64 MGB V6 Conversion and Restoration
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- Опубліковано 27 лип 2022
- 1964 MGB. GM 3.4L V6 crate engine conversion. The 3.4L is based on the 2.8L engines that were in the S-10's and Camero's. The engine is a 60° V6 which allows the headers to go in the frame rails.
Fantastic conversion kits are available for this which makes an easy swap. Early conversion included headers which were not as good; the conversions now have much better headers. You can find them at "Classic Conversions" (Bill Guzeman) or BMC Autos.
There is little or no weight change in the conversion. There are many other upgrades on this project as well. Also to note, later MGB's have a wider transmission tunnel which require very little work to fit engine and transmission.
Be sure to check out my other builds!
Awesome build brother , you should be well proud of what you have archived 😁😁🤘🤘🤘🇹🇭🇹🇭
Thank You!
I swapped a 3.4 V6 and manual T5 from a wrecked 93 into my 72 mgb gt back in the late 90s after MIG welding in new sills, floors, lower fenders...all the usual suspects, then rebuilt the original 1.8 .040 over and got the sidedraft weber behaving itself. The last iteration was the 3.4 swap. But Wow, the level of work you've done here is really really impressive, very well thought out and brilliantly executed. There are so many clever details. A diy overflow tank, servo operated climate controls, update wiper and window mechanicals, a serviceable DIY charcoal cannister and alternator bracket porn. That stainless (?) mesh oil cooler protection on the front valence is sweet. Holy cow. So many neat ideas in here. ^^THAT is how you do a stealth restomod. Thanks for sharing.
Thank You Brian! One of the reasons I posted it was to give others some ideas.
I’m from Southern California and I’ve owned a 1976 MGB roadster and drove it for over 2 years as my daily driver from 2002-2004. Then sold it to my buddy, not sure it’s fate after that. Lol. But I loved it and enjoyed it. Good luck with yours!
Really impressive, with little weight penalty. Who wouldn't be envious?
my first car was a 1964 MGB. I loved that car. Engine was bullet proof. Electrical system- well, best not talk about that. Great Video. Thanks.
Always remember, the Brits like their beer warm because they own Lucas refrigerators.
Thanks for sharing this, and the effort of the bother to take all the photos, including the bother of the captions as well. I watched every moment of this video and read all the captions. That car has had the finest work done to it and it came out beautifully. I was especially impressed by the hand made parts. The charcoal canister stood out to me because of the thoughtfulness to include that as well as the craftmanship. I admit disappointment that a video of it being driven was not included.
Thank You
beautiful work, you upgraded almost every important functioning part, if mine gets to 20% of this, ill be very happy, and the engine is bulletproof , cant go wrong with gm , congratulations on such a great work , gonna try to do my best for mine , a 73 that needs love, thanks for sharing your ideas
Thanks for sharing, beautifull work, personaly dont like the crash bar. youll enjoy it many years .....
This car is PERFECT!!!! OMG, I could not have wished for anything more! Please if you want to sell this… I will but it!!!!
True craftsmanship ❤
Thank You!
Wow. Very cool. Looks like a ton of work. ideas, parts, fabrication, etc. Thanks for sharing.
Very impressive. You have some amazing skills and the vision to match. Awesome results!
Thank you so much 😀
Thanks for posting your project. You are amazingly talented and meticulous the results confirm that. I just wish I could have a ride in it and check it out in person.
Thank You James!
@@gabcwabc2491 I am seriously considering a B GT conversion I’ve always liked MGB’s and I have done numerous custom engine installations on mostly import sports coupes, convertibles & sedans mainly for other people, seeing projects like yours (especially) has inspired me to do one last one for fun! 👍🏻
@@James-bp7vc There are a couple vendors for the 2.8l conversion. The conversion with T5 is about as simple as it gets.
@@gabcwabc2491 One more if I may, you mentioned later versions of the B have a wider tunnel, what year would that be and is it when the started producing their own V8 version? Thanks.
