Fast Facts

• Best model: Original GT or Costello
• Worst model: Bad home made versions
• Budget buy: Rubber bumper models
• OK for unleaded?: Yes
• Will it fit in the garage? (mm): L6680 x W1656 mm (S3)
• Spares situation: Excellent
• DIY ease?: Excellent
• Club support: Brilliant
• Appreciating asset?: Yes, so buy soon
• Good buy or good-bye?: Former and best MGB by far

Discreet badging showed the MG’s class, Shame car came too late

Alloys special to V8 (and late special edition MGB LEs). Repros available

Cockpit is stock MGB. Replacement trim is plentiful, either new or used

GT body is still one of the neatest sports classics ever penned. A few rubber bumper cars were made; hard and costly to convert

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Take an MGB and add a Rover V8 and you the perfect practical classic

MG’s second stab at a high performa n c e ‘ B ’ wa s without doubt the best. Egged on by Kent-based racer and engineer Ken Costello, who fi rst made the conversion back in 1969, the offi - cial V8 MGB was a marriage made in Abingdon heaven and an idea that had actually been in gestation ever since the demise of the commercially unsuccessful MGC. Today, the MGB GTV8 can cost about the same as a normal MGB GT, which given its extra performance and smoothness plus usual easy MG running costs makes it a bit of a practical performance bargain.

History

The engineers at Abingdon had been trying to shoehorn a V8 into the MGB for years (some say as early as 1967, but offi cially since 1971) and it is said that they fi rst tried the Daimler V8 unit. Once cash-strapped MG decided to use the Buick unit, it had to be done as cheaply as possible. Although MG was working on a relative shoe-string, it still had more resources than Ken Costello (see our special story overleaf) and was able to engineer the power unit to fi t under the standard ‘B’ bonnet, unlike Costello who retained the original V8 carburettors which necessitated an ugly bonnet bulge (until a switch to Weber carbs).

There again MG made do with the lower tune 137bhp Range Rover-spec V8 while the ex-Mini racer went the full fat Rover 3500S route. The MGB shell needed minimal changes to make the V8 fi t and as it was 40lb lighter than the cast iron B-Series, it helped alter weight distribution from 47.8/52.2 to a more equal 49.4/50.6. Unlike the MGC, the V8 even retained the conventional MGB front suspension set up, although the ride height was hiked by about an inch in the process, pre-empting what the company would do to the MGB a year later. Indeed in 1975 the V8 received the infamous rubber bumpers despite the car never being exported to the USA! After the disastrous launch of the MGC, expectations were pretty low for new MGs but the reception for the V8 at its 1973 introduction was still lukewarm despite giving MG nuts what they had dreamed for years. During its three year production run only 2591 cars were made, and during some months V8 production barely broke into double fi gures – that’s about a quarter of what the unloved MGC sold!

Driving

The recipe was so right but something was lost in the mix and to many enthusiasts, all the introduction of the V8 engine did was to highlight the shortcomings of the aging MGB. However, the ‘vintage’ feel that was so criticised when the car was new is probably appreciated now and certainly this is one of the highest performance British cars of the 1970s. Its performance is still effortless and smooth and can still show a Gti a clean pair of rear tyres, (0-60mph in eight seconds and 125mph) although such is the torque on tap there’s little need for gear changing. This is handy because second gear is still too low from this MGC-sourced transmission, but on the other hand despite no automatic option this is a two-gear car and the standard overdrive gives a lovely long legged 28.5mph/1000rpm gait. Ironically, fear of poor economy that killed the car rarely manifested itself on the road: the V8s drank about the same as normal MGBs! You’d think that with the improved weight distribution, the V8 would handle better and while it’s an improvement on the laden MGC, it still didn’t handle as predictably as the four-cylinder MGB. Road tests at the time put this down to the stiff rear suspension and added ride height. However other known MGB traits such as the hard ride, wind noise, poor heating and ventilation and lack of overall refi nement are of less consequence now than when the car was new. Certainly thanks to its compact size, useful rear hatch facility and sheer usability, this MG is still a tempting daily driver and second family car.

Prices

As only 2591 were built and there are not too many for sale at any one time, you’d think prices would automatically be at a premium over a normal GT but this is not always so. A roadlegal V8 might be found for £4000, a decent car for around £7000 and a concours winner for £10,000 or so. Shop around… Home-made V8s are certainly worth less than the real thing and only Costello conversions really command a premium now, although as these cars were bespoke and specifi cations could be individually chosen, it depends how much was spent on the car in the fi rst place.

Improvements

As with any MGB it’s a case of how far do you want to go. For many a standard V8 is quick enough so just needs the chassis tweaking. Lever arm dampers were fitted front and rear, but it’s possible to swap to telescopics. It works well but the ride will be even harder. To really sharpen up the handling it’s worth fi tting uprated front and rear anti-roll bars with poly bushes although the ride will be made a lot harsher still. Servo-assisted brakes were fi tted from the outset and this essentially standard MGB set up copes well enough, although uprated EBC pads and better discs are always a wise move for modern motoring. Alternatively you can fi t the more exotic MGR V8 front suspension and better brakes, which is expensive but effective. Even if you keep the engine standard, electronic ignition and an uprated radiator are very worth mods, the latter costing around £200 from specialists. As the basic V8 engine evolved into 4.6-litres over the years, in terms of power you can really give this B some real sting!

Three Of A Kind

Triumph Stag

In house rival to the MG was also V8 powered with more power but less go and a hard/ soft top instead of a hatchback. Initially dodgy, Stags are now highly durable and desirable as a fi ne cut-price Mercedes SL rival. Still strong value and there’s a brilliant specialist and club back up. Of course many Stags were converted to Rover V8 power and these are good if done right.

Reliant Scimitar GTE

Out the sme time the biggerengined MGBs were around (MGC and V8), Reliant got it right fi rst time care of a lusty and trusty Ford V6 engine, a sophisticated chassis, rot-proof GRP sportshatch body plus a later Stag-like GTC and strong image with Royal connections. And yet the GTE has never caught on as a classic. Good ones are great, but there’s many tired ones about.

MG RV8

Rather late in the day MG Rover launched the roadster V8 – almost two decades after MG as a company bit the dust! Bsed upon the Heritage bodyshell with a full fat 190bhp and totally reworked chassis, without doubt it’s the best sorted V8 MGB and most luxurious. The MG RV8 feel like a cross between a Morgan and a TVR and prices are similar to usual MGB levels.