January 2004 Issue

Postage
83
2403 Homestead Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20902
VOLUME XII, NUMBER 1
JANUARY - APRIL, 2004
PETE MANTELL’S
FORD 302 MGB
FEATURED STORIES:
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PETE MANTELL’S MGB/FORD 302
MITCHELL BARRETT’S SPITFIRE/OLDS 215
MIKE VANOZZI’S MGA/CHEVY 406
BRUCE WOOD’S TR6/CHEVY 406
JASON NORMAN’S TR4/CHEVY 427
ADDRESS LABEL
ROVER VALVE GUIDES
5 - 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION CHOICES
AND MORE!
$5.00 USA & Canada, $7.50 foreign
Wiring Harnesses: I have a few (8) wiring harnesses
completed, ready for sale, for MGBs and TR6s. Please
understand, I am NOT selling these as a commercial endeavor,
rather in response to requests from friends. As such, they are sold
as-is, with no warranty whatever. I have designed and built these
to the best of my knowledge, but I am not a professional, I’m not
licensed or certified, nor do I have the facilities to properly test
and certify them as adequate for their intended purpose.
HarV8 MG Conversions
278 Lourdes St., Waterloo,
Ontario, Canada N2L 1P3
[email protected]
tel: 519-725-2895
Now supplying quality MGB V8 conversion
parts to Canadian MGB V8 builders!
Stainless steel RV8 headers and exhaust systems
Alloy motor mounts and alternator brackets
Contact: Martyn Harvey
These wiring panels come with 7 relays, 8 fuses, two flashers,
and all the wire, terminals, connectors, etc, required to
completely rewire your car, replacing ALL the electrical system,
and using the correct color coded wires. A fairly comprehensive
instruction manual is also provided. When these are gone,
there’ll be no more, as I do not plan another production run.
Price for the kits is $300 plus $15 shipping/handling.
Dan Masters
PO Box 6430
Maryville, TN 37802-6430
FAST CARS
Weight Conscious Performance Engineering
Our passion is British Roadsters. We love
these cars and want them to perform as well
as they look. Driving should be a pleasure.
Our work will show an attention to detail
appreciated by the true enthusiast. No
sacrifice of practicality for cute. Strong,
serviceable, light, beautiful and FAST.
FAST CARS, INC
845 East Superior
Tel / Fax: (269) 792-6632
Custom Frames &
Chassis
Chassis & Suspension
Modifications
Coil Over Conversions
Engine Conversions
Wilwood Disc Brakes
Wayland, MI 49348
E-Mail: [email protected]
The British V8 Newsletter is published
three times yearly,
January - April,
May - August, and
September - December:
Publisher/Editor:
James Jewell
2403 Homestead Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20902
[email protected]
Newsletter website:
http://www.BritishV8.org
Please send all newsletter
correspondence to:
James Jewell
2403 Homestead Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20902
Please send all website
correspondence to:
[email protected]
Subscription rates:
$15.00 per year (three issues)
The British V8 Newsletter serves as an independent
source of information and communication between
British V8 owners and enthusiasts. Any Newsletter
material may be reproduced in other publications
with the stipulation that the British V8 Newsletter be
credited.
Technical information in the newsletter is
believed to be accurate; however, it is to be
understood that the majority of the material in
this newsletter comes from British V8 owners and
enthusiasts, most of whom are non-professionals,
and is supplied to the Newsletter without remuneration as a courtesy to it’s readers. The use
of the information is, therefore, at the risk of the
reader. Neither the Newsletter, it’s publisher, it’s
editor, nor the contributors are responsible for
mechanical damage or personal injury directly or
indirectly resulting from Newsletter information.
WEB SITES OF INTEREST
http://www.ttcautomotive.com/ A good source of
info on the T5, Tremec, & T56 transmissions.
http://www.autoworks.cc/ Ford stuff, including a
commercially available version of Dale’s S/C kit.
Volume XII, Issue 1
January - April 2004
CONTENTS:
How it was done:
#1 - Pete Mantell - MGB/Ford 302 V8
#2 - Mitchell Barrett - Spitfire/Olds V8
#3 - Jason Norman - TR4/427 Chevy V8
#4 - Mike Vannozzi - MGA.406 Chevy V8
#5 - Bruce Wood - TR6/406 Chevy v8
Clutch Slave Cylinder for Ford V8s
By Dale Spooner
Buick/Olds 215 Flywheels
By Kurt Schley
Rover Valve Guid Options
By Dale Spooner
Which 5 or 6 Speed Transmission for Fords
By Pete Mantell
page 5
page 8
page 9
page 10
page 11
page 4
page 12
page 13
page 15
REGULAR DEPARTMENTS
Canadian Corner, with Martyn Harvey
From The Editor
Book Shelf
British V8 articles
Market Place
Miscellaneous
New Products
Web Sites of interest
Coming events
Page *
page 2
page 14
page 3
page *
page *
page *
page 1
page 3
Mitchell Barrett’s V8 Spitfire, page 8
1
FROM THE EDITOR
(the old/ex editor)
Well, folks, this is it for me as your editor. It has been fun,
and I really do hate to give it up, but it’s now time for me to move
on and do some of the many other things I’ve been wanting to do
(such as complete one of my own V8 conversions so I won’t feel
like an outcast at our get-togethers). I believe the newsletter will
be in good hands with the new editor/publishers, James Jewell.
Rather than try to tell you about James, I think it would be best to
let him tell you about himself, as he has done in the next column
over. From the conversations I’ve had with him, I believe he will
take the newsletter to new levels of excellence. As a V8
converter himself, he knows what kind of information we need to
help us in our own conversion efforts, and, more important, I
believe he will know exactly where to look for that information.
Even though I am no longer the editor/publisher, I will continue
to try to support the newsletter with contributions from time to
time. My goal is to try to make at least one article available for
James’use each issue.
