New vs. Old Parts

After reading (and posting) comments on the "Midget" Forum about "Chinese Electrical Parts", I thought it a good idea that I'd post a comment regarding one of my experiences that I've had in the 42 years that I've had my 68 MGB.

I've tried to replace various parts on my MG PRIOR to having them go bad AND then saving the old parts, either until I got another of the same part (as a spare) or I then rebuilt the "removed part" to keep as a spare should the recently replaced part go bad.

I learned this the hard way many years ago when I had a new set of points go bad within days after I installed them. Luckily, I kept the old points, filed / cleaned them, and re-installed them which got the car running again. I've done the same thing with the brake master and wheel cylinders plus the clutch master and slave cylinder, which over the years have proven to be a good idea since many of the "new" MG parts may not be the same quality as they once were, if you can even find some of the parts, many of which are now NLA or NLS.

Probably 20+ years ago, I bought a spare set of Armstrong front shocks, "just in case" I needed / had to replace my front shocks. Now, at approx. $300 / lever action shock, it seems that I made the right decision. At the same time that I bought the front shocks, I got (and installed) a set of Spax Adjustable shocks, keeping the old, rear lever action shocks that were / are in very good shape ..... and after cleaning / repainting them they look and feel like new .... without paying $200 / shock for new replacements.

To finally make this posting end, I'd wholeheartedly suggest that anyone who intends to keep their MG for a long period of time, seriously consider looking for used, but serviceable, parts on E-bay / web sites, dealers, etc. BEFORE they need a replacement or have a part failure .... to replace parts before they go bad (if not too expensive) and rebuild / clean / keep as spare the old parts.

You'll never know when you (or a friend) might need that "old part". Thanks for listening to an old guy's rant!

Case in point: after my 45DE4 dizzy had been banging into the engine bulkhead, courtesy of failed motor mount, I assumed it had to be junk, cracked vacuum unit and all. So I replaced it with a flamethrower dizzy, which worked, but not really. Driving around I was entirely underwhelmed by the acceleration - thought my '97 M3 had spoiled my sense of fast. I finally got around to borrowing a timing light to fine tune the timing, only to find that the timing was 14 BTDC at 1500 RPM... and the same at 4500. One of the springs had fallen off inside the housing, jammed against the rotating advance assembly until it sheared from the shaft. So I had Jeff rebuild my 45DE4, which is back in the car right now. If only I had known to begin with.

Amen. I bought a 76 parts car and stripped every bit and saved them. The parts today are built for the stockholders, not the car owners.

My garage contains, layer by layer, a collection of parts from just about every car I have ever worked on or restored.

Sometimes I am able to find something I archived 30 years ago. Other times I am frustrated by having to buy new (with spotty quality) and then the original usually turns up a wekk later when I move something else.

I have a '67, that I've owned for 38 years, and have had my share of dodgy replacement parts. In '74 I bought a wrecked '67 and stripped just about everything that I could off that car. I'm still using a lot of those parts to this day. They were made to last back then. RAY