MGB V8 Roadster

[Martsmodels]

Hi - Did this one a little while ago. This is a 1/24 Airfix kit that I decided to slot a V8 into. I'd broken down an old white metal kit and had a parts box full of pieces so cleaned them up and started again. The bodyshell was converted as a miniature of a real one and then fitted out with the engine and interior and quite a bit of scratchbuilding.







I've always thought it a pity that BL never did this to the roadster - of course there are plenty of conversions around and the V8 sure gives the old 'B' a bit of extra 'vra-vra-vroom!'

[Lownslow]

i always wanted that kit i settled for the bug eye. looks good

[quadzero]

good looking car and a very nice build. thanks for sharing this. always loved this car. any chance of a close-up of the engine?

[Veyron]

Great and unique!

[blubaja]

Wow! Keep up the great work man!! Great detail! I have never seen one of these kits.

[Martsmodels]

Pictures not too good -( I wish I knew then what I know now!! )




Most conversions used Holleys mounted centrally but BL fitted HIF SU's close to the firewall to keep the bonnet line low when they produced the GTBV8.
The inside front wheel arches were modified to make room for the V8 exhaust manifolds and even on the real one there is only 1 inch clearance so it's pretty tight at 1/24. Twin electric fans were fitted and an oil cooler down low in front of the rad. All in all a pretty compact installation.

[supra86]

very cool, amazing work

[viperofoz]

Awesome conversion :-)

Didnt the build up article of this model show up somewhere a few years ago?

Scale Models International maybe?

I remember reading it at the time and being very impressed with your work,
I had just finished building 2 boxstock Aoshima MGB's for a customer and being a little dissapointed that they were only curbsides, Yours looks great.

Regards, Dan

[freakmech]

Very nice! I own a 71' MG-B GT. Love it and love the build, i want this kit bad. anyone have it?

[mike united]

Looks great, love it.........

[Layla's Keeper]

Well, there was an MGB roadster with a V8 put out by the Rover group. Have we all forgotten the RV8 of the early 90's?



I'm very happy to see a well built B on the forums. Now if only Bob'd get on his resin caster's case about reproducing the AAM transkit he mastered to make a BGT (like Layla, my 1970) out of the Aoshima kit.

[quadzero]

thanks for the engine shots, wow! what great detail in there. you sure did a great job. keep up the super work!

[Martsmodels]

Dan - Yes you're right - it was on Modelersite a while back.

Layla's Keeper - I'd forgotten about that one! Never really caught on did it?
I sat in one at the Racing and Sports Car show but never drove it. Somehow it didn't have the charm of the original but I wouldn't mind one now 10 years later. Most of them seem to have gone to Japan and judging by the 2nd hand ads are making their way back!

Is there a GT transkit? I'd like to try a Sebring B GT conversion from something - maybe Aoshima or Gunze?

SE Finecast do probably the best 'B' but it's expensive and tricky - (hence the parts for this one)
http://www.sefinecast.co.uk/Car%20Ki...20Page%201.htm

Here's my real one: I've had her 11 years now, she's done 370,000 miles and is driven every day. Less than 300 were made in this colour so she's a bit of a rarity.



Cheers

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Well, there was an MGB roadster with a V8 put out by the Rover group. Have we all forgotten the RV8 of the early 90's?



I'm very happy to see a well built B on the forums. Now if only Bob'd get on his resin caster's case about reproducing the AAM transkit he mastered to make a BGT (like Layla, my 1970) out of the Aoshima kit.

Talk about timing the guy that has the master is new to A/F...IIRC he's MaddMattMD aka Matt Guilfoyle from the MAMA's club in MD, he posted the question earlier this week about whatever happened to Scale Kraft. We had some emails, he's figuring how to improve the kit so the windows fit more flush. Bug him to get it done!

BTW, this MGB buildup is really cool. Is the Airfix kit the same as Aoshima? I had no idea there was another, unless it was the awful Small Wheels (?) white metal kit (and when I say awful, I mean it! I hate white metal...and their GT was a multi-piece-body disaster of a kit but IIRC this MGB may be using guts from that kit).

[Martsmodels]

ZoomZoom - you're not far wrong. Never heard of Scale Kraft but the 'guts', as you call it of this were from the SE Finecast and it sounds much like the one you describe. The roadster and GT kits share the same parts in white metal. but the GT has to be modified.

I forget how many parts make the bodyshell but from memory you have
- 2 sides (the doors are modified for the GT)
- 2 window sides
- front and rear valances
- screen surround
- roof
- rear hatch
- bonnet
- undertray

and some that I've forgotten - in white metal, and with no reference points the whole thing is a nightmare. In hindsight I would probably have made up a jig to set the body up - but too late now and I didn't make a very good job of it.

Here's what I'd like to do



Any comments on that? and where could I get the basics?

Thanks