by Terry Maynard | Dec 10, 2020 | Refurbish
The decision to simply refurbish the car to keep its original patina meant working with the existing paint finish. The paint on the GT as I took custody of it was in a pretty shabby state. It had been stored for an unknown amount of time in an undercroft under a house that was closed at one end by a single garage door, and partially open at the other end which the sea breezes directly accessed to deposit its salt-laden air from the ocean just over a kilometre away. Besides being rough, there were signs of small surface rust beginning to settle in the paint finish.
Oxidation: There are four main culprits to paint oxidation.
1. UV rays produce heat, when that heat penetrates the paint and combines with oxygen it fades the paint.
2. Salt is sodium chloride which is corrosive and eats away at the paint till it reaches the bare metal and forms rust. Those little salt crystals are further activated by UV rays.
3. Pollution in its many forms settle on the paint and if left unattended, guess what, it fades paint. I lived and worked for quite a few years close to a large industrial area and pollution was constantly settling on the car’s paint. The car needed constant washing, and not only that, inside the house required constant dusting. When I moved to another area this was significantly less for both car and house.
4. Abrasives introduced in the cleaning process is a no go for paint. Examples of this is the local carwash, a grubby 4X4 leaves dirt in the brush which introduces abrasives to the next car that uses it. Or your old washcloths that have done years of service may well be due to be replaced. Perth Western Australia is built on a sand plain and those little gritty particles are everywhere, if I accidentally drop the cloth on the ground it is never used again on the car’s paint, I reach for a new cloth.
So back to the GT, the paint had suffered the effects of salt crystals eating through the paint, in some spots, it’s reached the metal. And although it’s been garaged for most of the last 17 years the paint was very rough, with little raised lumps like pimples on the surface, which I’m guessing is the salt working its way through, I’m sure if left there for a few years more it could have become a significant problem. Also, there is evidence the Teal Blue GT had a rough life before being taken off the road, there’s lots of red dust through the cracks and cranny’s, stone chips around the wheel arches and sills and numerous scratches as seen on a 4X4 where bushes scraping down the side has left scratches the length of the body.
Refurbish: Well the goal for this project is to refurbish what is there, so, ummm… it was decided to follow a 5 step process using a variable speed orbital polisher.
1. The 1st task was to hit the paint with some 2000 grit paper of the new high tech kind, made in Germany, it was perfect for the job at hand. The raised pimples in the finish and a few larger spots the size of a little fingernail were flattened out which exposed the light undercoat underneath. The 2000 grit took out many of the light scratches but the deeper ones I left there.
2. Next was a high tech 3000 grit with sponge backing. The paint really is quite rough and at this stage, it gave the paint a flat or satin finish look which looks ok and I contemplated sealing it up and leaving it there. It gave the curves and especially the front fender curves sweeping back from the headlights quite a vintage look, it’s interesting how a gloss finish smooths out and modernises these curves.
3. Next step was to hit it with some scratch and swirl compound using the foam sponge. At this stage, the paint started to feel flat and smooth and for the 1st time in at least 17 years and perhaps quite a few more the paint had some gloss to it again. Wherever the raised pimples were flattened out, the effect on the darker Teal Blue finish with some gloss on it is like the Milky Way of stars in the night sky. I guess I can always revisit the satin look and cut it all back again with the 3000 grit, it would go some way to disguise how rough the paintwork is.
4. Polish time. The sponge cleaned out and hit with some polishing compound restored the gloss levels again. In the spots where there were not many blemishes, it looks great. If the whole car looked like this that would be nice but that is not the case, there are a lot of blemishes but I really want to retain as much of the original patina as practically possible, who cares if when I pull up at the traffic lights the paint looks like a shiny dog’s breakfast.
5. Yeah, nearly there, time to seal it up. The paint has some stains as well and seems to stain very easily so it is important to get it sealed up. To save regular waxing to seal it I opted for a longer-lasting ceramic sealer, supposedly it lasts 6-12 months, which is initially more expensive but in the long run, I think it saves both money and time. I must say, I do like the glossy look and the flat smooth feel running a hand over the finish, lovely.
So, other than a bonnet bump and the R/H fender suffering the results of a light nose dive, the plan is to get them sorted at a local body repair shop when the car is rolling again under its own steam, that is pretty much the paint part of the project done. A variable speed orbital polisher was used for the whole process, and a few rags, micro cloths and elbow grease for the tight spots the machine can’t reach. I used two 2000 grit discs and two 3000 grit discs, less than half a bottle of cut and swirl compound, lots less polish, not very much ceramic sealer, the elbow grease, and it took me about 6 days. The option to go down the path of restoring the car with expensive paintwork and a massive amount of time, well I’m happy with the results, I’d rather put the dollars saved into building a car that performs to my specifications, is reliable, and have the car as original as possible running on its own steam a lot sooner.
