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Modified Thermostat housing for a '74 B

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vping

vping

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My 1974 B has had the emmisions removed but it still has the Original Thermostat housing with the handle sticking off of it for the air pump. Has anyone ever cut it off and ground it down? Is there an aftermarket aluminum replacement for it? It's ugly & heavy.
 
I have seen them cut off and ground down to blend in with the rest of the housing, and they don't look too bad. I have also seen in one of the catalogs, a Euro spec housing that did not have the mount for the air pump, but I can't seem to find it in my most recent catalogs. Could just be my memory going away /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
There's a simple solution... a couple of years ago I stopped by a UK MG restoration shop near my office in London. I was after the same thing you were, so I called them to see if they had any cast iron thermo covers.

I bought three - all they had on hand and brought them back. Kept one and sold the other two on eBay.

I'm in Prague at the moment, but in London office this weekend and most of next week. I'll dig up their address. If I can get my hands on one, I'll bring one back for you. I think they were about $20ea. They are not the early style with the outlet on the "wrong side", it is a cast iron home market original and will bolt right on, no ugly arm.

Edit, found them: Surrey Sports and Classics:

https://www.mgspares.co.uk/xture/api/ssc-site/index.aspx
 
Yep - when I get home, I'll take a photo of the one I did for Jerri's GT...whack the arm off & then use a grinder/snader to smooth it so it looks like it never had that arm on it.
 
Think I'll do that. Scott email me before you leave and I may or may not have you pick one up if I butcher mine. Thanks.
 
I've got somebody in Huntsville waiting for me to come home so he can pick up one to modify - & he wants to see mine also.
 
I'm gonna cut the bulk off with the jet tomorrow and then start grinding. Looks like it will work just fine.
 
The cover outlet will "go either way" with the arm cut off, too. The holes are equi-distant, a later cover can be made to work on an earlier engine when the arm is removed.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]The holes are equi-distant, a later cover can be made to work on an earlier engine when the arm is removed. [/QUOTE]
But an early housing won't work on a later engine - the bolts don't line up so that it'll point in the correct direction.
 
vping said:
Think I'll do that. Scott email me before you leave and I may or may not have you pick one up if I butcher mine. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Ok; need to know by Friday so I can arrange a ride (no car) or have them stick it in the post.

--Scott
 
Scott,
Don't worry about it, I'll give this a shot and I have extra's if I screw it up.

When I did the '67 I bought a new one but saved the original. When I saw that clunky thing in the '74 I though about using it. Wrong. You figure it would line up.
 
I have a 74B and bought a early style from Moss and it works. The bolts line up but the angle of the outlet is slightly off from orginal but the orginal hose still went on it enough to hold the clamp and has not been a problem.

Greg
74B - driver
73B - project in the works
 
Ah I see. Listed but no picture. I cut mine off and filed it semi-smooth. It'll do and it's abuot 1/2# lighter.
 
As soon as get this painted, I'll post the pics. I removed a lot more parts and blasted them. They are slated for primer today and maybe even the black, if I have time.
 
If you've been following this thread, here is the modified housing.
10-28-07-ThermostatHousing.jpg
 
With that mod it can be used on the older engines too... aimed to the other side, with an additional notch-out for the valve cover.
 
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