Tell you what, guys, let’s try to make James’ job as easy as
we can. His job will be ever so much easier, and the newsletter
ever so much better, if we ALL send him information on how we
each solved the various problems with our own conversions. You
don’t have to be a writer, nor does your submittal have to be
polished prose - just get the info to James, and he will polish it up
for publication. The most important thing you can do when
submitting an article is to provide plenty of pictures. Naturally,
the better your pictures are, the better the newsletter will look,
but if all you have are somewhat fuzzy photos, send them in
anyway. As long as they aren’t so fuzzy that the subject isn’t
identifiable, they will be better than no pictures at all.
The editors of the “big time” magazines, such as Hot Rod,
Car Craft, etc, are deluged by requests from readers to feature
their cars in these magazines. The editors of the newsletter are
begging YOU to send information and photos of your car so we
can feature them. E-mail or write to James for a questionnaire,
fill it out and send it in, with photos, so you can become famous.
Safety faster!
DM
FROM THE EDITOR
(the new/current editor)
Happy 2004 Everybody! My name is James Jewell, and I'll
be the new Editor/Publisher of the British V8 newsletter. I want
to take this opportunity to introduce myself, and talk a bit about
the state of affairs at the newsletter.
A little about me: I'm a 33 year-old Captain in the U.S. Air
Force with a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
I've loved British cars ever since I was a teen, and many folks
agree I haven't matured much since then. My first restoration
was a 77 MGB that my father, uncle and I worked on in the late
'80s. I'm now doing it all over again on the same car to beef up
the structure for my first British V8. I also have a 74.5 MGB-GT
in the queue for my next project, but it will have to rot a few more
years!
When I heard that the Newsletter needed a new honcho to
keep it alive, I volunteered to do my best, despite having
absolutely no qualifications, other than making thousands of
PowerPoint charts over the last 10 years in the Air Force.
Seriously, though, I have the love of the craft, a strong technical
background, and a wife (who is a writer) to help me proof-read (I
2
see many purchases of chocolate and roses in my future).
Now about the Newsletter: Where do you want it to go from
here? I have some ideas (bigger, more often and in color), but
they are not nearly as important as yours. The newsletter has to
be exciting and reflect your interests, or you stop sending me
money. There are two things I don't do: Read minds and write
filler material. This means you have to tell me what you want,
and write interesting articles. Now keep in mind that this is
mostly a one-man operation, and my primary loyalties are to my
Country and my wife. But as long as the newsletter doesn't
interfere with my duties as an Officer and a Husband, I'll do my
best to meet your demands. This is a grass-roots publication,
which means that the readers and the writers are often the same
people. I don't have a professional staff of paid writers hidden
behind a curtain. If you don't write, you also won't have anything
to read. If this hobby doesn't excite you enough to want to share
your victories (and yes, failures too) with others, then you need
to find a different hobby. Keep sending in your photos and
summaries of your cool rides, but also consider writing articles
with technical substance. If you do something new or difficult,
write it up! I can help. Make detailed drawings and take
pictures. Provide enough information so that someone else can
duplicate what you have done without ever talking to you!
These kinds of articles will make us a Grade A publication
capable of drawing in readers and advertisers from all over. You
can gain a certain immortality with your words! Try it, and you'll
love it.
Now that you're properly motivated, lets get into some of the
nitty-gritty. As you all know, we currently publish 3 times
yearly, with between 16 and 20 pages an issue. The structure has
allowed the operation to break even over the years, although allot
of out-of-pocket cash has been expended by the previous
publishers for many one-time and odd-ball expenses. I've
already spent a large chunk of my own money to buy a used
industrial laser printer big enough to tackle this job (This is not a
toy I secretly wanted… I already had a small one, and the new
one makes all the lights in my house flicker which upsets the wife
and the domestic animals). The regular recurring expenses
come from paper, postage, web-hosting and web-name
registration. With encouragement from many people, including
the previous publishers, my notion is to gradually modify the
operations plan to make a small profit.
Why? Well, the previous publishers spent countless hours of
personal time producing a top-notch grass-roots publication.
This was time away from family and friends, and more
importantly, time that could have been spent working on their
car! This magnitude of sacrifice should be rewarded if we want
someone to continue making those efforts for any extended
period of time without losing interest. Also, I'd like to see the
newsletter expand with time, with a larger subscriber base and
more issues per year. Perhaps it could be published on better
m a t e r i a l s a n d i n c o l o r, a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l l y
printed/assembled/mailed. This will all take money. Also, it
would be nice to sponsor some serious engine/drivetrain
development and be able to defray the writer's dyno or flowbench costs.
So, how does all this talk affect you? It probably won't. I
don't see subscription rates going up, unless the post office raises
postage considerably. I hope to get more advertisers, as there are
great resources out there that our community should be aware of
and support, so I hope we can generate some revenue that way.
Also, we are going to revamp the web-page so that the online
version will only be "free" to subscribers. Non-subscribers will
have to pay per issue. The rest of you can log on and download it
just like you used to, but with a password. I suspect that we will
keep the six or so issues that have been on there available to lure
in unsuspecting subscribers (imagine the sound of greedy
maniacal laughter) and I am also working on scanning in all the
old back issues so that they can be purchased one at a time online instead of buying them in bulk. Why buy 12 when you only
need that one issue on Panhard rods?
What kind of "pay" do I expect? Well, none initially. The
idea hadn't even occurred to me when I volunteered to do this
job. Until I can prove that I can run the newsletter, I don't think
would be fair to "get paid". But the more I thought about the
work involved and the favors I'll need, the more appeal the
notion of pay had. Still, I'll steer the ship even if we don't make a
penny because it's a great resource and I can't stand to see it pass.
So after all this wind-up, what kind of profit am I talking about?
Well considering how few subscribers and advertisers we have,
probably enough to take my wife to a movie, or buy enough pizza
and beer to feed my friends who will have to help me fold and
staple all the issues, three times a year. Why am I making a big
deal over chump change? Well, because it's YOUR news letter,
and YOUR money and you have a right to know and object if you
so decide. Some day, if the newsletter gets bigger, it might be
more than chump change, so the issue may become more
significant in the future. If there are two things that the Air Force
has taught me, it would be preserving integrity and avoiding any
appearance of impropriety.