That’s pretty much a wrap on the paint. The precious Teal Blue Gt is looking a little more loved after being neglected for so long.
Happy MG trails…..
by David Maynard | Dec 10, 2020 | Repair
My MGB GT LE was serviced on the weekend. The car looked like it had been well maintained and became more obvious during the service. During the service it also became clear a couple of items would require future attention. More on that later.
Following is a checklist for the service:
- Drain engine oil and refill with new oil.
- Check levels and condition of oil in the diff and gearbox. The oil was clean and levels were good.
- There was some oil leaking
around the Laycock L.H. Style Overdrive unit. A quick online search revealed the overdrive unit shares oil with the gearbox. Accordingly, no top-up was required.
- Brake pads on the front discs were good and an adjustment was made to the rear drum brakes. There is a little vibration of the steering wheel whilst braking on a steep decline so the rotors will need machining sometime over the next several months.
- Replace spark plugs. Although the old plugs were ok we decided to replace them anyway.
- Check the distributor cap, points and condenser. These parts looked like they had been replaced in the past 6 months. We decided to leave these and return those parts for a refund.
- The mechanic had already made some impromptu adjustments to the twin SU carburettors and the timing. The final adjustments left the timing advanced a smidgen. The trade-off was to optimise performance with enough advance to the timing without the pinging.
Items for future attention:
1. Oil Cooler
The oil cooler has two fixing brackets and one of them had completely broken off. Being fixed with one brake the oil cooler is flopping around a bit. Not a good scenario in the long run and a repair will be carried out as soon as I can source a new oil cooler unit.
2. Exhaust Leak
The second item was a small leak where the exhaust is connected to the extractors, held on with a pipe bracket. This is not an issue that requires immediate attention. I am intending to have a sports exhaust fitted to the extractors in the near future which will resolve the issue.
3. Front brake rotors
The front disk brake rotors need machining or replacing as the brakes.
Outcome:
A full service was not required. Accordingly, the distributor parts were returned to the store for a credit of $96.00. In the process of tuning, the timing slightly advanced the car is running smoothly. As per above, there are a few other repairs to be carried out.
Parts list:
Oil Filter Z38
7811 spark plugs
HP 30 20w60 HPM oil
by Terry Maynard | Dec 9, 2020 | Review
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I was casually looking at buying a convertible sports car again, something I’d done a lot off and on over the years. In my youth, I owned a Datsun 2000S Fairlady for 10 years, which in a moment many times regretted it got sold.
Search:
My search was starting to get a bit more serious. Mazda MX5’s were high on the list and really there isn’t much else in the market unless older classic cars are added to the search criteria which I wasn’t 100% sure I wanted to go down the path of fixing and working on old cars again. Rear-wheel drive, convertible and interior space to accommodate me, I’m 6′ tall, were must-haves, the performance was not overly important but would be a bonus.
I made a few casual enquiries about the MX5. The Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider began to stand out as an option while reviews spoke of the Alfas as being more refined than their counterparts of the day like the MGB, with their twin-cam alloy engine, disk brakes all round, 5-speed gearbox etc.
Meanwhile a very tidy, fully and properly restored and somewhat modified MGB Roadster popped up for sale locally. I didn’t think I’d be that interested as I had a few years before looked at a couple and found them a bit rough and tight to get in and out of. With the idea of being a good comparison to the Alfa I was due to look at the next day I went to kick the tyres and take it for a spin. Wow, what an impression that car made on me. It looked fantastic, was comfortable and went like the clappers.
The time came around to check out the Alfa which at this stage I thought I’d be more interested in. The car apparently had a resto a long time ago but presented pretty rough. Sitting in it my knees felt like they were around my ears, driving it only got worse, it was agricultural, sluggish, the gears crunched and protested incessantly, I literally just went around the block, the fastest route back to end the experience was chosen, thanks but no thanks, good luck with your sale, se ya later.
The contrast was chalk and cheese, buying the MGB Roadster was a no brainer. Prices for both cars were about the same. Contact with the seller of the MGB was promptly made to arrange purchase. Now I’m the owner of this fantastic car that although its specification when new was less refined than the Alfa, the driving experience proved to be quite the opposite.
