> Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 22:21:11 -0600
> From: Jp Plank <moonshine327@juno.com>
> Subject: Clutch install 78 MGB
> is there anything I could do to help the performance of the car? I've
> seen webber carb conversions, headers, exhaust systems, ignition
> upgrades, and such...Is there any merit to doing any of these? What are
> the best "bang for the buck" modifications for a street driven MGB.
> Jp Plank
I sold *all* my Weber DCOE stuff...I mean carbs, jets, stacks, manifolds, you
name
it for A and B series...SUs work just as well for the most part.
In's and out's on my various brit cars:
Autox 'B: SUs with LCB header
Midget: same
Rally B-GT: SU HIFs, "junky" header
TR8: SU HS6s (will be fuel injected eventually), stock exhaust
B-V8: SD1/TR8 fuel injection, RV8 style headers
I run junky headers on the rally car because they get thrashed. There's no
point
in spending extra $$$ on a LCB header just to have it get stoned to death.
(Even with a nice
big chunk of 6061-T6 under the car it seems "things" find their way to the
exhaust!) The stock
manifold is probably the same or better performance wise to the "junky"
headers, but
I've got a few of them around, so that's what I use.
There are some who belive the HIF type carb is the best SU on the
planet....I've been happy with
them on the rally car.
"Bang for the buck"? If your SUs have that stupid emissions poppet valve
butterfly, throw
'em away and get the earlier solid butterflies. Vizard said the butterfly
screws cause like
a 10% (??? I'm not near my books, I can't look it up) reduction in airflow.
Imagine what that
stupid poppet valve is doing! For $30 you replace the butterflies, put new
screws in, trim the
screws with a dremel, put them back in with the proper lock-tite, there ya go,
a little bit
better throttle response and potentially more HP. Like others have said, make
sure your SUs
are healthy! The workshop books tell how to check the dashpots, etc...people
will replace
trashed SUs with a poor compromise (like a Weber DGV) and think the car runs so
much
better....but they should've fixed the SUs first!
Ignition? Electronic ignition, hot coils, *good* wires...that can all help,
BUT first check to see
if the dizzy is junk. If the bushes are shot and the shaft is wobbling,
replace it first and then
do the other stuff. Avoid super woop-dee-doo garbage, you know the "if you buy
these plugs you'll
get 80000 HP!!!" junk. I run NGK or Champion plugs in everything I've got. No
platinums, nothing
"fancy". A lot of that stuff is just "fixing" weaknesses elsewhere in the
ignition system, and if
you do everything "right", you don't need them.
Make sure the suspension is healthy too. I'm amazed at how many different
places a 'B will
rattle itself apart, like the inner a-arm pivot to crossmember. The fun of a
street 'B is that it's a
nimble little roadster, not a rocket. Great handling and good throttle
response are what I'd shoot for.
"Sing blue silver",
-Keith Wheeler
Team Sanctuary
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