Meet the MGZ, a Ford Zetec-powered MGB

By John Webber
Mar 22, 2024 | Ford, MG, mgb, Engine swap, Zetec, MGZ | Posted in Features | From the Nov. 2018 issue | Never miss an article

Let’s say you have a perfectly good Tremec T-5 transmission gathering dust in your garage, and you’re wondering what to do with it. For many gearheads, selling the thing on eBay might come to mind, or maybe hauling it to a swap meet for a trade. But if you’re creative and love to fabricate, you might just ask yourself this question: Hey, why not build a car around it?

That’s what father-son team Jack and Brian Collins did. These longtime car builders, who run a British car shop near Orlando called Ceres Motorsports, dusted off that T-5, mated it to a 2003 Ford Focus Zetec engine pulled from a junkyard, and slipped the potent powertrain into a 1979 MGB. Well, slipped may not be exactly the word, since this unusual swap involved months of pondering, measuring, designing, machining, trial-fitting, refitting and testing.
The Transverse Challenge
This 2-liter, twin-cam Ford Zetec engine features a ported cylinder head, Comp Cams Stage 2 cams, Fidanza adjustable cam gears, a Megajolt Lite ignition controller managed by a custom crank position sensor, a Mac Shorty exhaust header and a custom 2.5-inch exhaust. The Kawasaki ZX-9R sportbike carburetors are mounted on a fabricated intake. The engine is cooled by an aluminum radiator built for an early Mustang, along with an electric fan.

Wait, you say, isn’t that Zetec a transverse engine, one originally found in front-drive Fords like the Focus, Escort and Contour? Indeed it is. And that’s what made this installation such a challenge, because positioning it north-south in the MGB required some work.

Jack and Brian modified the bellhousing they grabbed from a 1987 Thunderbird, as well as the T-5’s input shaft. Then they had to design and fabricate the custom components needed to redirect engine cooling to the front-mounted radiator while creating a serpentine belt system up front for the engine. No simple tasks here.

Why an MGB? Nearly 50 years ago, Jack’s first car was an MGB. “I really loved that car,” he says, “and we’ve had British cars–too many to name–in the garage ever since.”

Over the years, this innovative team concentrated on muscle cars, restomods and hotrods, but eventually they yearned for their British roots. “Somehow,” Jack says, “we came back around to MGBs.” In 2012 they found an honest, rust-free ’79 MGB and bought it as a driver for Brian, aiming for it to become a running mate for Jack’s impressive Primrose MGC GT.

Like many neglected MGs, the MGB they found needed love. So they tuned it up, installed new hoses, belts and brakes, and started driving it. But after months in the slow lane–the 1979 MGB only delivered 63 horsepower–this hotrodding pair had the itch for more power. “We talked about V8 and V6 swaps,” Brian explains, “but I sorta figured a four-cylinder would pair well with the car’s size and weight, and we felt it would be neat to do something different. Zetecs are plentiful and affordable and have lots of aftermarket support. We already had a T-5 transmission, and we just bet our money we could pair it to a Zetec.”



Jack and Brian spent a lot of time online and became inspired by Zetec engine swaps in Britain, especially those that breathed through motorcycle carbs. “Since we love British cars, we wanted to build a modern British hotrod,” Brian adds.

As they started trial-fitting the powertrain into the MGB, they discovered that the Zetec’s oil sump interfered with the front suspension crossmember. But after some experimenting, they found that sliding the engine back a few inches opened up enough clearance. The shifter also perfectly fit in the transmission tunnel’s original opening, and the T-5 lined up with the car’s stock transmission mounting position.

This rearward placement required removing the heater–not a concern in Florida–and notching the heater box’s sheet metal for clearance. Sure, they knew that the Zetec’s 130 horsepower would more than double the MG’s output, but more is better, right? So they pumped up the Zetec with numerous performance parts and now estimate the horsepower at about 180.

Living With the MGZ

The car now sits 1.5 inches lower in the front and 1 inch lower in the rear. It rolls on 15x6-inch steel wheels wearing 195/55R15 BF Goodrich g-Force Sport Comp-2 tires. KYB tube shocks have been installed in the rear. The interior remains mostly stock, including the gauges, with the exception of a voltmeter fitted in place of the clock. Sharped-eyed MGB entusiasts will spot the stubby T-5 shifter. The windshield, door handles and window winders came from a 1966 MGB.

While they admire all MGBs, Jack and Brian confess a particular love for the simplicity and elegant lines of the steel-bumper models. So, along with the drivetrain swap, they decided to transform the ’79 into their interpretation of an earlier car. At a glance, most onlookers think it’s a restored ’65 that features several personalized touches. Even with a serious examination, it’s hard to believe this hotrod started life as a rubber-bumper car.

So far, the Collins duo has driven this roadster about 10,000 miles and brought it to more than a dozen shows. The MGZ always draws a crowd, especially with the bonnet up, and elicits a lot of questions and comments.

“Most enthusiasts get it,” Jack says, although he admits that some purists object to any modifications. His son adds, “It’s a hit with younger enthusiasts who love MGBs but hate the vintage performance, and people tell us that they like the idea of driving a quick and reliable classic car.”

Brian points out that the project has more than met their objectives: to retain the roadster’s stock appearance and vintage spirit while delivering today’s reliability and performance. “Best of all,” he says with a smile, “it doesn’t leak oil on the garage floor.”

 

Behind the Wheel

The swap to the lighter engine and transmission, removal of the rubber bumpers, and installation of 1966 MGB seats helped the roadster shed 280 pounds. To capture the smoother lines of the earlier MGs, the Collins duo smoothed away the stock side lights, turn signals and reverse lamps.

We spent 2 hours driving the Ford-powered MGB between our photo locations, navigating bumper-to-bumper traffic en route to more pleasing two-lane roads. The car behaved impeccably, delivering a rewarding blend of old and new. It starts right up, lets out a distinctive rasp, runs cool, and pulls like, well, a hopped-up Zetec in a 2050-pound roadster.

Slow or fast, it’s easy to drive smoothly. The clutch engages easily, and the T-5 (yes, the one that inspired this project) snicks precisely through the gears.

Low down, the Zetec delivers plenty of torque, but it really shines above 3000 rpm. Ignore the 5500 rpm redline on the stock tach; this engine will spin happily past 7000.

Cruising at 70 mph is effortless at about 2000 rpm in fifth, and Brian says it will run all day at 85. Keeping up with traffic on the interstate is not a problem, although this ride really shines on winding back roads.

While the ride is firm, you won’t need a kidney belt, and this stock-appearing MG handles changing road conditions with no drama. The cockpit is well insulated from the heat, and you’ll soon forget you’re driving a restomod and simply enjoy the ride.

Meet Ceres Motorsports

Ceres Motorsports sprang from Jack and Brian Collins’s passion for keeping classic British cars on the road. So it was a happy day in 2016 when they moved their web-based parts shop into a 5000-square-foot Central Florida shop.

Brian says they began looking for a new brick-and-mortar home for their business when, along with tending to their own projects, they found themselves doing more work on other people’s cars. In the new location, they offer diagnostic services, repairs, restorations, custom builds and upgraded components.

“We want our customers to feel safer and more comfortable behind the wheel of their British cars,” Brian says, “and above all, we want to retain the cars’ vintage character and classic feel.”

What’s coming up from Ceres Motorsports? Well, a new 2.3-liter, 310-horsepower Ford Ecoboost crate engine and a Mazda six-speed transmission currently rest in the shop, and the Collins duo is eyeing three MGB bodies, one of which will be the lucky recipient. Stay tuned and follow their work at ceresmotorsports.com.