MGB & GT Forum

Investigating best bang for my buck on improving the suspension on my 73B. Moss front and rear Spax kits? CCE 4 link rear? Any comments from people who have experienced these will be appreciated.

As yet untried but after a lot of reading, as mentioned in my signature block, my GT is coil over front and rear (FCFE & CCE rear). Unless you go to that extent most of us would not opt for other than the Armstrongs front and rear (if necessary rebuilt by Peter (Caldwell) plus the hotly contested poly vs V8 rubber bushes - you might want to read up on these.

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Mk1: CKD 11/66 first registered 8/5/67; owned since 3/77. 18GB +40 balanced. Peter Burgess BVFR head. Piper 285. 123. FidanzaFW. 4synch c/r box. Lots more as I did a nut and bolt rebuild; finished 2015. Tartan Red.

GT: December '78. VW Golf guards, flush fit front and rear valances. Torana XU1 vents, frenched indicators & Mk1 rear lights. 'Worked' Rover V8 with Monsoon ECU for EFI. GM4L60E, Lokar tiptronic & Quick4 controller. Vintage Air A/C. FC IFS. CCE 4 link rear. Salisbury with Quaife. Jaguar Storm.

Are you planning to race, or just cruise the strip?


GMc

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SDCH WTCH-X Twin Oaks Tuff Nutt
2008 - 2022

Street use only, but after a trip from Ohio to Katy, TX and back I want to make some changes. Maybe even a V6.

If you’re a fabricator, look under the 3rd gen and 4th generation Camaros. Generally considered the best handling solid axle cars. Non-parallel 4 link is for Cadillacs. You won’t find it at the top of the list for performance cars.

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I installed the CCE rear and it made a substantial difference in the way the car put power to the ground, particularly exiting corners. If you are considering more engine as well, then have a serious look at Bill's setup. I still have the Armstrongs up front and see no immediate need to change that.

I fitted Gaz dampers to the back of my other B last year. It made the ride really firm. The new B is still on the Armstrong dampers and they ride beautifully.

Easiest upgrade on my stock '73 was a 3/4" front sway bar (anti roll).
Make sure your armstrong shocks are in good order.

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F1 rotary dampers front and rear.

You have been on this forum for 14 years so probably know most of this by now. After 50 years of playing with these cars and having modified most of the mechanicals these are my observations:

Best bang for the buck is to realize that these are old and tired cars and that renewing the entire suspension to factory new will transform the car to best daily driver status. After all that is what they were when new.

The only suspension mod that passed the test of time was the CCC rear coil overs. My validation test was that the wife went from not wanting to be in the GT to being happy with the ride. I never did test it on the track to compare to the other suspensions that I tried, but suspect it would have a degree of rear steer around corners; nothing that mattered on the street.

Lowering the car and big sway bars for flat cornering look cool but make for compromised street use.

Fresh factory shocks are the best. Stick with rubber bushings unless racing. Do use the V8 bushings up front.

200tw tires are the best money you can spend to improve cornering forces and stopping distances.

Did not test the Fastcars suspension because crazy money for me.


All of the above is just my opinions. Take it for what what it is worth.


As to the engine, same advice; leave it stock but totally rebuilt. It is not a bad engine for what it was designed but was not designed to make much power. There is not much to be had with the long stroke design and whatever you get comes at the cost of driveability and leaving you on your own when it comes to tuning the details. Engine swaps are the sirens of the car world; very alluring but not as easy to do well as we want them to be; as a rule your first engine swap teaches you how to do it properly the next time.

I run a larger sticky tire on mine. I know I am going to get flamed for this but I would add power steering and modify the rear suspension with a home made version of a four link.
I don’t think I ever push the car hard enough to need more front camber.

Not sure what your budget is for the mod but have you looked at the Frontline Developments suspension kits from the UK? Costello telescopic front suspension and the 5 link coil rear. Night and day from the original. No regrets. Actually wish that I had done it sooner.

As for the motor, I went with the bulletproof Toyota 3 liter 2JZGE straight six (non turbo). By the way, not an easy conversion. I know of one in the UK, one in Canada and one more in the US. The engine is completely stock putting out 220 hprs (Toyota literature) and that’s plenty fast. Aside from oil change and general maintenance (belts, plugs etc), there has been zero issue since I did the conversion 14 or so years ago. Most people outside of the JDM circle are not familiar with the engine. Google or YouTube 2JZ, fascinating power plant.

With the Toyota 2JZ and Frontline suspension, my little B can basically move and handle like it’s contemporary.