What’s being offered on Facebook Marketplace in Weld, Maine is a labor (the British would say “labour”) of love in the form of a 1969 MGB-GT that’s had considerable performance work done to it. And it looks sharp, too. The car has been marked down from $18,500 to $13,500.
The major thing is a powertrain swap. The MG now runs a 3.4-liter General Motors V-6 (no date or model given) with approximately 82,000 miles. It’s got an Edelbrock 390-cfm carburetor and rebuilt T5 transmission, with a new clutch and throw-out bearing. The fuel pump is new, too. The work was done with a professional kit. I see it offered here for $1,149.95.
Original MGB-GTs, immortalized in song by Richard Thompson, weren’t exactly road rockets, though good for the time. The 1969 model featured a 1.8-liter, inline-four engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission, producing approximately 95 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. Overdrive was optional.
Bodywork was performed on the doglegs, rear fenders, inner and outer rockers, as well as the floorpans, and then the car was resprayed in its original British Racing Green. The car also has an all-new interior, with first-generation Mazda Miata seats reupholstered in leather. The tires and starter motor are also new. There are some handsome aftermarket wheels.
The car is now in excellent running condition and cruises at 75 mph on the highway with the engine turning at 2,800 rpm. “It is awesome and very spirited. Super fun car to drive. Once you drive a V6-swapped MG, you will be converted. It’s not a perfect show car. But an excellent daily driver, no trades.”
The owner is open to offers, but also indicates he’s only “thinking” of selling it. If you don’t make a fair offer, they won’t. Frankly, the owner probably has far more in this car than the asking price. Why do one of these yourself when you can buy this one done up very nicely? Hagerty puts a ’69 MGB-GT in good condition at $9,200, but this one is, you know, more car than that one would be.
Just find yourself a more rare MGC-GT with a factory bubble hood straight 6, and save yourself a lot of headaches from the conversions.
Other than the usual Prince of Darkness issues of course.
I wonder how this V-6 swap handles vs. the inline-6 MGC? If the V-6 is lighter, and/or with its center of mass set further back than the long 6, it might well handle better than the nose-heavy MGC.
You don’t need to modify the front B suspension as was a problem with the C’s. I like this conversion. It was built to be driven! My BGT project will keep its OE 4 cyl. I’ll just put in a ‘throatier” muffler that will make it feel faster!!
Well thought out and executed. For those that complained there are no reasonably priced cars enthusiasts can afford should look right here. Unfortunately, many of those preaching that line are also “purists” that can’t stand modified cars. This may not be perfect, but perfect cars rarely leave the garage, it’s a fun driver, that’s what it used to be about, having a car you had fun driving. That’s something all too often forgotten.
Steve R
Something British Leyland should have done back in the day instead of the same old picking out of their parts bin. A V-6 or the aluminum V-8 might have kept the popular MG GT going for another decade.
They did fit the 215 ci V8 for a while back in 80s i think
They did, from ’73-’76 for the GT. DIdn’t keep it going for another decade.
They also revived and updated the MGB roadster for ’92-95 as the MG RV8, with the (ex-Buick 215) Rover 3.9L aluminum V8.
Sounds like it was a very rusty car initially.
Had a 68 MGCGT. Loved it.
Fyi…only the USA spells labour minus the u
Britain and the rest of the world spell it correctly. Labour. Cheers
I had a completely stock ’69 while going to college in ’74 and still remember it as the most fun out of all of my sports cars. It had rust holes on top of the front fenders (Ohio) and in the rain on the highway it would make 2 spectacular rooster tails .
I prefer the stock setup.
The MGB ‘B’ Series engines are very reliable, and they are one of the best engines that came out of GB, but like every engine that has ever been produced, you can only get so much power out of them.
This V6 conversion has been done Many times in the last 25 years and has quite a following on conversion forums on the MG Experience website as well as the British V8 forums. This particular version is likely a 1993-1995 Camaro/Firebird 3.4L V6, which likely has the same 1993-1995 T5 five speed, but it may have any Camaro/Firebird T5 from 1982-1995 or so. Most of the conversions are completed in the factory Sequential Port Fuel Injection.
I have listened to many who say they would prefer a ‘warmed over’ Austin ‘B’ series powered MGB 1.8l 4 cylinder. I’ve had them drive my otherwise bone stock MGB with a stock 3.4L SFI engine with 165 BHP and 220 lb-tq and the change of heart is all but immediate on all but the most stubborn.
What could be bad about an engine that fits, has 200-250 foot pounds of torque (twice what the Best MGB ever had) in stock configuration, and (in SFI form) gets 28-36 mpg, depending on build and gearing.
Oh- and the V6 driveline is 20-50 pounds lighter than the standard MGB driveline, depending on which components you use. With the heaviest parts, it’s 20 pounds Lighter than the MGB driveline. No weight added with the GM 60°V6.