Ferrari Mailing List: Re: My Experience with a Kit Car Owner

[Francis Newman (francis]

Hi Britt

Not quite accurate.

The MGC has a straight 6 2912cc engine. the MG was a true MG being  
produced when MG was still independent. It was not a well balanced  
car and was only prodcued from 1967 - 69

In 1970 Ken Costello started fitting  Rover V8 3.5 litre engines  
(which were derived from a Buick V8) which were being used in the  
Range Rover  to MGBs, which was a good combination as the weight is  
very similar to the 1800B, unlike the heavier C engine and did good  
business doing conversions.

When MG went into the British Leyland group they started producing,  
in 1973 their own V8 engined MGB, called an MGB GT V8 which stayed in  
production till 1976. There was also subsequently in 93-95 the MGR V8  
which had an overall similar look to the the MGB but with a more  
curvaceous body

Francis

On 8 Dec 2006, at 15:53, Britt2Asa [at] aol.com wrote:

> But of course the MG was AVAILABLE with a V8 here in the UK, my  
> neighbor has
> one and its a MGC so unless you want to argue that its not the  
> original type
> V8 its not that big a step as they were produced at the factory  
> that way.
>
> Didn't the lowly Alpine contribute to the original Cobra design  
> where the big
> V8 was shovelled into the little British chassie?
>
> On eof the neat things about living in the UK is the huge number of  
> very
> small motor manufacturers that exist or use to exist  
> here....Bristols, TVRs (until
> two months ago), Lotus, Noble, Jenson (which comes and goes every  
> year), ect.
>
> True these are not really replicas of OTHER cars (and I understand  
> that
> point) but I think there is a fine line between a replica car  
> (minus its badges)
> and a "genuine" car with modifications......Wouldn't a MGB with a  
> V8 added
> really be a replica of an MGC?
>
> Its interesting to see the way people feel about these things. I do  
> find it
> funny that a person who copies a type of boat as close as possible  
> (maybe the
> hull design and layout work has already been done but they want it  
> out of steel
> for instances) would never call their boat a "replica" no matter  
> how close it
> looks to the genuine thing. I wonder if its because boats are still  
> largely
> handmade and many people don't know the difference between them?
>
> Hey, does anybody make flying replicas of WWII aircraft? Now that  
> would be
> neat! Would you car guys feel the same way about a carefully made
> P38/Mustang/B24 flying replica
> as you would a car? What if it was a type of plane that there were  
> none left
> in flying condition or say the only one was in the Smithsonian so  
> that the
> only way you or your kids could experience the sight and sound of  
> that aircraft
> was with a replica. You wouldn't wear a fake Rolex but would you  
> look at and
> admire a replica plane?
>
> Britt
>
> > Many MGB owners prefer a V8 because
> > of the wonder burble that comes with a bog ol 'merican V8.
>
>
>
> BR in the UK
> 1986 328GTS (LHD 89,940km) Died August 19, 2006 Shrewsbury UK
> 1980 400i (RHD 72,000 miles)
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