Theoretical Hot Roddery MG A variations

Among the multutude of items that are sitting in the pole barn across from my house is a reportedly clean MGA. Many HRM visitors have been tasked with my favorite "Find 5 cars and one semi truck" game in the barn and the MGA is the tough one, it's buried. 

It is likely that after all is said and done it will become ours and while it will likely just be sold I thought I'd like to investigate what it would take to play Restomod the British Barn Shelf. 

Here are the wants:

Late model efficient engine with greater efficiency and power than the OE engine. 

Manual transmission not 100% required

Not cutting the hood. 

Not a LS swap.

Not overly expensive or impossible to make work in a blank canvas chassis.

Tell me your ideas.

I am going to go with my normal GM 60° V6 recommendation. In this case I think I would go with a $3,900 VVT and Camaro T5 like Rob is doing in his RX8

My initial idea:

Ford Fusion 2.5 engine, NC Miata 5 speed, Miata harness and ECU.

Keep the 2.5 stock so it is not overly powerful but has great torque for the weight of the car. Update ride control and cooling. Install tall skinny tires and a tonneau. Drive all year long 

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Oh I like that

Dusterbd13-michael said:

I am going to go with my normal GM 60° V6 recommendation. In this case I think I would go with a $3,900 VVT and Camaro T5 like Rob is doing in his RX8

I second this idea.  There' an MGA with a 2.8 V6 that has been showing up at local cruise ins for years, and it seems to fit in there perfectly.  No idea what transmission it is using, though.

miata

ecotec

ecoboost

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

And how about add K-series to that list. 

K20 of some sort seems like the next logical step after the Mazda MZR motors.  

Parked the mower and took some photos.

Oh good, it is a roadster.

The coupes do NOT fit a human of modern size. 

Dibs if it's not for sale until 2024

An MGB engine would be the easiest swap if you want to keep it vintage. I think you could use the original transmission. The horsepower would also be vintage.

A 1961 MGA Coupe was one of my first cars.

Man up. slice it down the middle and widen it by 10"

Slice the fenders and Coke-bottle the top view. Gonna need it cause you are going to need tires like this to handle the mad LSx power that you fear!

Pics are from a Healey project, but you get the gist, eh? I highly endorse this kind of crazy. Can I offer you some Kool-Aid?

I might have this as one of my waiting in the wings combination, a 1960 MGA Coupe with a 3 bearing MGB 1800.  In my case I would call Moss Motors and arrange to have the Miata gear box that fits this motor and one of every thing required to get my car back on the road.

Ok, it might take more than one, of everything.

In my case, anything that was rubber is completely perished. But, next to no rust.

Four cylinder, five speed out of a 2wd Toyota Tacoma. 

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

If I did that I would consider the 2.7t from the Silverado as well

5 bearing Mg engine. Crossflow head. Dual webers. Easy and relatively cheap. 
 

or, Miata duratec 2.0. ITB's. Of course.

I learned to love cars in my dads MGA. 

Trent said:

Oh good, it is a roadster.

The coupes do NOT fit a human of modern size. 

Actually the do fit regular size people, but the combination of arrow doors and limited head room due to the roof mean that getting in and out are awkward.

My suggestions for engines.

1 - MGB.  I use a slightly tuned 3 main MGB engine in my 62 coupe

2 - GM V6.  I ue a 3.4 60deg. V6 mildly tuned (c. 200 bhp) in my rebodied MGA, backed by a T5 trans

3 - GM Ecotec in either LE5 177 bhp naturally aspirated form or (my choice) in turbo LNF form - 260 bhp, easily bumped to around 310 with just a retune

eastsideTim said:

Dusterbd13-michael said:

I am going to go with my normal GM 60° V6 recommendation. In this case I think I would go with a $3,900 VVT and Camaro T5 like Rob is doing in his RX8

I second this idea.  There' an MGA with a 2.8 V6 that has been showing up at local cruise ins for years, and it seems to fit in there perfectly.  No idea what transmission it is using, though.

Wct5 out of a 98 through 02 v6 camaro is one option for the newer 60 degree v6 (3400, 3500, 3900).  Also, you can use the wc t5 out of a 94 through 97 v6 camaro Trans for the late or earlier ones.

The newer 60 deg engines are about free to $500.  The Trans are free to $200.

Use a clutch and flywheel out of a 94 s10 with the 2.2 4 banger.

The htob you can use any from the t5 or t56 Trans equipped cars with a few spacers from tick performance.

Use stock starter.  Use the stock ecu and get it tuned by sinister performance to not care what vehicle it is in.  Hook up the grounds, the pink wires, and the orange wires and make 11s.

Edit.   The above car is using the 94 through 97 camaro 3.4 liter 60 degree v6.  It is NOT the same as the 3400 v6.  The balance is different as well and the flywheel need to be different fyi.

To be honest, the 3400 is a much easier swap than the 3900.  You will be searching for 1 year only g6 gtp manual transmission ecu, wiring harness, etc.  I got lucky and found them easily.

The 3400 is thoroughly traveled ground and about 10 different ecus will work.

Need the front cover and accessories from a 3.4 engine or earlier rwd based 60 degree v6 and swap them onto the 3400.  OR, do what Michael did with his miata.  150 rwhp and the same or more torque pretty easy.  With a cam ($300) these engines wake up and can make over 200rwhp pretty easy.

My 3500 in my racecar makes 187rwhp after some porting.

The 3500 is sorta as big a pain in the ass as the 3900, so I wouldn't consider it.  You need to change the sensor wheel on the crank (crank out job) to use an earlier 3400 ecu....

The 3900 does make 240hp, 240 tq though, so...  it was worth it to me.  This is also my 3rd 60 degree swap so I kinda know the ins and outs at this point.

Feel free to hit me up if you have questions.

These engines are freaking bulletproof.  We endurance race urs in champcar and don't touch the engine.  Numerous trophies with one of these lumps up front.

Reasons to go 60 degree v6...

Cheap!  Reliable.  Lego parts together.

Reasons not to....

Same work as ls.  Not as much potential as K or ecotec swap.

In reply to QuasiMofo (John Brown) :

I wish I knew you personally.   I'm in favor of keeping British cars  all British. If you are too and you want some real power.  Don't do what I would do, which is stick a V12 jag in it. ( yes it fits) 

  Instead stick a Jaguar six into it. They are wonderfully reliable, powerful, they come in 3.6, 4.0, & 4.2 size  ( all the same size externally)   All aluminum, 4 valve heads.  Built from mid 1980's through 2000's. 
stock they have either EFI  or supercharged.  They will respond wonderfully to turbo charger.  Most are automatics but many were 5 speeds  

  They start around $200 and really expensive ones sell for a few hundred more  they were in both 4 door sedans and the XJS  Because of their reliability there is little market or demand for them  

2018+ GM 4.3L LV1 out of a GMC Savana / Chevy Express.  ~285HP, Aluminum Block, Pushrod 6 cylinder.  YES it's just a baby LS1, no I don't care it's amazing.  

The LV3 was offered in more stuff from 2014-2021 but it has displacement on demand.  I believe an LV1 would be slightly easier to live with.  I could be wrong.