Chevy V6 HotRod: 1974 MGB GT

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A casual observer might suspect that an MGB GT with a roarty exhaust sound an a big round chromey air cleaner would be powered by an American V8..but you’ve be 2 cylinders off in your estimation, because this next British Rat Rod is powered by a Chevy V6.  Find this 1974 MG BGT  offered for $7000 in Albany, NY via craigslist. From Cory.

From the seller:

1974 MG MGBGT V6 

cylinders: 6 cylinders 

drive: rwd 

fuel: gas 

title status: clean 

transmission: manual 

type: coupe 





HOP IN AND DRIVE !!!!



Motivated to sell $7000 or Best reasonable offer



Runs, drives and stops great. recently inspected.



I have decided to sell one of my project cars. I have been working on and driving it for the past few years. I bought this car specifically to do the Chevy V6 conversion. I have been a car enthusiast / ammature restorer / car geek for a long time when I ran across the MGB V6 conversion kit by Bill Guzman (www.classicconversionseng.com). The kit is to install the Chevy V6 3.4 liter. I chose a brand new 3.4 crate motor from GM Performance Parts, which GM sells as a high performance replacement motor. I used a T5 5 speed transmission from a camaro. Quite surprising, the 3.4 V6 with T5 combination weighs less than the original engine / trans. The car is very well balanced. GMPP advertises this motor at 180 HP, but that is with the standard S10 2bbl and iron exhaust manifold. Mine is fit with a Holly 4bbl (390 chm) and headers, so I think a conservative estimate is about 200HP. To anyone who has ever built up a 1.8 liter MGB motor, 100HP is doing pretty good for a street motor. So, this car has 2x the power of a well tuned MGB.




I built this car in stages. I replaced the lower sills and both floor panels. I am a bit fanatical about metal integrity, so I mig welded these entirely from underneath the car. I fixed a few other metal problems on the body, rebuilt the firewall, rear wheel arches, and a few other body patch panels; all mig welded. all new brake lines (metal and rubber) and clutch lines. I converted over to Silicone Brake Fluid. 



The V6 kit comes with headers, motor mounting brackets for the frame and the motor, rubber mounts (nice and stiff), a cross member for the transmission and a few bolts and gaskets. I fabricated multiple other parts like radiator frame etc. It is VERY solid.



T5 5 speed (shifter comes out in the stock location)

Edlebrock dual plane 4 barrel intake manifold

Holly 4 bbl carburetor (electric choke, vacuum progressive)

Chevy HEI electronic distributor

Accel High pertformance Spark Plug Wires

Gen 1 Mustang radiator (brand new) (clears frame rails nicely, 2x the capacity of the stock radiator)

electric fan with temperature relay.

Stock Chevy Alternator, Water Pump, 

Custom drive shaft by Universal Auto Parts in Albany

Stock GT rear axle. (in all my research, I have never found anyone who has broken one)

Minilight wheels(brand New), 14″ in front (stock size), 15″ rear. 

New gas tank

Custom exhaust with SuperTrap tunable muffler

Rebuilt front suspension, new Moss knuckle and king pins.

New brakes, lines, hoses.

Summit Sport seats (I also have the MG seats but they need refurbishing). Remainder of interior is a blank slate…

Digital speedometer.

etc. . .



The cool thing about the progressive 4bbl is that with the top half of the gas pedal, it drives like a nice demure compact car. But when you push a little farther it multiplies that by 2. Watch out when you floor it; you better be holding on! Stock MGs tend to rev very high on the highway which makes them very buzzy and tiring to drive far. This car lopes along at about 2500 RPM in 5th making it much less noisy. I really only use 5th on the highway. Car keeps up easily at interstate speeds.



The next logical phase would be to finish the body work, and interior (as I said, all the hard metal work is done). I really didn’t have a plan for when I would finish it, so everything is left in stable usable condition as-is. I opened up the rear arches ever so slightly to clear the 15″ wheels, all welded steel, strong as a bridge, I rolled a custom metal hood scoop to clear the air cleaner. As it sits, it has a nice rat-rod look and feel to it. I actually like this and you may want to drive it as-is, or continue on the motif. (no mexican blankets yet, or fuzzy dice, but either would go nicely) I have many of the small parts; door handles, grill, front bumper, interior panels… This leaves lots of options for where to go next.



I have 10K invested in the car as it sits. like so many of us, I have too many projects. I am not looking to loose my shirt on this car (nor am I hurting to sell it quickly for a ridiculously low price) Lets talk. Car is currently on the road and I could reasonably help with delivery as part of a deal.



Please email me via CL if you are interested or have any questions (or just want to chat about the car). I will gladly swap phone numbers with legitimate interested parties.



Might trade for something interesting.



Thanks for looking!

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