MGB: Front Engine Plate issue

The discussion regarding a B that I looked at yesterday

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,1269265

seems to lead to the conclusion that an earlier engine is in the car due to the distorted motor mounts brought about by the differences between the early front plate and later model frame mounting points. I am still interested in the car, but am wondering if the motor mount issue is something that should not be ignored, meaning that its hazardous or will contribute to a premature failure of a component, or is a more-or less aesthetic issue.

Is it a deal breaker?

thanks,

Mike

You will need to install the proper front plate. Not too big of a deal. And possibly the engine mounts.

[quote=comart45]
You will need to install the proper front plate. Not too big of a deal. And possibly the engine mounts.[/quote]

okay, but if I want to drive the car as-is, am I asking for trouble?

Mike

There is an earlier engine w/rectangular mounts in a Rubber Bumper car??
How can this be? arent the mounting plates on frame rails different? I know the front engine plate is different.
RS
Picture please, if possible

Mike,

I don't have any experience with the specific engine mount issue, but if it seems clear the engine has to be pulled to correct damaged mounts, then $5K is too much. From what I've seen of recent prices, $5K should get you a very sound car with good mechanicals all the way around and a pretty decent body and interior. If wear items (tires, shocks, brakes, etc.) need work, no big deal, but the drive train should not have any major defects and I'd expect minimal rust & a pretty good paint job. Deal breaker? I'd say so.

Steve

[quote=rrmgb]
There is an earlier engine w/rectangular mounts in a Rubber Bumper car??
How can this be? arent the mounting plates on frame rails different? I know the front engine plate is different.
RS
Picture please, if possible[/quote]

Sorry no picture. It has the round mounts installed, although the are oval as installed and look like they are a bit strained.

Mike

Picture would be nice. POs have been very resourceful and this one probably found a way to mate the engine mounts to the wrong front plate or visa versa. I wouldn't want to make a safety comment on drive-ability until seeing a photo of how the engine is mounted and even then it is risky to advise on this without actually being there, checking it out under the hood with engine running and maybe test driving it.

I'd walk from this one. 5K should buy a rust free RB car in great mechanical conditon.In fact if you take your time and shop around you should be able to get one for much less. Don't forget winter is arriving shortly. No reason to spend that much and have to pull the engine right away to correct a DPO screw up. Keep looking there are many nice MGB's for sale in your state.

What is the engine # ?
Is it possible the engine/front plate is correct and it just needs new mounts? (not a deal breaker)
RS

[quote=comart45]
[/quote]

Thanks for the picture. I was having trouble visualizing the front plate and its relation to the motor mounts.

For those who commented about driving the car, I have driven the car and it seems to drive okay. A bit of a crunch going from 2nd to 3rd. Interior is clean. Oil pressure is good with 10W 30 Castrol.

I wasn't going to offer the $5K for it, what would be a reasonable offer?

Mike

The basic differences
CB Mount

Front Plate RB

Front Plate CB

Nice pics Peter, have some w/RB mounts?
RS

Good shots Peter. All this said Mike, I still don't think the car is worth anywhere near $5K. The listed problems suggest a less than sorted car. Tach and windshield wipers known bad; cut wires - what else isn't right electrically? The only picture available appears to have an engine compartment that is a mess and a different color than the car. Wires all over the place. Body apparently starting to rust, paint just "OK", interior "decent". If the we had the rest of the pictures and they looked equivalent to the engine compartment, this is a $3,000 car at best. And that's before a deduction for having to pull the engine and sort out the mount problems.

Steve

you cannot use the wrong front plate....in otherwords, you cannot use a CB plate with the round RB mounts...just won't work. If the mounts look goofy, they are probably shot and/or the mounting bracket that holds the mount to the front plate is broken (very common).

Lloyd could be correct! The rubber bumper cars are known to break the mount brackets on the engine, sometimes shearing the bolt into the side of the block. Been there and done that! But if he price were right and you are upto the work, that would be the time to straighten it up and paint under the hood. Do it right once.
John

The main thing here with this car is DO YOU LIKE IT???

Rust is the main deal breaker and it should be YOUR main deal breaker.

