MGB GT V8 Conversion

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Great car though it was in many respects, you could never really call the MGB fast and it never had the hooligan side that say, an Austin-Healey 3000 did, or an Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV.

The stiff chassis could easily handle more power though, a fact demonstrated by tuner Ken Costello who put a Rover 3.5-litre V8 in his own MGB in 1970, with results that so impressed British Leyland they contracted him to develop a factory made version which entered production in 1973. Modestly tuned to produce 137bhp and 193lb/ft of torque, it gave the car a 0-60 time of around 8 seconds and a top speed of 125mph.

Because the all-alloy V8 actually weighed 40lbs less than the standard 1.8-litre cast iron engine, the handling was not detrimentally affected and no significant chassis changes were required. However, BL were concerned that it would overshadow other models in their range, most notably the more expensive and less powerful Stag, so it was quietly dropped from the range after just three years by which time 2,591 examples had been sold.

This particular car started out in life as a standard MGB GT in November 1968 and lived a perfectly normal life until late 2003 when it was acquired by a doctor who decided that it could do with a bit more luxury and a lot more poke. To this end he commissioned Bromsgrove MG to completely rebuild the car and transform it into a far more exciting machine.

At the heart of the car lies a tuned Rover V8 with an Edelbrock 4-barrel carburettor, electronic ignition, big bore stainless steel exhaust and various other mods which raise the power to 195bhp. This is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and a limited slip differential, the brakes and suspension also being uprated to cope with the extra power. The car was also prepared for a fuel injection system with an RV8 petrol tank, Lambda sensors etc but this has not been followed through to completion.

The doctor did not stint on the interior either which features red and silver leather trimmed seats, a walnut dash and door cappings, new carpets and headlining, various additional gauges, Mountney steering wheel, electric windows, central locking, upgraded radio/CD sound system plus various other luxuries. Naturally the body was also fully restored and finished in gleaming silver metallic with a Webasto sunroof.

The exact specification is too detailed to list in full here but is amply documented in the large history file with bills amounting to over £23,000 including over £10,000 spent on parts alone.

The current owner acquired the car in 2005 and has used it sparingly in fine weather only. More recent work includes a front suspension overhaul using polybushes throughout and involving new kingpins (with needle roller top bushes), new springs, new wishbone arms and pivots plus uprated shock absorbers.

In fine condition throughout with tax until June and MOT until April 2015, this superbly uprated machine is only reluctantly offered for sale due to an impending house move and consequent loss of storage.

AMENDMENT: Although this car is registered as a 1968 model on the V5C it may be a later model.