• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Hello from Alabama

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
My dad always had MGAs. He was working on restoring one from the frame up back in the 1970's. He never finished it, but he rebuilt almost every part of an MGA on three different MGA projects. I drove 1960 in college for one year. I also bought a 1960 TR-3 around 1979 for $600. It was missing two wheels, but the MGA disk wheels fit it. Some friends helped me push it the half mile to get it to my house. My dad got it running in a couple of hours, and we drove it around the block. In the next year, he painted it for me, but I never finished it. The TR has been garaged since around 1982. My dad passed away four years ago, and we're finally getting these cars out of the garage. I'm keeping the MGA I drove in college and the TR-3. My brother is keeping the other two MGAs. I just recently towed the MGA about 200 miles using a UHaul tow dolly. Major effort to jack up the front end so I could slide the dolly underneath the MG. The MGA's wheels are too narrow to use the dolly ramps but wide enough to tow safely once the dolly is in position. Another major effort to get it off the dolly, but it's home safe now. I will get the TR in the next few weeks. There are also lots of parts in boxes that I'll bring down to catalog. Over a dozen wire wheels for the MGAs. My MGA and TR-3 have disk wheels, but there are enough hubs to convert the MGA to wire wheels. I like the look of wire wheels, but the priority is just to get them running and cleaned up. Both need the interiors completely redone. The pink MGA picture was 1977. That's the same MGA in the later white around 1983 (dad painted it and generally fixed it up). It's the same white one jacked up to load onto the tow dolly from a few days ago. The shiny red TR picture was around 1980. The dusty red TR and blue MGA are from last week.

I'll be searching the forum for advice on what to do next, how to do it, where to get parts/service, etc. Right now, I'm just trying to get it moved to a new home and figure out what's in all those boxes.
 

Attachments

  • Slide008.jpeg
    Slide008.jpeg
    47.7 KB · Views: 39
  • TR3 at Greendale Dr.jpeg
    TR3 at Greendale Dr.jpeg
    52.3 KB · Views: 41
  • MGA at Whitlow's.jpeg
    MGA at Whitlow's.jpeg
    44.6 KB · Views: 43
  • IMG_8752.jpeg
    IMG_8752.jpeg
    38.5 KB · Views: 47
  • IMG_8741.jpeg
    IMG_8741.jpeg
    74.4 KB · Views: 38
  • IMG_8747.jpeg
    IMG_8747.jpeg
    55.2 KB · Views: 48

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
Gold
Offline
What a great story - and a great history of LBC's! Lucky man to have those cars, especially with the connection to your Dad.

Here's our MG area when you're ready to ask questions:


and the Triumph area:


Good to have you with us
Tom M.
 

DavidApp

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Hello and welcome to the forum.

I hope the tires on the rear are sound and not dry rotted. I heard about a local guy towing his TR3B a few miles on a tow dolly and a rear tire came apart ripping the rear fender up badly. If in doubt about the age/condition of the tires you may want to get you haul car trailer. Also when you tow like that the transmission is spinning and if it is low on oil damage could be done unless you unbolt the drive shaft.
The TR3 just fits on the You Haul trailer.

David
 

jfarris

Jedi Trainee
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Welcome aboard, the information you'll need is in either digital or gray matter form on this forum.
There is a very active British car club in Montgomery, check them out.
I'm up the road in Montevallo.
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
What a great story - and a great history of LBC's! Lucky man to have those cars, especially with the connection to your Dad.

Here's our MG area when you're ready to ask questions:


and the Triumph area:


Good to have you with us
Tom M.
Thanks for the links! BTW, "LBC"? Little British Cars? Noob question, I know.
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
Hello and welcome to the forum.

I hope the tires on the rear are sound and not dry rotted. I heard about a local guy towing his TR3B a few miles on a tow dolly and a rear tire came apart ripping the rear fender up badly. If in doubt about the age/condition of the tires you may want to get you haul car trailer. Also when you tow like that the transmission is spinning and if it is low on oil damage could be done unless you unbolt the drive shaft.
The TR3 just fits on the You Haul trailer.

