Description
This is a Locost built to the McSorley 442 plans by a marine engineer.
This means it is longer, wider and taller than a standard Locost - it is very suitable for larger, taller drivers! It has more space in the footwell - it has a floor mounted pedal box and still space for a complete 'dead pedal' foot rest for your left foot.
The engine bay is large too. If you wanted to put something bigger in it, you could.
The car was built to solve a 'dispute' between the builder and a friend on how to make his MGB go faster. The builder fabricated a customer supercharger set up to show what it could do. The friend was sold and installed an identical kit on his car.
The supercharger is an Eaton M45, driven by a bespoke twin belt system - the belts were replaced last year.
The supercharger sucks through a 2 SU carburettor, and blows into a bespoke inlet plenum, siamese onto the MGB head.
There is a blow-off valve in the plenum as a safety measure.
The engine is a late '18V' MGB engine. Just before I bought it, the owner blew a piston ring, so all new rings were fitted. There was no scoring or wear evident.
When I got it, it was running a standard distributor and 'pinking' like a bag of spanners - hence the piston ring blowing I guess!
To fix this I did 2 things.
First I fitted water/ methanol injection. I've only ever run this with water. It is injected into the carb inlet and just cools the charge temperature a little.
The main solution was to replace the distributor with a 123+ tune bluetooth programmable distributor. I have created a custom ignition curve for the car and now it runs without 'pinking'.
I've never put it on a rolling road - it might benefit from this if you wanted absolute perfection.
During lockdown, I fitted a new dashboard in crackle black with matching VDO gauges. The aluminium plinths were cut with my own fair hand!
The car was built to an exceptionally high standard. Most components are from Car Builder Solutions and the builder is known to them personally.
The car has the MGB 4 speed gearbox with overdrive, and a ford Sierra LSD at the back.
The rear suspension is a De Dion arrangement - I believe using plans from 'Rorty designs' - who was a 'name' on Locostbuilders back in the day!
The car is on 14" Ford Sierra wheels with swept wings - I like the 'classic' look.
However, it also comes with 15" wheels with Toyo r888 tyres and a set of cycle wings.
The car is registered with DVLA as 'MG Supercharged'. I checked when I bought it and they said that this was what was written on the IVA form when it was presented.
I have a photographic record of the build.
I love this car. It makes a fantastic noise, it drives well and it has bought me a lot of pleasure.
Unfortunately divorce forces me to sell it. The car is currently in Lincolnshire (on SORN) at my ex's house. If it makes it easier I can arrange viewing in Watton, Norfolk where I now live but for committed viewers only, as I would need to cancel the SORN!
Bad points: It has a slight oil leak. It's an MGB engine - it's how you know there is oil in it!
There is a slight 'tear' around one of the bonnet vents where the cutout had a square corner. I was going to reinforce it, but life got in the way.
The car failed its MOT last year with a seeping rear caliber. I fitted a new one and it sailed through earlier this year.
Pictures with cycle wings are from when I bought the car.
