MGA hey guys picked up a 60 mga on craigslist

[AK_ED]

needs alot of work but will get it going in the next 6 months or so. my plan is to build it into a driver sothe resto will be of driver quality. the car will be solid and dependable but not show quality. so is there anything i should know about these cars while im " in the there" type things that should be addressed.

cheers ed

 

[bob67bgt]

Ed,
Nice find. Its pretty basic but if the front calipers need to be rebuilt and need pistons then MGB is the way to go. They are the same size as a MGA caliper piston but much cheaper. There is a 1/4" slide pin on a mga caliper that needs to be cut out. You will like that car if you are a bit under 6" tall! Have fun with it. Bob

 

[JPSmit]

Nice find. But, I'll bite, how many hours summer driving do you get in Alaska?

 

[AK_ED]

Ed,
Nice find. Its pretty basic but if the front calipers need to be rebuilt and need pistons then MGB is the way to go. They are the same size as a MGA caliper piston but much cheaper. There is a 1/4" slide pin on a mga caliper that needs to be cut out. You will like that car if you are a bit under 6" tall! Have fun with it. Bob

thanks for the tip on the mgb calipers and i am 5'10" so i should be fine. the car is now totally apart repairing the rust and installing new wire harnes.

cheers ed

 

[AK_ED]

Nice find. But, I'll bite, how many hours summer driving do you get in Alaska?

this summer was pretty wet but normally we get nice dry days from may till sept. and average of 15 plus hours.

cheers ed

 

[JPSmit]

Nice find. But, I'll bite, how many hours summer driving do you get in Alaska?

this summer was pretty wet but normally we get nice dry days from may till sept. and average of 15 plus hours.

cheers ed

Awww you win

 

[Silverghost]

Nice find. But, I'll bite, how many hours summer driving do you get in Alaska?

this summer was pretty wet but normally we get nice dry days from may till sept. and average of 15 plus hours.

cheers ed

Is that an average of 15 plus hours of nice dry days between May and September?! :laugh: LoL

Great looking find you have there!

 

[AK_ED]

hey guys tore it down for a referbish. needing lots of little bits and was wondering where to look for new and used parts.
ebay i have checked out but wondering if there was a good classifieds site.


cheers ed

 

[Silverghost]

That's in really decent shape, isn't it? Wish all barn finds were that clean!!

 

[LBCs_since_1988]

Very nice. Looks like Iris Blue paint there.

 

[AK_ED]

not to bad shape,and yes that is iris blue my least favorite of all. im going to go for some sort of off white or tan beige. all things considered it is a pretty nice little car.

anyone have a idea for a used parts source or classifieds section.

<span style="font-weight: bold"> heres another before engine bay pick</span>

cheers ed

 

[billspohn]

Just to be clear, he wasn't talking about swapping in complete MGB calipers (although that can also be done with some pricy adaptors), but just replacing the expensive MGA caliper pistons with the hole for the retractor pin with plain (and cheap) MGB caliper pistons without the holes - after you break off the pin inside the MGA calipers.

 

[AK_ED]

Just to be clear, he wasn't talking about swapping in complete MGB calipers (although that can also be done with some pricy adaptors), but just replacing the expensive MGA caliper pistons with the hole for the retractor pin with plain (and cheap) MGB caliper pistons without the holes - after you break off the pin inside the MGA calipers.

thanks for clearing that up i was understanding it as replacing the whole unit with mgb calipers. now i understand about the piston change. ill get to the breaks soon they where working but very crusty looking.

cheers ed

 

[billspohn]

Yeah, Ed - the MGB has the same diameter as the MGA but the pistons are way cheaper and easier to find. If you break those pins out of the calipers, you can just pop in the MGB pistons.

 

[Spinal_Tap]

Ed, my B had a similar "Big red hose" in the engine bay when I bought her. Some interesting plumbing to go with it...

Your A looks like it's in good shape for it's age. I always love the A's, and I like them like yours, in white. I think it looks very classy.