David
David, I hadn't considered body damage from a blown tire, but I wouldn't drive on these tires except to go around the block. Regardless, these cars aren't even going around the block without a lot of work.

The tires on the TR-3 wheels are 35 years old but look almost new. Still not street worthy. I used two of them on the rear of the white MGA to tow it without any problems. I kept the other two wheels with the gooder tires (still 35 years old) as a road spare in case of a flat. I'll rethink that and maybe replace the tires on two of those rims for the TR-3 tow which is next.

The white MGA and the TR-3 both have disk wheels which are roughly interchangeable for purpose of towing. The chrome hub cabs are different sizes. One rear tire on the TR-3 won't take any air, but I didn't have time to check it out when I was there last. It took 90 minutes to load the white MGA on the dolly, and I didn't get home until after 3:00am.

All the tires on the wire wheels are probably even older. Most of the wire wheels won't take any air; it's either a valve problem or a big leak somewhere in the tire. The two MGAs with wire wheels belong to my brother, but I will try to meet him when he gets his. He lives 5 hours north in Kentucky.

I disconnected the driveshaft on the MGA before towing; it was easy. I've heard yes and no to disconnecting the DS. A couple of big zip ties held the DS up and out of the way. I had no problem with it during the move.

I've heard the same about the DS on the TR-3, but I have very little knowledge about the TR. I guess the question is whether or not there is lubrication in the TR transmission if the DS is spinning under tow without the engine running. If disconnecting the DS on the TR is as easy as on the MGA, I'll just disconnect it.

thanks again for the input,

Jon
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
Welcome aboard, the information you'll need is in either digital or gray matter form on this forum.
There is a very active British car club in Montgomery, check them out.
I'm up the road in Montevallo.
Thanks for the kind words; I've met a couple of the Montgomery members.

BTW, I sold my wife's 2006 base Cooper in April. I loved driving it, but I couldn't see spending the time or money to keep it up when I had the possibility of doing the same on the TR and MGA. Looking at the MGA is encouraging compared to the Cooper. The MGA seems to have a lot of room to work compared to the compact Cooper engine compartment!
 
Country flag
Offline
I'm a little farther up the road in Florence, AL. If you need something for either car ley me know I may have a good used part for it.
Marv
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
I'm a little farther up the road in Florence, AL. If you need something for either car ley me know I may have a good used part for it.
Marv
Thanks Marv!

When I go through the boxes of parts I have, I may post photos so folks can help me identify them. MG and TR parts are mixed together along with some Datsun 240Z and Chevy pickup. Probably tractor parts too!

Question for TR-3 owners: where would I find the T-handle tool with the square end to open the bonnet and spare tire cover…assuming it was stored in the correct place? Where would the hand crank live? I know there’s a T-handle somewhere but can

Thanks,
Jon
 
Country flag
Offline
T handle could be anywhere. Check door card pockets first. Crank big so trunk area. Until you find T handle you can use a flat blade screwdriver to open hood and spare tire area
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
Hello and welcome to the forum.

I hope the tires on the rear are sound and not dry rotted. I heard about a local guy towing his TR3B a few miles on a tow dolly and a rear tire came apart ripping the rear fender up badly. If in doubt about the age/condition of the tires you may want to get you haul car trailer. Also when you tow like that the transmission is spinning and if it is low on oil damage could be done unless you unbolt the drive shaft.
The TR3 just fits on the You Haul trailer.

David
David,

What tires do folks use and where do they get them? It seems it's either Vredestein or Michelin 165R15. Any other good options?

I may have been lucky towing the MG, but I believe I'll buy at least two new tires to pull the rest of the cars. I hadn't considered the angle of the rear fender when the front is on the dolly.

Thanks,
Jon
 

Mickey Richaud

Moderator
Staff member
Gold
Country flag
Offline
David,

What tires do folks use and where do they get them? It seems it's either Vredestein or Michelin 165R15. Any other good options?

I may have been lucky towing the MG, but I believe I'll buy at least two new tires to pull the rest of the cars. I hadn't considered the angle of the rear fender when the front is on the dolly.

