Hi Darren,
Even at $4.00 per gallon, you would have to save a lot of fuel to make
up for the cost and hassle of changing the BW35 to a four-speed sychro
box. If you did the job, you would want to get one with overdrive.
Both the BW35 and the four-speed synchro box are 1-1 in top gear.
If you are concerned about the mileage, and who isn't these days,
what about changing to MGC 15 inch wheels? That would drop the
revs/mile on the highway a bit, you would still have whatever torque
multiplication the BW35 provides, and it sure would be simpler.
What is your fuel consumption now? What are your annual miles? What
are the conditions of your daily drive --- 20 miles of stop&go, or 30
miles of 75 mph?
If you get 20 mpg at $3.20 per gallon ( our current price in coastal
CT ) and drive 12,000 miles per year, fuel cost would be 16 cents/ mile
x 12000 = $1920.
If you could get 25 at $3.20, cost would be 12 cents/mile x 12000 =
$1440, a $480 savings. The difference is not insignificant, but a
rebuilt 4speed with OD will cost you $2400 or so, plus all the pedal &
hydraulic stuff, and other mysteries, so it could take upwards of four
years to break even using these assumptions.
The automatics are few, yet as automatics go they are pretty robust
and trouble free. The Postal Service jeeps of the era used them.
I dunno --- unless you see a tremendous annual savings in fuel, I
don't believe the effort would be worthwhile.
Bob
On Sat, 15 Jul 2006 13:01:18 +0100 "darren" <darren@abbotstone.ath.cx>
writes:
> Hi Group..
>
> Does anyone have experience on changing the automatic mgb to a
> manual? I have a 1970 auto gt daily driver which I'm afraid is not very
> economical and on long run revs rather too much.. I am however loath to
change
> the car from it's original spec... Any thoughts??
>
>
> Darren
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