Cool Factor:
Beautifully prepared and presented it looks fantastic and is a very well sorted car to drive in every way, in fact, it rides better than my modern Hyundai. I’m always getting thumbs up from other motorists, shouts and whoops, and “nice car” at traffic lights and car parks. People readily approach me for a nostalgic chinwag. My son, who is reserved and introverted doesn’t get it, “How can you talk with someone like that when you don’t even know them’?
Cosmetics:
This car is more of an exception than the rule. It’s been properly restored and is a multiple trophy winner in MGCC of NSW Concours events in 1998 and 2000. It’s been cared for and maintained meticulously and only bought out for club and show events by its owner of 17 years who sold it in 2016.
The duco presents beautifully in Pearl Red, of course, there’s no rust and the brightwork is immaculate. Pics prior to the restoration show the car in its original MG Bermuda Blue, a colour listed for the 1970 model year which suggests this car was made in 1970 but sold in 1971. The owner after 2016, Richard, my new best friend, made some mods. He replaced the immaculate spoke rims with Minator mini-light style 15-inch rims with centre lock wing nuts and low profile tyres, they look fantastic.
The interior is of course very nice. The last owner repaired the collapsed seat diaphragm and fitted new vinyl upholstery to the driver’s seat, all the carpets and vinyl are in great condition. I gotta say I love the old school MGB crackle finished dash, I’m a fan. Some of the electrics are a bit suspect, the interior lamp isn’t working, the fuel gauge is unreliable and the blinkers don’t work when the headlights are on, and the headlights are very dim as are the lights in the instruments, all of which need attention, pretty much the only thing to be faulted in the whole car.
Driving:
Well, as I mentioned above, it drives and rides better than my modern Hyundai. In Spite of the 70’s style vibe, this is a very well sorted classic car, it drives, stops and handles like a dream. I must say thanks are due to the owner who restored and kept it in fantastic condition and also to Richard who owned it from 2016 to 2020 who sorted out a few bugs at considerable expense and sold me a beautifully presented and extremely well sorted classic car.
That aside, the driving experience is all MG joy. I don’t know if there are any more verbs, nouns or whatever to better describe it, it’s just a good experience. I had a 2001 model Alfa Romeo GTV V6 before this which is a fantastic driving experience but this MGB tops it hands down.
Interior Space:
For what essentially is a small car it’s very comfortable. It easily accommodates two adults, and what is very rare for me I actually bring the seat forward on its rails to reach the pedals. The 1st thing I do when sitting in any car is to put the seat back as far as it will go, the MGB is one of a handful of cars that I don’t need to do that.
I like the layout of the dashboard and I must say if the Japanese are masters at designing an intuitive dash layout, the English are masters of an aesthetically pleasing sports car layout.
The deck behind the seat has room for throwing loose items, bags, jumpers, stuff from a shopping expedition. The boot after the spare wheel and tools has limited space.
The steering wheel was replaced by the last owner, a 14″ Moto-Lita wood rim type and the look perfect on MGB’s and MGA’s. Being just that little bit smaller than the standard 15″ wheel makes getting in and out just a bit easier.
Performance:
Well, this is where things get interesting in this car. The last owner had the Moss Supercharger kit fitted along with extractors and a full stainless steel exhaust system of 1 3/4 inch pipe. Thanks, Richard, thumbs up my friend. The addition of a supercharger transforms these cars. Around town driving on the freeway is a very pleasurable experience, keeping abreast of the traffic is a breeze. Overdrive engaged at freeway speed the tacho hovers around the 2800 RPM mark, right in the sweet spot where this car just purrs and is ready to leap up the rev range with ease on demand, urging to gallop on. The exhaust note echoing off the concrete barriers hint at the willing performance. Four words drift into and reverberate through my mind, “This is #*^@# Superb”.
Exiting the freeway into the flow of suburban traffic and the pace changes but the driving experience doesn’t. Courtesy of the torque generated by the supercharger, the added grunt makes the lower speed negotiating of traffic lights, roundabouts and the like effortless. The car transforms from the ready and willing urge to ‘go’ on the freeway to a docile but at the same time comfortable but willing runabout. The same four words drift and reverberate through my mind, “this is #*^@# Superb”. I really can’t decide which experience is more rewarding, hurtling along the freeway, I’m loving it, pottering around the suburbs, I’m also loving it.
A dyno chart accompanied my purchase but I don’t know how to properly read it. I think HP peaks on a steep curve in 3rd gear at 4000 RPM to 108 HP, drops slightly in 4th then peaking again to 112HP at 5500 RPM in overdrive. Researching the system, Moss recommends a modest boost in a standard engine, which my car has, the aim is to strike a balance between performance and reliability. The dyno chart showed 90 HP before the supercharger was fitted.