Finally, I have a wish-list for the New Year:
1) Do we have any lawyers (or spouses of lawyers) in the
clan, who would be willing to address any legal questions
that may arise over time, such as liability, or tax status,
etc.? The closer we get to becoming a magazine (vs. a
newsletter), the more we will need this kind of advice.
2) Do we have any web-designers who could help with a
face-lift to the web page?
3) Do we have any other specialists in the family who
have a talent or resource that they would be willing to
share with the group? (Like owning a dyno, a flow bench
or a print shop)
4) (Most important) Do you want to write an article for the
newsletter? Please do, as it's very existence depends on
your articles.
5) Do you know anyone who wants to subscribe or
advertise with us?
6) Do we have anyone willing to write a regular column?
Any topic is good, from humor to performance tricks to
product reviews?
Well, that's all for now. Grab your gun and bring in the cat. You
can write to me at:
James Jewell
2403 Homestead Dr.
Silver Spring, MD 20902
You can send hate mail to the same place, but address it to my
wife. If you want to verbally harass me, you can call me at:
301-592-1431
Send e-mail to: [email protected]
Your humble servant,
JJ
COMING EVENTS
British V8 2004 East
August 2004, Grand Rapids, MI
Contact Steve Carrick ([email protected])
British V8 2004 West
September 2004, Southern California
Contact Bill Guzman ([email protected])
British V8 2005 East
July 2005, Terre haute, IN
Contact Dave Kirkman ([email protected])
British V8 2005 West
Anyone want to volunteer?
British V8 2006 East
May 2006, Townsend, TN
Contact Dan Masters ([email protected]
At this time, planning for these events are in the preliminary stages.
More information will be provided in the newsletter and on the
newsletter web site as it becomes available. In the meantime, contact
the individuals listed above and let them know what you think. The
more input from you, the better the events will be.
BRITISH V8 ARTICLES
Articles of interest from recent publications
For those interested in the Ford 302 as a candidate for an
engine swap.
Street Rodder - February, March & April, 2004. A three part
series on using the Ford 302 (or 5.0L, depending on your
outlook), in a street rod. Much of the material will be of great
interest for MG or Triumph converters.
Part one: Engine choices, water pumps & front covers, pulleys
& mounts, and oil pans.
Part two: Automatic transmissions and flexplates.
Part three: Motor mounts, other transmissions, and ?? (this
issue is not on the stands yet).
8” FORD AXLE WEIGHT
By William Lane
In the January - April 2003 issue of the newsletter,
weights were listed for various axles that might be used in an
MGB V8 conversion. Missing from this list was the Ford 8”
axle. Recently, I dismantled an 8” Ford axle from a 1996
Mustang II and weighed the components:
Housing:
30#
Carrier:
60#
Axles* (2):
28#
Brakes Drums (2):
18#
Back plates, shoes, etc: 13#
Total:
149#
*Same diameter as the Ford 9”
Given the lighter weight and the strength of the Ford 8”, it
would seem to be a good choice to narrow for MGB V8
conversions. V8
3
CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER FOR FORD V8
By Dale Spooner
Unlike the BOP/Rover engines so popular with the British
V8 conversion crowd, the clutch actuation lever in a Ford engine
is pulled forward for clutch operation. In the Ford donor cars, this
forward movement is accomplished by means of a cable
arrangement. Although possible, implementing a cable
arrangement in an MGB can be difficult. One workable solution
to the reverse operation of the Ford clutch is to use a hydraulic
throw-out bearing (HTOB), exactly as used in many BOP/Rover
applications. The major drawback to using the HTOB is the
inaccessibility of the HTOB for repairs should it become
necessary (and it will, sooner or later). Feeling that ownership of
a Ford powered MGB created difficulties enough on its own, I
didn’t want to have to deal with pulling the engine and/or
transmission just to fix a leaky S/C. After a little bit of research, I
came up with the external “pusher” slave cylinder arrangement
shown in the accompanying photos.
Construction of the mounting bracket is pretty
straightforward, and should be obvious from the photos.
This setup uses a 0.700" (down from the stock 0.750")
Girling master cylinder. This combined with the 5/8" CNC slave
cylinder (part # 305B) gives adequate travel and sensible pedal
pressure. It's been a long time since I've driven anyone else’s car
so I can't give a direct comparison on the pedal effort, but it feels
4
just fine to me. I used the Ford Motorsport 10.5" clutch. Running
the line is also easy; it comes out of the pedal box and into a
fitting that I bolted on the firewall shelf, then a flexible line down
to the slave. It makes a very tidy looking installation as well. The
fabrication is minimal, just a bracket for the slave, which bolts
right to a T5 in existing holes. You'll notice that the bleeder is on
the bottom. All I did was let it drain by gravity, pumped it a
couple times, cracked the bleeder and no problem, bled perfectly.
I haven't yet figured out a clutch fork cover, but I’m still working
on that. V8
Wheels/Tires: 15x 5.5 Minilites 195/65/15 tires.
Interior: Autometer Gauges, Miata Seats, RCI 4 point
harnesses, Mountney Steering wheel.
Body: MGC Hood, BMC Special Tuning front airdam.
Electrical: 12 Circuit Painless Universal Wiring Harness used
throughout.
Frame: Modified and strengthened where I thought would need
it.
Conversion Performed by: Owner
Estimated Cost: Around $4000 so far !
Date Conversion Completed: It's never completed, always
planning upgrades, date first driven May 2003.
Miles Driven Since Completion: 2500
Performance Data: Still need to test with my G Tech
Pro ! But it is very quick, always having fun taunting
Porsches, Corvettes and Tuned imports.