@@James-bp7vc I think it's 67. I am not sure. There is a website for classic conversions; Bill Guzeman. You can send him a note or one of the other vendors. They will know and happy to tell you.
you are a genius and a perfectionist....applaud!
Thank You!
A fantastic up grade,granted could have used any old body,but it is what it is!! Well done!
Has to be one of the finest examples of a modified MGB ever. Excellent work.
I'm more a purist but this is clean work, well done!
Very nice. Fly windows? We call them 'quarter lights' in MG land (UK)
Absolutely brilliant conversion ………..very well done . Cheers DaveH. UK
Thank you! Cheers!
Excellent skills, the car looks superb. 👌
Outstanding restoration.
Beautiful work Gary, these were the Mazda Miata of the 1960s…
I think I understand what you are saying but it is kind of backwards. The Miata was a direct copy (with improvements) of the B. The Toyota twin cam four (of which Mazda copied the copy) of the same era was also a copy of the Lotus twin cam. Too bad for us that Ford had Lotus tired around their finger in those days. Without Ford's (mis)direction, we might have seen other than the Cortina sporting the lotus twin cam. It would have been a great match with the B and would make a fantastic subject for a restomod - a twin cam in a B with the lotus transmission too.
@@jeremymasterson5818 nicely put Jeremy.
Gorgeous! Nicely done!! I want one!!
Looks like it would be a lot of fun to drive, well done
Thanks!
Very Nice '64 MGBV6, well done! I've a slightly modified '64 too (custom full frame, custom suspension, 4-link/Ford 8.8 rear, 4-wheel 11" discs, 375hp (or so) SBC/ T-10 4-speed -BIG FUN!
Cool, thanks!
Good call on the horns. Every British sports car should have come factory equipped with the horn off a diesel locomotive.
Thanks, little cars need big horns;especially when the semi who does not see you changes lanes! :)
Beautiful work! Well done.
Thank You!
Lovely work, I would like to hear it purr !
Couldn't possibly sound as good as original motor with the twin Amals.
Great job nice colour well done
I also echo all of the positive comments here. Great attention to detail. Just one thing with towing-to prevent the trailer potentially fish-tailing, conventional wisdom is to have the heaviest part of the car at the trailer draw bar end.
Quite correct, but look at the weight of the towing vehicle!
I've hauled heavy equipment on trailers routinely. Look at the location of the axle. It is located between the engine and transmission. The header bar is actually cut off and the car scooted to the front to close the gate. There is a small amount of tong weight which is ideal. If I flip the car around, the trailer tire is between the back seat and the trunk which it is almost entirely tong weight which would be wrong. The trailer was rock solid and we put many thousands of miles on it.
Magnificent!
Incredible Gary!!
Thank you!
Amazing job
Well Done Gary!
Thank You!
Nice conversion JC NZ
Lovely, tastefully done, job.
Thank You
Thanks
Great work. Surprised you didn’t strengthen the body in the sill (rocker) area below the doors.
Lovely job
Thank you! Cheers!
@@gabcwabc2491 I crossed the USA from NY to Seattle in my '65 MGB in 1969, trip of a lifetime. I hankerted for more power, so swapped it for a Sunbeam Tiger.
That is awesome my brother has a mgb and I have a midget. It looks amazing!!
Thank You!
I’ve got a 71’ that we’ve had since 1980. As another post put it, I’m a purist. But I’m also dying a premature death and my daughters don’t care about it. They just want to go from A to B. Might blow a bunch of money and convert it so that it’s fast enough to drive off a mountain side. I took that car to my prom!
Awesome!
It's a fact of life that Women love convertibles, happy days
Great video! I've found a later MGB with this engine and transmission, but haven't driven it yet. Any idea of your 0 to 60 time??
Nice job!
Did you change the Axle ratio while you were in the diff?
What do the Toyota Regulators and SPW wipers do better?