Bubbles in the paint ARE BAD!!!

Since our MGBs rust from the inside out, I can almost guarantee the the rust is worse on the inside then on the out.

Now, rear doglegs are not that hard to fix (relatively speaking, of course) If you have bubbles in the front fenders then you have some issues to deal with.

As for the weber. No big deal, this can be tuned, especially the DCOE, to be an around town tourer, up to a race track monster, and everything in between.

The front plates, another "no big deal" and if they are attached now, I'd say you're OK, but, they will probably crack at some point, and should be fixed, but, what's gonna happen if they break? nothing really, just some vibrations, and you'll know its now time to find those front plates.

But, I would check behind the front fenders. This can be accessed by removing the four or five bolts that hold the front splash panels on, remove thos and look for rust down low behind the fenders. If the seller will not let you do this, WALK AWAY then.

Good Luck

B

[quote=BManBrian67]
The main thing here with this car is DO YOU LIKE IT???

Rust is the main deal breaker and it should be YOUR main deal breaker.

Bubbles in the paint ARE BAD!!!

Since our MGBs rust from the inside out, I can almost guarantee the the rust is worse on the inside then on the out.

Now, rear doglegs are not that hard to fix (relatively speaking, of course) If you have bubbles in the front fenders then you have some issues to deal with.

As for the weber. No big deal, this can be tuned, especially the DCOE, to be an around town tourer, up to a race track monster, and everything in between.

The front plates, another "no big deal" and if they are attached now, I'd say you're OK, but, they will probably crack at some point, and should be fixed, but, what's gonna happen if they break? nothing really, just some vibrations, and you'll know its now time to find those front plates.

But, I would check behind the front fenders. This can be accessed by removing the four or five bolts that hold the front splash panels on, remove thos and look for rust down low behind the fenders. If the seller will not let you do this, WALK AWAY then.

Good Luck

B[/quote]

I'm thinking of offering a sub $4K number with a bit of wiggle room upwards. Don't know if its worth much over $4K. You have to realize that I live where MG's are not plentiful. I've looked pretty much all summer and anything that might be acceptable would involve shipping at a minimum of $300. I'll attach the rest of the photos that the owner sent me.

another shot

another view

One other thing that I forgot was the hood modification. Likely not everyone's taste... not sure if it's mine.

oil pressure would suffer with 10-30. s/b 20-50

[quote="mac townsend"]
oil pressure would suffer with 10-30. s/b 20-50[/quote]

Yes I know, but it held 50 PSI at a warm idle. That being said, I would run 20-50.

What's up with the hood duct?

[quote=ClayJ]
What's up with the hood duct?[/quote]

According to the current owner, the hood was that way when he bought it. He said that the PO was going for a Datsun 240, 260, 280 Z look. i guess it might move a little more air to the Weber. Dunno about it, might have been better if it had been painted the body color.

Mike

My 80 had a 74 engine with round RB mounts fastened to the engine but not to the CB 74 front plate as the holes will not align. Change the front plate - got mine for $20 on Ebay. I would replace the mounts because if it was driven much like this they will be distorted - mine were. Also check the mount 'frames" for cracks as they have been under improper stress. again, they are cheap and easy to find used.

Of course - I figured out I had a mount problem AFTER I had pulled and replaced the timing gears, chain and tensioner. I had the opportunity to get intimate with the front of the engine twice.

Now the real concern - anyone who knows what they were doing or gave a flip should have switched the plate when they dropped the older engine in. I got lucky - the rest of my car is solid. I would have someone who knows what they are doing look this one over thoroughly - I should have.

Why don't yo ask the PO to fix the mounts the correct way befor selling it at this price to you?
If it is the wrong plate, It must be changed and it is not that easy to pull the pulley and the timing gear with the engine still in the car.
For changing the LHS rubber mount, the stearing gear also has to be pulled on a 1974 1/2 on MGB.
New mounts, timing chain and tesioner as well as some gaskets and coolant are not that expensive (if no more spares are needed) but it takes some hours to be done and would be expensive to have it done.
If he wants to sell it as it is, more than $3500 would be a risk, I think.