A grin so big, even preparation H
can’t get it off! These cars are FUN! Weight: 2210 lbs
Problems Encountered Since Completion: Like
most conversion owners, trying to wipe a permanent
grin off my face is impossible. See photo at left! Can't
drive it enough, she is a blast to drive
Source of Parts/Conversion Information:
British V8 Newsletter
British V8 Meets 1999-2003
Summit Racing Equipment
D & D Fabrications
Fast Cars inc
MG V8 Bulletin Board
PAW
Victoria British
Moss Motors
Advance Autoparts
Stangparts.com
Engine Electrical: MSD 8579 Distributor, 6AL Ignition box
Additional comments: Its great seeing the expression of shock
with Rev limiter. MSD Blaster coil.
or horror on peoples faces when you draw along side and they
Transmission/Drive Train: 1995 World Class T5 from
hear a MGB with 302 Cubic inches, then all they see is the tail
Mustang GT,with hybrid driveshaft built by Dan Lagrou of D &
lights disappearing in the distance !
D. Modified & Strengthened MGB crossmember.
Happy Motoring! V8
Clutch: Ford Motorsport clutch, Mcleod HTOB and
MGB Master Cylinder
Cooling System: Griffin Aluminum Radiator, Ford
Motorsport short neck regular flow pump. Twin 10
inch Summit Cooling fans.
Exhaust System: Homemade headers and
crossover/balancer, 2x Flowmaster 2 chamber
mufflers exiting just in front of rear wheels.
Rear Axle: Stock 3.909. 1995 Ford Mustang GT 8.8
with LSD and 3.55 gears will be fitted, by the time
you read this article.
Front Suspension: Lowered 1 inch, 550 pound
springs, tube shock conversion and 5/8 Swaybar.
Energy Suspension Polyurethane bushings.
Rear Suspension: Lowered 1 inch, Tube Shock
conversion. Energy Suspension Polyurethane
bushings
Brakes: Cross drilled front rotors, fast road pads.
(upgrading to Ted Lathrops Wilwood conversion in
the future)
HOW IT WAS DONE #1
Owners : Pete & Sue Mantell
Sidney, IL
[email protected]
Model: 1969 MGB Roadster X302
Engine: Ford 1990 302 (5 liter)
The story so far………..
This has been an on going project for the last 6 years. Original
idea was to create V8 power in an MGB on a very small budget! I
had to restore and modify for V8 at the same time.
Engine: 1990 Ford 302, stock for now. Aluminum Edelbrock
heads & Cam Spring 2004.
Intake: Edelbrock Performer 289, with 600 CFM Edelbrock
Carb, manual choke.
5
Remote oil filter adapter and extension for oil pressure sender
Engine in place for a trial fitting
Motor mount, right side
Fender cutouts for the exhaust.
Fiberglass valence with cooling slot
Engine in place, ready to run! Note remote radiator filler
Transmission tunnel mods
Under hood modifications
6
Engine going in one more time, for one more trial fitting
Modified crossmember to allow for oil pan clearance
Hydraulic throw-out bearing and fittings
Crossflow radiator installed as a downflow to ease instalation
Miata seats
Transmission mount
From this lowly beginning...!
Bronco oil pan - rear sump
7
HOW IT WAS DONE # 2
Owner: Mitchell Barrett
[email protected]
Model: 1975 Triumph Spitfire
Engine: 215 Olds V8
“Attached are some photos of my Olds factory turbocharged 215
V8 powered 1975 Spitfire. My car has been through two frame
off restorations. The first was to restore the car to perfect factory
like condition after ten hard years of PA winters, the second was
to add V8 power. I'm the second owner of this car, (I bought it
1976 with a con-rod protruding through the block at 16K miles),
and in these many years it has been seen some rough times. It's
such a fun car to drive but I really need to upgrade the brake
system, (vented Bremos would be nice) and somehow change
the final drive ratio to get the engine RPM's down. Any input on
how to accomplish these modifications from you or your readers
would be appreciated.” V8
8
HOW IT WAS DONE # 3
Owner: Jason Norman
[email protected]
Model: 1967 Triumph TR4
Engine: 427 Chevrolet
Engine: ('68) 427 Chevy .100+ (approx 447 c.i) solid roller cam
/ roller everything / B&M gear drive
Exhaust: 4" collectors into 3.5" exhaust
Transmission/drivetrain: Super T-10 4 speed Aluminum
flywheel
Rear axle: Ford 9" 31 spline
4:11 Detroit Locker 4 link
rear susp.
“The motor has about 100
miles on it at this time. After
the break-in period is over,
I’m going to put an 1800cfm
mechanical fuel injection on
top, but for now I’m running a
750 Holley until the rings are
seated.
The car is in epoxy black
primer at the moment. I
haven't decided on what color
to paint it yet. I Will send
more pictures after it has been
painted.” V8
9
HOW IT WAS DONE # 4
Owner: Mike Vannozzi
[email protected]
Model: MGA
Engine: 406 Chevrolet V8
“Thought I'd send you some pictures of my
MGA with a 406 cubic inch Chevy V8 engine
swap. The car has a Muncie M-21 4-speed and
a Dana 44 rear end with 3:73 gears and a posi.
The Chevy V8 is a 30-over bore, 400 cubic inch
small block with 10-to-1 compression,
Edelbrock aluminum heads, and a racing cam. I
estimate the horsepower to be about 500.
The front brakes use Chevy Chevelle
rotors, and Dodge Dart calipers. This
combination is commonly used in Cobra
replica suspensions, when MGB front
suspension components are used. The Dana 44
rear end is out of a mail Jeep, and required no
narrowing. It isn't uncommon for these rear
ends to be extra heavy-duty, with positraction
and 3:73 gears. The drive shaft is a shortened
Jeep unit with a front yoke to fit the Muncie 4speed.
