MG MGB and MGB GT Tech Talk
Everything was going so good! Thought we would make it through the driving season with no issues. Now since the brake peddle goes to the floor, it is put away for the winter with some work to be done. Did anyone make it through with no issues?
Tom
Yep - I had a near miss when a new condenser failed after about 75 miles and almost left me stranded at the Carlisle import show in my GT, back in May, but otherwise, both my B's ran like little trains all season long. In fact, my convertible is sitting in front of my office right now since tonight is club meeting night in Baltimore.
After initial problems with the distributor and carburetor, my season went pretty well. Going to buckler her up for the winter this coming weekend. Then when the warmer weather comes around, it is time for a suspension renew.
I'm taking her out one last time tonight.. then off to bed the MG goes. I hope writing this does not tempt the god of darkness for tonight !! :eyepop:
Only mechanical issue I had was it didn't start one time. I was on a club drive and got a push for a bump start. I traced it to a loose ground strap. Last fall I had a side marker and one headlight go out, it was the bullet connections that had come apart.
I just changed oil again yesterday and I'm going to use it for some errands today. This winter I'm going to change out some parts like brake lines, rear cylinders, U joints and check the bearings, just so I know how old they are.
Thats about 4500 miles this year and about 5200 miles since I bought her October '08.
Not one issue this driving season, even with a 2,600 mile road trip to Florida and back.
tedjr
My coil wire popped off one day, but other than that....no worries. Mitch
On the RD, I had to fit a ew radiator in January as the old one showed signs of beginning leakage. No other work necessary until today. Runs fine. : -)))
The V8 lost two bolts of the RHS exhaust manifold on te freeway and the gasket dropped out. Due to the limited space with the custom headers it took hours to fix it. Now the speedo starts crying for a rebuilt. The ondometer stopped working and I have to knock the glass to wake up the pointer when the car was parked. I will find some time to fix it in the near future.
Otherwise no serious issues and used much more than the years before :-) :-) :-)
Only 'issue" with either car was allowing a street mechanic in Denver to adjust my carbs for "high altitude" thinking to save time during MG2009. The car was seriously maladjusted, but soldiered on to some wonderful excursions through the Rockies as long as I remembered to park facing down hill for an assured start.
Rebuilt brake system due to loss of rear circuit and now replacing windshield. Other than that, we still love each other! :D
One broken bracket on the AC compressor but not a stopped on road problem. No end to our season unless we get ice and snow..
The full restoration done 3 years ago, finally getting the bugs out. I'd hope in it and drive it anywhere. The computer controlled fuel injection means its cold weather friendly, fires up right away and I can throw the keys to anyone!
I have a couple collector cars and I put a 1000 miles on each per year.
Nothing that caused me to be stranded. I did replace the fuel pump, clutch slave and master cylinders, and broke a zipper on my tonneau cover. The tonneau is at a fellow club member's house now receiving new zippers all around. Can you believe those zippers only last 34 years (I have the receipt from a PO, and the original red tonneaus also).
When I got my car done I was having a peculiar problem. The car would run fine then quit. Took me a while to track it down. I had hooked the first coil up wrong and evidently it damaged the control unit in the distributor. It would run a while the quit. At least AAA served me with a good quality 800hp tow truck:
Just some upgrades and routine maintainance. No troubles on 3 long trips this year totaling from 500 miles to 2900 miles.
Season started out bad for the 75 as bad rod bearings took it down at the begining of the year and it didn't hit the road till march otherwise its been perfect. The 73 ate a bunch of condensors which turned out to be my fault a bunch of exhaust donuts till I got rid of the stock manifold, took out the muffler on the tt ss exhaust and some ahole hit the rear quarter panel and took off. Then again I did put 12k miles on it and drove it pretty much every day since spring. Only left me stranded once with the condensor issue but otherwise ran perfectly. Not looking forward to putting it away this year.
Well, the Subaru needed new CV joints, and the power steering belt broke....taking out the upper radiator hose. Oh....you mean the MG? No issues there :)
The driving season here lasts 12 months. This is some of the best weather of the year....no oppressive heat and humidity...you don't stick to the seats...
Both cars worked great for the "season", which here in Maine was only about two weeks long this year.
No problems whatsoever with my '72 MGB, even passed emissions and inspection....but had to replace the battery and serpentine belt in our '02 Toyota, battery and rear brakes in our '04 Honda, and a right front brake line in my '95 Ford pickup. Also had to install stock (quiet) pipes and reflectors on my '98 HD, to pass inspection.
The roadster ran just fine all summer, we made it to TX on Halloween and the next day the GT started right up, Car Sohw this Sunday!
