15 replies to this topic

[TerryS]

See this thread

 

Dr. Iain Corness RIP - The Nostalgia Forum - The Autosport Forums

 

In particular the Shannons article near the end

[TerryS]

MGA and MGB: Aussie doctor and the world's fastest ‘Super Bee’ - Shannons Club

[Ian G]

Evan Green would agree with you,he attended one of our NSSCC meetings around 1970/71 and was very enthusiatic that a much maligned car(in Oz at least,Motoring Journo's used to savage it) was at the front of the Sports Car fields.

After the Tasman series demise the Marque Sports Cars category was second only to the 'big banger' Touring Cars  in popularity.

At one WF meeting we heard that Iain was running twin webbers and naturally assumed he had sorted the MGA Twin Cam Head.We went over to look at it when he had the  bonnet up to cool things down after a race,he had two Webbers alright but one choke each into the two inlet port MGB head.

I had never seen or heard of that setup,Iain said it was good for around 5HP over one Webber.

[Porsche718]

Corness had two Webbers alright but one choke each into the two inlet port MGB head.

I had never seen or heard of that setup,Iain said it was good for around 5HP over one Webber.

 

Ian, very common modification for Minis ("A" series BMC engine) during the period. So logical step-up to apply it to the "B" series donk.

 

I also loved that period of Marque Sports racing. Ross Bond, Corness and the couple of Midget/Sprites that could (almost) keep them in site). Bob Rowntree, Johnny Leffler for a while was in the class.

 

If I recall, Corness was the first to receive British Leyland sponsorship in 1970. It proved so popular that all three Bond, Corness and Les Carne (Midget) appeared in BL "Mediterranean" blue and white the following year.

[Porsche718]

Great article here on Dr Iain and the Super Bee

 

http://mgbsmadeinaus...-SCW_Oct_70.pdf

[MarkBisset]

Enjoying this and the Corness thread blokes.

 

Just a shame I don't think the car ever ventured south to Mexico?

 

m

[Ian G]

Ian, very common modification for Minis ("A" series BMC engine) during the period. So logical step-up to apply it to the "B" series donk.

 

 

 

Ok,i hadn't run into that modification before Iain's Bee.

 

I wondered what happened to the Twin cam Motor?,no one seems to know,i asked Iain when he was posting on here but got a vague answer that Ivan had it. 

[Lee Nicolle]

Having a little experience with MGs my opinion of them is an attractive car but handles like an old mattress. The go dept too is lacking.

The MX5 is the car that they should have been,, just 30 years later

Clearly they persevered with the engine, and fixed everything around and behind it.

Though I do think the cars success was the driver driving around the faults and doing a very good job of it. 

The MGA while no supercar to me was the better car. People have made them go,, relatively. MGB engines for a start. I have seen numerous different powerplants, some worse, some better. There used to be one around my area with a triple carb 179, it went quite well and seemed to handle ok.

I have seen MGBs with the Buick V8. Far later one with  V6 3.8 Commodore engine.

And a couple with 289/ 302 Fords. Then you learn about chasis flex. The one I experienced was bloody awfull as it flexed all over the place. Popping doors open!! Power to weight was ofcourse excellent,, Low 13s at the street drags which then [around 73] was fairly quick. but every thing else was terrible. His next car was a 327 HK Monaro. About a 100% better. And even then they had faults.

[Derwent Motorsport]

As an MG B owner and have recently added an MX5 to the "fleet" I feel able to comment.

My 2006 low mileage 2 litre MX5 is a super fun car that I use every day except in the winter. It is a modern B, but you can't really compare them as the MX5 is 30 years newer and has been steady upgraded while the B remained largely unchanged except for the rubber bumpers for it's 20 year life.   I have a FIA historic race car as in my avatar, and a 74 roadster with a 2 litre Oselli engine which we use for classic tours etc.  The big advantage of the MX5 is the hood, ten seconds to put up and down instead of ten minutes each way for the B. 

As for the fastest B, I would reckon on one of the V8s competing in the MGCC BCV8 series, dependant on the rear axle fitted. 

[Ian G]

Having a little experience with MGs my opinion of them is an attractive car but handles like an old mattress. The go dept too is lacking.

The MX5 is the car that they should have been,, just 30 years later

Clearly they persevered with the engine, and fixed everything around and behind it.

Though I do think the cars success was the driver driving around the faults and doing a very good job of it. 

The MGA while no supercar to me was the better car. People have made them go,, relatively. MGB engines for a start. I have seen numerous different powerplants, some worse, some better. There used to be one around my area with a triple carb 179, it went quite well and seemed to handle ok.

I have seen MGBs with the Buick V8. Far later one with  V6 3.8 Commodore engine.

And a couple with 289/ 302 Fords. Then you learn about chasis flex. The one I experienced was bloody awfull as it flexed all over the place. Popping doors open!! Power to weight was ofcourse excellent,, Low 13s at the street drags which then [around 73] was fairly quick. but every thing else was terrible. His next car was a 327 HK Monaro. About a 100% better. And even then they had faults.