Thx
I did not change the ratio but the T5 is the V8 version with the longer gears. The old window regulators would bend and strip. They were continually problematic. These regulators have been problem free. Modern motors are better than the one's in the 60's. The SP wiper has a better motor than the originals and have a more positive movement. I put them in my Pantera as well. Thank you. Gary
In the U.S., MGB's had to have 3 windshield wipers.
All MGBs had two wipers until 1969, when it switch to three for the US only. I owned a '63.
not an expert, but looks a great and solid job. Congratulations on having acquired all those skills, and the dedication to complete it. Did you keep an hourly log for building time? I like the idea of the v6 instead of the v8.
I did not keep a log. With work it took me 3 years. It was actually finished in 2006 and I have had many great years with the car. Some things have been tweaked on it here and there such as adding the oil cooler in the valance after a hot trip in Vegas stop and go traffic. A great many fun trips with the car. I'll even be out in it today.
The V6 is a great balance. I would take nothing away from the V8 cars but weight is identical with excellent power. It's a go anywhere any time car!
Hi - looks great. What did you use for the rear disc brake conversion please?
That came from Fab-Tek fast-mg.com. I do not believe he makes them anymore because of liability.
Love this restoration and conversion. Being in California, I am eager to get into a fun reliable car that doesn’t need to be smogged. I am trying to find an MGB GT hopefully with the swap already done. I know weird question, but what kind of mpg do you get? I am better in the high 20’s and possibly into the 30’s if you baby it.
MId 20's But I have never tried to drive it for mileage. I've had this car all over the country and would drive it any where.
Might want to double check those Smog Laws in Commiefornia. Last I read, doesn't matter what year the car is if you do an engine swap with a late model engine. It's required to have all the garbage it came with originally.
@@SGTJDerek Nah, 1975 and older vehicles are completely smog exempt. I have a 1964 Chevy C10 and an LM7 LS motor ready for it. My neighbor also just got a 65 VW notchback with a full modern Jetta drivetrain. It’s now mid engine (cool car). But it is registered and no smog needed.
@@ardyshane23 good to know. Thanks. I don't need the knowledge because I don't live in CA but I do like to keep up.👌
First Dibs!
Super nice job, Gary with great attention to detail. I'd be curious to know how it handles compared to the MGC or the BV8. I would have thought it'd be better with a shorter engine, better weight balance. The only criticism I have is the roll bar. If you had to have one, I think you could have come up with a better design/shape. It just looks too square. Maybe dual hoops? or something that looks more factory.
Thank you, I don't mind the look of the roll bar. My problem with the roll bar is it needs padding but padding makes it look odd. It would be a hazard in a rear end collision and I concede that.
Roll bar looks very similar in contour to the one I put in my '69 MGB in 1977. It had been in a 1966 MGB before I got it. So this is a period after market profile.
This is a real quality updating of one of my favorite cars. You touched all the right points as far as I'm concerned, especially when you upgraded the suspension front and rear. Thanks for sharing this build. Home garage? Where did you develop your fabrications skills at?
It is a home pole barn. I build R/C airplanes for many years but this was my first time restoring a car. You might say I developed what I did as I went along. EVERYONE is more capable than they realize some times; especially with the aid of the internet.
@@gabcwabc2491 Well sir I want to compliment you on extrapolating your modeling skills to such an excellently executed restoration/improvement of a classic sports car. You did really well here. I hope you get years of enjoyment from it.
@@cdjhyoung Thank you!
is this the same gm 3.4 they put into the various w-body cars from the 1990s like the oldsmobile cutlass?
It was a 60° crate engine which was based on the 2.8l V6 in the Camero's and S-10's. It's a very common engine. Simple conversion kits are available by a couple of vendors. I could not tell you if there is a relationship with the Cutlass engine.
