Ceres Motorsports' Zetec Powered MGB Build

Written by Brian Collins

MGB's are fun cars that are full of charm and character. Whenever we drive one of the Ceres Motorsports MGB's around town we always get comments about how cool they are. But let's face it- MGB's are not quick cars. Even with an extensive naturally aspirated build, the original 1.8L is  limited to how much power it can make. Truthfully, the only way you could make any big power gains is by using forced induction. Instead of putting our efforts into modifying an original engine, we decided to find a modern engine and transmission and swap it into the car while retaining the spirit of the MGB.

​In September of 2012 we purchased a 1979 MGB roadster we found posted on Craigslist. The car was in great condition, having only 43,000 original miles and two previous owners. It seemed to be garaged most of its life too, which was a big relief. The paint looked to be original and we didn't have to worry about doing major body work or making any rust repairs. Also, most everything on the car looked unmolested. There was a crappy headunit installed with a Drake CD stuck inside of it, which desperately needed to find its way to a trash can. Sorry, Drake. 

We drove the car almost "as is" for a few months, repairing and servicing the car as needed. We replaced  rubber hoses, suspension bushings, filters, brake lines, brake pads, and whatever else had deteriorated over the years. The car needed a little love but it ran reliably for us. We drove the car almost daily during that fall and winter.

Out with  the Old

In 1979, MGB engines were rated at a mere 63 horsepower. It's wasn't exactly the slowest car I've driven, but it was certainly hard to keep up in Orlando traffic. We were on the lookout for a moden engine that would pair well with the car's size and weight, without destroying the charm of the car. We've seen plenty of V8 and V6 swaps but most of those engines almost seem wrong for the roadster. We found that the Ford Zetec engine was compact, affordable and had lots of aftermarket support.

The engine we purchased was a 2 liter, DOHC 16v engine from a 2003 Ford Focus ZX3. In stock configuration the engine produces about 130bhp. With extensive modifications and bolt on parts, naturally aspirated Zetec engines have been known to make 185bhp. In a near 2000lb car, that makes for a  lot of fun. Engine swaps require an extensive amount of work, especially with a transverse engine like the Zetec.

In order to pair the Zetec engine to a Tremec T-5 transmission, we modified the bellhousing and input shaft. For fuel and air intake, we custom made an intake manifold and paired it with a set of carburetors from a Kawasaki ZX9r. Ignition is managed through a crank position sensor, Ford EDIS module, and a Megajolt Lite Jr. Ignition Module. Because the cooling system is facing the rear of the car in a longitudinal position, we also had to adapt a custom thermostat neck and tubing to redirect the coolant to the front of the car. 

Along with completing the engine swap, we also decided to convert the car to chrome bumpers and paint the car a beautiful Blue Royale, a stock color available in 1970. Due to all the weight savings around the car, we had to lower the car by at least 1.5" in the front and 1" in the rear. We also installed our first set of 15" Ceres Steelies, which allowed us to fit a set of performance tires on the car. We opted for BF Goodrich Sport Comp 2's. They made a huge improvement getting the power to the pavement. 

Highlighted Performance Modifications

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Fully Ported Cylinder Head
Comp Cams Stage 2 Camshafts
Fidanza Adjustable Cam Gears
Kawasaki ZX9R Carburetors
K&N Air Filter
Megajolt Lite Jr. Ignition Controller
Screamin’ Demon Coil
Taylor ThunderVolt 8.2mm Spark Plug Wires
Motorcraft Copper Spark Plugs
Mac Shorty Header
Custom 2.5" Exhaust
Heavy Duty MGB Motor Mounts
Aluminum Radiator & Electric Fan