I channeled the rear fenders 4 inches to cover the 295/50/15
rear tires. I also had the stock axles redrilled for a 5-lug Chevy
bolt pattern. The rear brakes are drum. I had to move back and
fabricate a firewall. I made the side pipes to look like Shelby
10
Cobra units. They are two-inch primaries going into three-inch
mufflers. The car is nearing completion and will going to paint
and body soon. Thought you might like to see some of the
pictures”. V8
HOW IT WAS DONE # 5
Owner: Bruce Wood
[email protected]
Model: 1969 Triumph TR6
Engine: 406 Chevrolet V8
“Archie Summers 406 small block chevy. 535 hp. 513 lb.-ft. tq.
Built 350 TURBO, 3500 stall. 1/4 mile time 10.70 @ 124 mph.
Complete custom. Only thing stock are the headlights.
Windshield has been chopped 2" and laid back 4". Top removed,
windows and all seams filled, everything shaved and smoothed.
Handmade hood-scoop and front air-dam. Stock fenders have
been unrolled and dollied out for a clean flared look. Rear lights
removed and filled, replaced with flush mount lights. Car has
been back halved and tubbed. 15 gallon fuel cell. Morrison 4link coil-over suspension. Narrowed Dana 44 with 373's. This
one of a kind TR6 gets 10 thumbs up per mile.” V8
11
BUICK/OLDS 215 FLYWHEELS
By Kurt Schley
The OEM Buick and Oldsmobile 215 flywheels were very
similar. All were manufactured from cast iron. The flywheels are
13.10” in diameter (not including the ring gear) and are drilled
for the Long style 9-1/2” clutch with three pairs of 5/16 - 18
tapped holes on an 11.37” bolt circle. The flywheel i.d. at the
crankshaft is 1.34” inside of 6 each .47” diameter bolt holes on a
2.32” bolt circle. The friction surface to mate with the clutch disc
is 10.50”.
All of the OEM 215 flywheels were individually balanced.
Around the circumference of the flywheels were drilled a ring of
equally spaced holes on a 11.18” diameter circle. The balancing
procedure was a two phase procedure. After an initial spin on the
balancing machine, one or more metal pins were inserted into the
ring of holes on the flywheel periphery, if necessary, and staked
permanently into place. This placed the flywheel into a neutral or
balanced state. The flywheel was then attached to the crankshaft
and the assembly spun again. If any imbalance in the
flywheel/crankshaft combination was present, additional
balancing pins were installed as necessary. The second set of
pin(s) is a press fit and can be removed.
If the original flywheel on a 215 is damaged or worn, a
replacement flywheel of identical type can be installed without
the need for balancing at a machine shop. Merely remove the
unstaked pins from the old flywheel and install them in the exact
same location in the replacement(If there were unstaked pins in
the replacement flywheel remove them before transferring pins
from the old flywheel!) Do not attempt to transfer the staked
pins. Use the offset crankshaft attachment bolt to position the
two flywheels identically and determine the proper pin
locations.
Buick - Buick employed two styles of manual flywheels, a
light and heavy version. The “light” version weighs in at only 23
lbs. and is flat faced on the clutch side. This flywheel was
supplied only in the 2-door 3-speed sedans which, because of
their relatively light weight, did not require a heavier flywheel to
get smoothly in motion from a stop. The balance of the Buick 215
powered cars, such as the 4-door coupes and the station wagons,
were built with a beefier flywheel. The “heavy” version flywheel
incorporated an integral cast inertial ring around it's
circumference which boosted the weight to 32 lbs.
Oldsmobile - The Oldsmobile 215 flywheel inventory
included two which were very similar to the Buick versions, plus
an intermediate weight flywheel for use in the turbocharged
Jetfire and in Oldsmobile sedans supplied to police departments.
The reduction in weight was accomplished by machining of the
inertia ring of a “heavy” version flywheel down to only a 1/4”
width. In addition to it's weight, the intermediate flywheel was
unusual in that it was drilled for a 10” clutch. Oldsmobile
engineers figured that the both the Jetfire's 210 HP or the
constant abuse of police patrols required the larger clutch to
provide an acceptable service life.
The drivetrain engineers at Oldsmobile also incorporated a
refinement which physically differentiates the Olds from the
Buick flywheels. Early testing of the 215 revealed a very slight
rocking motion of the engine when idling. Numerous tests
determined that this movement could be eliminated by drilling a
single additional balancing hole .25” diameter x .7” in depth in
the flywheel just inboard of the standard ring of balance pin
12
holes. The Oldsmobile harmonic balancer was redesigned to
incorporate a small cast-in rib (Photo
) whose weight offset
that lost to the flywheel's balancing hole. The slight imbalance
induced by the hole in the flywheel worked in synergy with the
redesigned harmonic balancer to eliminate the engine rock and
afford an overall smoother running engine.
Pontiac - To accommodate the 215-powered Pontiac
Tempest's unusual drivetrain, a flywheel unique to the Tempest
was designed. This flywheel was flat-faced and heavy at 40 lbs.
Unlike the Long-style clutch drilling used by Buick and Olds, the
Pontiac flywheel is drilled for a Borg & Beck clutch.
Flywheel Ring Gear - The flywheel ring gear was
manufactured with 156 teeth and is a shrink fit on the flywheel
which makes replacement relatively easy. To remove a worn or
damaged ring gear, two 3/16” holes are drilled, one side to side
between two teeth and another intersecting hole from the outside
in, and the gear is split at the holes with a sharp chisel. The new
ring gear is then heated with a torch or in the oven to expand it's
diameter. While hot, the gear is pressed onto the flywheel,
making sure that it is aligned with the flywheel face and with the
chamfered edge of the ring gear against the flywheel shoulder.
OEM specifications call out that the ring gear must withstand
28,000 inch/pounds of torque without slipping. V8
ROVER VALVE GUIDE OPTION
By Dale Spooner
Time to get those Rover heads reconditioned? An essential
part of any valve job is to replace worn guides and there is an
option to replacing the OE guides that you may not be aware of.
And for several reasons it is a much more desirable alternative.
This is certainly not a new process but one that definitely results
in a better product, particularly on Rover heads. Most multivalve foreign heads and, oddly enough, Rover, employ
manufacturing techniques that make guide replacement an
adventure for automotive machinists, me being one of them.
