Building a replica GTS
Material, photos and text courtesy of Chip Pedersen
“… a car that I could drive daily …”
Chip writes “I finally got around to putting down some notes on the original GTS cars, and mine as well. Below is a short summary of the cars. Nothing here that can’t be found on the web and in books. But this was the basis of what I wanted to try and create, with one important difference; I wanted a car that I could drive daily. I didn’t want a twitchy, gas guzzling race car for the streets. (So I made some concessions, as below.) The following is a general overview, in case someone else is considering building a similar car. The two original GTS’ (MBL 546E and RMO-699F) were the last factory race cars from the Abingdon Works Department. They were built as “throw aways”, and sold for pennies (virtually) after they were done using them on the race circuit. RMO was found in a garage in New England in the 1980’s after being driven daily for a while, and them parked. MBL was sold a couple of years ago in England (still racing all these years), and is now in Southern California. 6 aluminium bodies stamped were created, to be assembled on the standard steel MGC frame. There’s some argument about just how many bodies were stamped. 6 is generally accepted with 2 cars built at Abingdon namely MBL and RMO, “Mabel” and “Romo”, as they’re called for the Sebring 12 hour endurance race. The other 4 bodies were eventually sold and built into replica cars by private parties. Basic car configuration: 1) Alloy bodies with hand build arches. Stamped bodies were the same as the stock MGB/MGC GT. 2) All fuel lines, hydraulic lines and electrical lines run inside car. 3) Alloy block and head (sometimes changed to cast iron block). 4) Triple Webers. 5) Reported 225 hp. 6) Modified for tube shocks in the rear (seen in factory photo’s) 7) Sometimes run with close ratio straight cut 4 speed, sometimes with standard electric overdrive trans. 8) As per Euro spec cars, still had metal dash in ’68 (not padded dash) 9) 4 wheel disc brakes 10) Dual coils (one in place for reserve) 11) Stock seats 12) Sometimes ran with exhaust out the back, sometimes with side exhaust. 13) Raced with stock interior in place, and stock seats. 14) Full roll cage. 15) Dual fuel pump (like Jaguar’s, etc.) mounted above rear right wheel. 16) 15×7 in mini lite rims (later changed to wires due to breakage) MBL was the prototype, originally painted red. Italians wouldn’t allow it to run in Italy’s race colors in an Italian race, and told them it must be repainted in the country of origins racing colors. Car still has red engine bay today, and BRG outside today. I’ve visited the MBL car locally. RMO was the second car built, painted BRG with a yellow valence (to differentiate from the MBL car when out on the track.) Note on my car’s configuration: My car has standard drum brakes in the rear, discs up front, and stock rear lever shocks. I substituted dual 2 in. SU’s (as used in Jag’s and Rover 2000’s). SU’s better on gas, easier to keep in tune. I removed brake boosters, and used early square tank brake master cylinder (smaller bore, higher pressure). SPAX adjustable shocks up front, standard sway bar. (One inch bars avail, as is a quick ratio rack with MGB ratio.) All lines run inside cockpit as per original cars Rear seat removed, replaced with custom rear deck Custom center console (where speaker used to be) Full roll cage welded to frame Modern racing seats 4 point Simpson harness Pertronix Ignition Replaced padded dash with early metal dash and instruments Engine: flywheel lightened by 7.5 lbs. Engine balanced Isky mild street cam Flowed intake manifold Tubular headers (Magnaflow), aluminized and wrapped Custom aluminum radiator, and custom side exhaust Unknown horsepower (not dyno tuned yet) That’s a thumbnail of the cars, and probably more than most want to know. But for anyone contemplating actually doing what I did … I think few want to know the gory details! “
Anyway the photos below tell more …