With all due respect, you've slightly missed the point. If your
knowledge of my nation and its people is limited by your knowledge of
LBC's, then fair enough. I know this is all supposed to be in fun, and
we share our hobby, but please don't slip into stereotypes just because
Lucas electrics have a bad name. I mean, isn't it true that all
Americans wear cowboy hats, chew gum, tote guns and say `y'all' every
third word? No? Thought not!
What started this long winding thread was a thought about an MGB Twin
Cam, using an MGA Twin Cam engine as its basis, which I still think
would be a fascinating if controversial project if someone had the will
and the wherewithall. I am 100% with you on that, and if you decide to
attempt to build such an animal, then good luck - keep us all posted.
There is, however (in my opinion - for what that is worth!) a better way
to building an MGB with more go and plenty of MG heritage. Perhaps
because the car was never exported, some people wrongly assume that the
marriage of the Rover (nee Buick) all-aluminium 3,528 c.c. V8 engine is
an unholy alliance - rather like slotting a Ford V8 in an MGA.
Don't forget that the MGB V8 concept took root at Abingdon (with a
little help from Ken Costello!) and the installation was properly
engineered there by Terry Mitchell, Alec Hounslow and their merry men.
Terry had been chassis man on the MGA, EX179, EX181 and the MGB, whilst
Alec Hounslow - Development Dept. Foreman - had been with MG since
before WWII, riding as mechanic to Nuvolari in '33.
Although closely related to other Rover V8 engine applications, the
specification of the MG unit was actually unique, the details worked out
between Solihull and Abingdon. Most of the bits are now available
through UK specialists - such as MOSS Europe.
The MGB GT V8 was even brought to a dealer launch in Hollywood in late
1972, coinciding with the launch of the Austin Marina and Jaguar V12,
but in the end US sales plans were canned and the V8 survived in its
home market from 1973 to 1976.
Had US sales proceeded, you can bet your bottom dollar that an open
version would have followed - but emissions legislation, BLMC's own
problems and the internal Triumph faction all saw to it that it never
happened. So what I am saying is that anyone who slots in a Rover V8
into an MGB is only doing something which could have been a production
reality - and probably came much closer to it than the MGB Twin Cam.
David Knowles
1974 MGB GT V8
1980 MGB
1989 BMW (Break My Windows)
1985 Vauxhall Nova (not a Chevy!)
----------
From: Kai Radicke
To: David Knowles
Subject: Re: Yet more on the MGB Twin Cam
Date: 08 August 1997 10:50
> > Yup, that is what I have said before. British Organization is like a
> > hole in a fish tank. I know, I deal with it 40 work hours a week and
then some at > >home. [###3]
>
> ###3). Please don't generalise about the British - just because we sold
> our only remaining home grown car industry to the Germans (having jilted
> the Japanese at the altar), just because we stopped exporting the most
> popular sports cars ever made, just because we fostered Joseph Lucas in
> our midst.......
OK, well when you have a Lucas part # 54598451 that supercedes to
DBS121,
that supercedes to SCP980 that British Leyland used in the TR7 and MGB,
and
the factory had 2 different numbers and then the 3 Lucas numbers...I am
sure you can see my point about British Organization.
Kai
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