How to give your MGB V8 power
by Roger Williams
Veloce Publishing
£29.99 UK US$59.95 USA pp 221

This totally revised third edition of a book regarded for many years as the authoritative guide to V8 conversions is now even better. The content has been developed in many useful ways covering the enhanced range of engine and suspension options that is now available and the consequent performance increases. The book is both well written and set out so it is a pleasure to read. It is also a book of real substance with an intelligent approach to thinking through the range of options and strategic issues you will need to focus on and weigh up at the outset when planning a V8 conversion of an MGB - for example what car do you use and what engine and gearbox combination do you need?

The Buick-Rover aluminium V8 engines are still the easiest to install in the MGB and there are few cars you can transform so easily. The transformation on fitting a 3500cc 200bhp engine produces a 100% increase in power without an increase in weight or front-to-rear balance. Since the first book was first published some 15 years ago 3900, 4200 and 4600 engines have been produced offering the prospect of quite startling performance in an MGB. So an early chapter acts as a guide to the radical changes needed to transmit increased power outputs to the road and provide safe roadholding and handling.

The Princess caliper increases the length of the pad that comes in contact with the disc by 12mm beyond an MGBGTV8 pad - which will improve braking, although the squeeze pressure on the disc is about the same. (Photo: Veloce)

The suspension options for the MGB have undergone major development over recent years, not least from the spin-off from RV8 production, but Roger Williams emphasizes you need to think in terms of compatible front and rear suspension combinations. Braking capacity requirements will depend on your choice of powerplant and wheel size may be determined by a need to accommodate larger discs. Front and rear suspension options are well covered and the Hoyle kits are described mentioning their useful features front and back, not least the ability to fit independent rear suspension using readily available Ford UK parts and even a Sierra LSD.

V8 conversions are particularly popular in the USA with the ready availability of Buick, Chevy and Ford V8 engines, so this new edition will provide just the source of information many enthusiasts will want there.
A final chapter on "UK rebuilt vehicle requirements" is a particularly useful section on how the system works, not least the vehicle test details and the points system for measuring the aggregate effect of the changes made to the vehicle. There is a natural attraction to retaining a tax exempt status which the book covers very well.

Equally there are complications where a V8 Roadster has been created from a Heritage shell and an MGBGT as the donor car, so the book provides good information on the requirements for notifying DVLA of changes made to a vehicle. The chapter is essential reading before starting a V8 project.