On an MG, the supercharger in union with overdrive or dare I say a 5-speed gearbox is a combination made in heaven, this car is fitted with the original overdrive. In the MG scene fitting a supercharger is quite a popular performance upgrade though expensive. It beats shoehorning a V8 into one though I guess! The gearboxes in these cars are great to use, quite notchy and tight if they are in good condition with a fairly short throw. I have driven one in not so good condition and the box was loose and sloppy without that notchy feel. There is no spring loading in the H pattern gate which requires physically moving it through the gears otherwise there will be protests hitting the wrong gears, I learned very quickly.
Handling:
The rack and pinion steering is precise, the driver feels all the bumps and dips in the road without it being too harsh, excellent. The original suspension on this car performs beautifully. Handling is superb and what stands out to me is the way it rides on the road, bumps are a gentle and smooth affair, the car has no shakes or rattles of any kind, it is just smooth and pleasant, not too harsh and not too soft. To me, it is the quintessential sports car ride.
Brakes:
The brakes too perform flawlessly. Added to the standard front discs and drum brake rear end is an aftermarket booster, courtesy again of the last owner, thanks, Richard. Looking back on the receipts a lot of time and money had been poured into the brakes for reasons unknown to me. There are receipts from the owner who restored it and from Richard that add up to a lot of money. Whatever the problem was it is not present now as the braking performance is fantastic.
Summary:
The engine performs beautifully in this car, what looks like the standard cooling system works properly which is a necessity with a supercharger fitted, oil leaks seem to be minimal. Underneath the car is immaculate, the gaiters and all the rubbers are in great condition, the steering is direct and sweet.
Richard claims to have had it at quite high speed, somewhere in the 120mph range and reports the car is stable and superb. I don’t think I’ll be testing it to confirm or bust his claims.
So that is a wrap on this lovely example of the 1971 MGB L Roadster. The driving experience of this car is such that it is an easy stretch of the imagination to think that you may be behind the wheel of a meticulously prepared and expensive exotic classic, all amplified when the top is down. In a word, “Superb”.
Happy trails all.
by Terry Maynard | Dec 9, 2020 | Brakes, Refurbish, Repair
The factory drum brakes on 1500 model cars are a little on the agricultural side. The stopping power of modern cars in traffic and freeway conditions made me quite nervous and got my heart racing. Visions of the precious MGA rear-ending a Hyundai or whatever is not a good scenario to be contemplating in the traffic. The options, upgrade to a disc brake system found on the later 1600 model, and/or install a brake booster system.
With some research and a chat with the MG repairer, the conclusion was that what many drivers are concerned about is often the “feel” of the brake peddle compared to a modern car. The MGA peddles being so close together, for me makes the whole action of operating the peddles slow and awkward which makes getting used to the “feel” of the old school braking system that little bit harder to adjust to. It was decided to start with installing the aftermarket brake booster with the option to go with discs later if needed.
As it turned out, the booster works fantastically. The brake pedal has a feel and touch that is more akin to what we are used to in modern cars, I also found the brakes a lot more responsive, to me, it seems to speed up the response time, important because of the awkward and close proximity of those peddles. The car readily dives in the front end now, it’s easier to apply the brakes firmly which translates into confidence driving in traffic. Gone are the visions of rear-ending a fellow road user with the precious MGA.
The cost in my opinion was very reasonable for the transformation it makes to confidently drive the car in modern traffic. It was a very cheap performance upgrade well worth doing. The MG repairer did a fantastic job of making it a neat and ascetic installation on the plate on the rear shelf in the engine compartment, it can be taken out and returned to factory specs easily and there are no additional and unnecessary holes in the bodywork.
by Terry Maynard | Dec 8, 2020 | Review
It’s funny how things come about sometimes. Buying my nice MGB roadster initiated my brother and I looking into all things MG related. Watching the market we identified it was a good time to buy. This MGA popped up in my local market and we bit the bullet and invested in joint ownership of this very cool classic.
Driving… It’s a truck load of MG joy to drive these cars. It really is a joy cruising down the road, very enjoyable. A standard MGA is not a performance car, maybe in its day but not by todays standards. It is more a car that is a delight to drive at a leisurely pace when it is not too hot or not too cold, a fresh morning or evening, a nice mild day time temperature or balmy summers evening, it is terribly English and terribly civilised, simply a delight, an experience to savour like nice food or fine wine.