When the heads are produced, the guides are installed in the
heads with an unfinished ID. The guide is then finish bored or
reamed in the heads and the valve seat is cut in one machining
operation. The problem with this process is that you now have a
valve guide with an ID that is not necessarily on the same
centerline as the OD. This matters not until the day some poor
unsuspecting machinist drives out the old guides and replaces
them with concentric finished ID guides. When he comes to
machine the valve seats he discover that the guide/seat alignment
has been drastically affected. His only choice now is to sink the
seats until they clean up(highly undesirable) or machine for
oversize seats and start over(highly expensive).
All heads that are produced with this method experience this
problem when the guides are replaced. The fix for this is to leave
the OE guides in place and reline them with a thin wall bronze
liner. Besides giving the benefit of a better bearing surface for the
valve, the valve seat alignment is unaffected because the liner is
installed using the valve seat and the original guide ID of the
guide as a centering reference. This is realized only if the heads
are done on equipment designed for this purpose.
Photo 2: K-Line boring/reaming tool, sizing broach, shown
alongside a bronze liner.
Photo 3: Measuring valve guide/valve stem clearance using
a valve guide bore gauge.
Photo 1: A Rover head set-up in the K-Line valve guide
boring machine.
The company that has the best setup for this is K-Line and
their system works very well. Photo 1 shows a Rover head set up
in their fixture. A bronze liner, a boring/reaming tool and a sizing
broach are shown in photo 2.After a seat centering adapter is air
clamped in the fixture the boring/reaming tool is run through the
guide, machining it to .030" oversize so as to accept the liner. The
liner is then installed and the appropriate sizing broach is driven
through the liner, burnishing the guide ID and bringing it close to
finish size. A valve guide bore gauge (photo 3) should be used to
Photo 4: Finishing the valve guide ID using a Sunnen valve
guide hone.
measure the actual valve stem clearance. I always finish guide
ID's with a Sunnen guide hone(photo 4).Leaving .0005" of
material to hone gives a perfectly round and straight hole with a
13
superior finish. Now that the guides have been renewed by this
method the seat alignment has not changed and machining the
seats will result in minimal material removal.
local shops and find one that understands the problem and has the
right equipment to do the job. Like I always say sometimes, do it
right or do it twice, do it right or do it right away, and tight ain't
right. V8
BOOKSHELF
Photo 5: This valve seat has been just touched with a 45°
stone. The shiny area shows that the seat hasn’t changed.
Photo 5 shows a seat touched by just a 45 degree stone
(shiny area) and you can see how the valve seat location did not
change. By not lowering the seat depths the valves remain unshrouded. no loss of spring installed height and no negative
effect on rocker geometry. I do machine work for the local Rover
dealer and was replacing many valve guides and valves supplied
by them. They were experiencing a valve seizing problem, even
on low mileage cars. The OE replacement guides that were being
sent were .030" under on the ID. This was my first clue that the
heads were produced using the aforementioned method. I did a
couple sets of heads with their parts but then after considerable
protest by me I convinced the rep to let me reline them instead.
Saves them money and me time and frustration. I am not a
Rover/Buick/Olds expert by any stretch (my B has a Ford) so I do
not know which heads are affected by this new process of
manufacture. I suspect it is mostly late model Rovers and not any
GM heads.
On a related topic, Rover also had problems in the mid '90's
with valve seals losing their press fit on the guides and coming
off, allowing excess oil down the guides. Once again my local
Rover dealer would send me heads with all new replacement
guides to remedy the problem. Obviously I was motivated to not
change any guides if at all possible, so after a little research I
discovered that the problem was actually that the diameter of the
guide where the seal goes was machined too big, not too small as
they suspected. The Rover spec is .495",the defective guides
averaged about .510",providing too much press fit and distorting
the seals on installation.
After some more research I found that the seal Rover uses is
the exact seal that Comp Cams also sells( a German seal, go
figure).However Comp calls for a guide diameter of .485",not
.495".The easy fix on these heads is to leave the defective guides
in the heads and cut them with Comps .485" cutter, again saving
me time and Rover warranty money. This seal problem was
limited to a small number of heads (I did 4 sets I think) so it is
unlikely that most people would ever see it, but I thought it worth
mentioning.
So when the time comes to freshen your heads talk to your
14
Your Expert Guide to MGB & MGB GT problems and how to
solve them,
By Roger Williams, Veloce Publishing, ISBN 1-903706-50-5
Reviewed by Kurt Schley
Author Roger Williams is well know to the MG world for
two of his previous books “How to Give Your MGB V8 Power”
and “How to Improve Your MGB, MGC & MGB V8”. Veloce
Publishing has recently released Roger's newest addition to MG
literature. The new book, titled “Your Expert Guide to MGB &
MGB GT - problems and how to fix them.” is part of the Veloce
Publishing “Auto-Doc” series of diagnostic and rectification
publications.
This book is a detailed and extremely comprehensive guide
to the very often frustrating task of tracking down and figuring
out the cause of your MGB's ailments. Most of the common, and
several less often encountered, reasons for non-optimal
performance are listed and discussed for all of the MGB's
operating systems including:
Seven separate chapters covering the engine itself
Clutch
Transmission
Front Suspension
Steering
Wheels/Tyres
Fuel Smells
Propshaft
RearAxle
Rear Suspension
Cooling
Heater
Carburation
Brakes
Instruments
Charging System
Electrical System
Body
Hood (top)
After guiding one to
the cause of the problem,
Your Expert Guide to
MGB & MGB GT then
details the steps required to
perform the required
repairs. This book should
be first read cover to cover
to familiarize one with the
various upcoming travails
often associated with MG
ownership. Secondly it
should be packaged in a
heavy plastic holder and
stored in the car's boot,
ready to afford
desperately needed advise
while you are sitting next
to the highway with a nonfunctioning MGB, the
semi trucks are thundering
by 18 inches away and the rain is starting to fall. Softbound, 176
pages and extensively illustrated. If you own an MGB, you can’t
afford to be without this book. V8
WHICH 5 OR 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION FOR
YOUR FORD CONVERSION ?