Fantastic restomod. Excellent body and paint restoration and your custom fabrications solve many troublesome original quirks. However, as i was often forced to point out to my teenagers over the years - just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. The engine upgrade is understandable - the original four even in the 60's could have benefitted from some more power but in my day of owning a B (it was a 1963) I saw far too many wrecked mgb's and similar cars (TR4's, Datsun 1600's, etc.) all because of swapping the original power plants for small block V8's. (A hot 340 in a MG Midget was perhaps the epitome of this) Invariably, the wrecked cars had massive tree or utility pole shaped dents in the front end. The cars' original neutral handling being turned into massive understeer by the extra weight in the front and too much horsepower. You have magnified the imbalance by swapping the leaf spring suspension for a lighter coil over set up as well. This car will be a fun performer with lots of reliable horsepower but I would be very wary in the cornering department. Perhaps rather than the v6, just modernizing the original 4 with some performance upgrades would have given you a more balanced machine.
The car lost 15lbs with the engine change.
@@gabcwabc2491 Wow, Fast reply! Appreciate it. Do you mean the v6 is lighter than the original i4 by 15 pounds or that the whole car is 15 pounds lighter? The problem I saw with the small block swaps was the change of center of balance between front and rear with weight moving forward.
Yes, the engine swap is about 15lbs less.
BTW, the 60° V6 is used because the headers fit inside the fender rails. If you use a newer MGB their is very little modification needed to the engine bay, just a little clearance on a shelf corner for the driver side header.
@@gabcwabc2491 Well there you go...good old cast iron versus aluminum. Of course the small block v8s were all iron engines so quite a difference there. I guess I'm dating myself. Great work nonetheless. My current project is a 1953 Willys Overland (Jeep) pickup truck...I guess my sportscar days are over but my '63 B was my first car so it still has a special place in my heart.
Beautiful! What cost?
More than I would like but I did a lot of things to it. On the flip side, I have been driving it since 2006. It made it into a real driver.
I’m always impressed when I see this kind of skill
@@kenjordan6428 I hope it can help others see things that can be done. Thanks.
i wanted to hear it after all that effort...
would have been bier if narrated
I get no sound. Is there no voice-over/narration?
No, I thought I might be annoying so I just tried to get directly to the point.
Like to know the total cost of this totally custom Car.
I actually have quite a bit from the crate engine, to Hawk coil overs to several other things; but it doesn't have to be that expensive. The conversion kit is not that much and you can find used gm 2.8l at the salvage yard along with a T5. Make sure you get the V8 T5 with taller gears. The rest is just what you want to put into it. Keep in mind the later cars do not need the tunnel work as the tunnels are wider. It has made it a car worth driving every day!
He really didn't answer, but the man-hours included, would break the bank!
A pity the Buick 3.8 V6 did not fit, it was a better engine in its last production run in Australia as the EcoTec.
The 60° V6 lets the headers fit in the frame rails without putting the exhaust through the fenders.
As your commenters stated that in UK homes will have to have electric heating soon cost per home are potentially inthosands of pounds andif not helped by government financially it is in thousands
Sadly from 2030 on all combustion cars, trucks and busses including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing petrol stations to only one state operated central gas station per city. From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.
Perhaps you can back this up with some links / sources?
In UK, at least, it's only NEW petrol/diesel cars which won't be sold. Existing ones will still be used. Likely it will change because there aren't anything like enough charging points for everyone to have an electric car. Or the capacity to generate the electricity for them (bearing in mind they want our houses electrically heated too!), or the infrastructure to deliver it.
Convert to electric. Faster and more efficient.
People are doing them now and in the coming years more conversions will be performed.
Classics won't die in the future...
@@salamander5703 Presently,electric car charging is up around the cost of a tank of diesel,in the U.K! For the foreseeable future,I’m sticking with my Adblue diesel.56 mpg on a run,and well over 500 miles to a tank of fuel. Match that, Tesla!(AND it’s congestion charge free! Result!)
@@robcrissinger776 Converting to E kills a classic. Full stop.
Nice but you should of let us listen to it.
Thanks, Ill do that if I get a chance.
Very well done!!!
Beautiful work.
Thank You!