 

Yes Lee,the early models in Aust. had major body flex.After about 5 years they used to snap the rear gearbox mount.We had at least 3 break in our car club,all 3 bearing motor models.Apparently you had to be careful when putting them on a hoist as far as body flexing goes.

 

As an MG B owner and have recently added an MX5 to the "fleet" I feel able to comment.

My 2006 low mileage 2 litre MX5 is a super fun car that I use every day except in the winter. It is a modern B, but you can't really compare them as the MX5 is 30 years newer and has been steady upgraded while the B remained largely unchanged except for the rubber bumpers for it's 20 year life.   I have a FIA historic race car as in my avatar, and a 74 roadster with a 2 litre Oselli engine which we use for classic tours etc.  The big advantage of the MX5 is the hood, ten seconds to put up and down instead of ten minutes each way for the B. 

As for the fastest B, I would reckon on one of the V8s competing in the MGCC BCV8 series, dependant on the rear axle fitted. 

 

Yes,the Rover engined race prepared Bees would have been quicker but weren't around in Iain's day.

A guy in our car club had a Rover V8 engined Bee in the mid 1970's,not sure if it was 3.5 or 4.4 but was quick in the club events it ran in.

He was in the UK with the Oz Army and bought it back to Aust. when he returned.Apparently there was a firm in the Uk fitting the Rover engine to Bees complete with engineering certificates for Rego.

However you would know all about that modification. 

Edited by Ian G, 05 February 2023 - 21:58.

[Derwent Motorsport]

The Costello modded Bs with V8s were so successful that the works decided to make their own version, albeit using the GT shell.

[BRG]

Having a little experience with MGs my opinion of them is an attractive car but handles like an old mattress. The go dept too is lacking.

 

You should have got a proper UK built B, not one of those shoddy Australian ones. 

 

There are still over 25,000 on the road in the UK, so not much wrong with them, eh?

[Ian G]

The Costello modded Bs with V8s were so successful that the works decided to make their own version, albeit using the GT shell.

 

Thanks,that's the firm, Costello,i read where they were so sucessful BL tried to put him out of business.

At least 2 made their way to Aust.,Sydney at least,in the mid 1970's,no problem with NSW Registration at that time.

 

https://www.mgcostel...the-costello-v8

Edited by Ian G, 05 February 2023 - 22:09.

[Lee Nicolle]

You should have got a proper UK built B, not one of those shoddy Australian ones. 

 

There are still over 25,000 on the road in the UK, so not much wrong with them, eh?

Rust!!

I have seen mostly late model US imports. Usually fairly clean for rust [this 20 years ago] but a mattress. 

Put them on a hoist and I will guarantee the doors will not open,, or lift them a bit crooked and the doors come open.  Put a jack under one side and have troubles. When they were being converted they were using Morris Major RHD components. The Major is a better car!!

And having owned both a Major and its Austin brother they were fairly archaic with poor brakes, lousy noisy gearboxes etc etc. And Lancers all break axles. A lady I know has one and she has broken 3 or 4 over the last decade. 

She is alwys on the hunt for them!

[Lee Nicolle]

Yes Lee,the early models in Aust. had major body flex.After about 5 years they used to snap the rear gearbox mount.We had at least 3 break in our car club,all 3 bearing motor models.Apparently you had to be careful when putting them on a hoist as far as body flexing goes.

 

 

Yes,the Rover engined race prepared Bees would have been quicker but weren't around in Iain's day.

A guy in our car club had a Rover V8 engined Bee in the mid 1970's,not sure if it was 3.5 or 4.4 but was quick in the club events it ran in.

He was in the UK with the Oz Army and bought it back to Aust. when he returned.Apparently there was a firm in the Uk fitting the Rover engine to Bees complete with engineering certificates for Rego.

However you would know all about that modification. 

I guess there is some with 4.4s though they are a taller engine with a longer stroke,, and small bore and valves. I once rebuilt one. Leyland Terrier truck. 

A friend has just bought an F85 Olds convertible. Those Olds engines should be a better base, if nothing else they have more headstuds

[Ian G]

I guess there is some with 4.4s though they are a taller engine with a longer stroke,, and small bore and valves. I once rebuilt one. Leyland Terrier truck. 

A friend has just bought an F85 Olds convertible. Those Olds engines should be a better base, if nothing else they have more headstuds

 

I think at least one of the Sydney UK MGB's had the P-76 engine installed.

A guy out in South Western Sydney was fitting them to just about everything in the mid 1970's,purchased at the BL Zetland fire sale for a song,they were brand new in a plastic bag and could be purchased for around A$500 so the auction price would have been peanuts.

 

 

 

http://www.bmclaheritage.org.au/

Edited by Ian G, 07 February 2023 - 09:41.