By Pete Mantell
Okay, so you have decided to build a Ford 302 conversion
(thanks in part to Dan's great article "Is there a Ford in your
future" May-August 2003 Newsletter) and now you want choose
a 5 or 6 speed transmission. You have heard about World Class
T5's, Non World Class T-5's, Tremec 3550's& TKO's, T56 Six
speeds and have been left scratching your head ! Well, here is a
guide to the 5 & 6 speed transmissions available for the Blue
Oval Bad Boy from my own research and experience. At the end
of the day, as always, it depends on budget.
If you buy second hand or junkyard, look out ! As you may
know, some of the transmissions out there can be well tested !
From junkyards the only ones you'll find will be a T-5, unless you
hit a gold mine and find a heavily modified Mustang that has
already been fitted with an aftermarket Tremec 3550 !
Second hand or Ebay you'll find plenty out there, just try and
look for a 1983 to 1993 with an input shaft diameter of 0.668
rated at 265 ft/lbs or more, this will ensure that it's the stronger
version of the T-5. 1994 to 1995 can be used except you will have
to get the slightly longer bell housing as the input shaft is longer.
T-5's with the 0.59 diameter input shaft transmission are only
rated at a maximum of 240 ft/lbs.
If you look at the aftermarket then all are available ranging
from $1000 for a new uprated T5 to $2200 or more for the T56
six speed.
T-5
19.5”
75lbs
7.2”
14.5”
24.7”
Tremec (nee Borg-Warner) T-5s: The T-5 was designed
and manufactured by Borg-Warner until 1997, where the
company’s manual transmission operation was bought by
Transmission Technologies Corporation (TTC) who also
acquired Tremec in 1994. TTC is a joint venture between DESC
group and Dana Corporation and is the leading manual
transmission manufacturer. (www.ttcautomotive.com). The T5,
3550, 3550TKO and T56 are all manufactured by this company.
Not all Borg Warner T-5's are the same. The first T-5 five
speeds were introduced to market in 1981, in, of all things, a
AMC Spirit/Concord. In 1983, T-5s were introduced to
Mustangs and are currently used in the V-6 Mustangs. The T-5 is
the only American made standard transmission to span almost 20
years of production. Because of the large quantities of T-5's
produced, many parts are interchangeable. There are now over
200 different T-5 transmission assembly part numbers and still
counting.
There are two basic kinds of T-5's, Non World Class (NWC)
and World Class (WC). In 1983 and 84 Ford used Non-World
Class T-5s to improve performance and gas mileage at the same
time. The NWC boxes had 2.95 first gear set with 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
gears riding on a solid output shaft. The counter gears spin on
straight cylindrical bearings with a thrust washer in front. 2nd,
3rd, 4th and 5th gears used solid bronze synchros. Torque rating
for the NWC was 265ft/lbs.
1985, Ford introduced the World Class T-5 installed with a
3.35 first gear set. No longer were 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gears
spinning on a solid output shaft. Needle bearings were installed
under each gear to reduce drag. The lower counter gears saw
tapered bearings. All main shaft synchros were fiber lined steel
rings to improve ring surface area while 5th remains bronze. By
improving the friction of the synchro ring, the synchro slows the
gear faster making for smoother shifts. Torque rating remained
the same at 265ft/lbs. and the overdrive was reduced from 0.63 to
0.68.
From 1990 to 1993 the stock Ford production V-8 WC T-5
was upgraded with stronger 3.35 gear set. The nickel content was
increased to produce a harder, stronger gear. 2nd and 3rd gear
ratios decreased slightly. Synchro linings on 3rd & 4th were
improved by changing to carbon fiber to further improve
shifting. A longer throw shifter was installed to "make it easier to
shift". Torque rating jumped to 300ft/lbs.
When the 93 Cobra was introduced, so was the "Cobra
Spec" T-5. It was the first T-5 with a front tapered output bearing
and steel front bearing retainer. The Cobra boxes also received a
reverse brake and synchro assembly where there was none
before. Just about everything else remained the same. Torque
rating was increased to 310ft/lbs.
1994 and 95 were the last two years Ford used the T-5
behind a V-8. In the SN95 Mustangs, the bell housing in both the
3.8L and 5.0L versions was made longer to place the T-5 shifter
in the correct location to the body. This in turn made the input
shaft longer. (7.85") The neutral safety switch was eliminated, as
it was no longer needed. Everything else remained the same.
Today's V-6 Mustangs sports the last of the T-5s. The T-5
behind the 3.8L is a 3.35 first gear set with a 0.68 over drive.
What makes these different from the rest is the electronic
speedometer trigger. No longer is there a mechanical driven
cable system. It has the longer input shaft equipped with a steel
front bearing retainer and reverse synchro brake assembly.
Torque rating is 300ft/lbs. These T5's can be converted to a V8
spec box.
Ford also used the T-5 behind 2.3L through the years. While
15
the 4 cylinder T-5 may appear to be the same, they are not. Most 4
cylinder T-5s received a 3.97 gear set with a .79 overdrive and the
small input pilot bearing shaft. Four cylinder T-5s should not be
used behind a V-8, even when the pilot bearing is changed to
match. Simply put, they will not hold up. Torque rating is
240ft/lbs. Besides, the first gear is much too low to be usable for
your MGB or Triumph conversion.
In about 1993 Ford started offering a new "Super Duty" unit
to the motorsport crowd. The "Z" spec T-5, also sometimes
referred to as "World Class T-5". Most folks, associate the term
"World Class" as meaning the best. The T-5 Z is a 93 Cobra T-5
with 2.95 first gear set and .63 over drive. It has the best of
everything. Hardened gears, short throw shifter, steel front
bearing retainer, and tapered output shaft bearing. Best of all it
has a torque rating of 330ft/lbs. This T-5 can handle up to 450 hp
if not drag raced. New Super Duty T-5 Z's can be purchased from
your favorite speed shop like Summit Racing, part number FMSM7003Z.