Interior Space… To get in I slide in under the 14″ after marker steering wheel. I’m 6′ tall. Once in and under the wheel all is good with reasonable legroom and comfort. The steering wheel is close to my chest, it’s comfortable enough though and it doesn’t take long to get used to the driving position. Exiting is a reverse of getting in, I kind of slide back out with gentle assistance from the bracket supporting the windscreen.
The cockpit is quite small with plenty of room for 2 adults but not much else. As there are no window winding mechanisms the space in the doors become stowage room, handy for phones, garage remotes, water bottles, hat, beanie and the like. What I think is really cool is to reach into this space to pull the wire cable that opens the doors.
Space in the footwell is reasonable but the peddles are very close together. Driving in small soft shoes is a must. It didn’t take too long though to work out how to negotiate it, there’s a knack to it that I learned very quickly which I do without thinking now.
Rear stowage… There’s a stowage bag suspended in the rear shelf, very handy and it is designed to stow away the detachable side screens and other small flat items. The one in this car is original factory equipment.
Boot… There’s not a great deal of boot space with the 15″ spare wheel, jack, tools and sundry items.
Performance… Well, I think for a car that sold new in 1957, with English engineering much more dated than that, the B series engine having its origins in 1947, it gets through modern traffic quite well. There’s enough get up and boogie in the 1500 twin SU equipped pushrod engine to negotiate traffic and freeway conditions. This car is equipped with an upgraded radiator that keeps it running cool for light general running about and club duties.
Braking… The factory drum brakes on 1500 model cars are a little on the agricultural side. The stopping power of modern cars in traffic and freeway conditions made me quite nervous and got my heart racing. Visions of the precious MGA rear ending a Hyundai or whatever is not a good scenario to be contemplating in the traffic. The options, upgrade to a disc brake system found on the later 1600 model, and/or to install a brake booster system.
With some research and a chat to the MG repairer, the conclusion was that what many drivers are concerned about is often the “feel” of the brake peddle compared to a modern car. The MGA peddles being so close together, for me makes the whole action of operating the peddles slow and awkward which makes getting used to the “feel” of the old school braking system that little bit harder to adjust to. It was decided to start with installing the after market brake booster with the option to go with discs later if needed.
As it turned out, the booster works fantastically. The brake pedal has a feel and touch more akin to what we are used to in modern cars, I also found the brakes a lot more responsive, to me it seems to speed up the response time, important because of the awkward and close proximity of those peddles. The car readily dives in the front end now, it’s easier to apply the brakes firmly which translates into confidence driving in traffic. Gone are the visions of rear ending a fellow road user with the precious MGA.
The cost in my opinion was very reasonable for the transformation it makes to confidently driving the car in modern traffic. It was a very cheap performance upgrade well worth doing. The MG repairer did a fantastic job of making it a neat and ascetic installation on the plate on the rear shelf in the engine compartment, it can be taken out and returned to factory specs easily and there are no additional and unnecessary holes in the bodywork.
Gear box… The MGA is a 4 speed, the early 1500 model has no synchro in 1st. I’ve found these boxes are quite tight and notchy when in good condition and a bit loose and sloppy when not. There’s not a lot of travel in the lever. There’s no spring loaded return on neutral like modern cars which means going through the gears requires physically moving it through the H pattern gate, for example from 2nd -3rd. Failure to do so will result in the usual protest. Doubling the clutch with a quick 2nd stab makes changes smoother. A gentle and patient pace going the gears rewards the driver with a nice experience which I learned pretty quickly. I love this pic of the 63 years of wear on the gear lever on this car.
Hand brake… It is said a picture tells a thousand words. Not so in this pic of the hand brake. What it doesn’t show is the way it operates, and I love the way this operates. It was designed for a quick release in an era where running to your car at the start line when weekend racing was common practice. It works opposite to our modern cars. Pulling the lever up and then clicking the button locks in the hand brake, but here’s the cool part, a gentle lift on the lever releases it for a fast release action and the lever falls to the floor.
Now why this is cool is because of the tight and awkward pedal spacing. When stopping in the traffic engaging the hand brake is quick and easy, knock it into neutral, my feet don’t have to fiddle with the awkward pedals, then anticipating when the lights go green I can be in gear, a light lift of the lever releases the handbrake and makes the whole action quick and easy, and I’m moving with the traffic. I’d love to have this in the MGB.
Upkeep… Classic cars though do need care, time, money and periodic repairs as they arise. They generally don’t however clock up a lot of miles so the upkeep is reasonable provided it is done on a regular basis. and insurance cost for this reason is very reasonable, cheaper than my regular car. Rego on club plates is very reasonable too which require membership in a qualifying car club.
So that’s a wrap up on a brief review of owning an MGA.
Happy trails.
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