Discussions board for the classic MG MGA.
Has anybody seen this car in person? For a recent frame-off resto, the price is compelling but several of the pictures seem to show panel fit problems (drivers side door and boot lid).
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Series-1500-Roadster-top-side-curtains-new-paint-rebuilt-engine-wire-wheels-/260944987621?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3cc18885e5#ht_882wt_948
Thoughts?
I think the trunk lid is just not closed. I agree that the panel fit is bad. I don't like the black inside the trunk lid and probably the bonnet too. Seats are and look old, need some rejuvenating. I might offer less after a close look but too much going on to bid sight unseen.
...the whole body work looks suspect, the entire lower 8 inches look wrong, it looks like glass F wings on it.
No crank hole on front bumper, and looks like the wipers might be stuck in an odd position.
I think I can see the crank hole on the bumper. Whoever redid the car has too high expectations based on the way the doors fit which looks not so good. Even the engine colour is wrong, looks like Chevy red. A can of the right colour from Moss is not that hard to obtain if you think you have a 15k car.
Yeah, it looks like crap in the body panels. But if it really was a body-off restoration as noted, it probably (maybe) had all the necessary sheet metal replaced and is well coated underneath and may last another 10 to 20 years as a daily driver. On that view, maybe the current bid price is reasonable (at half the price of a concourse car).
The bodywork looks pretty pig awful, luckily it's white so most of it doesn't show as much as it would on a coloured car, except the gaps. I would be cautious as to why the panel fit is so bad. My suspicion is that the welding repair work underneath is also to a poor standard, in which case it might be a difficult fix. That said it is a VERY low price for a body off restoration. Much too low in fact if it was done properly! That suggests the seller knows that it wasn't? Note that it is on a "buy it now" at $14,500 not on auction. In all well worth checking out at that price though.
Surprised no-one commented on the "original racing steering wheel rebuilt and balanced"!?
Windshield defroster vents point away from windshield. Engine fan on backwards--look at the curve of the blades. No front bumper overriders. This car was assembled by someone who has little knowledge of MGA's. I mean really, all you have to do is look at a Moss motors catalogue to get these details right. I see this all of the time on "professionally restored" MGA's on E-bay. Buyer Beware...
Jim The MG Rescue Guy
"Engine fan on backwards"
Really ? ! ? ! ? !
Yes Team Evil, The fan on that MGA is mounted backwards. I see this frequently on MG's assembled by people that don't know what they are doing.
As my post said,"Engine fan on backwards--look at the curve of the blades." Note that the fan blades are curved to "scoop" the air. The Wright Brothers figured out that propellers are really just wings that rotate and a propeller should be designed with an airfoil section like a wing. A fan is just a propeller. The best design for a fan blade would have an airfoil section. MG did the best they could with sheetmetal by simply curving the blades.
OMG ! ! That is dangerous, I HAD to ask just because it's SO unbelievable ! ! ! ! I'd imagine that the engine would overheat in really short order and . . . doom.
Maybe a quick "contact" letting the seller in on his huge error would be in order, just to help out another MGA guy, you know?
Thanks,
TC
The is only a moderate difference in air flow. The correct placement does offer the optimum flow in cfm. The air goes the same way regardless.
I think Gary meant to say, "There is only a moderate difference in air flow." Which, of course, only applies when stopped or going very slow. At speed, there will be no difference.
I'm with Jim on both the defroster vents and fan being on backwards. Both are among my pet peeves. It's no more difficult to install them properly, it just takes a little bit of research and someone who cares enough to do it right.
Research can fix a lot problems even these two. Some details can only be done properly through research. These two in particular indicate that the builder does not understand how things work. Just looking at the fan and understanding its function will allow you to determine the direction. Same with the defroster vents. These are mistakes made by someone who can't think as a mechanic. This type may make suitable parts changers but poor mechanics. This car was built by someone unable to deduce how things work. The parts in these cases tells you how to install them. People unable to listen should not be assembling them without direct supervision.
The lack of understanding shown by the incorrect assembly of these simple parts speaks volumes about the quality of thought that went into the construction of this vehicle.
I would be unable to trust ANY work this individual might have done. It is the difference between training someone to complete a task and teaching someone to understand that task.