D

 

[MGA75002]

darn, Ed!! You just missed sportscar season in Alaska. It runs from August 7 thru August 14, although it can get hairy after the 10th.

She sure looks good from the outside. I wish I had your courage - and skill - to tackle a job like that.

I am a trained accountant, not a mechanic, but I think that you are going to have to replace that radiator cap.

Bueno suerte!

 

[AK_ED]

nice one on the season thing but the last two days have been the best we have had all year. sometimes i wish i was an accountant and not a mechanic, but after 25 years of this stuff looks like i have found my calling. i have to say that after owning porsches of the same vintage that these british cars are pretty simple to work on.

all in all this project is pretty easy as far as a driver type resto goes.

will get pics of the progress soon.

cheers ed

p.s. didnt really miss the season i had this to take up my time

darn, Ed!! You just missed sportscar season in Alaska. It runs from August 7 thru August 14, although it can get hairy after the 10th.

She sure looks good from the outside. I wish I had your courage - and skill - to tackle a job like that.

I am a trained accountant, not a mechanic, but I think that you are going to have to replace that radiator cap.

Bueno suerte!

 

[Silverghost]

i have to say that after owning porsches of the same vintage that these british cars are pretty simple to work on.

all in all this project is pretty easy as far as a driver type resto goes.

Oh Ed! I HOPE you're on good terms with the local Elders, you're going to need them!

If you are a fan of Harry Potter, you're familiar with He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named. In LBC world, he is called The Prince Of Darkness!! The Prince Of Darkness seeks out the innocent and uninformed, those who say the words "british cars" and "pretty simple" and "pretty easy" in the same discussion and brings his FULL wrath to bear upon their souls! Graveyards on "The Continent" are full with mechanics and owners alike who thought such as you!

You see, I was once like you. I mentioned to my fellow enthusiasts about the operational status of my MGB. I did not escape - first it was a full clutch replacement, then 3 weeks later an electrical fire. Now, I am a shadow of the man I used to be, relegated to hiding in a darkenend garage, my only contact with the outside world is this Forum.

YOUR only hope at this point is to have the Elders prepare a ritual and TRY to deflect the wrath of the Prince Of Darkness! May the british car angels have mercy on your soul!! :laugh:




[Ok, I AM just kidding! But the clutch r&r and the electrical fire DID happen pretty much as I described it!!]

 

[bgbassplyr]

Picky, Picky, Picky.

 

[AK_ED]

hey thanks for the warning!i am familiar with the so called prince of darkness as i have owned several early rovers and currently own a disco. the wireing will be easy i cut it all out and will rewire the whole car using the factory switches. im sure i will have my challenges with the car but hey thats all part of the fun of it all.

cheers ed

i have to say that after owning porsches of the same vintage that these british cars are pretty simple to work on.

all in all this project is pretty easy as far as a driver type resto goes.

Oh Ed! I HOPE you're on good terms with the local Elders, you're going to need them!

If you are a fan of Harry Potter, you're familiar with He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named. In LBC world, he is called The Prince Of Darkness!! The Prince Of Darkness seeks out the innocent and uninformed, those who say the words "british cars" and "pretty simple" and "pretty easy" in the same discussion and brings his FULL wrath to bear upon their souls! Graveyards on "The Continent" are full with mechanics and owners alike who thought such as you!

You see, I was once like you. I mentioned to my fellow enthusiasts about the operational status of my MGB. I did not escape - first it was a full clutch replacement, then 3 weeks later an electrical fire. Now, I am a shadow of the man I used to be, relegated to hiding in a darkenend garage, my only contact with the outside world is this Forum.

YOUR only hope at this point is to have the Elders prepare a ritual and TRY to deflect the wrath of the Prince Of Darkness! May the british car angels have mercy on your soul!! :laugh:




[Ok, I AM just kidding! But the clutch r&r and the electrical fire DID happen pretty much as I described it!!]