Physical dimensions of MGB engine

I was reading about them a few weeks back - Napier Sabre, probably the most complex engine I've ever seen...

Remarkably compact though. It took them quite a while to get it working properly IIRC. The trouble with sleeve valve engines is that the sleeve needs lubrication - probably rather too much in these days of emission controls. I think I read somewhere that someone is having another go at the idea of a rotary valve in the head but I don't know if they were following Mr. Cross or Mr. Aspin.

Ron Robinson

Contempate, if you will, the Napier Nomad:

or, if you want something really scary, the compound Deltic.

Or, for that matter, the rhomboid Deltic. How did that not tie itself in a knot?

Quite, see any smoky "Silent Knight" :-)

I think with modern materials either would be doable. ISTR someone working on a ceramic Aspin valve.

I'm over here in Indiana USA. I can get a 1979 MGn chassis for $1.00 ... yes things are that bad in the USA. I found a Jag 4.2 I'd like to drop in that MGB.

url:

Someone in New England IIRC in the USA fitted a straight 6 jag engine into a midget with a bit of modding so I would expect the fitting into a MGB would be easier, maybe not easy. I have seen the link in the last week or 2 but can't find it amongst my bookmarks at the moment. IIRC it was called "the fright" or similar.

This wasn't the one I was thinking of that was done in the US IIRC but does give some ideas

A ridiculous choice. You'll end up with horrendous understeer - as in an MGC, due to the weight being too far forward. Nor is the 'B' chassis up to vastly more power - as the MGB V-8 proved. A decent all alloy six of about

2.5 litres and 150 bhp would be a better bet.

Accompanied by the sound of a chisel on slate Dave Plowman (News), managed to produce the following words of wisdom

There was a chap in one of the magazines a while ago who built a very nice V8 MGB for use as a track day car. 280 bhp 4.2 Rover lump. He used suspension from one of the tuning gurus, I can't remember who, but it was meant to handle very well indeed. He originally used RV8 stuff, but said it was crap.

Looked very nice indeed, but knowing magazine articles - my old Cosworth was featured in one - the magazine will have guessed most of the stuff they wrote and never drove it...

I'm sure it can be made to handle ok for track events - and of course the Rover V-8 is about the same weight as the B series with about the same centre of gravity. I don't think you could mount a six far enough back to maintain that - especially a door stop like the XK engine. And I'd guess by the engine choice he's after a cruiser. Which a good MGB is fine for.

At every corner, I'd imagine. I have this vision of smoking /front/ tyres.

Has anyone ever put a Daimler V8 into a B? The small one, I mean (or course!)

Yes. Remember reading about it in IIRC PC years ago. Also a 2000 P6 which pre-dated Rover fitting their V-8. Trouble was it wasn't an easy engine to source secondhand.

Figures. It was the sort of thing which was probably worth considering when scruffy Daimler 250s were worth approximately buggerall on the secondhand market, but that's a long time gone.

Also the Daimlers tended to be rather better cared for than the equivalent Jags so took longer to reach the breaker's yard. By which time the Rover V-8 was in good supply.

That, too, makes sense.

Which is more than putting an XK into a B does. The XK has its virtues, but it's not the donk for a car the size of a B.

Yup. I like the 'B' on the right roads and a good smooth lightweight six without too much power would be an improvement. If you like that sort of thing.

How much does the small-block BMW six (as used in the 1980s-90s 3- and

5-series) weigh? That might work (hmm... a 525e engine/transmission in a BGT could produce a very appealing touring car..)

I suspect it would be too tall, though an MGC style bonnet bulge might cover it.