new guy/CAN A v8 fit????

[bruce dodds]

  Hi new guy from N.J. and I just got a CMC pinto with a bad motor decent shell and mostly complete needs a top frame and trinkets. as an old hot rodder I an wondering if anyone has  put a 302 ford in one of these? looks tight but I built a V8 pinto for a  local in the 80’s, rear swap and brake up grades are not a problem but???

[Paul Mossberg]

Hey new guy from NJ. Where are you?

There’s a street rod running around north NJ with a V8 stuffed into an original MG TD. So that probably means it would fit into a front engine based TD replica.

I’ve never seen one done tho.

But…when you finish…I want  ride!

Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

[bruce dodds]

 I will keep you posted??!!

[Bill Hursh]

I saw a TD kit with a 302 ford engine on e-bay a while ago. It fit, not sure about anything else. I’ll take a ride also when you get it in!

Bill

[Harry Kraemer]

There is a 1953 MG TD for sale with a Chevy 355 cubic inch engine in it.  Here is the link http://www.dealsonwheels.com/detail/1953_MG_TD/00311413E08.a spx

 

[bruce dodds]

 thanks any info would be nice!this is a 2.3 auto?!?? I have to at least make this thing stick, and I will give the 302 a try, I’m in Howell .

[Mark Hendrickson]

If you are planning on building a car that is nose heavy, won’t handle, won’t steer and requires a lot of frame mods…install a V8, then go to the drags with it. The Ford V8 is the smaller dimensions between it and a small block Chevy. Way too much torque for what CMC built though.

I started to build, but later sold as a rolling chassis, a Pinto based CMC TD to a California man. He wanted the Pinto drivetrain, so that’s how he got it.

I started to build the car with a slighty tweaked 3.8L Buick V6, TH200R4, 8″ Ford 3.55 posi, tubular front “A” arms and a coil over torque arm set up for the rear. Brakes were 11″ rotors from a Granda up front and 11″ Lincoln Versailles in the rear. It used GM “G” body calipers all around. The weight and weight dsitribution would have made this car handle, stop and drive well. It was also a much easier fit. It would have run circles around a V8 powered car and got 30+ mpg. Adding a Buick turbo charger (a la Grand National) would have made the car insane to drive.

My Buick 3.8L is now in an SCCA road racer that weighs more than the MG kit did and it goes almost 145 mph.

The tubular front suspension, trans and rear are now all in my 1940 Ford Sedan with a 300+ hp 4.3L V6 Chevy as power.

I live 8 miles from Howel in Oceanport (Monmouth Park Race Track). Where are you in Howell? Do you go to the Chic-fil-A cruise nights?

[bruce dodds]

 I live about 4 miles from Chic a , go there once in a while.I think the ford is a little narrower than the Buick and 302/t5 is not  much heaver than  a 2.3 c4, might be lighter with aluminum intake surely with aluminum heads, don’t expect it to fly.I’m an old guy and don’t drive hard, just an occasional  hard 1/2 shift!!
bkd39774.8208796296

[Mark Hendrickson]

The Buick is 3″ narrower (measured at the outside of the cast iron exhaust manifolds) than a 5.0L Ford.

I’ve already tried this. That’s why I decided on the Buick 3.8L/TH200R4 set up. I wanted to build a 5.0L/T-5 car, so I spent a lot of time and effort gathering data and measuring stuff.

Using anything but the little C3 automatic or 4 speed manual that is in it now requires a lot of modifications to the floor (hump). Also, the bigger trans length is so much longer that the engine must be moved forward almost 10″ to use them unless a special tail shaft/tailstock is used that almost elimates it.

Also, using a stick T-5 or similar trans after modifying the floor hump, leaves no foot room for a clutch pedal. That’s why I was going to use an automatic.

The Ford 5.0L with aluminum heads (GT-40) and intake with a small Holley make way more power than these cars can handle in the form they were manufactured. The are not well engineered, stuff was just made to fit. You are still over 100 lbs heavier than a Lima four banger too.

Believe me a done up 2.3L Four Banger or a V6 make more than enough power for these cars. 

[bruce dodds]

 thanks very much for your input, just thinking out loud at this time. what ever I do it will be stick, thanks again Bruce.

[Author]

Posts