Description
Buick Rover V8 engine, 4, 600 cc displacement, 228 bhp petrol, not original and rebuilt (invoice) 5-speed SD1 manual transmission
When you start the car, the exhaust note is fantastic. For many cars it’s a growl or a roar, but here it’s a genuine symphony Bach or Mozart could draw inspiration from, composed by the finest composers in the automotive industry.
This British beauty has long since left showroom condition. This example has already been fully restored by the previous owner, a retired former automotive professional and enthusiast who invested over €8, 000 in parts (invoices in our possession) and various charges, including new paint, new upholstery, leather dashboard refurbishment, exhaust, carpeting, etc., etc... The restoration brings the total to about €11, 500.
The owner has spent more than 2, 000 hours grooming it, not counting all the other hours (well, some...).
The vehicle is fitted with Edelbrock Performer series 600CMF carburettors, front double-wishbone suspension and Bilstein shock absorbers.
Reinforced rear leaf springs and Bilstein dampers at the rear, Minilite 15-inch wheels…
According to the file, the previous Belgian owner is also said to have undertaken refurbishment work amounting to €26, 000 (invoices on file).
The vehicle is in a very handsome state of presentation and only awaits a bit of wind-in-the-hair driving (if you have any left...).
History of the MG B V8:
Aware that the B faced increasing competition over time and after the demise of the MG C in 1969, the British Leyland group wanted to release a new “High Performance” B.
To this end, it drew on an independent tuner (Ken Costello) who, from 1970, successfully marketed B models equipped with a 3. 5 L Buick or Oldsmobile aluminium V8, delivering extraordinary performance.
The Leyland group therefore decided to launch its own V8 model, drawing from the consortium’s engine bank and selecting the Rover V8 (derived from the Buick engine) that equipped the Rover P5, P6, SD1, Land Rovers and Range Rovers.
Some improvements were made such as lowering the compression ratio and relocating the carburettor positions to avoid the bonnet bulge that Costellos had.
Power output was 137 bhp DIN, a fairly modest figure for a V8, but given the car’s light weight (about 1, 100 kg) thanks to the engine’s lightness (144 kg, 18 kg lighter than the B’s iron 4‑cylinder) it offered very respectable performance (200 km/ h, 0–100 in 8. 5 s).
Externally, it was distinguished only by V8 badges on the front and rear, Dunlop steel/ alloy wheels with a black background and a chrome tread, and slightly blue-tinted glass; inside, no changes to the cabin apart from smaller gauges and specific striped fabrics;
Technically, it reused the C’s gearbox and rear axle (with different ratios) plus reinforced brakes and suspension.
