Larry,
I wouldn't try it - the caliper halves are precision machined with a recess
in one side to accomodate the square section oil seal. If you fabricated a
plate, you would also have to machine a recess in the other half of the
caliper to locate a seal on the opposite side of your spacer, not to mention
sourcing longer bolts with the proper shank length. Besides, I don't think
you would gain much from the use of the 1/2" rotors as opposed to drilled
stock MGB ones.
There are all sorts of other brake options that have been bandied about,
mostly on the MG BBS (www.mgcars.org.uk) under the "MGB-GT V-8s and V-8
Conversions" subject heading. Most of them use oddities from British cars
not available in the States, but you may get some ideas from perusing the
archives
Cheers,
Paul Kile
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry Hoy [mailto:larryhoy@prodigy.net]
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 12:11 PM
To: KILE, PAUL D; MG V8 List
Subject: RE: MGB v8 front brakes
OK, now that I'm back in the office and have had some time
on the road to think ...
Would there be a way to machine a plate to fit between the
inner and outer caliper halves in order to accommodate the
V8 rotor?
I haven't even looked at the calipers yet, hope this isn't a
real stupid question!!!
Larry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-mgb-v8@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-mgb-v8@autox.team.net]On
> Behalf Of Larry Hoy
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 8:35 AM
> To: KILE, PAUL D; MG V8 List
> Subject: RE: MGB v8 front brakes
>
>
> Wow, thanks for the through reply Paul. Sounds like the
> larger pads and perhaps the drilled rotors might be clear
> ticket.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Larry
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-mgb-v8@autox.team.net
> > [mailto:owner-mgb-v8@autox.team.net]On
> > Behalf Of KILE, PAUL D
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 7:53 AM
> > To: 'Larry Hoy'; MG V8 List
> > Subject: RE: MGB v8 front brakes
> >
> >
> > Larry,
> > I've got a Factory GT V-8 here in California, so
> > I can address some of your
> > questions. The thicker rotor was used to
> > dissipate more heat and to be more
> > resistant to brake fade (although I would have
> > thought a ventilated rotor
> > would have done a better job, but the factory was
> > working on the cheap when
> > they designed the GT V-8).
> >
> > If you were to install the rotors on a 4-cyl car,
> > you would also need the
> > V-8 calipers that allow for the thicker rotor.
> > These were an amalgam of MGB
> > and Triumph 2000 calipers, and can be
> > "fabricated" by combining one half of
> > the MG with one half of the Triumph units. You
> > of course need the hardened
> > bolts and the square section fluid seal if you
> > split calipers. I have heard
> > dire warnings from some folks that you need a
> > special jig to reassemble
> > split calipers, but I have done it several times
> > with no problem (as long as
> > the bolts and seal are replaced).
> >
> > You will be hard pressed to find a set of Triumph
> > 2000 calipers here in the
> > States, they sold only a few of that weird
> > looking sedan over here. Of
> > course, you could buy new V-8 caliper assemblies
> > in the UK, but I'm sure
> > they are hellishly expensive (I was able to
> > rebuild mine). You are right
> > that the V-8 pads will fit the 4-cylinder
> > calipers, and they give you a
> > better swept area. I got mine (original Lockheed
> > pads) from either Brown
> > and Gammons or Moss UK (I don't remember which),
> > and I paid about $35.00US
> > for them. Moss USA sells Mintex competition V-8
> > pads for around $80.00 a
> > set, but they probably need to be warmed up
> > before they work effectively - I
> > don't want that on a street car.
> >
> > The rotor and caliper are a direct bolt on to the
> > MGB front uprights/hubs,
> > although the rotor splash plate needs to be cut
> > away slightly to clear the
> > V-8 caliper (I bought a set of replacement splash
> > plates, and they were
> > obviously 4-cylinder units that had been cut up).
> > The brake lines are the
> > same as late MGB with the spiral protector, but I
> > found that non-OEM
> > Lockheed brake lines will not fit, the hex end
> > that screws into the caliper
> > is too fat to clear the caliper casting - make
> > sure you use OEM Lockheed
> > lines. You also need longer cotter pins to hold
> > the pads into the caliper,
> > these are not automatically included with brake
> > pad sets any more.
> >
> > As for whether the V-8 setup is worth it, IMHO I
> > think that a set of cross
> > drilled MGB rotors coupled with the V-8 pads in
> > the 4-cyl. calipers will
> > give you the same fade resistance as what the
> > Factory intended with the
> > thicker rotors. Of course, I am going for
> > concours originality in my V-8, so
> > I am stuck with the original system.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Paul Kile
> > 1974 Factory MGB-GT V-8 (Formerly The Rustbucket,
> > renamed The Phoenix)
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Larry Hoy [mailto:larryhoy@prodigy.net]
> > Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 10:07 PM
> > To: MG V8 List
> > Subject: MGB v8 front brakes
> >
> >
> > This is not a new subject but I wasn't listening! Don't
> > tell me you didn't "drift off" in school occasionally.
> >
> > Can any of you set me straight here? Tell me about the
> > factory MGB V8 front brakes. Here's what I
> think I know.
> >
> > The rotor is the same diameter as the 4 cyl
> rotor, but it
> > thicker. 1/2" vs. 3/8" (approx).
> >
> > The brake pads have a slightly larger foot print.
> >
> > V8 pads will fit the 4 cyl cars without modification.
> >
> > V8 rotors will not fit the 4 cyl cars unless
> the calipers
> > are modified.
> >
> > Here are the questions:
> >
> > What is the advantage of the thicker rotor?
> >
> > What is needed to install the thicker rotor?
> >
> > Would I get the same benefit by just using the V8 brake
> > pads?
> >
> > And for our English friends are the V8 brake pads
> > available
> > in England for less than 50 pounds?
> >
> > Larry Hoy
> > http://pages.prodigy.net/larryhoy/
>
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