This 1974 MGB is not your normal MGB. It’s your wild boyhood fantasy hot rod – that tiny car with the huge motor. But wait, it’s a little more than your testosterone driven mind had conjured up. This MG is a comprehensively built vehicle that handles like it’s on rails and accelerates with rocket propelled force.
The front suspension is a Fast Cars Inc., lightweight racing suspension using geometry that was modeled after the BMW M3. The design is 80 lbs lighter than the factory set up and bolts directly to the car. The spindles are custom-built chromoly units and the steering rack is custom built for this application as well. All of the bushings are Nylatron GS and have been custom milled for the suspension. Camber and caster are very easy to adjust and the coil over Carrera shocks make changing the ride height, or swapping springs a cinch.
The front brakes are 11.75 Wilwood units and the rears are Explorer discs. The master cylinder is a Wilwood complete with bias controls. The brakes have a powerful, linear feel and slow the car very quickly. The rear suspension is a 4-bar set up with a pan hard bar hooked to a narrowed 8.8 rear end.
The handling of the car is remarkable. We drove to the track, drove it on the road course and drove back to the shop. Win. The handling is very nimble, precise and the power rolls on at will. In track conditions, the car turns in very hard without noticeable understeer. The rear end will push into a smooth slide under applied throttle with no snap oversteer characteristics present. The weight distribution on the car is 51/49, but a near perfect 50/50 with the driver. You can really get a sense for this at track speed as the car has a very neutral road presence. The car is at home at city roads as well. The suspension is quiet, takes irregularities in the road with ease and is free from squeaks and creaks.
The motor is a Ford 347 Stroker that runs off the Fast EZ EFI 2.0 setup. The block is a Bessel Motorsports Race Block that has been internally deburred, knife edged and polished. It features hydraulic rollers with all forged internals, Diamond pistons, and total seal piston rings. The oil pan is a 7-quart with remote oil cooler and the radiator is of the high performance aluminum variety with an electric fan. The motor runs 180 to 185 all day long in hot summer temps.
The motor uses a sequential Multiport injection manifold that is controlled by the Fast EZ EFI 2.0 computer. With the current tune on the motor, it produces around 390 HP, but is capable of 500 with a more aggressive tune. The heads are AFR 220 which have been port matched and polished. Running the components on the front of the engine is billet March serpentine system. The car also has a traction control switch on the dash that uses a drive shaft sensor to retard timing when it senses wheel slippage. The transmission is a TKO 600 5-Speed with the high-RPM synchro conversion by Liberty Gear, a McLeod single disc clutch, Fidanza aluminum flywheel, and a Quicktime shatter proof bellhousing.
The MGB interior is simple and purpose built. It has a custom built roll bar, the dash is set up with Autometer gauges, and even features heated seats. The car comes with two tops; a bikini cover and full rain cover. Both were custom made for the car.
For the sports car enthusiast, it would be hard to find many cars more exhilarating than the drive this car produces. It’s a versatile street and track car with razor sharp acceleration and lightning quick handling.
