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MG MGA - 1500/18V/sierra trans swap

As i am doing an engine/transmission swap on a 1500 A with a 18V MGB engine/Ford Sierra transmission, what do i have to do to retain my original floor board/fire wall/ transmission tunnel? Len
Len Fanelli

You should not have to do a thing. The only problem is going to be the position of the starter. If yours is a low mount no problem. If it is a high position, check with your supplier or Peter Gamble to see what you need to do. Peter does have different engine backing plates, and may have a different bell housings for that set up to go into a earlier MGA. I have a 1600 with a 18v and 5 speed trans. It is a drop in without any modifications and works great!!!!
JEFF BECKER

Len

I have said it in this BBS before, worth putting the 1500 front plate on the 1800 block as it is drilled for the MGA engine mounting plates.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Len

If my memory serves me right you may also have to slightly alter the shape of the gearstick hole to cater for the different lever movement.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Its also worth cutting a hole in the side of the transmission cover to give access to the gearbox oil filler plug.
Malcolm Asquith

Malcolm

You have just reminded me that you also need to cut a hole in the right hand side of the tunneling to locate the speedo cable.

Steve
Steve Gyles

A 1500 rear engine plate will not work on a 18v engine. It would have to be machined to work. The gear shift hole does not have to be touched with a quick shift from Hi Gear which I highly reccomed. If it is not used, the hole has to be slighly larger
JEFF BECKER

Jeff

Too late for me now, re enlargening the gear stick hole, although I seem to remember at the time that I bought the complete kit, including the modified gear stick.

I think I used a 1600 back plate and had it machined for the oil seal. I only discovered the front engine plate tip by trial and error. I had already fitted the timing chain cover etc before I discovered that the 1500 engine bearer brackets did not readily fit the 1800 front plate.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
A 1600 plate will work as you noted, but still has to be machined. Peter at Hi-gear has many different combinations to make different engines match up to the trans and the car. I had to buy a new rear plate to do the 18v convertion. I picked it up at his house in Derby. When I took the train back to London, I didn't have time to go back to the hotel to drop it off so off I went to the theater with the engine plate in tow!!!!.
JEFF BECKER

Len,
You can use your 1500 backing plate and have that machined out to accept the rear seal (more on this in archives) Order the 1500 Hi-Gear kit which has the proper bell housing to match the Ford to the 1500 rear plate. With this combo the starter will stay low and will not fowl the footwell. Hi-Gear can give you the correct B clutch lever to enable use of an early MGB clutch (beter than the A clutch). I used an early B fly-wheel with this combo, which is also lighter. If any of this is off, someone will straten me out. Good luck, it's worth the hassel, sweet combination. Your car will be as fast as it looks!
Steve
Steve Meline

Steve,
It is about time we get a group together to do another run. Let's get ahold of Steve S. and see what we can put together!!!!
JEFF BECKER

This thread was discussed between 17/01/2006 and 18/01/2006

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This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.