Optional
shifter
locations
Tremec TR-3550: This transmission is only available
aftermarket and will fit the T-5 bellhousing. There are 4 versions
available:
!TR-3550 rated at 350ft/lbs.
!TR-3550 II rated at 375ft/lbs.
!TKO rated at 425ft/lbs.
!TKO II rated at 475ft/lbs.
Gear Ratios:
1
2
3
4
5
R
3.27
1.98
1.34
1.00 0.68 or 0.83 3.00
Tremec T56: This six-speed overdrive transmission was
developed for adaptation to a wide range of vehicle
requirements. Currently, the TREMEC T-56 is being used on the
Dodge Viper, Chevy Corvette Z06, the new Pontiac GTO, Ford
SVT Mustang Cobra, Aston Martin DB7 Vantage and V12
Vanquish, and Holden Commodore and Monaro. The T56 is
rated up to 450 ft/lbs.
You will need to ensure that the T56 has the correct
bellhousing, as this is part is integral. This transmission is much
heavier than T-5 and slightly taller also, so more transmission
tunnel mods may be required to install it.
Gear Ratios:
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
2.66 1.78 1.30 1.00 0.74/0.80 0.50/0.62 3.00
So, you are spoilt for choice! While it is best to shoot for the
90-93 T-5 due to its increased torque capacity, you shouldn't pass
up a good 83-89 T-5, especially if you're engine is not heavily
modified. I've found that T-5 strength and longevity is more a
factor of its condition and mileage rather than it's torque rating. A
used, high mileage, Cobra T-5 will probably shift poorly and
give out much sooner than an earlier T-5 that came out of
grandma's car !
Good luck and happy hunting ! V8
T- 56
TREMEC
26.4
Note: Dimensions are for
Ford applications; diagram is
from a GM transmission
115 - 130 lbs
5.3
16
26.4
33.1
CHEVROLET 60-DEGREE V6
MGB INSTALLATION KIT
Kit includes headers, gaskets, motor mounts,
motor mount brackets, transmission cross
member, bolts and instructions. $550
FRONT-END KIT PROTOTYPE
20% deposit will allow you to purchase the frontend kit at a low, introductory price of $850.
Contact Bill Guzman - [email protected] - 805-484-1528
www.classicconversionseng.com
TRIUMPH TR250 - TR6
ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE HANDBOOK
Written by Dan Masters, a retired electrical engineer and
Triumph enthusiast. Simple enough for the electrically
challenged, but with enough theory for the curious. 182 pages,
34 chapters, 223 diagrams, 49 photographs,
43 detailed step-by-step troubleshooting
flow charts, and 8 large size (11” X 17”)
foldout schematics.
THREE PIECE PULLEY SET FOR
CRANK, WATER PUMP
AND ALTERNATOR
Serpentine underdrive pulley systems deliver
unmatched performance and value for the 60degree Chevrolet V6. This pulley set provides
10-15 additional horsepower without affecting
charging or cooling performance. The pulleys
are aluminum billet, CNC machined. Great
performance and outstanding value.
These pulleys are not sold individually.
Serpentine pulley set only $195
Combination: serpentine pulley set, alternator
mounting kit and belt special $220
All prices are plus shipping and handling. CA
residents add 7 ¼ % sales tax. Sales prices good
only until Jan 15, 2003.
WANTED!
Any British V8 or V6 related articles, tech tips, photos,
product or vendor recommendations.
“How it was done” articles - share your expertise with us!
This is YOUR newsletter - how successful it remains
depends on YOU - SEND THOSE ARTICLES IN!
To order, send $30.00 (Postage paid to a
U.S. address) to:
Dan Masters
P. O. Box 6430
Maryville, TN 37802-6430
http://members.aol.com/danmas6
THE MG GUYS
MG V-8 CONVERSION PARTS AND ACCESSORIES
!
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!
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Headers: “block hugger” style made in England with headpipes and cones….............. $400
Headers: RV8 style, domestic mild steel, 2-pc construction………………….............. $435
Purchase engine mounts with insulators for……………………….……..................... $80pr
Radiators: Original replacement BV-8 radiators, new………………………................ $200
We also carry a complete line of remote oil filter systems, manifolds, ignition accessories, suspension
components and all other MGBV-8 conversion and uprating components. The MGGuys also provide MGB
restoration and repair parts at substantial discounts as well as stocking a substantial inventory of used MGA,
MGB, MGC and TR parts .Call Jack or Bob with specific needs and for quotes.
WE DISCOUNT ALL MAJOR SUPPLIERS RETAIL PRICES ON EVERY PART FOR YOUR BRITISH CAR
Glenburn, ME (207) 884-8523 Eve. (207) 884-7091 Day www.mgguys.com
D & D FABRICATIONS
215 Aluminum V-8 Specialist
!
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Complete MG V-8 conversion kits and components - from custom built 4-row radiators to prop
shafts
Buick, Olds and Rover V-8 engines, re-buildable, or precision rebuilt
Complete machining and engine building services, stock and hi-performance.
Extensive inventory of stock rebuilding components, including hard to find items
Mild to Wild high-performance intake manifolds, carbs, cams, valvetrains, pistons, oil systems,
high compression heads, etc.
Stroker crank kits and complete stroker motors
Stock, lightened, and aluminum flywheels
Heavy duty clutch packages and hydraulic throw-out bearings
Special oil filter adapters to eliminate the need for remote oil filters on MG V-8 conversions
Custom component engineering and machining
Fresh rebuilt T-5 transmissions in stock
T-5 and T-6 bellhousings & components, including front close off panels
Comprehensive catalog only $3.00 (refundable with first order)
Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards accepted
8005 Tiffany Drive,
Almont Michigan 48003
(810) 798-2491
Business Hours: 8 am - 5 pm EST