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MG TD TF 1500 - MGTF conversion to MGB 1800 engine what mods are

A couple of friends are in the process of dropping a MGB 1800 engine
(circa 1970) into a TF. They are in need of some guidance from someone
who has done such a conversion. I've reviwed the archives with some success.

The 2 main issues they are facing are the engine mount on the 1800
engine is toward the front of the block on the sides versus the 1250
which mounts at the very front. They assume they'll have to mount from
the front since the steering rack is in the way for a side mount. This
touches on the 2nd issue which is the exhaust manifold is on the left
on the 1800 engine and will hit the steering rack also.

If you know someone that's done a conversion like this they'd love to
speak with them. Just respond to me on or off list.
Jim Tatol

Jim,
A friend of mine is putting a B engine in a TD and it does require some major modifications. They will have to fabricate new engine mounts for the B engine. Try to find an MGA and look at the engine mounts and you will see that the steering column goes thru the mounts. The MGA and MGB engine blocks were basically the same. They will also have to find an exhaust manifold that hugs the block to allow clearance of the steering column. I would check out a Peco or MGA exhaust manifold. Enclosed is a picture of my MGA coupe showing the left side of the transmission from inside the car with the floor boards removed. You can see the steering column as it goes thru the firewall. Just on the other side of the firewall you can barely see the universal joint in the steering column and the column changes direction. If you look down the steering column you can see it go thru a hole. This is the motor mount. You will also see the the exhaust manifold and notice how close it is to the steering column. Hope this helps and have a good day!

John


John Progess

I can understand wanting to keep the "breeding" in the family ....but if not a major concern...I have seen (and nearly purchased one of them) Volvo 1800 engines in TF's. It looked as though it was a fairly "painless" transplant that could actually be "undone" because of min. damage to the TF!
Just a thought.....My luck, I would get it all done and run across a great deal on a 1500 engine! LOL
I think that is what the "Naylor TF1800" had in them???? Never seen one close up so maybe someone who has could comment.
Cheers & good luck ...hope you share the finished pictures with us.
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

David here is your 1500 engine - ;^) maybe not such a bad deal with the cost of rebuilds -


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MG-TF-1500-REBUILT-ENGINE_W0QQitemZ290191018732QQihZ019QQcategoryZ33615QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Dallas
D C Congleton

Dallas,

How is your magnificent TD going ?

On the TF '1500'motor,this morning I asked the Seller several specific questions related to the letters/ numbers stamped on the Cyl Head and also the numbers on the Block etc.This was the Seller's only response,"no numbers brass plate blank".

Cheers !

Rob.Grantham
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos").
Rob Grantham

Hi Rob- The TD is in the garage under it's cover out of some bad weather here. It did get to attend a North Carolina regional AACA show in late October and did me proud. I could have sold some of your Purolator decals.

Sounds like the 1500 motor is caveat emptor.

Dallas
D C Congleton

Hi, if that engine on Ebay is a TF 1500 XPEG engine then it should have the AEF117 cast in the block just below the generator. The head should have AEF118 stamped (NOT cast) on the top, front right. The brass tag is removeable but the casting number and the stamped numbers are not.
Hugh Pite
Hugh Pite

Further to Hugh Ps comments,there should also be the stamped engine number on the Block just above the Brass ID Plate.

Dallas,congratulations on the showing of your detailed TD.Comparing the severity of your Winters,here in Western Australia our Winters are relatively mild with no snow(or dreaded salt)and temperatures sitting around 15 to 20 degrees C.(+ that is !).

Cheers for now.
Rob.Grantham
Rob Grantham

Valve cover on the e-bay engine is TD!
David Werblow

Jim:
I own a TF that has the MGB conversion done including disks, rear-end, over-drive transmission and dual master brake cylinder. Very little has been cut on the original car to make all this fit.
The D.P.O. (Dreaded Previous Owner) did the engine conversion. There are motor mount brackets bolted to the front engine plate. The motor mounts sit on top of the frame at the front of the engine. Very crudely done on my car but it has been holding for a lot of miles.
The exhaust is MGA - it was cut and welded so that it connects to the exhaust in more of a straight down attitude rather than sloping backwards as it did on the MGA.
If you have any other questions please just e-mail.
Godspeed in Safety Fast
Jc
John Crawley

I have asked him 3 different times for the block serial number. He has not answered it. He did offer up this number as cast into the cyl head #168-422. As for the valve cover being wrong his answer was thats the one on it when I received it.I will not even consider it unless the head is removed to verify. It seems like a pipe dream
Sandy Sanders

Hi Sandy,

This 'TF1500 motor' gets more interesting by the minute ! "He did offer up this number as cast into the cyl head #168.422". Firstly,this could be a Wolseley 4/44 cyl head number.On TF XPAG 1250cc cylinder heads,the number is 168425.The first five numbers were cast in while the final number, 5, was stamped in.This was undertaken by grinding away the last digit of 168422 and restamping with a 5.

It was done by Morris Engines to indicate that they had bored out the heads for the larger valves(but only for the TF 1250 heads).Wolseley 4/44 engines,with smaller valves, used 168422 at the same time.

I suspect over the years many TF 1250s have had their original heads changed onto TFs from Wolseley 4/44s after a head had cracked or had been planed to an extent that the compression ratio was too high.

I suppose we could say at least a Wolseley 4/44 head has round holes for the waterways! However,the correct,real TF 1500 head with the AEF118 stamping(I am working with 2 on my bench at the moment)has one line of water holes set further away from the combustion chambers when compared to the TF 1250 or Wolseley 4/44.This is one reason why the part numbers for the head gaskets are different.

Cheers for now.
TF3719("Aramis"),TF9177("Athos")

Rob Grantham

"caveat emptor"
Indeed!
Shame that these questions did not "make it" to the auction.
Feel sorry for those that have not found this BBS yet!
A few years ago I purchased some parts from an ebay auction ...very few of them were what the seller "claimed" they were.
Although he did refund my $$ ...I also noticed the same parts ended up back on ebay with the same description....but this time with the added text "all sales final no refunds or exchanges"!
Cheers,
David 55 TF 1500
David Sheward

I put an MGB 1800cc engine with a Ford Sierra 5 speed gearbox (using a HiGear fitting kit) into a right hand drive TD, and I took about 30 photos whilst it was being done. If they would be of any help I can email them to you.
Roger Wilson
Roger Wilson

David, I think the Naylor had a BL O-series engine, which is basically an OHC development of the B-series.
Willem van der Veer

I GUESS THAT NOBODY FELL FOR HIS BULL***T. THE ITEM DID NOT SELL.
Sandy Sanders

This thread was discussed between 15/12/2007 and 20/12/2007

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