V8 Specifications

V8	SPECIFICATIONS (Conversion & Restoration Details) As of: 11 July 2008

Since things change as work progresses, when I finalize a part of the car, I'll provide a complete listing of the modifications/changes that were actually made.

There are 2 sections one can visit from here:

SPECIFICATIONS - Comparison of factory car to theAutoist's car general specs.

MODIFICATIONS - What I'm doing different from the factory.

SPECIFICATIONS
A comparison of the factory car to my car

	1979 FACTORY	theAutoist
Weight (curb/test):	2590 lbs
Overall length:	12ft 9.2in
Steering Turns Lock-to-Lock:	3.5	2.9
Front Brakes	10.75in disc w/2-pot calipers	10.75in disc w/4-pot calipers
Rear Brakes:	10in drums	10.5in 1985 Saab 900 Disc w/2-pot calipers
Parking Brake	Cable operated.	Cable operated Wilwood spot mechanical caliper.
Shocks:	Armstrong lever shocks at 4 corners, integral upper control arm at the front, linked to leaf spring retaining plate at the rear.	GAZ tube coil-over shocks at 4 corners with no springs on rear shocks.
Engine:	4 cylinder in line, pushrod ohv.	Rover 4.2 liter aluminum alloy V8
Carburetor:	Single Zenith-Stromberg (though I had converted it to dual HIF-4's w/Peco header)	Quad SU-44's on a Boxer 2-piece cross flow intake manifold
Transmission:	Four speed manual, all synchromesh	Five speed manual, all synchromesh
Final Drive:	Live axle, hypoid bevel gears, 3.909:1	Live axle, hypoid bevel gears, 3.07:1
Wheels	14" x 4.5" Rostyle

"theAutoist" MODIFICATIONS

GENERAL BODY & INTERIOR MODIFICATIONS

BODY

+ Transmission tunnel modified for V-8 conversion.
+ Inner front fenders modified for RV8-style exhaust
headers.
+ Inner fenders modified for better air flow over headers through Shelby Cobra fender vents.
+ Rubber bumpers removed & body converted to pre-'68 chrome bumper style.
+ Fiberglass front fenders modified for new Mini Cooper headlight units.
+ Fiberglass Sebring front valance w/integrated brake vents.
+ Rear custom fiberglass Sebring valance with recessed license plate & exhaust openings.
+ Custom aluminum egg crate grille in reshaped grille opening.
+ Custom MGC fiberglass hood w/enlarged GT6 'hump'.
+ Side trim, side marker lights, badges removed.
+ Door/trunk handles shaved & remote locks installed.
+ Early 2-piece taillights w/amber upper lens & integrated backup lights.
+ Custom front turn signal light assemblies.
+ 'Windblocker'.
+ Packaway top frames.
+ Non-vented gas tank centered under trunk; sending unit moved to front of tank.
+ All emissions controls removed.
+ Gas and brake lines relocated from underneath car to inside transmission tunnel.

ELECTRICAL/STEREO	+ Fuse block moved into passenger compartment utilizing Ian Pender kit. + Ignition & battery relays modernized with Hella plug-ins. + Custom solid state voltage stabilizer by Wray Lemke. + 45amp GE Delco alternator. + Wiring harness run outside engine compartment under passenger fender. + Rear main wiring harness relocated from underneath car to under passenger seat.

INTERIOR	+ Custom Biscuit interior: = Mr. Mike's leather Pontiac Fiero seats w/Infinity speakers & built-in racing harnesses. = Fiero arm rests = Dash & all interior trim dyed Biscuit to match seats + SAFE QUIP 5-point racing harnesses. + Moto-Lita 14" wood steering wheel. + Burlwood dash kit added to dash & console. + Jaguar XJ12 instruments (160-mph speedo, 7000rpm tach, amp, oil pressure, temp, fuel). + Clock relocated to radio console in lieu of cigar lighter. + Trunk area carpeted.

SUSPENSION, ETC.

STEERING	+ 1975 MGB steering assembly (2.9 turns 'lock-to-lock').

REAR	+ Doug Jackson composite springs. + Doug Jackson panhard bar. + Doug Jackson anti-tramp bars. + Custom built 'top hats' frame/ spring hanger reinforcement. + MGC 3.07:1 gears in rebuilt MGB rear end. + Original anti-sway bar. + GAZ adjustable tube shocks. + Poly bushings.

FRONT	+ 3/4" Ron Hopkinson sway bar. + New king pins. + Vertically offset swivel axles by MG LTD. + Hawk Cars & Hoyle Engineering Ltd coil-over shock suspension kit. + Modified front suspension cross member + Polyurethane bushings. + Front hubs shaved 5/16". + Front rotors cross-drilled to lighten. + Original suspension beam cross-drilled to lighten.

DRIVELINE

ENGINE	+ Glenn Towry-built Rover 4.2L Rover V8 engine: = Late Rover 3.9L block with cross-drilled 4-bolt main bearings. = Rover 4.2L 'long stroke' crankshaft. = Rover 5.7" 4.2L 'long stroke' rods. = A&E Hepalite 3.9L short stroke pistons shaved .080" off top & 1/8" off bottom with moly rings. = Triumph TR8 carbureted heads with combustion chambers relieved, oversize 1.625" intake valves & 1.325" exhaust valves, ported, polished, decked. = Chevrolet small block valve springs with 95 pounds on valve seats. = Double roller timing chain. = Isky 270° cam with Isky 'anti-pump up' lifters. = All reciprocating parts balanced & blueprinted. Bore: 3.7" Stroke: 3.0" 10.5:1 compression. = Oil galleys opened to at least 1/2". = Neoprene seals. = Brass freeze plugs. = Morosso spark plug wires. = 11 pound aluminum billet flywheel with 10-1/2" Rover SD-1 Borg & Beck clutch. + Buick 216 V8 distributor upgraded to Pertronix ignitor electronics. + Nippon Denso/TS Imported Automotive 'Hi-Torque' 4.44:1 gear reduction starter. + BOXER intake manifold w/4 HIF 44 Carb's: modifications are: = Halved throttle spindle = Butterfly knife-edged = Throttle-fixing screw-heads and shafts countersunk and cut down, smoothed off, (Loctite threadlock used of course) = Carb body ported around intersection with dashpot bore = Piston leading and trailing edges smoothed, to eliminate sharp leading/trailing edges = General smoothing of any sharp edges or manufacturing errors such as casting flash. = Carb inlets smoothed to match Velocity stacks (trumpets). + TS Imported Automotive Jet Hot ceramic coated RV8-style headers. + DELCO 45amp alternator. + Remote oil filter. + Rover "short" water pump with Triumph TR7 fan.

TRANSMISSION	+ Rover SD-1 big bearing 5-speed transmission w/shifter modified to fit MG tunnel when engine in 'setback' position. + Modified TR6 drive shaft.

BRAKES

GENERAL	+ Axle-divided, two-circuit foot brake system. + Entire system converted to non-servo boosted '74 MGB dual-line system. + Proportioning valve.

FRONT	+ Rover SD-1 4-pot calipers. + MGB GT V8 original equipment rotors, cross drilled. + Braided stainless steel brake hoses. + Dust covers eliminated.

REAR	+ 1985 Saab 900 disc brakes on custom brackets. + Brake backing plates removed.

HANDBRAKE	+ Cable operated Wilwood spot mechanical caliper on custom brackets.

RETURN
TO MG Museum