Any MG 'specialists' out there?

[Jeff]

To settle an argument, can anybody please confirm that some MG B convertibles (Roadster) were fitted with a Rover V8 3.5 engine as standard.

The history links on internet do not confirm this but I seem to remember being told a while ago they were and given a certain name.

The only ones I can find have V8's fitted retrospectively and the V8 was only fitted to the MGB GT.

Many thanks and as always, very confident of a sound reply.

Jeff.

[Giles]

imported post

I am pretty sure the only factory ones were GTs. There were Costello conversions which were V8 Roadsters.

[sjm]

imported post

Jeff wrote:

To settle an argument, can anybody please confirm that some MG B convertibles (Roadster) were fitted with a Rover V8 3.5 engine as standard.

The history links on internet do not confirm this but I seem to remember being told a while ago they were and given a certain name.

The only ones I can find have V8's fitted retrospectively and the V8 was only fitted to the MGB GT.

Many thanks and as always, very confident of a sound reply.

Jeff.

No roadsters fitted with the MGV8/RV8 only the MGBGT, but there was the RV8 MG which was only produced in roadster form back in the nineties and mainly exported to Japan, is this the model you were thinking of?

Steve

[Guest]

imported post

You wouldn't be getting confused with the MG C would you?

That was a factory convertible version of the MGB made in the late 1960's and fitted with a straight six 3 lit engine.

[Andy Rundell]

imported post

Giles wrote:

I am pretty sure the only factory ones were GTs. There were Costello conversions which were V8 Roadsters.

Factory MGB's were only produced as GT's with the V8, they were available from '73-'76 but only about 2500 were produced.

Ken Costello actually made the first of the factory prototypes - BL in its wisdom reckoned the extra shell strength of the GT was necessary given the extra power.

The MG RV8 was produced from '93-'95 - ironically only in Roadster form - it used the 3.9 EFI version of the engine.

Original Costello V8's will have a rounded power-bulge in the bonnet, i think only just over a couple of hundred were made, they are rather rare.

My father owned a '74 factory BGT V8, it was rather nice

.........Andy

[Jeff]

imported post

Thanks Guys for your help.

I knew what you have all told me but somewhere in the back of my mind, a limited amount of roadsters had the Rover V8.

So could be the Costello model is the one.

Many thanks again,

Jeff.

[martin]

imported post

The Costello cars are very distinctive, apart from the bonnet bulge, they had a rather nice chip cutter grill. I think Ken got a little bitter as when BMC decided it was a good idea, they stopped supplying him with shells and engines, and paid nothing for the idea, then produced an inferior product. A great shame. Martin.

[nitronig]

imported post

i have an mgb gt v8 fitted in my stag . sounds very nice.

[charliebridger]

imported post

ask david vale he was asked his approval of the mgrv8 by rover before they went into production he was also the first and only proper v8 conversion expert.

http://www.mgcars.org.uk/v8conv/v8convs.html