[maxmidg]

I know this is a mustang site, and I do not have a mustang. What I do have is a 1979 MG Midget with a mustang four cylinder. I am trying to find out if it is hard to build my old four cylinder up to 200 horsepower. I am putting a 9" rear end under the midget because I have already destroyed 2 midget rear ends. Any advice on what I can do to build up the old carb system to 200hp?

[stlwagon]

Weclome aboard... Check out the 2.3 & SVO Mustang section.

[white angel]

Hello, and welcome to the site!! Enjoy! This forum should hopefully be of some help!!

[b_chandler]

Without a power adder, a 200hp carbureted 2.3 is going to be about as streetable as a Top Fuel motor. There's things that can be done, but you won't reach the 200hp mark with anything you'd want to drive on a regular basis.

Forget the 9". The thing probably weighs as much as the MG itself. You'll lose more power trying to turn gears in that thing than it's worth in durability. Think 8.8 or even a 7.5" rear. 8.8 doesn't sound that far off from 9" does it? Two tenths of an inch can't mean that much can it?? Kinda. Ring gear size plays a part in the strength of a rear differential. The big player though is pinion position in relation to the ring gear. Look at a 9" chunk from the front. See how low the pinion is? Putting it down low on the ring gear like that makes it strong as hell. It also takes more power to turn the gears. The 8.8 while not much smaller in the ring gear department, drives the ring gear from a higher position. It needs less power to overcome inertia but it's not as strong as the tried and true 9" Still a tough rear axle and more than you'll need in a 2.3 powered MG. Cheaper too. Grab one from an Explorer and you have an 8.8 that has leaf spring perches and disk brakes. All you have to do is have the housing and the axles cut and you're rockin'.

[74stang2togo]

200hp from a carbureted 2.3 is possible, streetability will be in the eye of the beholder though.

Going with a 390 or 450 cfm Holley 4-bbl. carburetor on an Offenhauser intake or a 350 or 500cfm 2bbl. on an EFI lower with a Racer Walsh adapter would be the first step for sure to make sure you had the air and fuel on the inlet side necessary. Camshafts are a fairly open subject, as the grinds available from Isky, Crane, Ford Racing, and Racer Walsh include everything up to roller follower grinds and 8,000rpm power ranges, the cam will be your most important decision by far. A Volvo DOHC head, a reworked stock 2.3 head, or a head from Esslinger Engineeering will put you over the top, and leave you only needing a header and ignition system upgrades. MSD makes a performance distributor for 2.3s, or a '74 2.3 distributor with a Pertronix module and an aftermarket coil is a pretty clean-looking piece that'll provide decent performance. Headers are available from Pacesetter or Racer Walsh, or a shorty header is available from mid-90s 2.3L Rangers.

There are 2.3L engines out there that'll beat a big block on a dragstrip and some that'll see 8500+ rpm on a dirt track any given night, then there's your 88hp stockers. You can put it anywhere you want in between.

[b_chandler]

Nice tag team! We covered that nicely.