Thanks,
Jon
Hi, Jon -

Vredesteins are great tires, but on the advice of Hendrix Wire Wheel who trued the wheels for my TF replica, I went with Nexen SB-802 165/80R15's. Maybe a little wider, but they've been fine. Can get them from Amazon, WalMart, etc. for around $80 apiece.
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
Hi, Jon -

Vredesteins are great tires, but on the advice of Hendrix Wire Wheel who trued the wheels for my TF replica, I went with Nexen SB-802 165/80R15's. Maybe a little wider, but they've been fine. Can get them from Amazon, WalMart, etc. for around $80 apiece.
With free delivery by Tuesday from Amazon, I might get a pair of these and try them. For now, I just need tires to put on the rear wheels to get the cars home.

Would these also fit 15" wire rims? The two MGAs left to tow have wire wheels. The TR-3 has 15" disc wheels. I'm pretty sure all the MG wire wheels are 15"...same size tire.

Thanks,
Jon
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
And I just read not to use inner tubes with tubeless auto tires.

I need tires for my disc wheels.

I also would like to fit two wire wheels with new tires so my brother can tow his. I plan to swap to wire wheels on my MGA eventually, but that's way into the future.
 

Mickey Richaud

Moderator
Staff member
Gold
Country flag
Offline
With free delivery by Tuesday from Amazon, I might get a pair of these and try them. For now, I just need tires to put on the rear wheels to get the cars home.

Would these also fit 15" wire rims? The two MGAs left to tow have wire wheels. The TR-3 has 15" disc wheels. I'm pretty sure all the MG wire wheels are 15"...same size tire.

Thanks,
Jon
Yep - mine are on wires - with tubes and rim bands.
 
OP
PigeonF16

PigeonF16

Freshman Member
Country flag
Offline
Yep - mine are on wires - with tubes and rim bands.
Wait, I'm new to wire wheels.

You put the Nexen SB-802 on wire wheels on the advice from your wire wheel guy? Is Hendrix in Greensboro, NC? I just bought 4 of the Nexens from Amazon. I will put two on my TR disc wheels. If I can put the other pair on wire wheels with an inner tube and band, I'll do that. The priority for now is getting the cars home. Once at home, I can mix and match the tires and wheels as required.

I understand the need for the rubber band and inner tube. This site claims a tubeless tire won't be properly supported with an inner tube: > Can You Install an Inner Tube in a Tubeless Tire? <

I think we have 20 MGA wire wheels in storage plus some extra hubs to convert my disc wheels.

Thanks for the tip on Nexen.

Jon

PS Funny message on Hendrix answering machine! He says I will die of old age before they call me back, if I'm a telemarketer. I left a message that I'm a telemarketer...fountain of youth! That gives me more time to work on these cars.
 

Mickey Richaud

Moderator
Staff member
Gold
Country flag
Offline
Wait, I'm new to wire wheels.

You put the Nexen SB-802 on wire wheels on the advice from your wire wheel guy? Is Hendrix in Greensboro, NC? I just bought 4 of the Nexens from Amazon. I will put two on my TR disc wheels. If I can put the other pair on wire wheels with an inner tube and band, I'll do that. The priority for now is getting the cars home. Once at home, I can mix and match the tires and wheels as required.
Yep - He supplied them, mounted and shaved them down. Balance is perfect. Great folks to work with.

I understand the need for the rubber band and inner tube. This site claims a tubeless tire won't be properly supported with an inner tube: > Can You Install an Inner Tube in a Tubeless Tire? <

I think we have 20 MGA wire wheels in storage plus some extra hubs to convert my disc wheels.
Be sure the splines on both the wheels and hubs are in good shape. Info here: > Wheel tech -Inspecting worn hub splines (wire wheels) <

Thanks for the tip on Nexen.

Jon

PS Funny message on Hendrix answering machine! He says I will die of old age before they call me back, if I'm a telemarketer. I left a message that I'm a telemarketer...fountain of youth! That gives me more time to work on these cars.
 
Top