Kevin Sullivan asks, re: 5-speed transmission transplants:
>Sounds nice! Of course I'm not planning on changing the original setup
>on my MGA, but if the trans ever needs replacing, an OD would be a nice
>alternative. Anybody put/seen an OD in an MGA? How about a non-MGA engine?
>(Not that I would ever do such a thing -- but I would like to hear about
>it if it's been done. Especially if it's something crazy. Hmmm -- 130hp.)
Although I put the 5-main MGB and Nissan 5-speed in my MG ZB Magnette, I
also have an MGA MkII. I agree with Kevin's feelings that an MGA is too
classic to change. However, the ZB is our main car (driven on long freeway
trips and all winter), the modifications are what I consider tasteful and
actually invisable even to most MG enthusiasts and car show judges. On the
other hand our the MGA has gone from a "hobby car" in the 70s to our only
car in the early 80s to a national NAMGAR class winner and "summer car"
since we first restored our Magnette some ten years ago. (Our only other
vehicles are "Trek" bicycles -- Haven't seen an MG bike yet.)
The MGA MkII does 70 mph at 3700 rpm: A fifth gear would drop it by 800 or
so and make extended freeway cruising quieter. The 5-main MGB bored to two
litres give 130 bhp, more than the 92 original horses, and would keep up
with the Hondas and Miatas. Like all things MG, ya does what ya wants.
The factory intended amateurs and enthusiasts to make modifications, since
that's what they had been doing since the '30s.
Dropping a 5-main MGB has been done on a number of MGAs, and Tom Ball of
NAMGAR even has a late MGB OD in his -- very personnalized :-) -- MGA 1600.
If I remember rightly all he did was modify the tunnel slightly, redo the
rear mount, and mount the tunnel sheet metal on top of the floorboards for
an extra 1/2 inch top clearance. The benefit of a 5-speed is smaller than
stock size and it's designed for 140 - 160 bhp of a 280ZX six. I've seen
some Toyota twin-cams (Japanese market engines) transplanted into MGBs but
not an MGA. Also 2.3 litre Ford V6s can be put in, but need very
interesting exhaust headers to get around framing and steering supports. I
once read of a Buick Grand National w/ truck superchager fitted, although
much modification was needed, the MGA did 200 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats
in the early '90s.
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