOC (0954 31125 - this is a very
old  number so it may have changed), then look though all the adverts - lots
of MGBs for sale. 

Sorry if this is all very obvious,

Mark