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V8 Musings

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: V8 Musings
From: WSpohn4@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 10:22:44 EDT
The purists need not read on nor comment - I can sympathise with the 
sentiments that have you view engine swaps with distaste, and in fact agree 
that it is a shame to do such things to cars like MGAs, which are now scarce 
and merit better treatment - I am talking here about swaps into MGBs, 
originally a half million potential donors, and arguably no loss if a few go 
the engine swap route.  I would add that as the best candidates for a swap 
are the early cars, without the unfortunate suspension foibles of the Rubber 
Ducky set, and as the early ones are now starting to be a little thin on the 
ground, we will reach a point, some day, where the objections to using up a 
nice early car for such a project must be taken seriously.


In any case, I was wondering about the common choice of the BOP V8 as an 
engine for such swaps.  I understand that there are some things in favour of 
such a choice - the factory did it on the BGT, so there is precedent, and the 
techniques are well known, so it  is a less scary road for the tyro swapper.

In fact, though, aside from the weight, the BOP engine isn't that hot a 
choice, for several reasons. The output per litre is low (I know that they 
quoted 200 old gross bhp - do you have any idea what that equates to in 
modern terms?), unless you tune the engines, or locate a later version. The 
Rover SD1 versions are pretty scarce, and the injected engines don't lend 
themselves to tuning. The better versions developed by TVR, larger and with 
higher output, are likely almost impossible to locate and expensive if you 
can. Which leaves you with the original BOP versions, back before Rover spent 
all that money refining them and fixing some of the problems they had. Not 
the best of all choices, IMHO.

There is no shortage of rather interesting donor vehicles out there, if you 
don't mind looking beyond the Rover. Many of the current Japanese stuff, 
going back a decade or so, if need be, is compact and has excellent power 
outputs - the carbon/kevlar bodied MGA coupe/choptop that was for sale a few 
years ago used a Toyota DOHC 4 cylinder - great stuff if you want 25 more bhp 
and another 1000 rpm on tap.

The Honda VTEC engines are very interesting - the new one putting out 240 bhp 
in a sports car is just the latest example - how would you like that in a 
2000 lb car instead of the 27-2800 lb vehicle that they installed it in?

If you want to go bigger, or more American, there are several decent, 
somewhat old tech V6 motors around, including the 3.8 Buick, and even better, 
the little 60 degree 2.8 to 3.4 GM range. I use one of these in my Fiero, 
fairly highly modified and turboed, putting out around 300 bhp - imagine that 
in a 'B'. And the block on the V6 is no longer than the MGB block.

If you attempt a new style of engine, you needn't be scared by the 
electronics. You can get a used engine complete with ECM (computer) and 
senders and you just have to make sure that all the senders get hooked up or 
tricked into thinking they are.  You get the advantages of modern technology 
(you can even get an ECM that is customisable, and programmable from a 
laptop), with the attendant better running and lower gas consumption.

I just thought I'd mention the possibilities and perhaps get a few people 
that might be thinking about swaps to examine some other possibilities, 
rather than automatically taking the well travelled road.

Cheers,

Bill Spohn

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